Paraguay/

Landlocked Paraguay has a market economy distinguished by a large informal sector, featuring re-export of imported consumer goods to neighboring countries, as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. A large percentage of the population, especially in rural areas, derives its living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. Because of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are difficult to obtain. On a per capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. The economy grew rapidly between 2003 and 2008 as growing world demand for commodities combined with high prices and favorable weather to support Paraguay’s commodity-based export expansion. Paraguay is the sixth largest soy producer in the world. Drought hit in 2008, reducing agricultural exports and slowing the economy even before the onset of the global recession. The economy fell 3.8% in 2009, as lower world demand and commodity prices caused exports to contract. The government reacted by introducing fiscal and monetary stimulus packages. Growth resumed at a 6.5% level in 2010. Political uncertainty, corruption, limited progress on structural reform, and deficient infrastructure are the main obstacles to growth.

$30.94 billion (2010 est.)

$29.06 billion (2009 est.)

$30.2 billion (2008 est.)

$17.17 billion (2010 est.)

6.5% (2010 est.)

-3.8% (2009 est.)

5.8% (2008 est.)

$4,900 (2010 est.)

$4,600 (2009 est.)

$4,900 (2008 est.)

3.038 million (2010 est.)

6.9% (2010 est.)

7.9% (2009 est.)

19.4% (2008 est.)

53.2 (2009)

57.7 (1998)

17.8% of GDP (2010 est.)

22.8% of GDP (2010 est.)

24% of GDP (2009 est.)

4.2% (2010 est.)

2.6% (2009 est.)

20% (31 December 2008)

20% (31 December 2007)

28.26% (31 December 2009 est.)

25.81% (31 December 2008 est.)

$2.6 billion (31 December 2010 est)

$2.107 billion (31 December 2009 est)

$5.03 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$4.057 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$4.395 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$3.607 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

$409.1 million (31 December 2006)

cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber

sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel, metallurgic, electric power

6.5% (2010 est.)

53.19 billion kWh (2007 est.)

8.5 billion kWh (2009 est.)

45.14 billion kWh (2007 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

31 bbl/day (2009 est.)

27,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

25,100 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

0 cu m (2009 est.)

0 cu m (2009 est.)

0 cu m (2009 est.)

0 cu m (2009 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

-$391 million (2010 est.)

-$149.2 million (2009 est.)

$7.606 billion (2010 est.)

$5.784 billion (2009 est.)

soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity, wood, leather

Brazil 21%, Uruguay 17%, Chile 12%, Argentina 11%, Russia 4% (2009)

$9.242 billion (2010 est.)

$6.917 billion (2009 est.)

road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery, tractors, chemicals, vehicle parts

China 30%, Brazil 23%, Argentina 16%, US 5% (2009)

$4.082 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$3.862 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$4.346 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$3.883 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$2.153 million (31 December 2008)

$2.057 million (31 December 2007)

$NA

guarani (PYG) per US dollar - 4,767.6 (2010), 4,965.4 (2009), 4,337.7 (2008), 5,031 (2007), 5,672.8 (2006)