The country of Paraguay is officially named the Republic of Paraguay. This South American country is landlocked by three other countries including Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia. Prior to the arrival of the Spanish in the 1500s, Paraguay had been inhabited mainly by an indigenous people known as the Guarani for thousands of years. Here are some Paraguay Facts which you need to know.

Paraguay’s inhabitants revolted against the Spanish in 1811 and declared its independence from Spain on May 14^th, 1811. One day later, on May 15^th their independence was recognized, and for the next six decades Paraguay was ruled by a series of dictators. The Paraguayan War of 1864 to 1870 led to the deaths of approximately 70% of its population due to disease and war. Political issues and corruption in government have continued to plague Paraguay.

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Interesting Paraguay Facts:

• The name Paraguay originated from a Guarani word but the exact meaning is not known. Some believe that it means ‘river which originates a sea’, or river that flows through the sea’, or ‘river crowned’. Another interpretation is that Paraguay was named for a great Indian chief named ‘Paraguay’.
• Paraguay’s capital city is Asuncion. This is Paraguay’s cultural center and is also one of South America’s oldest cities.
• Paraguay’s most populated cities include Asuncion, San Lorenzo, Luque, Capiata, Lambare, and Fernando De La Mora.
• The official currency of Paraguay is Guarani, with the code PYG.
• Paraguay’s official languages are Spanish and Guarani.
• The Guarani language incorporates the sounds of nature into many of its words. These words imitate the natural sounds of waterfalls, forests, and even animals. This type of language is called an onomatopoeic language.
• Approximately 89% of Paraguay’s citizens are Roman Catholic although Christianity, Protestantism and Judaism are also observed.
• Paraguay’s national dish is sopa paraguaya. This dish is cornbread made with onions and cheese.
• Paraguayans also enjoy a Guarani dish made of beans and maize called jopara.
• The largest working hydroelectric power plant is located on the Parana River, shared with Brazil and Paraguay. Its name is the Itaipu Dam.
• Paraguay’s citizens love music. Traditional music includes a 38-string harp.
• Popular Paraguayan dances include the bottle dance and the polka.
• Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in Paraguay.
• Fishing is a popular past time in Paraguay despite the fact that the country is landlocked. The Paraguay River (also known as the Rio Paraguay) runs through the country.
• Paraguay’s climate ranges from temperate to subtropical, and only wet and dry periods depending on the season.
• Paraguay’s military includes an army, navy and air force.
• Paraguay is the world’s fourth largest soybean grower.
• Paraguay is the world’s second largest stevia producer.
• Paraguay is the world’s tenth largest wheat exporter.
• Paraguay’s mining industry employs approximately 31% of the labor force and the mining industry accounts for approximately 25% of Paraguay’s gross domestic product.
• Approximately 30 to 50% of Paraguay’s citizens are poor, with higher rates of poverty in rural areas of the country.
• Paraguay has serious issues with clean drinking water. It is estimated that less than 3% of the population has access to clean drinking water.
• The flag of Paraguay was adopted on November 27, 1842. The flag comprises three horizontal stripes: red, white and blue.
• The country’s state coat of arms is presented in the front part of the flag and the back has the country’s Treasury Seal. The Seal is surmounted by the national motto of the country: ‘Paz y Justica’, which means ‘Peace and Justice’. It is one of the oldest flags in the world.

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Countries of the World

Britain worked largely as an imperial ruler for centuries. It enslaved kings, countries and millions of people on the planet – a quest that first began with the idea of establishing trade ties all over the world. However, as a nation, Britain and its people have made vast contributions to the entire world. Listed below are the top 10 contributions of Britain to the world.

Luxury cars:

Some of the very first engines, including automobiles were first invented in Britain. Centuries ago, only Britain could possibly fund the research and development required for producing working models of automobiles and other mechanical systems. Some of the world’s best luxury cars including Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Aston Martin and Bentley were given to the world by Britain’s engineers.

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Economic reforms:

A number of economic reforms that transformed the millions of lives on the planet were first conceptualized and implemented by Britain. Notable among these are the ideas of free trade, liberalism, capitalism, and mercantilism. These economic reforms may have had adverse effects on some communities or countries in the world at some point in time but they’ve largely contributed in shaping the economic development of the world.

Constitutional monarchy:

The constitutional monarchy that later evolved into the present form of democracy – a government of the people, by the people and for the people – was a system of governance that Britain gave to the world. In a constitutional monarchy, a king or queen is not in the absolute control of the state of its people. It is the constitution which actually outlines the rules and regulations that have to be followed by everyone, including the head of the state.

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Music revolution:

Pop music and other derivative genres magically took the world by storm over the last many decades. Music bands that formed in Britain grew up to become household names in dozens of countries in the world. Pink Floyd, Beatles and Rolling Stones are few names that would perhaps be remembered for generations to come. These bands laid the foundation of both cultural and anti-cultural revolutions in the world.

Literary revolution:

Some of the legends in the world of literature and poetry were Britons. Shakespeare, Kipling, Dickens, and Milton are few great literary geniuses that Britain gave to the world. Till this day, even the most talented writers, poets, and novelists are compelled to wonder if some of these people, Shakespeare for instance, were actually real and not mythical personalities created by combining works of many.

Strengthened the foundation of science:

Britain gave some of the best scientists and philosophers to the world. Newton, a British scientist postulated gravitational laws and invented Calculus that laid the foundation of several branches of Physics and Mathematics. Darwin, a British biologist who gave the theory of Evolution, influenced the opinions of billions of people on the planet.

Machine tools:

Machine tools are now used by millions of manufacturers all over the world. These tools are used to carry out mass production of prototypes or models. The concept of producing an object repeatedly by designing a machine tool was first conceived in Britain. It was the British Navy that first designed machine tools to create various components for their rigging in large quantities.

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Industrial revolution:

It was due to the industrial revolution in Great Britain powered by several scientific discoveries and inventions that the state looked forward to serious economic expansion in 16^th and 17^th centuries. While the state ended up enslaving many poorly run states and kingdoms across the world, it did carry forward the spark of industrial revolution in all countries it ruled, including America. True to the popular belief, Britain contributed a lot to the world at large, but the way it did so, remains questionable till date.

Mechanical inventions:

It is impossible to imagine the world without mechanical inventions such as railway, automobiles, gas turbines etc. We’d suddenly find ourselves in the 15^th century if all modern day systems based on these inventions are taken away. All these mechanical systems were invented by researchers, engineers, and scientists in Britain.

The English language:

The English language has played a big role in uniting the world. Today, ideas get communicated so easily from one country to the other only because billions of people on the planet can speak and understand English. Had there been no ‘Global Language’, acceptable to all countries in the world, many developing nations would have been unable to profit from the boons of industrialization, scientific advancements & technological innovations.

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