Alto Paraná Department

In times of the colony, there were many establishments in this area. Many of them were very important, such as: Ontiveros, Ciudad Real, and Villa Rica del Espíritu Santo. Nevertheless, these villages did not prosper due to the constant attacks of the Bandeirantes.

Many populations settled on this area due to the promising forestall activity by the end of the 17th century and beginnings of the 18th century. These urban centers organized around military bases that serve to defend them against the attacks of the Bandeirantes. From about this time are some cities that exist until now, such as: Villa Curuguaty, Ygatimi, Caaguazú, Lima and Ajos.

After the War against the Triple Alliance, these lands were sold, creating large states in which the more important activities were the forestall exploit and the cultivation of yerba mate.

The department, as known today, was created in 1945.

By the end of the 19th century, it was a very active port known with the name of Tacurú Pucú, with means "high termite mound". This port was used for the transport of wood, through the Paraná River, to Encarnación, and from Encarnación to take food and clothes.

In 1990 was finally defined the department's structure.

Alto Paraná presents an absolute maximum temperature in summer of 38 °C or 100.4 °F. The absolute minimum in winter is 0 °C or 32 °F. The annual average is 21 °C or 69.8 °F.

The department receives abundant precipitation during the entire year, registered as 1,725 millimetres or 68 inches annually. This total is the highest anywhere in Paraguay. Consequently, this area has a lot of humidity in the environment, which is good for agriculture.

Fog and drizzle are constant in winter.

The forestall exploit is the most important activity in the area. Nowadays, the population dedicates, in part, to the industrial process of different varieties of wood, such as: cedar, yvyra pyta, lapacho, taperyva guasu, petereby, guatambu, incense, guaica and others. Another important activity is the plantation of pine as a form of reforestation. There's also the exploit of palm hearts.

About 700.000 hectares are occupied in agriculture. Soy, maize, wheat, mint, cotton, sugarcane, tangerine, sweet orange, tomato, manioc, sweet potato, rice, potato, carrot, strawberry, sunflower, pea and ka’a he’e (a sweetener and medical plant) are cultivated.

In this department are breed cows and pigs, also cebú and nelore. The industry occupies a place of growing importance. There are factories of oil, food, sausages, sawmills, rice and yerba mills, of ceramic products, and also dairy products.

Alto Paraná has institutions that impart initial, elementary and secondary education. Also there are institutions working to impart education to the natives of the area. There are private universities and the national university.

The most important ways of access to the department are Route No. 7 "Dr. Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia", that crosses the department from east to west and communicates with Asunción, and also the Route No. 6 "Juan León Mallorquín" that communicates with Encarnación and the south region of the country. There is a route that communicates with Salto del Guairá to the north.

An international bridge over the Paraná River connects Paraguay with Brazil.

The "Guaraní International Airport", in the Minga Guazú district, offers regular flights to Asunción, São Paulo, and connections with other flights.

The department has televisions stations. It has an automatic phone central and service of mobile phone communication. There are located many radio stations.

AM: Radio Parque, Itapiru, Magnificat, America, Concierto, La voz de Hernandarias, Cedro Ty, Corpus and Minga Guazú.

FM: Guarani, Progreso, Integración, Ciudad del Este, Virtual, Educacción, Yguazú, Naranjal, Transparaná, Pionera, Transcontinental, Santa Rita, Pentagrama and El Portal de Itapúa.

This department offers a very rich and attractive natural environment, specially represented by the Acaray and Paraná Rivers.

The following places are recommended to visit:

• Tati Yupi Refuge
• Itabó Natural Reserve
• Limoy Natural Reserve
• Ñacunday National Park
• Pikyry Refuge
• Carapá Refuge
• The mouth of Itambey River
• Minga Guazú Ecology Park
• Mbaracayú Refuge

Itaipú Hydroelectric Dam

Other touristic places are the modern engineering constructions that produce great admiration in the visitors, those are: the Amistad's Bridge, that communicates Paraguay and Brazil, the hydroelectric stations Itaipu Binacional and Acaray.

In Ciudad del Este there are the Park and Lake of the Republic, an artificial lake formed by the waters of the Amambay stream, the park serves as lung for the city. This space was created with the collaboration of every city council of the country.

Alto Paraná has several museums that exhibit artifacts of great scientific and cultural value, such as:

• The House of Culture in Ciudad del Este
• El Mensú Hydric Museum
• Museum of Natural History
• Itaipú Natural and Anthropology Museum

The Museum Moisés Bertoni was declared Natural and Scientific Monument. This place is a port, where Moisés Bertoni accomplished to compile a great variety of plants from the entire world and who dedicated his life to the preservation of the nature.

• Gyeonggi Province, South Korea

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alto Paraná Department.

• Alto Paraná Info (in Spanish)