Diario las Américas., 1958-03-22
Know thv
Nei9h-bor

River divides the country into W
great regions: the Eastern and
the Western. In the western part
are the great plains known as "El
Chaco," from where they get the
"quebraeho," a tanning substance,
while the eastern part has the
woodlands and agricultural and
grazing lands that form the back
bone of the economy of the coun-
try. These are very fertile lands,
producing large crops of mandioca,
cotton, tobacco, sugar cane, "yerba
mate, sometimes known as Para
guayan tea, and numerous fruits.
Most of the population is con-
centrated in this rich farming and
cattle raising area, where a great
deal of business activities takes
place.
Paraguay has three main rivers:
the Paraguay, the foremost water
way as well as principal contact
with the outside world, forms part
of its western border. The Alto
Parana, merging with the Para
quay in the south, forms 400 miles
of the southern and eastern bound
aries, while the Pilcomayo, flow
ing across the Chaco from Bolivia,
forms the southwestern border.
When the Spaniard Alejo Gar
cia was exploring for Portugal in
the years following 1920, he made
his way from Brazil to Bolivia, and
found the land that now is Para
quay, populated by numerous In
dian tribes, the most important of
which was that of the Guaranis.
The first permanent Spanish set
Element vas founded at Asuncion,
the present day capital of the Re
public, in 1887.
Until 1917, Paraguay and Argen-
tina were ruled jointly by the
same Spanish Governor. The seat
Of the government was Asunci6n
until 1880, when it was moved to
Buenos Aires. From 1917 until 49,
IL, when they gained their indie
pendence, Paraguay and tArgen-
tina remained separate colonies
governed by the Viceroyalty of
Peru, and later by the Viceroyalty
of La Plata, which was established
at Buenos Aires in 1776. On
May IA, 1911, Paraguay obtained
independence from Spain without
bloodshed, when the Governor
agreed to resign.
Paraguayans III mostly descen-
dants of Spanish settlers and Qua
rani Indians, but in later years
many Germans, Italians and Ar
gentines have settled there. In
the Chaco region, Mennonites
from Canada, Russia, Germany and
Poland, have established well or
dered and organized villages.
The principal exports of Para
quay are meat, tanning materials,
mandioca, tobacco, yerba mate,
and others. The principal imports
are chemical and pharmaceutical
products, machinery, motor vehi-
cles, tools, iron and steel manu-
features, etc.
The capital, Asuncion, located
at the banks of the Paraguay Riv-
er is the center of all activities
of the country. Factories line the
river bank. Most public buildings
in Asunci6n date from the latter
part of the 19tE. century. Outstand-
ing among them are the Congress
sional Palace, the Government Pa
lace, the National Pantheon and
the Church of La Encarnaci6n.
Historical collections, are found
in the Godoy Museum.
In the nearby suburb Of Trini.
dad, the estate of Carlos Antonio
-
Lopez has been converted into a
Botanical Garden of tropical
plants, which is said to be one of
the finest in the Americas. Villa,
the most important orange ship.
ping port, is a center for the tobac-
co and cotton industries as well. A
visit to the city's parks is. a very
refreshing experience. The Carlos
Antonio Lopez Park stands on the
site of the old Mangrullo Cemetery
in the highest part of the city.
From there a spectacular pahora-
ma of city, bay and river can be
seen, and the sun setting across
the water vanishing beyond the
distant level reaches Of the Chaco,
is OF u~nforgettable beauty.