Religions

Roman Catholicism is the official religion of Paraguay, although there has been freedom of religion since 1967. Roman Catholicism accounts for 90% of the population. There is one archdiocese, that of Asunción, since 1929. Roman Catholic Church in Paraguayan society is much less influential than in the rest of South America.

Traditionally, the state's isolation and lack of interest in religion, in general, has resulted in varied religious practices, with the priests more in the role of healers and magicians. Protestant denominations have gained less influence in Paraguay than in some other South American countries. The number of Protestants in Paraguay is about 100,000. They are divided into 14 denominations, of which the Mennonite denomination (approximately 30,000) is the most flourishing and the largest.

Other evangelical groups, including the controversial New Tribes Mission, often had strong connections with the clique around dictator Stroessner. Most indigenous Indians have retained their own faith, although they too have often been officially converted to the Roman Catholic faith.