Paraguay
Leonor Hernandez
World Geography
November 7, 2014
Religion
The main religion is Christianity or Roman Catholicism. According the the census in 2002, most of the population is catholic while the rest are other religions.
Asuncion Church
Paraguay's Religion
Inside of Catholic church
Language
The official languages are Guarani and Spanish. 95% of the population speaks Guarani while 90% speaks Spanish. Hello in Spanish is "Hola" and in Guarani is "Mbaé’chepa" (Bah-he-sheh-pah)
Mestizo (mixed European and Amerindiean
95% of the population
European
3% of the population
Amerindian
2% of the population
Customs and Tradtions
Paraguay has a few similar holidays such as Christmas, New Year's, and Labor day but they have a few of their own holidays. One holiday is Heroes' Day on March 1st which remarked the end of the Paraguayan War in 1870. Festivals in Paraguay are lively and filled with excitement. An example of one of the festivals held is the Nanduti Festival. It is held in the last weekend of July every year. The festival shows the region's art, crafts, food, and music. The Paraguayan polka is a dance that uses ternary and binary rhythms but Europeans only use binary rhythms. A famous style of music is Guarania which uses a combination of slow melodies and rhythms. This style of music was created in 1925 by a Paraguayan musician. Foods in Paraguaya have similarities but with a little change. The sopa paraguaya is like a piece of thick cornbread made differently. Chipa is a bagel-like bread that is made with cornmeal, manioc, and cheese.
Economy
Paraguay's economy is a market economy meaning that they make money with agriculture. Their cash crops are soybeans, stevia, corn, and wheat.The economy had the highest growth between 1970 and 2013 and experienced an economic expansion in 2010 and 2013 with a GDP growth rate of 14.5%.
Holidays and Festivals
Festival del Poyvi
The festival is similar to the Nanduti festival but it is celebrated in November. The town of Carapegua has a big deal with this festival and showcases many traditional art, crafts, and music.
Carnival
Carnival is held in February on Holy Week just like the one in Rio de Jainero. This festival is celebrated because of lent and it is not as big as the one in Brazil yet it is still an event you would most definitely enjoy
Verbena de San Juan
Held on May 28 and 29, this event celebrates Saint John the Baptist. The event is part religious and cultural and has an unusual ritual that involves walking on hot embers which is sight to see.
A Tourist's Guide to Asuncion, Paraguay