The Paraguayan Chaco or Región Occidental (Western Region) is a semi-arid region in
Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
, with a very low population density. The area is being rapidly deforested.
Consisting of more than 60% of Paraguay's land area, but with less than 10% of the population, the Chaco is one of the most sparsely inhabited areas in South America.
The surrounding
Gran Chaco
The Gran Chaco or Dry Chaco is a sparsely populated, hot and semiarid lowland natural region of the Río de la Plata basin, divided among eastern Bolivia, western Paraguay, northern Argentina, and a portion of the Brazilian states of Mato Gros ...
area is also a large geographic area that is sparsely populated. Many of those living in the region are indigenous. It covers the departments of
Boquerón,
Alto Paraguay
Alto Paraguay (; ''Upper Paraguay'') is the least populous as well as a sparsely populated department of Paraguay. The capital is the town of Fuerte Olimpo.
In 1992, the Chaco Department was merged with Alto Paraguay.
Nature and national parks ...
and the
Department of Presidente Hayes,
Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
.
The Chaco region was the scene of the longest territorial war to occur in
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the souther ...
; an armed conflict between
Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
and
Bolivia
, image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg
, flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center
, flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...
, lasting from 1932 to 1935. It is also home to sites of historical significance that have been preserved, including Boquerón, Campo Grande, Via Campo,
Nanawa
Nanawa is a town in the Presidente Hayes department
Department may refer to:
* Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility
Government and military
*Department (administrative division), a g ...
, the site of the
battle of Cañada Strongest
The Battle of Cañada Strongest was a battle fought from May 10–25, 1934, between the Bolivian and Paraguayan armies during the Chaco War. The engagement is considered the greatest victory of the Bolivian army during the war.
The battle actu ...
, Carmen, Kilometro 7, Picuiba, and
Villamontes
Villamontes (or: ''Villa Montes'') is a town in the Tarija Department in south-eastern Bolivia. Also it is called the benemerita town (well-deserving of the mother country) due to its importance during the Chaco War in the 1930s.
Location
''Vi ...
, amongst others.
Location
The Paraguayan Chaco is located between the
Pilcomayo and
Paraguay River
The Paraguay River (Río Paraguay in Spanish, Rio Paraguai in Portuguese, Ysyry Paraguái in Guarani) is a major river in south-central South America, running through Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina. It flows about from its headwaters in ...
s, which provide saline soils that attract a rich variety of plants and animals. Its boundaries are the border with
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, t ...
along the
Pilcomayo River to the west; the border with
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
over the mouth of
Apa River
The Apa River (Spanish: Río Apa, Portuguese: Rio Apa) is a river of Paraguay and Brazil. It is a tributary of the Paraguay River, which in turn is a tributary of the Paraná River. It starts in the Amambai Mountains of the Brazilian state of Mat ...
to the south-east; is the border with
Bolivia
, image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg
, flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center
, flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...
to the north; and the border with the Región Oriental (Eastern Region) to the south.
Indigenous peoples of the Paraguayan Chaco

The majority of the
live in the Graco. These include the following groups:
*
Ayoreo
The Ayoreo (Ayoreode, Ayoréo, Ayoréode) are an indigenous people of the Gran Chaco. They live in an area surrounded by the Paraguay, Pilcomayo, Parapetí, and Grande Rivers, spanning both Bolivia and Paraguay. There are approximately 5,600 ...
(
Zamuco
The Ayoreo (Ayoreode, Ayoréo, Ayoréode) are an indigenous people of the Gran Chaco. They live in an area surrounded by the Paraguay, Pilcomayo, Parapetí, and Grande Rivers, spanning both Bolivia and Paraguay. There are approximately 5,600 ...
)
["Native American Tribes of Paraguay."]
''Native Languages.'' (retrieved 12 July 2011)
*
Chamacoco
The Chamacoco people (Ishír) are an indigenous people of Paraguay.
“''Now our territory is that of the company''”, a ''tomáraho'' man said, “''we live there but it isn’t ours; it does not belong to us and has become an enemy place that ...
[ ( Ishir)
**]Ebytoso
The Chamacoco people (Ishír) are an indigenous people of Paraguay.
“''Now our territory is that of the company''”, a ''tomáraho'' man said, “''we live there but it isn’t ours; it does not belong to us and has become an enemy place that ...
**Tomáraho
The Chamacoco people (Ishír) are an indigenous people of Paraguay.
“''Now our territory is that of the company''”, a ''tomáraho'' man said, “''we live there but it isn’t ours; it does not belong to us and has become an enemy place that ...
*Chané
Chané is the collective name for the southernmost Arawakan-speaking peoples. They lived in the plains of the northern Gran Chaco and in the foothills of the Andes in Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina. The historical Chané are divided i ...
*["Paraguay."]
''Countries and Their Cultures.'' Retrieved 3 August 2012.
* Chorote[
* Guana][
*]Guaraní Guarani, Guaraní or Guarany may refer to
Ethnography
* Guaraní people, an indigenous people from South America's interior (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia)
* Guaraní language, or Paraguayan Guarani, an official language of Paraguay
* ...
[
* Lengua (]Enxet
The Enxet are an indigenous people of about 17,000 living in the Gran Chaco region of western Paraguay. Originally hunter-gatherers, many are now forced to supplement their livelihood as laborers on the cattle ranches that have encroached upon ...
)[
* Nivaclé][ ( Chulupí][)
* Macá][
*]Mbayá
The Mbayá or ''Mbyá'' are an indigenous people of South America which formerly ranged on both sides of the Paraguay River, on the north and northwestern Paraguay frontier, eastern Bolivia, and in the adjacent province of Mato Grosso do Sul, Braz ...
[
* Pai-Tavyter][
* Sanapaná
* Toba][
The language groups and their locations are as follows:
* Toba Maskoy: on the ]Paraguay River
The Paraguay River (Río Paraguay in Spanish, Rio Paraguai in Portuguese, Ysyry Paraguái in Guarani) is a major river in south-central South America, running through Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina. It flows about from its headwaters in ...
in central-east.
* Nivaclé: near the Pilcomayo River in the south-east.
* Zamuco, Chamacoco
The Chamacoco people (Ishír) are an indigenous people of Paraguay.
“''Now our territory is that of the company''”, a ''tomáraho'' man said, “''we live there but it isn’t ours; it does not belong to us and has become an enemy place that ...
: on the Paraguay River in north-east.
* Enxet-Enenhlet: central and lower Chaco.
Animals
The Chaco has an abundance of wildlife. Larger animals present in the region include jaguar
The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the thi ...
, ocelot
The ocelot (''Leopardus pardalis'') is a medium-sized spotted wild cat that reaches at the shoulders and weighs between on average. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. Two subspecies are recognized. It is native to the southw ...
, puma, tapir
Tapirs ( ) are large, herbivorous mammals belonging to the family Tapiridae. They are similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile nose trunk. Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South and Central America, with one species inh ...
, giant armadillo
The giant armadillo (''Priodontes maximus''), colloquially ''tatu-canastra'', ''tatou'', ''ocarro'' or ''tatú carreta'', is the largest living species of armadillo (although their extinct relatives, the glyptodonts, were much larger). It liv ...
, giant anteater
The giant anteater (''Myrmecophaga tridactyla'') is an insectivorous mammal native to Central and South America. It is one of four living species of anteaters, of which it is the largest member. The only extant member of the genus ''Myrmecoph ...
, many species of foxes, numerous small wildcats, the agouti
The agouti (, ) or common agouti is any of several rodent species of the genus ''Dasyprocta''. They are native to Middle America, northern and central South America, and the southern Lesser Antilles. Some species have also been introduced else ...
(a large rodent), the capybara
The capybaraAlso called capivara (in Brazil), capiguara (in Bolivia), chigüire, chigüiro, or fercho (in Colombia and Venezuela), carpincho (in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay) and ronsoco (in Peru). or greater capybara (''Hydrochoerus hydro ...
(water hog), the maned wolf
The maned wolf (''Chrysocyon brachyurus'') is a large canine of South America. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Paraguay, and is almost extinct in Uruguay. Its markings resemble those of foxes, but it is neither a fox nor a wo ...
, the palustrian deer, peccaries
A peccary (also javelina or skunk pig) is a medium-sized, pig-like hoofed mammal of the family Tayassuidae (New World pigs). They are found throughout Central and South America, Trinidad in the Caribbean, and in the southwestern area of No ...
, including the endemic Chacoan peccary, and the guanaco
The guanaco (; ''Lama guanicoe'') is a camelid native to South America, closely related to the llama. Guanacos are one of two wild South American camelids, the other being the vicuña, which lives at higher elevations.
Etymology
The guanaco ...
(the wild relative of the llama
The llama (; ) (''Lama glama'') is a domesticated South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since the Pre-Columbian era.
Llamas are social animals and live with others as a herd. Their wool is so ...
). The region has an abundant and varied bird population and one of the largest populations of the greater rhea
The greater rhea (''Rhea americana'') is a species of flightless bird native to eastern South America. Other names for the greater rhea include the grey, common, or American rhea; ema ( Portuguese); or ñandú ( Guaraní and Spanish). One of two ...
(or nandu), a large flightless South American bird. The streams host more than 400 fish species, among which are the salmon-like dorado
Dorado () is a constellation in the southern sky. It was named in the late 16th century and is now one of the 88 modern constellations. Its name refers to the dolphinfish (''Coryphaena hippurus''), which is known as ''dorado'' in Spanish, alt ...
and the flesh-eating piranha
A piranha or piraña (, , or ; or , ) is one of a number of freshwater fish in the family Serrasalmidae, or the subfamily Serrasalminae within the tetra family, Characidae in order Characiformes. These fish inhabit South American rivers, ...
. The region is home to many species of insects, some of which cause discomfort for travellers. Reptiles also are abundant, with numerous lizards and at least 60 known species of snakes, including many pit vipers and constrictors. The region is also home to many unique amphibians, including the iconic waxy monkey tree frog Waxy-monkey treefrog is a common name for the following frog species:
* ''Phyllomedusa bicolor''
* ''Phyllomedusa sauvagii
''Phyllomedusa sauvagii'', the waxy monkey leaf frog or waxy monkey tree frog, is a species of frog in the subfamily Phyll ...
Phyllomedusa sauvagii that produces a waxy secretion to prevent drying out and coraline frog Leptodactylus laticeps that spends the dry season deep in a burrow, emerging with the rains to feed on other frogs.
Flora
The vegetation of the Chaco varies from the east to the west, reflecting the changing nature of the soil. Eastern Chaco is noted for its park-like landscape of clustered trees and shrubs interspersed with tall, herbaceous
Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials.
Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous"
The fourth edition ...
savannah
A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to ...
s. To the west, a wide transition zone grades into the espinal, a dry forest
Dry or dryness most often refers to:
* Lack of rainfall, which may refer to
**Arid regions
**Drought
* Dry or dry area, relating to legal prohibition of selling, serving, or imbibing alcoholic beverages
* Dry humor, deadpan
* Dryness (medical) ...
of spiny, thorny shrubs and low trees. Chaco's vegetation has adapted to grow in arid
A region is arid when it severely lacks available water, to the extent of hindering or preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life. Regions with arid climates tend to lack vegetation and are called xeric or desertic. Most ...
conditions, and is highly varied and exceedingly complex. One of the most impressive vegetation formations is called the ''quebrachales'', which consists of vast, low hardwood forests where various species of quebracho tree
Quebracho is a common name in Spanish to describe very hard (density 0.9–1.3) wood tree species. The etymology of the name derived from ''quiebrahacha'', or ''quebrar hacha'', meaning " axe-breaker".
Species
There are at least three similar ...
s are dominant. The quebracho tree is economically important as a source of tannin
Tannins (or tannoids) are a class of astringent, polyphenolic biomolecules that bind to and precipitate proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids.
The term ''tannin'' (from Anglo-Norman ''tanner ...
and lumber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, w ...
. These forests cover extensive areas away from the rivers; nearer the rivers they occupy the higher, better-drained sites, giving rise to a landscape in which the forests appear as islands amid a sea of savannah grasses growing as high as a person on horseback. In the more arid western Chaco, thorn forest
A thorn forest is a dense scrubland with vegetation characteristic of dry subtropical and warm temperate areas with a seasonal rainfall averaging .
Regions Africa
Is present in the southwest of Africa with smaller areas in other places of Africa.
...
s, the continuity of which is occasionally broken by palm groves, saline steppes, and savannas, created by fire or deforestation
Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then land conversion, converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban area, urban ...
, are dominated by another quebracho tree that has a lower tannin content and is used most often for lumber.
There is also a marked increase in the number and density of thorny species, among which the notorious vinal (Prosopis ruscifolia
''Prosopis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It contains around 45 species of spiny trees and shrubs found in subtropical and tropical regions of the Americas, Africa, Western Asia, and South Asia. They often thrive in ari ...
) was declared a national plague in Argentina because of how its thorns, up to a foot in length, posed a livestock hazard in the agricultural lands it invaded.
Main features
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide fund ...
remains a potential industry for the region because of its rich biodiversity, allowing for a similar type of ecotourism seen in the Amazon
Amazon most often refers to:
* Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology
* Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin
* Amazon River, in South America
* Amazon (company), an American multinational technolog ...
.
The region remains of interest to hunting enthusiasts. It also hosts the annual Trans Chaco Rally, a prominent automobile race, which is considered one of the most difficult the continent, mainly because of the dusty and dry roads which comprise its routes, and the extreme heat.
Chaco is known for its cultural, religious and economic diversity. The Indigenous peoples of the Gran Chaco
The Gran Chaco or Dry Chaco is a sparsely populated, hot and semiarid lowland natural region of the Río de la Plata basin, divided among eastern Bolivia, western Paraguay, northern Argentina, and a portion of the Brazilian states of Mato Gros ...
maintain their cultures, particularly in the northern Chaco. Northern Chaco is also known as an ideal place to purchase indigenous fine crafts. In the forest reserves, the Sanapaná and Nivaclé people
The Nivaclé are an indigenous people of the Gran Chaco. An estimated 13,700 Nivaclé people live in the President Hayes and Boquerón Departments in Paraguay, while approximately 200 Nivaclé people live in the Salta Province of Argentina. A v ...
s speak Sanapaná and Nivaclé language
Nivaclé is a Matacoan language spoken in Paraguay and in Argentina by the Nivaclé. It is also known as Chulupí and Ashluslay, and in older sources has been called Ashluslé, Suhin, Sujín, Chunupí, Churupí, Choropí, and other variant spe ...
s, respectively.
The karanda'y is the material used for the manufacture of handbags, wallets, vases, porta tereré (bags to hold thermos flasks for tereré
(of Guaraní origin) is an infusion of (botanical name ''Ilex paraguariensis'') prepared with cold water, a lot of ice and pohá ñaná (medicinal herbs), and in a slightly larger vessel. This infusion has its roots in Pre-Columbian America, ...
, the typical summer drink) carrying baskets and mats. The natives are experts in natural medicine. The thorny varieties of plants are replacing the trees with deciduous leaves in these areas.
Chaco also offers an excellent option for rural tourism
Rural tourism is a tourism that focuses on actively participating in a rural lifestyle. It can be a variant of ecotourism. Many villages can facilitate tourism because many villagers are hospitable and eager to welcome or host visitors. Agriculture ...
. One place offering rural tourism opportunities is the area Estancia La Patria, Department of Boquerón, Colony Neuland, which was created by the national government with the aim of boosting the development of this area of the country. It is located 110 kilometers from Infante Rivarola, a military post located on the border with Bolivia
, image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg
, flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center
, flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...
.
The Chaco area is famous for the large number of hunters who visit, despite a ban on hunting of endangered animals.
It is a high floodplain with a gentle slope to the east, and experiences relatively little rainfall (400 mm/year). Some areas are flooded occasionally, during which time the appearance of species adapted to such an environment is seen. The soils in the region are salty, and their use is limited because of their aridity. The Chaco is irrigated by the rivers Pilcomayo and Paraguay, both of which sprout many tributaries.
National parks
* National Park Defensores del Chaco - 7800 km²
* National Park Tinfunqué - 2800 km²
* National Park Teniente Enciso - 400 km²
Main cities
* Villa Hayes
Villa Hayes () is a city in Paraguay, and is the capital of Presidente Hayes Department.
Name
Known as "the City of the Five Names", it was eventually named in honor of Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th President of the United States.
Weather
The ...
* 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 (IATA code: ESG), which some media reports claim is a US military ...
* Filadelfia
Filadelfia is of great importance to the region's economy, mainly because of its lucrative dairies.
Notes
References
* ''La magia de mi Tierra''. Fundación en Alianza. 2007
PARAGUAYAN CHACO FAUNA PARAGUAY. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2016, from http://www.faunaparaguay.com/chaco.html
External links
Chaco Paraguayo
See also
* Chaco (disambiguation)
*Departments of Bolivia
Bolivia is a unitary state consisting of nine departments ( es, departamentos). Departments are the primary subdivisions of Bolivia, and possess certain rights under the Constitution of Bolivia. Each department is represented in the Plurinatio ...
*Departments of Paraguay
Paraguay consists of 17 departments ( es, departamentos; singular – ''departamento)'' and one capital district (''distrito capital''). The country is divided into two regions: The "Occidental Region" or Chaco (Boquerón, Alto Paraguay and Presi ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chaco (Paraguay)
Subdivisions of Paraguay
Boquerón Department