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In the disastrous War of the Triple
Alliance (1865-70), Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much
of its territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In
the Chaco War of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were won
from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER was
overthrown in 1989, and relatively free and regular presidential elections
have been held since then.
The Republic of Paraguay is a country
of some 5,000,000 inhabitants and occupies an area of 406.752 square
kilometers.The capital is the city of Asuncion.
It is located in the heart of South
America, surrounded by Argentina to the South, Brazil to the East, and
Bolivia to the North.
Its name derives from the
Paraguay River which, together with the Parana and Uruguay
Rivers, forms the Rio de la Plata Basin. The Paraguay River divides the
country into two distinct regions which. are quite different in character.
The Eastern Region, between the Paraguay and Parana Rivers, has fertile,
rolling plains with numerous waterways, lakes, broad pasturelands and
thick forests. The Western Region, known as the Chaco, is a vast plain
crossed by numerous non-navigable rivers. This is the land of Quebracho, a
very hard wood, and cattle ranches. Because it is so sparely populated, it
is also home to a wide variety of animals living in their natural
habitat..
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