Capital:
name: Asuncion
geographic coordinates: 25 16 S, 57 40 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1
capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*,
Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion,
Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari,
Presidente Hayes, San Pedro
Independence:
14 May 1811 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 14 May 1811 (observed 15 May annually)
Constitution:
promulgated 20 June 1992
Legal system:
based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial
review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15 August
2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15 August
2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 27
April 2003 (next to be held April 2008)
election results: Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS elected president; percent
of vote - Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS 37.1%, Julio Cesar Ramon FRANCO
Gomez 23.9%, Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella 21.3%, Guillermo
SANCHEZ Guffanti 13.5%, other 4.2%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators
or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara
de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be
held April 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 27 April 2003
(next to be held April 2008)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - ANR 16, PLRA 12, UNACE 7, PQ 7, PPS 2, PEN 1;
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
- ANR 37, PLRA 21, UNACE 10, PQ 10, PPS 2
note: as of January 2006, changes in party affiliation has led to
the composition of the legislature as follows: Chamber of Senators -
seats by party - ANR 18, PLRA 12, UNACE 5, PQ 7, PPS 2, PEN 1;
Chamber of Deputies - seats by party - ANR 39, PLRA 21, UNACE 8, PQ
10, PPS 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges
appointed on the proposal of the Council of Magistrates or Consejo
de la Magistratura)