Paraguay (country)

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1

Libraries and Museums

Among the notable libraries are the National Archives and American Library of the National Museum of Fine Arts, which also houses paintings and historical objects, and the library of the Paraguayan Scientific Society; all are in Asunción. Other important museums in Asunción include the Andres Barbero Ethnographical Museum and the Museum of Military History.

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2

Literature and Music

Historical and legal writings occupy the leading place in Paraguayan literature; even poetry seldom loses touch with social realities. Among the foremost 20th-century Paraguayan writers are Juan Natalicio Gonzalez, Manuel Ortiz Guerrero, and Augusto Roa Bastos. Several works by Roa Bastos, considered the greatest of Paraguay’s 20th-century novelists, have been translated into English, including Hijo de hombre (1960; Son of Man, 1965) and Yo el Supremo (1974; I the Supreme, 1986). See Latin American Literature.

From remote times, the Guaraní have used simple wind and percussion instruments, mostly wooden flutes, whistles, rattles, and bells. Guitars and harps, introduced by early Spanish settlers, are basic instruments of contemporary Paraguayan music. One of the oldest forms of Paraguayan popular music is the polka, and ballads and songs preserve much of the country’s history and tradition. The Guarania, a song with a flowing lyric melody introduced by Paraguayan composer Juan Asunción Flores in the early 20th century, is the first distinctive variation of the Hispanic colonial tradition. Asunción Flores revived Guarani folk music and used its rhythms in composing symphonic music. See Latin American Music.

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3

Art

Much Paraguayan art uses themes of native folklore and of religion, frequently expressed in church decoration. The earliest well-defined Paraguayan art dates from colonial times when Jesuit and Franciscan missions established art schools. Examples of early art, now extant, in both baroque Spanish and Native American styles, include pediments adorned with figures of saints, pulpits, seats carved in stone, and magnificent wood-carved altarpieces.

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Among the greatest names in modern Paraguayan art are the painters Pablo Alborno and Juan Samudio. The most renowned Paraguayan craft is the production of the very delicate ñandutí lace. See Latin America Painting and Latin American Sculpture.

IV

Economy

Paraguay is one of the poorest countries in South America. The economy was long based largely on agriculture, and economic development was slowed by lack of skilled manpower, transportation facilities, and investment resources. Beginning in the 1950s, the government initiated numerous programs to stimulate development, including increased public investment in roads, airports, and hydroelectric power, often involving foreign investment. Paraguay experienced rapid economic growth during the 1970s, as roads were completed, prices rose for its exports, and work began on the Itaipu dam. But political instability, falling prices, debt, and other problems stalled economic performance during the 1980s and 1990s.

In 2005 the gross domestic product (GDP) of Paraguay was $7.3 billion, or $1,242.30 per capita. (The GDP is a measure of the value of all goods and services produced by a country.) Services contributed 59 percent of the GDP; industry, 19 percent; and agriculture and forestry contributed 22 percent. Paraguay also has a large “informal” economy that includes street vendors and the resale of imported goods to Brazil and Argentina.

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Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing

Nearly half of Paraguay’s workers are employed in the agricultural sector. Many of them farm on a subsistence basis. The leading agricultural products are cassava, seed cotton, sugarcane, corn, wheat, root crops such as sweet potatoes, and fruits such as bananas and oranges. Livestock breeding is a significant agricultural occupation; Paraguay has more cattle than people. Other livestock includes pigs, sheep, and horses.

Forestry has been important to the economy of Paraguay. However, the country’s forest resources have been depleted as trees are cut for timber and fuel, especially in eastern Paraguay. In addition to timber, other forest products include yerba maté (Paraguayan tea), quebracho extract (tannin), wax, oils, and nuts. In landlocked Paraguay, fishing is of minor importance.

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