PARAGUAY', a republic of South America. Its frontiers, previous to the war of 1865-70, were not well defined, but on its conclusion were fixed by treaty. Paraguay now extends from 22° to 27° 80' s. and front 54' 33' to 58° 40' w. long., forming the peninsula between the rivers Paraguay and Parana. It is bounded n. and n.e. by Bra zil, s.e., s., and S.W. by the Argentine confederation, and n.w. by Bolivia. Its area pre vious to the war was about 103,148 sq.m., and is now variously estimated at from 57,000 to 90,000 sq. miles. Before the war, the pop. was variously estimated at from 450,000 to 1,300,G00, consisting of whites of Spanish descent, native Indians, negroes, and a mixture of these several races. In 1873 it had fallen to 221,079; in 1876 it was 293,844. A mountain-chain called Sierra Amambay, running in the gen eral direction of from n. to s., and bifurcating to the e. and w. towards the southern extremity, under the name of Sierra Mar:leapt, divides the tributaries of the Parana from those of the Paraguay, none of which are very considerable, although they are liable to frequent and 'destructive overflows. The northern portion of Paraguay is in general undulating, covered by low, gently-swelling ridges, separated by large grass plains, dotted with _palms. There are mountains in the n.e. and n.w. corners. The southern portion is one of the most fertile districts of South America, consisting of hills and gentle slopes richly wooded, of wide savannas, which afford excellent pasture-ground, and of rich alluvial plains, some of which, indeed, are marshy, or covered with shallow pools of water (only one lake, that of Ypao, deserving special notice), but a large proportion are of extraordinary fertility and highly cultivated. The banks of the rivers Parana and Paraguay are occasionally belted with forest; but, in general, the low lands are destitute of trees. The climate, for a tropical country, is temperate, the temperature occasionally rising to 100° in summer, but in winter being usually about 45°. In geological structure, the southern part belongs generally to the tertiary formation; the a. and e. presenting greywacke rocks in some districts. The natural productions are very varied, although they do not include the precious metals or other minerals common in South America. Much valuable timber is found in the for ests, and the wooded districts situated upon the rivers possess a ready means of trans port. Among the trees are several species of dye-wood, several trees which yield valuable juices, as the India rubber and its cognate trees; and an especially valuable shrub, called the Mate (q.v.), or Paraguay tea-tree, which forms one of the chief articles
of commerce, being in general use throughout La Plata, Chili, Peru, and other parts of South America. The tree grows wild in the north-eastern districts, and the gathering of its leaves gives employment in the season to a large number of the native population. Many trees also yield valuable gums. Wax and honey are collected in abundance, as is also cochineal, and the medicinal plants are very numerous. The chief cultivated crops are maize, rice, coffee, cocoa, indigo, mandioc, tobacco, sugar-cane, and cotton. Nearly three-fourths of the land is national property, consisting partly of the lands formerly held by the Jesuit missions, partly of lands never assigned to individuals, partly of lands confiscated in the course of the revolutionary ordeal through which the country has passed. The national estates have, for the most part, been let out in small tenements, at moderate rents. Under the dictator Prancia, 1814-40, agriculture made considerable progress, and the breed of cattle and horses was much improved, and the stock increased. The few manufactures arc sugar, rum, cotton and woolen cloths, and leather. The commerce of the country is chiefly in the hands of the government, which holds a monopoly of the export of Paraguay tel In 1873 the total value of the exports amounted to £220,032, and the imports to £229.53G. The chief exports were Wit(t, tobacco, hides, and bark for tanning; imports, cotton goods, haberdashery, groceries, etc. Up till the war of 1865-70. Paraguay had no national debt, but the terrible losses thrm incurred compelled it in 1871-72 to contract obligations amounting to upwards of $47,000,000. Three millions were contracted in England on the security of time puhlic lands of Paraguay, estimated at upwards of £19,000,000; but the foreign loans com mittee, 1875, reports that payment of interest and sinking fund has ceased since 1814. The military force, which. during the five years' war, was raised to 60,000 men, has now been reduced to 2,000. The established religion is the Roman Catholic. the ecclesiastical head of which is the bishop of Asuncion, Education is very widely diffused; and it is said that there are hut few of the people who are not able to read and write.