Paragúáì

Paragúáì (US /pɛərəɡwaɪ/, UK /pærəɡwaɪ/), officially the Republic of Paraguay (Spánì: [República del Paraguay] [reˈpuβlika ðel paɾaˈɣwai], Guaraní: Tetã Paraguái [teˈtã paɾaˈɣwaj]), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the country from north to south. Due to its central location in South America, it is sometimes referred to as Corazón de América, or the Heart of America.

Orílẹ̀-èdè Olọ́mìnira ilẹ̀ Paragúáì Republic of Paraguay República del Paraguay  (Spanish) Tetã Paraguái  (Guarani)
Àsìá (ojú) Àmì ọ̀pá àṣẹ
Motto: Paz y justicia  (Híspánì) "Peace and justice"
Orin ìyìn: Paraguayos, República o Muerte  (Híspánì) "Paraguayans, Republic or Death"
Olùìlú àti ìlú tótóbijùlọ	Asunción
Àwọn èdè ìṣẹ́ọba	Spanish Guaraní
Àwọn ẹ̀yà ènìyàn (2000)	Mestizo (mixed European and Amerindian) ~80% White (European) ~20% unmixed Amerindian 1-3% Asian 1-4% black 1% other 1-2.5%
Orúkọ aráàlú	Paraguayan
Ìjọba	Unitary presidential constitutional republic
• President	Federico Franco
• Vice President	Óscar Denis
Aṣòfin	Congress
• Ilé Aṣòfin Àgbà	Chamber of Senators
• Ilé Aṣòfin Kéreré	Chamber of Deputies
Independence  from Spain
• Declared	14 May 1811
• Recognized	15 May 1811
Ìtóbi
• Total	406,752 km2 (157,048 sq mi) (60th)
• Omi (%)	2.3
Alábùgbé
• 2009 estimate	6,454,548 (103rd)
• Ìdìmọ́ra	14.2/km2 (36.8/sq mi) (204th)
GDP (PPP)	2011 estimate
• Total	$35.346 billion
• Per capita	$5,412
GDP (nominal)	2011 estimate
• Total	$21.236 billion
• Per capita	$3,252
Gini (2008)	50.8 high
HDI (2011)	▲ 0.665  · 107th
Owóníná	Guaraní (PYG)
Ibi àkókò	UTC-4
• Ìgbà oru (DST)	UTC-3
Ojúọ̀nà ọkọ́	right
Àmì tẹlifóònù	595
Internet TLD	.py

The Guaraní have been living in Paraguay since before the arrival of Europeans in the 16th century, when Paraguay became part of the Spanish colonial empire. Following independence from Spain in 1811, Paraguay was ruled by a series of dictators who followed isolationist and protectionist policies. This development was truncated by the disastrous Paraguayan War (1864–1870) in which the country lost 60% to 70% of its population and large amounts of territory. During a large part of the 20th century, Paraguay was ruled by Alfredo Stroessner, who led one of South America's longest lived military dictatorships. In 1989 Stroessner was toppled and free elections were celebrated in 1993. In 1994 Paraguay joined Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay to found Mercosur.

As of 2009 the population was estimated at 6.3 million. The capital and largest city is Asunción. The official languages are Spanish and Guaraní, both being widely spoken in the country, with around 92% of the general population speaking Spanish and 98% speaking Guaraní.

Though it remains one of the region's poorest and least-developed countries, in 2010, Paraguay's economy grew by 14.5%, the largest economic expansion in Latin America, and the third fastest in the world after Qatar and Singapore. By 2011, economic growth slowed but remained high, at 6.4%.