Mike Edwards a friend of mine that works at the American Embassy in Asuncion send me this pdf.

One article is written by Mike Edwards, very interesting view.Page 28.  Enjoy.

 READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE HERE  http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/104059.pdf

Beautiful article Mike! thanks for sharing =)

• Capital>>> Asunción
  Total area>>> 406,750 square kilometers
  Approximate size>>> Slightly smaller than
  California
  Government>>> Constitutional republic
  Independence>>> May 14, 1811 (from Spain)
  Population>>> 6.67 million
  Life expectancy at birth>>> 75.3 years
  Languages>>> Spanish and Guarani
  Currency>>> Guarani (PYG)
  Per capita income>>> $4,000
  Unemployment rate>>> 11.4 percent
  Import commodities>>> Vehicles, consumer
  goods, tobacco and
  petroleum products
  Export commodities>>> Soybeans, animal feed,
  cotton and meat
  

Asunción, also known as the “mother of cities,” is
one of the oldest colonial cities in South America.
Founded in 1537 by the Spaniards, Asunción sits at
the crossroads of a diverse, landlocked country.
Augusto Roa Bastos, Paraguay’s most famous
author, called his homeland “an island surrounded
by land.” Asunción and the surrounding
countryside, with its charming tranquility and colonial
heritage, evoke images of an isolated place
forgotten by time.
Paraguayan scholar Juan Carlos Herken said,
“Paraguay is not a country; it is an obsession.”
Paraguayans truly have a strong affection for their
country. Family ties are strong, and many
Paraguayans will go out of their way to welcome
visitors. The culture is dominated by a mixture
of Spanish, indigenous Guarani and immigrant
influences.
The Guarani, with the help of Jesuit missionaries
in the 17th and 18th centuries, contributed their
language, arts and music to a culture heavily influenced
by Spanish colonialism. Subsequent
immigrant groups such as Germans, Koreans and
Lebanese established ethnically diverse enclaves.
These influences are reflected in cultural events
such as Carnaval and in local specialties such as ao
po’i (hand-woven shirts), harp music, asados
(barbecues), yerba mate tea and German-style
pastries.
Since its independence from Spain in 1811,
Paraguay has had a colorful history marred by wars,
including a war against Argentina, Brazil and
Uruguay in the 1860s that killed two-thirds of its
population. The country finally emerged from
dictatorship in 1989 when Alfredo Stroessner’s 35-
year rule ended in a coup d’état. Paraguay is now
undergoing democratic transition and economic
reform. The Colorado Party has enjoyed 61 years of
uninterrupted rule, the current world record, and
the opposition remains fragmented. However,
Paraguay has made progress in building democratic
institutions, fighting corruption, stabilizing
its economy and improving education and health
services.
A Strong Relationship
The United States established its first mission to
Paraguay in 1852, and the bilateral relationship
remains strong. Many Americans have come to
Paraguay’s aid in times of need, most notably President
Rutherford B. Hayes. As arbitrator of a land
dispute in 1878, he ordered the return to Paraguay
of a large portion of the Chaco region. The
Paraguayans named the territory “Presidente Hayes”
in his honor. In addition, the Paraguayan
government issued a stamp in 2007 honoring
former Ambassador and General Martin T.
McMahon, who served in Paraguay and
strongly advocated on its behalf during
the War of the Triple Alliance
(1865–70). Many Asunción street names
recognize influential Americans,
including President John F. Kennedy,
Senator Huey Long and Walt Disney.
More than 60 Americans from 11
agencies work at the U.S. embassy to
combat corruption and transnational
crime, foster democratic institutions
and promote economic growth.
The mission supports Paraguay in
combating terrorist financing in the
triborder area of Paraguay, Argentina
and Brazil; narcotics trafficking; intellectual
property rights violations; and
money laundering. The Drug Enforcement
Administration and Department
of State provide extensive support to
Paraguay’s counternarcotics efforts. U.S.
Treasury advisers help Paraguay improve
its efficiency and transparency, and the
embassy’s regional legal adviser assists
with legal reform.
Mission personnel also assist local
agencies in combating trafficking in persons. They
helped the government in 2007 open its first shelter
for female victims of trafficking. Embassy personnel
provide equipment and training programs to the
armed forces and specialized crime units to increase
Paraguay’s capability to support peacekeeping operations
and domestic stability.
The embassy has selected 500 of the best and
brightest Paraguayan students from disadvantaged economic backgrounds for three-year English language
scholarships. Embassy personnel also help
the National Library preserve its decaying newspaper
archive.
The U.S. Agency for International Development
administers a $35 million Millennium Challenge
Account Threshold Program directed at promoting
enforcement and strengthening key institutions. The
agency’s Paraguay Vende program helps local
businesses and promotes better natural resource
management. Its health programs support pharmacies,
health insurance systems and reproductive
health services. USAID has also donated hundreds of
computers to public schools.
Paraguay has the world’s third-largest Peace Corps
contingent with more than 180 volunteers working
throughout the country. The embassy has distributed
$35 million in cancer-related medicine and
equipment donated by private sources to Paraguayan
facilities since 2005. When the country experienced
its worst forest fires last September, the mission
provided more than $1.2 million to aid firefighters
and disaster victims.
Community Life
The embassy’s 15-acre compound features a
subtropical arboretum, a large garden and a
collection of animals, including deer and peacocks.
The chancery and ambassador’s residence, featuring
1950s-era avant-garde architecture, will be razed
when work begins on a new embassy compound
in 2010.
Asunción offers great schools, excellent housing
with swimming pools, a short commute and a variety
of restaurants, services and activities. Named the
world’s least expensive capital city in 2007 by Mercer
Consulting, Asunción has affordable household help
and personal trainers who teach everything from the
Spanish language to salsa dancing. Asunción is also
home to many inexpensive churrasquería (barbeque)
and ethnic restaurants, great arts and crafts, and
many cultural events featuring Paraguayan arts and
music. Soccer aficionados can watch some of the best
fútbol in the world. Paraguay offers a bonanza of
opportunities for those who enjoy outdoor activities
such as fishing, hunting and outings at the large
estancias (ranches) that dot the countryside.
Crime, inconvenience and isolation are the
concerns most often cited by mission
personnel. Although violent crime in
Paraguay is still relatively low by Latin
American standards, it is rising. The
country’s weak infrastructure makes travel
a logistical challenge. Air travel is difficult
in and out of the country, with no direct
flights to the United States, and mail deliveries
and shipments are infrequent.
Scarcity of job opportunities and the
language barrier limit employment opportunities
for spouses.
Asunción is an architectural feast for the
eyes that blends decaying remnants of its
colonial past with concrete-block
monoliths dating from the Stroessner era.
Hidden amid the decaying buildings are
such gems as the National Palace, National
Cathedral and Pantheon of Heroes. One
million Paraguayans, one-sixth of the
population, live in greater Asunción, and
the city continues to grow as rural
residents arrive looking for work.
A biologically diverse country the size of
California, Paraguay has a terrain that
ranges from the semiarid Chaco to the subtropical
Oriental. Its ecosystems are among the world’s most
diverse. An agrarian-based society with a distinctively
gaucho flavor lies just a few minutes outside
Asunción. The city is a great base from which to
explore nearby hidden gems such as San Bernardino,
a lakeside resort town. Encarnación with its famous
Carnaval parades and Jesuit mission ruins, and the
impressive Itaipú Dam, the world’s largest hydroelectric
dam, are just a few hours away. And no stay in
Paraguay would be complete without a trip to Iguazu
Falls in the triborder area.
Paraguayans show immense resolve in tackling
serious challenges, as evidenced by their success on
the soccer field. With the help of the U.S. Mission in
Asunción, they are working to overcome their political
and economic challenges. ?
The author is a political officer at the U.S. Embassy
in Asunción.

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