PARAGUAY PART IV: ANALYSIS OF THE NORTH CENTRAL REGION

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• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-01009A002600010010-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 19
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 23, 2004
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: August 1, 1960
• Content Type: IR

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Copy No. 2/
GEOGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE REPORT
PARAGUAY
PART IV: ANALYSIS OF THE NORTH CENTRAL REGION
CIA/RR GR L-60-3, Part IV
August 1960
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND REPORTS
DOCUMENT NO. 2/ 1-1
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
i.; DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE: _ /98 Q
AUTH: HR 70-2
DATE: B r REVIEWER: 25X1
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CONFIDENTIAL
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This material contains information affecting
the National Defense of the United States
within the meaning of the espionage laws,
Title 18, USC, Secs. 793 and 794, the trans-
mission or revelation of which in any manner
to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
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PARAGUAY
PART IV: ANALYSIS OF TBE NORTH CENTRAL REGION
CIA GR L-60-3, Part IV
Ault 1960
Office of Research and Reports
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CONTENTS
IMe,
I. General Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
II. Physical. Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
A. Terrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ? . . . 2
B. Soils and y~ . .~y ~.~~.. . . . . . ? ? . . ? ? . . ? . ? . . ? . ? ~3(
C. Flora and Fauna . . . . . ? ? ? . . ? . ? . . . ? . . . . 'P
D. Clin to . . . . . . . . . ? . . . . . . . . . ? . . ? . . 5
E. Water Supply . . . . . . . . . . ? . . a . . a ? . . ? 7
M. Population.
A. Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
B. Ethnic Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . ? . . . . . . a . . 8
C. Sanitation and Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
IV. Civil Government and .litany Centers . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
V. Transportation . . . . . . . . . . O a . a O . . . . . . . 10
A. Roads .. (.y . . . . O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . ? . . O . 10
B. p Railroads . . . . . . ^ . . . O . . ? . . . . O ? O . O . 11
C. Waterways . . . . . . . . . . . * . . . O . . . . . . . . 11
D. Air . . . . . . . . . ? O . . . . . O . O . . ^ O . . O . 13
VI. Telec^WmMA4CnA yccCyalt~ i~ons}~a} . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11[3
VII.
Economic Development O . . O . ? . . ? . . . . . . . . . . . 11
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PARAGUAY
PART IV: ANALYSIS OF THE NORTH CENTRAL REGION*
I. General Orientation.
The North Central Region comprises that section of eastern Paraguay
situated between the Paraguay River and the Amambay.Hills, and north of
250 south latitude. The region includes nearly all of the Departamentos
de Concepcion and San Pedro, and a small segment of the Departamento de
Amambay. It has a total areal extent of roughly 40,OOO square kiloae-
ters (15,440 square miles). (See sketch below, and map annex.)**
f
Regions of P_aray
I. Eastern Upland Region
II. Central Region
III. Southwest Region
IV. North Central Region
V. Chaco Region.
* The information in Part IV of this report on Paraguay is based on
the best sources available to this.Office as of 1 August 1960..
The map annex is Part VI of this report.
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I.I. nasical Environment
The North Central Region constitutes an area of low relief. The
elevation of the land is generally less than 300 meters (984 feet) --
gradually increasing eastward from 100 meters (328 feet) along the banks
of the Paraguay River to 200 and 300 meters (656 and 9& feet) at the
western margin of the Amambay Hills. For the most part the surface is
flat to undulating, with scattered areas of more rugged relief. Ioiw,
sharply eroded hills in which a few ridges rise to elevations of slight-
ly more than 300 meters occur in the northwestern part of the region.
These complex hills, localized in a relatively small area, are charac-
terized by steep slopes and narrow ridge lines.
Tributaries of the Paraguay River drain the region and divide the
land into a series of broad interfiuves. The major streams follow
meandering westerly and southwesterly courses through broad floodp:Laina
entrenched somewhat below the general surface level of the region. The
streams are normally slow and shallow; and they frequently shift their
courses, forming numerous depressions, oxbow lakes, and river terraces
along the floodplains. The margins of the floodplains are generally
steep, and the relative relief -- the difference in elevation between
the floodplains and the adjacent interfiuves -- increases from west to
east. Because large-scale topographic maps of the region are lacking,
the relative relief cannot be measured with any accuracy, but it cer-
tainly does not exceed 100 meters (328 feet) and probably does not
exceed 50 meters (164 feet) in most places. Where the stream network
is particularly dense or where floodplains come together, the remnant
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interfluves stand out as "islands" above the adjacent floodplains.
During periods of high water when the floodplains are inundated, these
remnant interfluves become true islands.
Along the segment of its course bordering the North Central Region?
the Paraguay River meanders southward along a relatively broad flood-
plain. From the northern limits of the region southward to approxi-
mately 2308 the east bank of the river is marked by discontinuous rocky
cliffs. Reliable data are not available on the height of these cliffs.
Although one source describes them as "several tens of meters high in
places," it is doubtful whether they exceed 30 meters (98 feet) in most
places. Downstream from 2308 the east bank is composed of alluvium and
is seldom more than a few meters high. Along the entire segment border-
ing the North Central Region, the west bank of the river is generally
low and the flooding that occurs during ordinary high water is normally
confined to a zone 5 to 10 kilometers (3 to 6 miles) wide along the,
west side of the river. The average width of the stream is about 650
meters (2,132 feet) and the average depth approximately 8 meters (26
feet). The velocity of the current at normal water level is 3.5 to 4.5
kilometers per hour (2.1 to 2.7 miles per hour), but varies from 2 to 8
kilometers per hour (1.2 to 4.8 miles per hour) between minimum and
maximum levels of the river. Numerous bypass and secondary channels
divide the flow of the river during all stages.
B. Soils
The soils of the North Central Region are derived principally from
sandstones and range in texture from sands to loams with all intermedi-
ate gradations. Some clay loams derived from limestone occur in a small
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area in the extreme northwestern part of the region. In general the
soils of the region are well drained or even excessively drained on
the interfiuves, but are poorly drained in the lower floodplain areas.
Wheeled motor vehicles may have some difficulty in negotiating
sandy slopes off established roads. Movement on foot, however, should
not be hampered by soil conditions except on the poorly drained flood-
plains during and after heavy rains. Some depressions and abandoned
channels in the floodplains are marshy at all seasons.
C. Flora and Fauna
Much of the North Central Region is forested with mixed stands of
tropical and subtropical trees. The forests have been widely exploited
for timber and yerba mate, however, and, in many areas, are now merely
scattered patches of forest or tracts that have been thinned out. Al-
though dense forests still occur in the eastern and southeastern parts
of the region, much of the land adjacent to the Paraguay River and in
the basins of its principal tributary streams -- the Jejui Guazu, the
Aguaray Guazu, the Ypane and the Aquidaban Rivers -- has been largely
cut over and is now grassland. Here "islands" of forest or scrub forest
occur on the higher elevations of the interf luves, whereas open grass-
land, low scrub and brush, or combinations of both appear on the lower
slopes and the floodplains. Along a wide belt adjacent to the Paraguay
River in the northwestern part of the region a transitional type of
vegetation occurs. It has characteristics of both the tropical and
subtropical forests of eastern Paraguay and the xerophytic vegetation
common to the Chaco of western Paraguay. In the forests on the Inter-
fluves of this zone some quebracho and various scrubby trees including
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mesquite are intermixed; black palms and grassland are characteristic
of the v+ell drained flats; and grassland occupies the poorly drained
flats. The blank palm is used locally as an all-purpose wood for the
construction of houses. Elsewhere within the region the eoeo palm is
more prevalent -- both in the forests and as individual trees dotting
the grasslands. Yerbales (forests containing yerba trees in exploit-
able quantities) are concentrated primarily in the eastern half of the
region.
In general the forests provide adequate concealment from both ground
and air observation. Although many of the trees are deciduous hardwoods,
new leaf growth develops so quickly after the old leaves fall that
stands of bare trees are rare at any season. The undergrowth of shrubs
and vines in the forests is commonly thick and in some places virtually
impenetrable without the aid of a machete. The undergrowth is partic-
ularly dense along the margins of forest clearings.
Most of the cleared land in the region is used for pasture. Sub-
sistence agriculture is practiced in various parts of the region, but
the few sizable areas of cultivation are confined to the environs of
the larger towns.. The principal crops are maize, mandioca, bananas and
oranges.
Wild fruits and nuts and wild gal are plentiful in the region,.
(See Part 1, p. 7 and 8, for a description of the fauna that is coon
to all of eastern Paraguay.)
D. Climate
The climate of the North Central Region is transitional between the
humid subtropical climte of southern Paraguay and the tropical savanna
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climate of northern Paraguay. It is characterized by hot summers,
mild winters and marked differences in seasonal rainfall.
The average annual temperature for the region is 23?C (73.40F).. At
Horqueta (23?22'S-56?53'W), in the central part of the region, the mean
maxim= temperature for January, the warmest month, is 34.7?C (9i.`5?F),
and the mean minimum temperature for July, the coldest month, is 12.2?C
(%OF). Data on absolute maximum and minim= temperatures are not
available for Horqueta. The absolute temperatures recorded at Puerto
Casado (22?20'$-57?55'W) -- a port on the west bank of the Paraguay
River near the northwestern margin of the region -- for. the period 1940
to 1950 were as follows: absolute maximum temperature 41.700 (107.1OF);
absolute minimum temperature -2.8?C (270F).
Average annual rainfall increases from west to east -- ranging from
approximately 1,100 millimeters (44 inches) along the western margin of
the region to 1,i400 millimeters (56 inches) along the eastern. }rked
wet and dry seasons occur, with maximum, rainfall in the summer and a
decided minimum rainfall in the period from June through September.. An
important aspect of the rainfall regime is its undependability; it
varies considerably from the norm from month to month and from year to
year. For example, Puerto Casado recorded no rainfall for three sepa-
rate months during the decade .191-50. Most of the rain falls in heavy
shovers of an inch or more, usually accompanying thunder storms, Long
cloudy periods are rare, although heavy rains occasionally last several
days. After torrential, rains, flooding along the streams is conmion.
The annual rise of the Paraguay River normally begins in the latter
part of January or early February and continues until. June. The river
reaches its lowest ebb in late September or early October.
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The relative humidity is fairly high throughout the year, with
monthly averages at Sorqueta ranging from 65 percent in August to 79
percent in June. The period from February through July is slightly
more humid than the rest of the year. (See Table,, below.)
Light breezes normally blow during the day -- rising in the morning,
diminishing gradually during the afternoon, and falling at sunset. The
dominant winds are from the north, the northeast, and the south. Winds
from the northeast-southeast quadrant generally are the rain-bearing
Table
Characteristics of Climate
at Horqueta, Paraguay, 1940-50
Month
Temperature
(Degrees Fahrenheit)
Inches
Relative
Humidity
Percent
Mean Max
Mean
Average
Jan
94.5
71.2
82.8
4.8
73.1
Feb
93.0
72.0
82.4
5.1
76.0
Mar
90.9
69.3
80.1
5.1
75.7
Apr
86.4
63.7
75.0
5.2
75.9
May
82.4
59.4
70.9
5.6
77.7
Jun
77.9
57.2
67.5
2.9
79.3
Jul
78.6
54.0
66.2
2.4
74.2
Aug
84.6
57.6
70.9
1.4
65.1
Sep
87.8
62.2
75.0
3.4
68.7
Oct
87.4.
64.9
76.1
6.5
73.8
Nov
89.4
67.1
78.3
5.7
73.4
Dec
93.2
69.3
81.1
4.2
70.4
L Water auprl;
With the exception of very small arroyos that are dry part of the
time, the streams In this region carry water throughout the year, but
the water level is normally very low during the winter dry season.
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Because the streams generally are sluggish and sanitation is very
primitive in the region, all drinking water should be purified as a
precautionary measure.
XII. Tpulation
A. Distribution
The North Central Region is sparsely populated. The rural popu-
lation density is less than 5 persons per square kilometer (13 persons
per square mile) for about 95 percent of the area. Exceptions are two
small distritos in the Departamento de Concepcion (Distritos de Belen
and Loreto) and one distrito in the Departamento de San Pedro (Distrito
de General Aquino) in which the rural population density is, respectively,
15, 8, and 19 persons per square kilometer (39, 21, and 49 persons per
square mile).
The urban population of the region, as enumerated in the 195.0 census,
,,is very small. Concepcion (23425'5-5701?'W), with a population of 14,640
persons, was the only city in the region having more than 5,000 inhabit-
ants. Eight towns had from 1,000 to 5,000 inhabitants; 4 towns, from
500 to 1,000; and 5 towns had fewer than 500. All but three of the
towns are located in the southern two-thirds of the region, and most
are located in the western half. Several agricultural colonies, tiny
yerba villages, and small Paraguay River ports that were not classified
as urban population centers in the 1950 census are located at widely
scattered points within the region.
B. Ethnic Groups
The principal racial element in the region is the Paraguayan -- a
Guaran{-Spanish mixture. About 3 percent of the total regional population
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of roughly 130,000 was classified as "foreigners" in the 1950 census
enumeration. Of these foreigners the most significant groups were
some 2,698 European colonists in the Departamento de San Pedro and
small numbers of Brazilian settlers in the Departamentos de Concepcion
and Amambay. The nationality of the European colonists was not stated
in the census; presumably, the majority are of German origin.
The language most commonly spoken within the region is Guarani.
The population is almost equally divided between those who speak Guaran(
only, and those who speak both Guarani and Spanish. Those who speak
Guaran( only generally live in the more remote sections of the region.
C. Sanitation and Health
As elsewhere in Paraguay only the most primitive sanitation practices
are observed in this region, and few doctors or medical facilities are
available. The most prevalent diseases include hookworm, venereal dis-
eases, tuberculosis, malaria, typhoid fever, and various forms of
dysentery.
A regional hospital is located at Concepcion, and smaller hospitals
are located at San Pedro (21i.007'S-56?59'W), Rosario (21io27'S-51o03'W),
and San Estanislao (24039'S.56?26'W).
IV. Civil Government and Military Centers
Concepcion is the only significant civil government center within
the region. It serves as the seat of government for the Departamento de
Concepcion. It has civil, commercial, and criminal courts; a customs
house; and municipal government offices.. San Pedro is the capital of
the Departamento de San Pedro, but has little more than the departamento
office and a justice of the peace. Each of the 16 other population
centers enumerated in the 1950 census serves as a ddistrito capital.
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Concepcion is headquarters for the Fourth Military Region. The
5th Infantry Regiment and the 4th Engineer Battalion were located there
as of October 1959.
Transportes Aereos Militares, the military air transport line,
operates airfields at Concepcion and Bella Vista (22?48'S-56?31?W).
At present these airfields have little military significance because
their operational capabilities are limited by a lack of hard-surface
runways and adequate servicing facilities.
V. Transportation
A. Roads
The road network within the North Central Region is very poor.
There are no modern paved roads, and only two good all-weather graveled
roads -- Concepcion to Horqueta; and Rosario (24027S-57003'W) to
Itacurubd del Rosario (2492915-56011.1?W). The former is the completed
section of the highway that will connect Concepcion and Pedro Juan
.Caballero (Paraguay Route V). Construction on the remaining section is
scheduled to begin in 1960, and the route selected will follow the
Aquidaban Valley. The present road between Horqueta and Pedro Juan
Caballero follows the valley of the Ypane River. This dirt road is
difficult to traverse because it has no rock base and most of it is
very sandy. Improved dirt roads have been constructed between Itacurubl
del Rosario and Union (24?48'S-560330W) via San Estanislao (240391S-56026'W)
and between Puerto Antequera (24?O8'S-57?07'W) and San Pedro.
Other roads in the region are unimproved dirt roads, which, for the
most part, are passable only during dry weather and then only by trucks
or jeeps. Many are temporary logging roads or trails maintained in
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passable condition only while logging operations are underway in a
given area.
Many local foot trails lead from village to village or merely from
village to nearby yerba forest or logging site.
B. Railroads
Two railroad lines extend short distances from the Paraguay River
into the western part of the region. The government-owned Ferrocarril
Nacionai del Norte (FCNN) runs from Concepcion 56 kilometers (35 miles)
eastward to Horqueta. This short stretch of railroad is the only
section that was constructed of a railroad line originally planned to
extend from Concepcion to Pedro Juan Caballero. Both the roadbed and
the rolling stock are in extremely poor condition, and trains must
travel at a rate of only 10 kilometers per hour (6 miles per hour).
Although the line carries some passengers, it is used principally to
transport timber and agricultural products to the port of Concepcion.
An industrial railroad owned by Maderera del Norte, S.A., extends
from Puerto Ybapobo (23042?S