A Comprehensive Guide on Moving to Paraguay

Relocating to Paraguay

The Land and Its People

Bordered by Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia, the Republic of Paraguay is a landlocked country in central South America. Lying on both banks of the historic Paraguay River, Paraguay had an estimated population of 6.7 in 2014, and is spread across an area covering 406,752 square kilometers.

Compared to some South American countries that were subject to colonial rule, Paraguay has maintained much of its native culture and religion, with the traditional language Guaraní installed as an official language alongside Spanish; most people speak both languages fluently. However, the traditional Guaraní religion has almost died out, with over 90% of people identifying as Catholic in the last census.

Almost all of the indigenous peoples are classified as mestizo (mixed, in Spanish), which means that they are of both native Guaraní and Spanish descent. There are, however, significant numbers of non-nationals living in Paraguay, including Brazilians, Argentines, Germans, Spanish, Arabs, and a Jewish community, as well as increasing numbers of South East Asians. The capital city, Asunción, in particular has a growing expatriate community.

The Climate in Paraguay

Paraguay has a tropical to subtropical climate, and like many nations in the region experiences both wet and dry seasons throughout the year. Paraguay is also known for its extremely high winds, which occur due to the lack of a natural mountainous barrier that would otherwise protect the country. These winds can at times reach up to 161 km/h, and have a significant impact on the climate.

During the summer months (between October and March) the wind blows in warm air from the Amazon Basin, whilst during the winter months (May to August) cold air is blown in from the Andes. In summertime, temperatures are on average 28.9°C, whilst in winter they drop to around 18°C.

Getting to Paraguay

Although Paraguay has over twenty airports, only twelve of these have paved runways and only two are able to accommodate four engine commercial planes. Although this does make moving to Paraguay slightly more difficult, the two main airports, Silvio Pettirossi International Airport and Guaraní International Airport, are well equipped and fly to a number of international destinations with major airlines.If you prefer, you could also fly to the nearby Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil and cross the border by car.

In case you are shipping your belongings to the country either before or after you make the move to Paraguay, you can do so easily to its major commercial port, Villeta, which is located near Asunción. Other large ports are located at Encarnación and San Antonio.