Population: 5 291 020 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 39% (male 1 061 972; female 1 026 983)
15-64 years: 56% (male 1 483 089; female 1 473 372)
65 years and over: 5% (male 113 298; female 132 306) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.68% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 32.21 births/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 5.29 deaths/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.1 migrant(s)/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 37.39 deaths/1 000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.23 years
male: 70.27 years
female: 74.29 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.26 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Paraguayan(s)
adjective: Paraguayan

Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95% white plus Amerindian 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 90% Mennonite and other Protestant denominations

Languages: Spanish (official) Guarani

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.1%
male: 93.5%
female: 90.6% (1995 est.)