A landlocked nation surrounded by its South American neighbors, the Republic of Paraguay has been isolated throughout much of its history. After achieving independence from Spain in 1811, the country suffered under decades of dictatorships and political strife before achieving democracy toward the end of the 20th century. Most of its approximately 7 million citizens are part Guarani Indian and part Spanish and speak both languages. The southward-flowing Paraguay River divides the land in half, with most Paraguayans living in the rolling hills and fertile lands to the east. One of the least industrialized South American nations, Paraguay exports soybeans and cotton, as well as hydroelectric power. Each lavishly illustrated book in the "South America Today" series teaches about the geography, history, economy, and culture of each nation. Each volume is indexed, and contains a bibliography featuring books and Web sources for further information.