Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands Digraph: PF
@Paracel Islands, Economy
Overview: no economic activity
@Paracel Islands, Communications
Ports:
small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island
currently under expansion
Airports:
1 on Woody Island
@Paracel Islands, Defense Forces
Note: occupied by China
@Paraguay, Geography
Location:
Central South America, between Argentina and Brazil
Map references:
South America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
406,750 sq km
land area:
397,300 sq km
comparative area:
slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries:
total 3,920 km, Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none; landlocked
International disputes:
short section of the boundary with Brazil, just west of Salto del
Guaira (Guaira Falls) on the Rio Parana, has not been determined
Climate:
varies from temperate in east to semiarid in far west
Terrain:
grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region
west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry
forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Natural resources:
hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Land use:
arable land:
20%
permanent crops:
1%
meadows and pastures:
39%
forest and woodland:
35%
other:
5%
Irrigated land:
670 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal
present health hazards for many urban residents
natural hazards:
local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained
plains may become boggy (early October to June)
international agreements:
party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of
the Sea; signed, but not ratified - Nuclear Test Ban
Note:
landlocked; buffer between Argentina and Brazil
@Paraguay, People