There are a few stories about the meaning of the word Paraguay. The most popular, from Guaraní, defines 'para' as water and 'guay' as birth. The two words combine to form Paraguay, meaning 'born of water.' It is also said that Paragua was an Indian chief who made a pact with the Spanish Conquistadores, who then named the Paraguay River, since "y" in Guaraní means water or river.
Regardless of which version is correct, its name comes from its Guaraní heritage and reflects its rich cultural history.
These power plants generate energy for more than 30 million households and exports 75 % of the energy produced.
Paraguay's flag was first adopted in 1842, during the government of Carlos Antonio López and Mariano Roque Alonso, consuls of the Republic. The red-white-blue triband design was inspired by the French's colors, believed to stand for independence and liberty. This unusual flag features two different designs: the front shows the national coat of arms, and the back shows the treasury seal. The coat of arms consists of two palm and olive branches that curve in the shape of a crown, surrounding a star, illuminating the Independence of Paraguay. The treasury seal is a yellow lion below a red Phrygian cap, with the words "Paz y Justicia" (Peace and Justice). The lion represents the courage of the people, and the cap represents freedom.
Most of the population (80%) is bilingual. The Constitution of 1967 recognized Guaraní as a national language and Spanish as the official language. A new version of the Constitution adopted in 1992 recognized both languages as official. Moreover, Guaraní has been recognized as the working language in Mercosur, a South American trade bloc created in 1991.
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5) The oldest currency in South America
The Guaraní, Paraguay's official currency, was first issued in 1943 and is the oldest legal tender in South America.
Since its creation, it has accumulated inflation of more than 300,000%; however, it is considered one of the most stable compared to other currencies in the region. Throughout the years, Guarani became one of the currencies with the most zeros in the world.
In 1979, paper bills became bilingual when values expressed in Guaraní added to banknotes.
6) A unique soup
One of the country's typical dishes is sopa paraguaya (literally Paraguayan soup). It is famous for being the only solid soup in the world. It is a savory, cheesy cornbread with a very rich calorie and protein content. Its main ingredients are corn flour, egg, milk, cheese, and oil or pork fat.
Paraguayan gastronomy is rooted in two indigenous ingredients: cassava (or yucca) and several corn varieties. Among the traditional foods, we can name the chipá guasú (small, baked, cheese-flavored rolls) and the vorí vorí (or borí borí), a chicken broth with corn, cheese, and vegetables.
7) 70 % of its political borders are rivers
The Paraguayan border is 3,425 kilometers long. The three countries with which it shares borders are
Bolivia (31 kilometers of water border and 738 kilometers of the land border),
Brazil (630 kilometers of water border and 315 kilometers of the land border), and Argentina (1,711 kilometers of which is entirely made up of three rivers: Paraguay, Paraná, and Pilcomayo.
8) Tereré: cultural heritage and a national drink
In Paraguay, temperatures are generally very high, which locals will tell you is the best beat by drinking tereré, similar to iced tea, but made with Yerba Mate (ka'a in Guaraní) and some herbs. Like the traditional mate in Uruguay, Argentina, and southern Brazil, tereré is a drink best shared in family and friend gatherings.
The tereré has its rituals: the youngest person in the group (pahague in Guaraní) is the one to refill the shared cup and pass it to the next person, counterclockwise. When someone no longer wants to drink, they usually say "thank you" when giving the cup back to the person serving, which indicates that they will sit out the next round.
9) War of the Triple Alliance: a historical wound
The War of the Triple Alliance was a South American war fought from 1864 to 1870 lead by Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentina against the Republic of Paraguay.
Paraguay was considered an economic power before the war, with the most industrial development in the region. The conflict began in 1864, during the government of Francisco Solano López, and ended in 1870 with the Paraguayan commander-in-chief's death. Paraguay lost a large part of the territory disputed with Brazil and had to pay compensation to all countries affected by the war.
Even today, Paraguay has not fully recovered from this war, in which more than 75% of the population lost their lives, mostly men.
10) Two Independence Days
In Paraguay, the national holiday to commemorate the country's independence, which took place on the evening of May 14, 1811, and the early morning of May 15, 1811, takes place over two full days. In the final hours of May 14, the revolutionaries took over the army headquarters and released more than 30 political prisoners. The following morning, the Spanish governor Bernardo de Velasco surrendered. Those hours earned Paraguay its independence, being one of the first American countries to achieve its autonomy.
It is worth noting that Mother's Day is also celebrated on May 15 in Paraguay.
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