Paraguay is a landlocked South American country that has a mainly agricultural economy and a fantastic natural beauty. The nation of Paraguay is divided into two sections by the Rio Paraguay or Paraguay river, and the sections are quite geographically distinct from each other. Eastern Paraguay (Paraguay Oriental) is the more populated region, with rolling hills and many streams and lakes. Western Paraguay (Paraguay Occidental) consists of more arid countryside but also contains a number of natural reserve lands. Paraguay is bordered by the nations of Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia, and lies roughly in the middle of the Americas – hence its informal title as Corazon de America or the Heart of America.

South America has a great history and culture that spans thousands of years, and Paraguay is certainly no exception. There are a number of fantastic archaeological sites in the country, some of them lying on farm land and on ranches scattered all around Paraguay. The reason that so much archaeology is found on farmland in Paraguay is simple – most of the nation is made up of farmland as Paraguay is a developing nation that still depends strongly on agricultural practices. In fact a number of people each year emigrate to Paraguay (Auswandern nach Paraguay) to take advantage of the fertile land there and start to earn a living from farming. There are a number of plantation farms around the country working with everything from trees to vegetables and animals.

Some of the more well known of Paraguay’s archaeology discoveries have become tourist attractions, and the ones that lie on private farm land can benefit the farmer in a number of ways. Perhaps the most famous archaeological site in Paraguay are the Jesuit Missions of La Santisima Trinidad de Parana and Jesus de Tavarangue. These two small colonies established throughout Paraguay in the 17th and 18th centuries were built as mini city states that integrated the indigenous Guarani populations with a Christian faith brought over from Europe and the Middle East. After winning a place on the World Heritage list, this site alone brings many tourists to Paraguay. A few other settlements from a similar time have been discovered in and around the farmland of Paraguay. Some fossils have been found as well on some ranch Paraguay locations, dating back to a much earlier time period.

Archaeology may bring in a lot of tourists to Paraguay, however it is the agriculture and the open immigration policies that are bringing new people to settle in the country. Many new immigrants began to settle in Paraguay following the War of the Triple Alliance, otherwise known as the Paraguayan War. The on-going pro immigration policy brought in people from Italy, France, Spain, Germany and from all over South America. Many of these people became farmers and took advantage of the rich soil and warm climate throughout the country. Paraguay is not the richest nation in the world, and is even poor by South American standards. Hopefully money can be found to continue the archaeological research that has gone on in the countryside, in the farms and ranches of Paraguay. As more people emigrate to the nation of Paraguay, more new energy and money will be brought into the country and these people can hopefully help to drive Paraguay towards a rich and sustainable future.