Paraguay Flag

Paraguay

Capital:
Asunción
Continent:
South America
Abbreviation:
PRY

Paraguay is a country in South America, known for the vast Paraguay River and Chaco region. It has a population of over 7 million, making it the 108th largest country in the world. Its official language is Portuguese, and the capital is Asunción. Paraguay has a agricultural-based economy.

7M
Total Population
108
Population Rank
17.65
Density (km²)
83.9K 1.21%
Annual Population Growth

Population of Paraguay

Paraguay's population structure shows a nearly equal male to female ratio of 1.01 to 1, with a median male age of 27.13 years old and a median female age of 28.18 years old. The highest concentration of adults under 75 years old is in the 26 and 27 year-old age groups, while the lowest concentration is in the 74 and 73 year-old age groups.

Paraguay Population

Data after 2022 is projected based on recent change

Paraguay Population Clock

Paraguay Population*
6,980,327
Births per Day
372
Deaths per Day
110
Emigrations per Day
34
Net Change per Day
227
2025 Population Change*
8,399

* As of 2/6/2025

1 birth

Every 3.9 minutes

1 death

Every 13.1 minutes

1 emigrant

Every 42.4 minutes

1 person

Every 6.3 minutes

Population by City

City
2025 Pop.
Asuncion1,482,200
Ciudad del Este320,782
San Lorenzo227,876
Capiata198,553
Lambare126,377
Fernando de la Mora120,167

Paraguay Overview

Paraguay Demographics

The indigenous Guarani people remain influential, but most residents identify as mestizo after years of intermarriage among various ethnic groups. Paraguay has long been a recipient of immigrants, particularly after war collapsed its demographics, and there are many groups of ethnic Italians, Russians, Japanese, Germans, Chinese, Arabs, Brazilians and Argentinians in the country. Brazilians represent the largest immigrant group at 400,000, while 1% of the population is Afro-Paraguayan. There is no official information about the country’s ethnic composition, as census information does not ask about race and ethnicity. Indigenous people do makeup 1.7% of Paraguay’s population.

Paraguay Religion, Economy and Politics

Paraguay has no official religion and does have religious freedom, but it doesn’t seem as though many people have taken advantage of it because there is not much religious diversity in the country. 88% of the population are practicing Catholics, and another 8% are Protestant, totaling a whopping 96% of the population practicing some form of Christianity. The remainder of the population is either a member of a minority religion or have no religion at all.

Agriculture is the most prominent sector in the free market economy in Paraguay, employing more people than any other area of the economy and accounting for 30% of the national GDP. The industry also allows the country to be self-sufficient in that they can produce nearly all of their food. Land ownership is not at all evenly distributed, with 15 of the population owning roughly 77% of the land. Paraguay has a very young workforce that gives them an economic advantage, as does their abundant hydro-electric energy.

The country of Paraguay functions as a presidential representative democratic republic, meaning that the constitution separates power between the executive, legislative and the National Congress. The judiciary portion of the government is built from Tribunals and Courts of Civil Law as well the Supreme Court with nine members. The executive branch is made up of the president, who is elected once for a five-year term, and appoints people to other leadership roles. Once a president has completed their term, they are granted the title of “Senator for Life,” where they are allowed to attend and speak during legal proceedings, but not to vote. The National Congress is made up of elected 80 members. The Chamber of Senators, however is made up of 45 members chosen by proportional representation.

Paraguay Population History

Paraguay was inhabited by its indigenous Guarani people for at least 1,000 years prior to the Spanish conquering the region prior to the 16th century. The country was ruled by many dictators after it achieved independence, and between 1864 and 1870, Paraguay lost 60-70% of its population to war and disease. Most of the population today is concentrated in the southeast area of the country, with the largest city and capital, Asunción, home to about 1/3 of Paraguay’s total population.