Paraguay - Stamp Packet

Paraguay is a landlocked country in central South America. The Paraguay River runs through it. Its central position has given it the nickname of 'Heart of America'. The indigenous native tribes, known collectively as the 'Guarani', were the first inhabitants of the region; their language still remains one of the official languages of the country. Paraguay was a Spanish colony until it gained independence in 1811. Many women of Paraguay are skilled in the art of 'nanduti', otherwise known as spiderweb lace. This handmade lace is woven in a fragile, circular design out of pieces of cotton, silk or linen. The result is a filmy work of art as delicate as a cobweb. The postal history of Paraguay begins in 1870.