Paraguay is a small landlocked country near the center of South America. It is surrounded by Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil. The Paraguay river flows through Paraguay from north to south and divides the country into two sharply different land regions. West of the river lies Chaco, a flat, thinly settled area of coarse grasses, scrub forests, and salt marshes. Eastern Paraguay, on the other hand, has rolling hills, fertile soil, and thick forests. The great majority of the Paraguayan people live in the eastern part of the country. About a fifth of them live in or near Asunción, the capital and largest city. Almost all Paraguayans are of mixed Guarani Indian and Spanish ancestry. Spain ruled Paraguay until 1811, when Paraguay declared its independence.
Over 90 percent of the Paraguayan people are Roman Catholics. The Constitution makes Catholicism the state religion, but it guarantees freedom of worship. Protestants, many of whom are Mennonites, make up about 1 percent of the population. Missionaries of the Jesuit order began to arrive in Paraguay in 1588 to convert the Guarani to Roman Catholicism. They organized mission settlements called reducciones or reductions, where the Indians lived and worked. The Jesuits taught the Guarani such skills as weaving, carpentry, and printing.
The Paraguay River flows southward through Paraguay. It divides the country into two major regions: the (1) Chaco, officially called Occidental Paraguay and (2) Eastern Paraguay, officially called Oriental Paraguay.
* Taken from The World Book Encyclopedia. (Chicago: World Book, Inc.), pg 145-149.
Coat of arms of New York and Asuncion
Armoiries de New York et de Assomption
Date: 11/30/39; Scott: 362
Coat of arms of New York and Asuncion
Armoiries de New York et de Assomption
Date: 11/30/39; Scott: 363
Coat of arms of New York and Asuncion
Armoiries de New York et de Assomption
Date: 11/30/39; Scott: 364
Coat of arms of New York and Asuncion
Armoiries de New York et de Assomption
Date: 11/30/39; Scott: 365
Our Lady of Asuncion
Notre-Dame de l’Assomption
Date: 1941; Scott: B6
Our Lady of Asuncion
Notre-Dame de l’Assomption
Date: 1941; Scott: B7
Our Lady of Asuncion
Notre-Dame de l’Assomption
Date: 1941; Scott: B8
Our Lady of Asuncion
Notre-Dame de l’Assomption
Date: 1941; Scott: B9
Collonial Jesuit Altar
Autel colonial jésuite
Date: 1945; Scott: C143
Colonial Jesuist altar
Autel colonial jésuite
Date: 09/21/46; Scott: 440
Visit of the Pope Paul VI
to Fatima
Visite de Paul VI ŕ Fatima
Date: 05/13/65
Visit of the Pope Paul VI
to Fatima
Visite de Paul VI ŕ Fatima
Date: 05/13/65
Madonna and Child
La Madone et l’Enfant
Artist: Andres Montegna
Date: 12/10/66; Scott: 1003c
Descent of the Cross
La descente de la croix
Artist: Rubens
Date: 02/28/67; Scott: 1004b
Jesus on the Cross
Jésus sur la croix
Artist: Da Ponte
Date: 02/28/67; Scott: 1004c
Jesus meets the Women
Jésus rencontre les femmes
Artist: El Greco
Date: 02/28/67; Scott: 1004d
Jesus meets his Mother
Jésus rencontre sa Mére
Artist: Murillo
Date: 02/28/67; Scott: 1004
Birth of Christ
La naissance du Christ
Artist: Federico Barcoli Barocci
(1526-1612)
Date: 03/10/67; Scott: 1008
Birth of Christ
La naissance du Christ
Artist: Federico Barcoli Barocci
(1526-1612)
Date: 03/10/67; Scott: 1009
Birth of Christ
La naissance du Christ
Artist: Federico Barcoli Barocci
(1526-1612)
Date: 03/10/67; Scott: 1010
Birth of Christ
La naissance du Christ
Federico Barcoli Barocci (1526-1612)
Date: 03/10/67; Scott: 1011
Birth of Christ
La naissance du Christ
Federico Barcoli Barocci (1526-1612)
Date: 03/10/67; Scott: 1012
Madonna and Child
La Madone et l’Enfant
Caravaggio (1573-1610)
Date: 03/10/67; Scott: 1013
Mary of the Holy Family (detail)
Marie de la Sainte Famille (détail)
El Greco (1541-1614)
Date: 03/10/67; Scott: 1014
Assumption of the Virgin
L'assomption de la Vierge
Artist: Vasco Fernandes
Date: 03/10/67; Scott: 1015
Assumption of the Virgin
L'Assomption de la Vierge
Artist: Vasco Fernandes
Date: 03/10/67; Scott: 1015a
Pieta
La Pieta
Artist: Michael Angelo (1475-1564)
Date: 03/10/67; Scott: 1059
Madonna and Child
La Madone et l’Enfant
Artist: Giovanni Bellini (1426-1516)
Date: 01/27/68; Scott: 1070