Transportation in Paraguay
Encyclopedia
Paraguay’s transportation system ranges from adequate to poor, largely depending on the region of the country. The country has a network of roads, railroads, rivers, and airports, but significant infrastructure and regulation improvements are needed.
, Encarnación
, and Ciudad del Este
. The Trans-Chaco highway is only partially finished, the paved portion ending at Mariscal Estigarribia
. Bolivia
s portion of the highway, in contrast, is entirely paved. For trade purposes, the paved highways from Ciudad del Este to the Brazil
ian port of Paranaguá
are particularly important. Additionally, the roads connecting Paraguay to Buenos Aires
are adequate.
* Estimated
Source:
The total length of rail in Paraguay is 971 kilometres (603.4 mi). 441 kilometres (274 mi) of that is standard gauge
at . Another 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) is narrow gauge at , and 470 kilometres (292 mi) of the total railway is privately owned.
(Brazil), (Paraguay)
and Paraná
are the country’s two main rivers. The Paraguay River, with headwaters at Mato Grosso
, Brazil, flows southward, converging with the Paraná in southwestern Paraguay, and then flowing to the Río de la Plata
estuary in Argentina, the entrance for the great majority of ships servicing Paraguay’s ports.
, located south of Asunción, serves as Paraguay’s primary port. Asunción, long the country’s only modern port, Encarnación, and San Antonio
serve as the country’s other major ports. Paraguay’s ports are split between state and private ownership. The country’s twenty private ports, however, are far more efficient, handling nearly 90% of soybean exports.
, is the country’s major airport for international and domestic flights. The new (completed in 1996) Guaraní International Airport
, located near Ciudad del Este and the Brazilian border, has been unable to compete with the nearby international airport at Foz do Iguaçu
in Brazil. Improvements in technology are needed to bring Paraguay’s airports up to international standards. Paraguay privatized the state-owned Líneas Aéreas Paraguayas
in 1994.
Roads
Estimates vary on the total extent of Paraguay’s road system, from more than 60000 kilometres (37,282.4 mi) to less than 30000 kilometres (18,641.2 mi). The discrepancies seem to be the result of differing standards regarding what constitutes a road. Thousands of kilometers of unpaved rural roads exist. Paraguay has about 15000 kilometres (9,320.6 mi) of paved, major feeder roads. The core network connects AsunciónAsunción
Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
, Encarnación
Encarnación, Paraguay
Encarnación is the capital city of the Paraguayan department of Itapúa, located at the south of the department, on the right-hand shore of the Paraná River, opposite Posadas, Argentina...
, and Ciudad del Este
Ciudad del Este
Ciudad del Este is the second largest city in Paraguay and capital of Alto Paraná department, located at the Rio Paraná....
. The Trans-Chaco highway is only partially finished, the paved portion ending at Mariscal Estigarribia
Mariscal Estigarribia
Mariscal Estigarribia is a town in the Boquerón Department, Paraguay.- Strategic importance :Mariscal Estigarribia is home to Dr. Luis Maria Argaña International Airport , which some media reports claim is a US military base set up to provide access to the strategic Triple Frontera region.400 US...
. Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
s portion of the highway, in contrast, is entirely paved. For trade purposes, the paved highways from Ciudad del Este to the Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian port of Paranaguá
Paranaguá
Paranaguá is a city in the state of Paraná in Brazil. Founded in 1648, it is Paraná's oldest city.It is known for its excellent port facilities, being the sea port for Curitiba, the capital of Paraná....
are particularly important. Additionally, the roads connecting Paraguay to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
are adequate.
| Classification | Length | |
| Km (mi) | % | |
| National Routes | 4,444 (2,761) | 7.6 |
| Departmental Routes | 5,333 (3,314) | 9.2 |
| Minor roads | 13,419 (8,338) | 23.1 |
| Not inventoried minor roads* | 35,000 (21,748) | 60.1 |
| Total: | 58,196 (36,161) | 100 |
* Estimated
Source:
Railways
The government owns the country’s sole railroad company, including a 438 kilometres (272.2 mi) line from Asunción to Encarnación. An effort to privatize the company in 2002 failed when no buyer could be secured because of the steep investment required to make the line profitable. Currently, only a small section of the line is open. It is used for tourist traffic. Paraguay’s railroads operate on a standard 1.435-meter gauge.The total length of rail in Paraguay is 971 kilometres (603.4 mi). 441 kilometres (274 mi) of that is standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
at . Another 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) is narrow gauge at , and 470 kilometres (292 mi) of the total railway is privately owned.
Rail links to adjacent countries
Argentina - both countries. Brazil - break-of-gaugeBreak-of-gauge
With railways, a break-of-gauge occurs where a line of one gauge meets a line of a different gauge. Trains and rolling stock cannot run through without some form of conversion between gauges, and freight and passengers must otherwise be transloaded...
(Brazil), (Paraguay)
Inland waterways
Paraguay has 3100 kilometres (1,926.3 mi) of inland waterways. The ParaguayParaguay River
The Paraguay River is a major river in south central South America, running through Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina...
and Paraná
Paraná River
The Paraná River is a river in south Central South America, running through Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina for some . It is second in length only to the Amazon River among South American rivers. The name Paraná is an abbreviation of the phrase "para rehe onáva", which comes from the Tupi language...
are the country’s two main rivers. The Paraguay River, with headwaters at Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso is one of the states of Brazil, the third largest in area, located in the western part of the country.Neighboring states are Rondônia, Amazonas, Pará, Tocantins, Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul. It also borders Bolivia to the southwest...
, Brazil, flows southward, converging with the Paraná in southwestern Paraguay, and then flowing to the Río de la Plata
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
estuary in Argentina, the entrance for the great majority of ships servicing Paraguay’s ports.
Ports and harbors
VilletaVilleta
Villeta is a city of Paraguay, in the Central Department, on the banks of Paraguay River. It is an important industrial center and port.-Toponymy:...
, located south of Asunción, serves as Paraguay’s primary port. Asunción, long the country’s only modern port, Encarnación, and San Antonio
San Antonio, Paraguay
San Antonio is a city in Paraguay located in the Central Department. It has been significant since colonial times, as it was located beside the Royal Way, a road which leads to the city of Villeta...
serve as the country’s other major ports. Paraguay’s ports are split between state and private ownership. The country’s twenty private ports, however, are far more efficient, handling nearly 90% of soybean exports.
Airports
Paraguay has 878 airports but only 12 with paved runways and only two that can receive four-engine commercial airplanes. The airport serving Asunción, located at Silvio PettirossiSilvio Pettirossi
Silvio Pettirossi was a Paraguayan airplane pilot and aviation pioneer.-Background:Born in Asunción on June 16, 1887 from Italian emigrants, as a young man he moved to Buenos Aires...
, is the country’s major airport for international and domestic flights. The new (completed in 1996) Guaraní International Airport
Guarani International Airport
-External links: *...
, located near Ciudad del Este and the Brazilian border, has been unable to compete with the nearby international airport at Foz do Iguaçu
Foz do Iguaçu
Foz do Iguaçu is the 7th largest city in Paraná state, Brazil, with a population of 255,900 inhabitants. It is located approximately 650 km west of Curitiba, Parana's capital city, being the westernmost city in that state...
in Brazil. Improvements in technology are needed to bring Paraguay’s airports up to international standards. Paraguay privatized the state-owned Líneas Aéreas Paraguayas
Líneas Aéreas Paraguayas
Líneas Aéreas Paraguayas - Air Paraguay was founded in 1963 to be the flag carrier airline of Paraguay. Its main base was Silvio Pettirossi International Airport, in Asunción.-Company history:...
in 1994.