The Economic Map of Paraguay
The Central Bank of Paraguay (BCP) has recently released its report Cuentas Regionales Anuales (CRA) 2021–2023, offering the most up-to-date figures on the country’s regional economic performance. The results highlight a strong concentration: just three regions — Central, Asunción, and Alto Paraná — generate 61% of Paraguay’s total GDP.
This concentration shows how economic activity is heavily clustered in the metropolitan area of Asunción, the border region of Alto Paraná, and the southern agricultural and service hubs.
GDP Share by Department (2023)
| Department / Region | Share of GDP 2023 |
| Central | 28.5 % |
| Asunción (Capital City) | 17.1 % |
| Alto Paraná | 15.4 % |
| Itapúa | 6.4 % |
| Caaguazú | 5.9 % |
| San Pedro | 3.8 % |
| Concepción | 3.1 % |
| Cordillera | 3.1 % |
| Amambay | 2.1 % |
| Misiones | 2.1 % |
| Presidente Hayes | 2.0 % |
| Guairá | 2.0 % |
| Boquerón | 1.9 % |
| Paraguarí | 1.9 % |
| Caazapá | 1.5 % |
| Ñeembucú | 0.8 % |
| Alto Paraguay | 0.4 % |
Regional Highlights
Central & Asunción: The economic heart of Paraguay, driven by services, administration, commerce, and manufacturing in surrounding areas.
Alto Paraná: An industrial powerhouse in the east (Ciudad del Este), with dynamic cross-border trade and energy production from Itaipú.
Itapúa & Caaguazú: Strong in agriculture, agro-industry, and growing manufacturing.
Peripheral departments like Ñeembucú and Alto Paraguay contribute only marginally due to low population density and limited infrastructure.
Contribution to Growth in 2023
Paraguay’s overall economy grew by around 5% in 2023. Key drivers included:
A strong rebound in agriculture after challenging previous years,
Significant contributions from electricity and water (notably Itaipú Binational Dam),
Dynamic growth in services and commerce centered in Central, Asunción, and Alto Paraná.
Thus, both agro-export regions and the service-based urban centers played a decisive role in driving growth.
Note on the Data
The figures presented in this article come from the “Cuentas Regionales Anuales (CRA) 2021–2023” published by the Central Bank of Paraguay (BCP). This is currently the most recent regional breakdown of Paraguay’s GDP available.
Because compiling regional accounts requires complex data processing, they are always released with a delay compared to national GDP figures. For 2024, only national GDP estimates are available at this stage; a full regional distribution will likely be published later.