Paraguay

The 1992 constitution is the basic charter of Paraguay. It was drawn up by a Constituent Assembly, which was elected in December 1991, and it replaced the constitution of 1967. The constitution states that Paraguay is a representative and pluralist democracy and that government is exercised by the separate powers of the legislative, executive, and judiciary bodies.

The legislative body is the Congress, composed of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. All its members are elected by popular vote for five-year terms (with the exception of former presidents, who are appointed senators for life, though they are not entitled to vote) on the same date that the presidential elections are held.

Paraguay is divided into 17 departamentos (departments). Each department is further divided into distritos (districts), of which, in the early 21st century, there were some 250, each with local government status.

In rural Paraguay a divide existed between those holding legal title to land, usually the owners of large estates dedicated to commercial farming, and the mass of peasant squatters growing crops largely for their families' subsistence. Similarly, there was a gulf between the elite--educated, prosperous, city-based and - bred--and the country's poor, whether rural or urban.

Paraguayans of all classes viewed family and kin as the center of the social universe. Anyone not related through blood or marriage was regarded with reserve, if not distrust. People expected to be able to call upon extended kin for assistance as necessary and counted on them for unswerving loyalty. Godparents (whether or not they were kin) were important as well in strengthening social links within the web of kinship.

Paraguay is a country with long traditions, a passion for soccer, and fascinating natural wonders. A mix of the indigenous Guaraní Indian culture with the Spanish conquistadors resulted in friendly, warm, and welcoming people who are proud of their riverside capital of Asuncion, Jesuit mission ruins, and national parks.

Families are the center of Paraguayan culture. Families tend to be very traditional and protective of their children, especially daughters. For example, teenage males have much more liberal curfews than their sisters. Parents expect to know when their children are going out and where they are going. Most social activities, vacations and weekends are family events. Paraguayans are very hospitable, and conversation is a national pastime. In Paraguay culture, supervising the children and managing the household are typically the responsibilities of wives, while husbands are more occupied with work outside the home

Saltos del Monday

On the outskirts of Ciudad del Este lies one of Paraguay’s most spectacular natural wonders: Saltos del Monday. This thunderous series of waterfalls is an astonishing 45 metres tall and 120 metres wide. Adventurers can climb and abseil down the rocky walls, while observers keen to stay on dry land can watch the falls tumble into the depths below from wooden walkways snaking across the river.