Educational information
1. Population
According to the 2022 National Population and Housing Census by the INE, Paraguay has 6,109,903 inhabitants. These are the final results, published on 21/08/2024.
| Figure | Value | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 6,109,903 | 2022 Census |
| Urban | 4,215,101 | 2022 Census |
| Rural | 1,894,802 | 2022 Census |
Roughly 7 in 10 people live in urban areas. Central department, around Asunción, has 1,883,927 inhabitants, and the capital itself 462,241.
2. How the territory is organised
- 17 departments plus the Capital, Asunción. The INE publishes its data by department and by district.
- Two regions, divided by the Paraguay River: the Eastern Region and the Western Region, also known as the Chaco.
When comparing cities, check the district: Asunción and the neighbouring cities of Greater Asunción are separate municipalities, each with its own rules and procedures.
3. Official languages
Article 140 of the National Constitution defines Paraguay as a multicultural and bilingual country. The official languages are Spanish (castellano) and Guaraní. Indigenous languages are part of the nation's cultural heritage.
4. Currency
The currency is the guaraní, symbol ₲ (Law 489/1995, Organic Law of the Central Bank of Paraguay, art. 38). It is issued exclusively by the Banco Central del Paraguay (BCP) (Constitution, art. 285), which also carries out monetary policy.
The exchange rate moves every day. If you are comparing amounts in dollars and guaraníes, check the day's rate with the BCP or your bank.
5. The economy: five official indicators
All of them come from BCP publications. Each has its own reference date, which is the first thing to look at.
| Indicator | Value | Reference date and source |
|---|---|---|
| GDP growth, 2025 | 6.6% | Year 2025 · Quarterly National Accounts, fourth quarter 2025 |
| GDP growth, first half of 2026 | 5.7% cumulative | January–June 2026 · Quarterly National Accounts, second quarter 2026 |
| Year-on-year inflation (CPI) | 1.7% | September 2026 · Inflation Report |
| BCP inflation target | 3.5%, with a ±2 point tolerance range | Resolution No. 48, Minutes No. 60, 16/12/2024 |
| Monetary policy rate | 5.50% a year | Monetary Policy Committee decision of 23/10/2026 |
Inflation in September 2026 was below the target but within the tolerance range. The Monetary Policy Committee described it as close to the lower limit of that range.
6. How to read these figures
- What changes often: inflation is published every month; the policy rate is reviewed at the Committee's monthly meetings (the next one, according to the BCP, on 20/11/2026); GDP comes out every quarter.
- What changes rarely: the inflation target, set by the BCP Board by resolution, and census data, which change with each new census.
- A new release replaces the previous one. When the BCP publishes another quarter, the year-to-date figure changes.
- For the current figure, go to the BCP sections listed below and always check the reference date, not the date of this guide.
What we checked and what we didn't
- We checked every figure against the official BCP or INE document, or the Constitution, opened on 28/10/2026.
- We left out the country's land area: we could not confirm it with the INE.
- We did not include forecasts, fiscal data or taxes. For investment or tax decisions, speak to a licensed professional.
- The inflation, rate and GDP figures here may be out of date by the time you read this: the BCP publishes new data every month.
Official sources
Information checked in October 2026
- INE, Main final results of the 2022 Census (in Spanish)
- INE, 2022 Census, Table A1: population by urban-rural area, department and district (in Spanish)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay, country profile (departments and regions)
- National Constitution, art. 140, published by the National Secretariat of Culture (in Spanish)
- BCP, Law 489/1995, Organic Law of the Central Bank of Paraguay (in Spanish)
- BCP, Quarterly National Accounts, fourth quarter 2025 (in Spanish)
- BCP, Quarterly National Accounts, second quarter 2026 (in Spanish)
- BCP, Inflation Report, September 2026 (in Spanish)
- BCP, Monetary policy in Paraguay: Resolution No. 48, Minutes No. 60 (inflation target) (in Spanish)
- BCP, Monetary Policy Committee statements, October 2026 (in Spanish)
Educational information, not legal, tax, financial or immigration advice.