Location:
Central South America, northeast of Argentina
Geographic coordinates:
23 00 S, 58 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 406,750 sq km
water: 9,450 sq km
land: 397,300 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries:
total: 3,920 km
border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern
portions, becoming semiarid in the far west
Terrain:
grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco
region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river,
and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m
Natural resources:
hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Land use:
arable land: 5.54%
permanent crops: 0.21%
other: 94.25% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
670 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly
drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal
present health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note:
landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population
concentrated in southern part of country