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Doing business & staying in touch

For formal occasions or business affairs, men should wear lightweight suits and ties or a dinner jacket in the evening; women a lightweight two-piece suit or equivalent. Most businesspeople are able to conduct a conversation in English, but a knowledge of Spanish will be useful. Appointments and normal business courtesies apply. The best time to visit is from May to September.

Office hours: 

Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1430-1900, Sat 0800-1200.

Economy: 

Paraguay's agriculture plays an important part in its economy, supplying one-quarter of GNP and almost all the country's export earnings. Production of Paraguay's principal cash crops, cotton and soya, expanded rapidly during the late 1980s and continues to grow annually. Other crops such as sugar cane, maize and wheat are also grown on a commercial scale.

Hydroelectric projects, undertaken jointly with Brazil and including the world's largest hydroelectric dam at Itaipu, have made Paraguay self-sufficient in energy.

External factors, notably the economic crises in Argentina and Brazil, have also played an important role. Annual growth is at 4% (2006) with unemployment at 9.4% (2005). In July 2002, the IMF offered a US$200 million support package: the government was unable or unwilling to meet the loan conditions however, and relations with the IMF are now effectively frozen.

Paraguay is a member of the 11-strong Latin American Integration Association (Asociación Latinoamericana de Integración, ALADI), which seeks to promote free trade and economic development within Latin America.

GDP: 

US$7.8 billion (2006).

Main exports: 

Electricity, soyabeans, cotton, meat, leather and timber.

Main imports: 

Petroleum, machinery, road vehicles, tobacco and consumer goods.

Main trading partners: 

China, Brazil, Argentina, Russia and Uruguay.

Staying in touch in Paraguay

Telephone: 

Moderate internal network apart from the main cities.

Mobile phone: 

Roaming agreements exist with international mobile phone companies. Coverage is limited to urban areas.

Internet: 

Internet cafés are available in main urban areas.

Post: 

Airmail to Europe takes five days.

Media: 

The press and broadcasters air a range of views, including those of the opposition. But journalists investigating corruption, or covering strikes and protests, risk intimidation, and media outlets sometimes face legal harassment.

Press: 

• The main daily newspapers are ABC Color, La Nación and Ultima Hora.
• American newspapers are available.

Television: 

• Sistema Nacional de Television is a private network.
• Other private stations include Canal 2 and El Trece.

Radio: 

• Radio Nacional del Paraguay is state run.
• Other stations include Radio Cardinal, Radio City, Radio Canal 100, Radio Nanduti and Radio Venus.

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