Paraguay (country), a landlocked republic in South America. The Paraguay and Paraná rivers provide access to the Atlantic Ocean and link the country to Argentina, its neighbor to the south. Asunción, Paraguay’s capital and largest city, is the chief port on the Paraguay River. The city dates back to 1537.

Paraguay is about the size of California but has about one-sixth as many people. The Paraguay River runs from north to south and slices the country in two. Most of the people live east of the Paraguay, on fertile plains near the river or on a wooded plateau east of the plains. West of the river is a large, dry plain called the Gran Chaco. Marshy near the river, the Chaco becomes scrubland and forest farther west. This wilderness area is home to a great variety of animals, attracting birdwatchers and other animal lovers.