Paraguay

Lore & Background

The indigenous Guaraní had been living in eastern Paraguay for at least a millennium before the arrival of Spanish conquistadores in 1524. The city of Asunción was founded in 1537 as the first capital of the Governorate of the Río de la Plata within the Spanish Empire. During the 17th century, Paraguay was the center of Jesuit missions. After the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1767, Paraguay became a peripheral colony. Following independence from Spain, Paraguay was ruled by a series of authoritarian governments, ending with the disastrous Triple Alliance War (1864–1870), during which the country lost half its prewar population and around 25–33% of its territory. Paraguay prevailed in the Chaco War with Bolivia (1932-1935). It subsequently came under a succession of military dictators, culminating in the 35-year regime of Alfredo Stroessner, overthrown in 1989 by an internal military coup, marking the beginning of Paraguay's current democratic era.

In Their Own Story

The air inside the Estadio Defensores del Chaco was thick with anticipation in Asunción, but the true test lay on the grass of Sweden. In 1958, a young Paraguay squad stood before the giants of Brazil and France. They did not have the flair of Pelé or the machinery of the French, but they had something else: an iron will. When the final whistle blew after their victory over Yugoslavia to secure third place, the white and red shirts were soaked in sweat and glory, a moment that would echo through decades of Paraguayan football history.

Reader's Guide

Paraguay is a developing country, ranking 99th in the Human Development Index, with the seventh highest GDP (PPP) per capita in South America. As of 2024, it had one of the fastest growing economies in the Western Hemisphere, driven by beef and soybean exports, manufacturing, and construction. Paraguay is one of the world's leading exporters of hydroelectricity; the Itaipu Dam on the Paraná River border with Brazil is the third largest hydroelectric dam in the world in terms of produced energy. Paraguay is a founding member of Mercosur, the United Nations, the Organization of American States and the Lima Group. The city of Luque, in metropolitan Asunción, is the seat of the South American Football Confederation. Ciudad del Este is Paraguay's second largest city and hosts many of the country's consulates-general.

Did You Know?

• The majority of Paraguay's 6 million people are mestizo, and more than 90% of the population speak various dialects of the Guarani language alongside Spanish.
• In a 2014 Positive Experience Index, Paraguay ranked as the 'world's happiest place', and in 2024, placed 24th in the World Happiness Report.
• The origin of the name Paraguay is uncertain; one version suggests it means 'feather crown of waters' in Guaraní.