Economy - overview:
Landlocked Paraguay has a market economy distinguished by a large informal sector, featuring re-export of imported consumer goods to neighboring countries, as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. A large percentage of the population, especially in rural areas, derives its living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. Because of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are difficult to obtain.On a per capita basis, real income has grown steadily over the past decade. The economy grew rapidly between 2003 and 2008 as strong world demand for commodities, combined with high prices and favorable weather, supported Paraguay's commodity-based export expansion. Paraguay is the sixth largest soy producer in the world. Drought hit in 2008, reducing agricultural exports and slowing the economy even before the onset of the global recession. The economy fell 3.8% in 2009, as lower world demand and commodity prices caused exports to contract. Severe drought and outbreaks of hoof-and-mouth disease in 2012 led to a brief drop in beef and other agricultural exports. Since 2014, however, Paraguay’s economy has grown at a 4% average annual rate due to strong production and high global prices, at a time when other countries in the region have contracted.The Paraguayan Government recognizes the need to diversify its economy and has taken steps in recent years to do so. In addition to looking for new commodity markets in the Middle East and Europe, Paraguayan officials have promoted the country’s low labor costs, cheap energy from its massive Itaipu Hydroelectric Dam, and single-digit tax rate on foreign firms. As a result, the number of factories operating in the country – mostly transplants from Brazil - has tripled since 2014.Political uncertainty, corruption, limited progress on structural reform, and deficient infrastructure are the main obstacles to long-term growth. Paraguay has been adverse to public debt throughout its history, but has recently changed its anti-debt policies to finance infrastructure improvements to attract foreign investment. Judicial corruption is endemic and is seen as the greatest barrier to attracting more foreign investment.
GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP (official exchange rate): GDP - real growth rate: GDP - per capita (PPP): Gross national saving: GDP - composition, by end use: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: Agriculture - products: Industries: Industrial production growth rate: Labor force: Labor force - by occupation: Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: Distribution of family income - Gini index: Budget: Taxes and other revenues: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): Public debt: Fiscal year: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Central bank discount rate: Commercial bank prime lending rate: Stock of narrow money: Stock of broad money: Stock of domestic credit: Market value of publicly traded shares: Current account balance: Exports: Exports - commodities: Exports - partners: Imports: Imports - commodities: Imports - partners: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Debt - external: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: Exchange rates:
$68.05 billion (2017 est.)
$65.51 billion (2016 est.)
$62.93 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 103
$28.78 billion (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
3.9% (2017 est.)
4.1% (2016 est.)
3% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
$9,800 (2017 est.)
$9,600 (2016 est.)
$9,300 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 141
20.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
19.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
15.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]
household consumption: 66.6%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 11.7%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 17.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 0.3%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 44.5%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -40.2% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]
agriculture: 17.9%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 27.7%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 54.5% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]
cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (manioc, tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber
sugar processing, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel, base metals, electric power
6% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
3.428 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
agriculture: 26.5%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 18.5%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 55% (2008)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]
6.5% (2017 est.)
6% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]
22.2% (2015 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
lowest 10%: 1.5%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 37.6% (2013 est.)
51.7 (2014)
53.2 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 12
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]
revenues: $5.366 billion
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $5.876 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]
18.6% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
-1.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
22.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
22.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]
calendar year
3.5% (2017 est.)
4.1% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
5.5% (31 December 2012)
6% (31 December 2011)
country comparison to the world: 76
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]
18.5% (31 December 2017 est.)
18.08% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]
$4.725 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$4.293 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]
$9.505 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$8.557 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]
$13.31 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$12.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]
$962.3 million (31 December 2012 est.)
$958.1 million (31 December 2011 est.)
$42 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]
$327 million (2017 est.)
$460 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]
$11.53 billion (2017 est.)
$10.86 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
[see also: Exports country ranks ]
soybeans, livestock feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, wood, leather, gold
Brazil 35.4%, Argentina 10.5%, Russia 7.6%, Chile 6.1% (2016)
$10.37 billion (2017 est.)
$9.617 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
[see also: Imports country ranks ]
road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery, tractors, chemicals, vehicle parts
China 27.3%, Brazil 24.3%, Argentina 14.3%, US 7.1% (2016)
$7.504 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$6.881 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]
$17.35 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$16.48 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]
$5.679 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$5.276 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]
$641.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$591.3 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]
guarani (PYG) per US dollar -
5,628.1 (2017 est.)
5,680.7 (2016 est.)
5,680.7 (2015 est.)
5,160.4 (2014 est.)
4,462.2 (2013 est.)