Location:
Central South America, northeast of Argentina, southwest of Brazil

Geographic coordinates:
23 00 S, 58 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 406,752 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 397,302 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 9,450 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 61

Area - comparative:
about three times the size of New York state; slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries:
total: 4,655 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (3): Argentina 2,531 km, Bolivia 753 km, Brazil 1,371 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west
More Climate Details

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

Elevation:
mean elevation: 178 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m highest point: Cerro Pero 842 m

Natural resources:
hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Land use:
agricultural land: 53.8% arable land 10.8%; permanent crops 0.2%; permanent pasture 42.8%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 43.8%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 2.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
1,362 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
most of the population resides in the eastern half of the country; to the west lies the Gran Chaco (a semi-arid lowland plain), which accounts for 60% of the land territory, but only 2% of the overall population

Natural hazards:
local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal pose health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population concentrated in eastern and southern part of country