Paraguay consists of seventeen departments.
Alto Paraguay
Alto Paraguay is a sparsely populated department of Paraguay. The capital is the town of Fuerte Olimpo. In 1992 the Chaco Department was merged with Alto Paraguay, effectively recreating the original department Olimpo as it existed until 1945.
Alto Paraguay contains a varied and large amount of natural resources, which is why this department is home to several national parks, each with different characteristics. The Defensores del Chaco National Park is the largest in the Paraguayan territory. The mentioned park is home to the hill Cerro León, which is the highest point in the northern region of Paraguay. The dry surface is optimal for the growth of different kinds of cactus. Another park in this department, Parque Nacional Río Negro, is located in an area with several small lakes and is home to most of the fauna in the department. Other national parks in Alto Paraguay are Parque Nacional Coronel Cabrera and Parque Nacional Chovoreca, which reside in dry regions.
Alto Paraná
Alto Paraná is a department in Paraguay. The capital is Ciudad del Este (formerly known as Puerto Presidente Stroessner, originally Puerto Flor de Lis).The Alto Paraná department has experienced tremendous economic and population growth in the past 50 years. Most of this growth has been concentrated in the department capital of Ciudad del Este, and mainly occurred after the construction of the Puente de la Amistad bridge in 1961, which connects Paraguay and Brazil.
This department is home to the Itaipu power plant, which supplies 95% of the energy consumed by Paraguay, and the Acaray Dam. Several ecological reserves, a zoo and the Taiwanese-Paraguayan Technology Park are situated in this department.
The city of Presidente Franco was the first city founded in this department. Several important agricultural establishments are centered in the region of Minga Guazú which is home of the Guarani International Airport.
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 we know it, 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.
Amambay Pedro
Amambay is a department in Paraguay. The capital is Pedro Juan Caballero.
The name comes from the way is called a part of the Caaguazú Cordillera, “Amambay Cordillera”. Amambay is the name of a fern, typical of the forest in the region.The average temperature is 21 °C; it reaches 35 °C in summer and drops to −1 °C in winter. The rainy months are January, February and March.
Boquerón Filadelfia
Boquerón is a department in the western region of Paraguay. It is the country’s largest department, with an area of 91,669 km2 (35,394 sq mi), but its population is only 45,617 (2002 census). The department includes the Russian Mennonite colonies of Fernheim, Menno and its administrative center Loma Plata and Neuland. The capital is Filadelfia. Other towns are General Eugenio A. Garay, Doctor Pedro P. Peña and Mariscal Estigarribia.
The western region—Paraguay Occidental—with two percent of the Paraguayan population, produces nearly the 65% of the milk and meat of the country. High agricultural output is linked to the advanced technology and industry of the Mennonite settlements.In 1992 the department Nueva Asunción was merged with Boquerón, effectively recreating the department as of 1945 when it was split, and the capital was moved from Doctor Pedro P. Peña to Filadelfia.
Caaguazú
The capital is the city of Coronel Oviedo.The average climate is mild, with abundant rains. The temperature reaches 41 degrees Celsius in summer and drops to 0 degrees C in winter. It is one of the best areas for agriculture in the country.
Caaguazú is the number one national producer of manioc and the second cotton producer. The population also dedicates to cattle and farming of other vegetables. It is also the second producer of sugar cane and the fourth of maize. The most important industries are the cotton, oil and wood industry, and also the manufacturing of furniture. Because it is located in a crossroad, it is an important commercial center.
The Caaguazú department includes the regions of the Central Forest, in the middle of the department, the Alto Paraná, in the east area, and the Central Littoral, in the west.
The principal activity of the region is the forestal activity, which provides the raw material for the wood industry. This is one of the areas that is most affected by deforestation. Some plant species in danger of extinction are the yvyra paje, nandyta, cedar and tumera aureli; and animal species, the tirica, jaguareté, and arira’y.
Caazapá
Caazapá is a department in Paraguay. The capital is the city of Caazapá. Among Paraguayans, the department is well known for its orange and mandarin trees, and for its forest hills. The eastern part of Caazapa is relatively undeveloped and consists of rolling hills and large swaths of Brazilian Atlantic interior rainforest between the San Rafael mountains to the south and the Yvytyrysy mountains to the north. The Western part is an area of low-lying marshes and swampland area, and consists of wetlands and tributaries to eastern Paraguay’s largest river, the Tebicuary. Many indigenous groups make their home in what remains of the rainforest especially south of the unpaved highway between San Juan Nepomuceno and Tavaí.
Mby’a and Guayaki people, who practice farming corn, cassava and yerba mate under the canopy of the forest live in small bands and travel mainly by foot. They are technically protected and their land is a national reserve, but illegal loggers, ranchers and more recently, Brazilian soybean growers have encroached upon their territory. With Paraguay’s weak legal infrastructure, little can be done by way of enforcement or sanctions.
The natural environment of the region and all along the Caaguazú Cordillera is great example of the vast vegetation in the country.The whole department is in the Central Forest Region. The wooded landscape has suffered the consequences of being used for breeding cattle and the abused of technology that affects the soil, being both situations a problem for the natural environment in this area.
There are some vegetable species that are in danger, such as yvyra paje, yvyra asy and nandyta. Among the animal species in danger are the tiririca, margay, lobopé and aira’y. The protected areas are: Caaguazú National Park, with 16.000 hectares. Golondrina Private Reserve, with 24.077 hectares
Canindeyú
The capital is the city of Salto del Guairá.The eastern part of Canindeyu is very green; mostly rolling hills and soy bean farms. A fair portion of the population consists of Brazilian immigrants.
Central
The capital is Areguá. With its 1,929,834 inhabitants it is the most populated of the 17 departments of Paraguay.The mountainous area of Altos and the bodies of water such as the Paraguay and the Salado rivers, the lakes Ypacaraí and Ypoá, and the pond Cabral are part of the natural limits in Central. These along with other regions in the south section generate a good potential of resources for the diverse activities such as tourism and even agriculture.
Of the 3049 industrial plants in the Paraguayan territory, 1558 are found in this department. The intrustrial production includes the processing of food, furniture, clothing, pharmaceutical production, metallurgic, plastic and ceramics. The city of Villeta is home to a large number of industries. Central is the second biggest economy of Paraguay, and occupies the second place in attraction of inversions from other countries. Only 62% of the population is considered economically active.
Concepción
Concepción is a department of Paraguay. The capital is the city of Concepción.Concepción is set in the ecological region of Aquidabán, a part of region of Amambay and another part in the region of the Central Forest. The deforestation is a big problem in this department because of the continuous advance of the human activity, creating a great shock to the natural resources of the region. One of the biggest problems is the uncontrolled hunting of animals in the area.
Most of the forestall species are in extinction danger, as do the animals too. The ones that are in more risk of disappearing of the area are: the puma, yaguareté, gua’a pytá (red parrot), gua’a hovy (blue parrot), tucán, tacua guazú, mbo’i jagua, jacaré overo and lobopé. Some of the protected areas are:
The San Luis Mountain Range, with an extension of 70.000 hectares
Itapucumí, with an extension of 45.000 hectares
Estrella de Concepción, with an extension of 2.400 hectares
Laguna Negra, with an extension of 10 hectares, this area is in danger nowadays.
Cordillera
The capital is the city of Caacupé.The capital was founded on April 4, 1770 by Carlos Murphy. Its area is 150 km² with a population of 35,324 inhabitants. It is 54 km distant from Asunción and is considered the “spiritual capital” of Paraguay, where La Virgen de los Milagros of Caacupé is venerated at the Basilica (the special place for the Holy Mother), where people walk on pilgrimage every year more than 1.5 million faithful, 7 and December 8.
It is in the top of the Cordillera de Los Altos, obligatory stop for tourists.
This department is divided into two distinct areas by presenting physical appearance. An area located to the northeast, where the terrain is presented rather flat with many estuaries suitable for the farm. The other, extended along the Cordillera de Los Altos, with flat surfaces and corrugated satisfactory for agriculture.
The department Cordillera is primarily agricultural. It produces cotton, pineapple (pineapple), rice, sour orange, corn, sugarcane, banana, coffee, pepper, and strawberry, tangerine, peas, lemon and kaa he`e. There is also a producer of tomato, carrot, grapefruit, lemon, peanuts and manioc. It also stresses the poultry production nationally and on a smaller scale, are breeding cattle, pigs, sheep, horses and goats.
Guairá
The capital is the city of Villarrica.It covers a surface of 3,846 km2 (1,485 sq mi), with a population of 178130 inhabitants (2002). You can get there through the Road nª8 Blas Garay. It was founded on May 14, 1570, by Ruiz Diaz de Melgarejo.
The departament is in the central area of the Oriental Region Guaira, which name comes from guai: boys and ra: place, is one of the richest departments of the country, very fertile. It limits to the north with the department of Caaguazu, to the east with Caaguazu and Caazapa, to the south with Caazapa and to the west with the department of Paraguari. A way to the hills of Caaguazu enters into the department, going from East to West, receiving the name of Monte Rosario. On the west extreme forms the hill of Villarica or Ybytyruzu. The department has 17 districts. The last one, Doctor Bottrell, was created in 1983.
In the department we can notice three natural zones, very well differentiated. The first one near the hills of Villarica, or Ybyturuzu, with high lands, and forests. The second one the central west, with fertile lands. In the southwest part we can find the third zone, the most fertile and populated. Its low lands are good for cattle. Besides de Ybyturuzu, we can also find the Pelado hill, Polilla, Itape, Leon, Cerrito and Tres Kandú, with 848 m, the highest of the country. The Guaira is surrounded by the Tebicuary river and its affluents, the Tebicuari-mi with the streams Yhaca Guazu, Yhaca-mi, Aguapety, Guazu, Tacuaras. Also the Pirapo-guazu river and the Pirapo-mi stream are found in the area. In other zones of the department we can find the streams Bobo, Orory, Mitaì, Caundy, Doña Juana and Paso Pindo.
Itapúa
Itapúa is a department in the southern region of Paraguay. The capital is the city of Encarnación. It is divided into 30 districts, making it the department with the most districts in the country. The name is in guaraní and refers to the place where Encarnación, the current capital city, was founded, the site was known as “itá” (rock, stone) and “Punta” (tip), then the translation being: “Tip of the Stone”.
Misiones
Misiones is a department located in the southern region of Paraguay. Its capital is San Juan Bautista. The eighth of Paraguay’s 17 departments, it was created in 1906, then known as the San Ignacio Department, and was not given its present name until 1945. Its current name reflects its status as home to several Jesuit Reductions, or missions. Located in a relatively isolated part of the country, far from the capital city of Asunción and other important population centers such as Ciudad del Este and Encarnación, Misiones has remained one of the least developed and poorer departments in the country.
Misiones borders the departments of Paraguarí and Caazapá to the north, Itapúa to the east, Ñeembucú to the west, and the Corrientes Province of Argentina to the south.Misiones department is relatively flat and crossed by a number of rivers and streams. The northern and southern borders of the department are formed by, respectively, the Tebicuary and the Paraná rivers, the latter of which is an important waterway in the region. A number of other streams cross the department, including the Yabebyry, Atingui, San Roque, Sauce, Uruguay, Ca’a Po’i, Tororo, San Tadeo, San Antonio and Itay.
The basic economical activity of this department is the cattle breeding. This is the main production . Also they have pigs, sheep, horses and goats, this one is the least. Regarding the agriculture, the fields are mainly in the north and center of the department. In its lands they can grow rice, soya, corn, sweet oranges , sugar cane, sweet potatoes, cotton and potatoes.
Ñeembucú
Ñeembucú (Guaraní: Ñe’ẽmbuku) is a department located in the south of the Eastern Region of Paraguay. The capital is Pilar. The department is almost entirely rural, and is home to some of the oldest and best-preserved Jesuit ruins, which are located near the town of Humaitá.
The terrain in Ñeembucú is markedly flat, covered mostly in flat, grassy fields only broken by the occasional wetland swamp or green “monte”. Montes, despite their name, are not mountains at all, but patches of dense trees and brush that provide shade to the cattle who graze on the flat plains surrounding them. Almost all of the land in Ñeembucú is used for grazing (cattle, sheep) or other types of agriculture.
Paraguarí
The capital is the city of Paraguarí.Paraguarí is located in the south west of the Eastern Region, between 25°25′ and 26°30′ south and between 56°35′W and 57°40′W. Cordillera and Caaguazú departamentos are to the north; Misiones to the south; Guairá and Caazapá to the east; and Central and Ñeembucú to the west.
Salto Piraretá
Paraguarí has a rich variety of soils in the landscape, elevated to the north and hills that are formed by landslides in the mountains of Senior. Towards the downtown area and south west owns land flat and undulating valley covered with vast grassland good for livestock. In this department are the hills Mbatovi and Ybycuí. It also has smaller hills as the height of Pirayú, Azcurra, León, Paraguarí and Jhu.The river tributaries flow into Tebicuary Paraguarí and rivers Tebicuarymí and the stream Mbuyapey bathe their coasts.
Another aspect is located in this area of the lake and the lagoon Ypo, seen, forming streams Ca’añabé, Aguai’y. In the summer, the maximum temperature reached is 39 °C and the minimum in winter is 2 °C. The average annual temperature is 21 °C. This department has places marked by a long history. The temple Yaguarón’s altar was carved by hand by the Indians in 1775.
Their nature is very broad and has attractions such as Lake Ypoá and its tributaries, the numerous hills that allow the realization of adventure tourism, including the hill Yaguarón located at 180 meters. Above sea level. This hill is peculiarly marked by footprints imprinted in the rocks. The popular belief attributed the footsteps of St. Thomas in its passage through these lands.It is also the Acahay hill with 672 meters which was declared Natural Monument and consists of an ancient volcano off.
The Eco Reserve Mbatoví is located in this department. This space has adventure tourism programs and is located at the foot of the hill of the same name. The Museum Dr. Gaspar Rodriguez de Francia has an exhibition of objects belonging to proceed.
Presidente Hayes
The capital is the city of Villa Hayes. The department was named after U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes, who was the arbitrator in a boundary dispute between Paraguay and Argentina after the War of the Triple Alliance.
The temperature reaches 44 °C in summer and drops to 0 °C in winter, the average temperature is 26 °C. The average amount of precipitation is about 900 and 1200 millimeters annually.
San Pedro
The capital is the city of San Pedro de Ycuamandiyú. The climate is humid and rainy. The average temperature is 23°C, the minimum in winter is 10°C and the maximum in summer is 38°C. The humidity is 70 to 80%, and the precipitation can reach 1,324 mm.
This territory is located between two ecosystems: the Central Forest and the Central Littoral.
Due to deforestation, the primary resource of the department, with is the forestall resource, is nowadays the most affected, all as a result of the human activity. Some plant species are in danger of extiction, such as: yvyra paje, cedar, nandyta, victoria cruziana. And among the animal species: the tucan guazú (big toucan), guazutí, jacaré overo, mboi jagua and lobopé.
The protected areas are: part of the San Joaquín Mountains, Blanca Lagoon, and the Milagros and Puerto Rosario Swamps.
The most important economic activity is cattle farming, and a moderate exploit of agriculture and almost no industry.The region’s most important products are: cotton, soy, sugar cane, tobacco, beans, corn, banana, wheat, manioc, sour and sweet oranges.It is considered the number one tobacco, orange and grapefruit producer in the country, and the second best in production of sugar cane.
There is also cultivation of sorghum, tangerine, garlic and potatoes.
San Pedro is the second best department in cattle and the first in production of poultry, such as turkey, goose and guinea fowl.The industries are: the cotton gin industry, yerba mills and distilleries of petit grain. In less proportion there are also sawmills and food industries such as coconut oil and starch producers.The sawmills have an important volume of production of different kinds of woods.
