Central Department facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Central Departamento Central
Department
Aerial view of Areguá
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Central, in red, in Paraguay
Country	Paraguay
Region	Oriental
Department	1906
Renamed	1945
Capital	Areguá
Districts	19 (See list)
Area
• Total	2,465 km2 (952 sq mi)
Population  (2013)
• Total	2,297,739
• Density	932.15/km2 (2,414.2/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-04 (AST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-03 (ADT)
ISO 3166 code	PY-11

Central (Spanish: Departamento Central) is a department in Paraguay. It is the smallest department in the country. However, it has the most people living in it. The capital city of Central is Areguá. Its special code is PY-11.

History of Central Department

The Central Department was once known as "Comarca Asuncena." It was the most populated area in Paraguay a long time ago.

How Towns Were Started

Many towns in this department have different beginnings. Domingo Martínez de Irala founded towns like Itá, Ypané, and Areguá. He started these towns between 1538 and 1539. Later, in 1714, the governor Juan Gregorio Bazán de Pedraza founded Villeta. Other towns grew up around small churches or chapels.

New Settlements and Immigrants

In the 1800s and early 1900s, new farming communities appeared. These included Nueva Italia, Colonia Thompson, and Villa Elisa. Many immigrants came to live and work in these new settlements.

Geography of Central Department

The Central Department is located in the middle-western part of Paraguay's Oriental region. It borders the Western region to the south. This department completely surrounds Asunción, which is the capital city of Paraguay.

Size and Population

The department covers an area of 2,465 square kilometers (952 square miles). This is about 0.6% of Paraguay's total area. In 2013, about 2,297,739 people lived here. This means there were about 932 people per square kilometer.

Land and Water

Central Department is mostly flat. It has only a few small hills. Several rivers and streams flow through the area, including the Paraguay River. The large Ypacaraí Lake and Ypoá Lake are found on the edges of the department.

What Borders Central Department?

The Central Department shares its borders with several other areas:

• To the north: Presidente Hayes and Cordillera departments.
• To the east: Paraguarí department.
• To the south: Ñeembucú department.
• To the west: Argentina and the Distrito Capital (which is Asunción).

	Distrito Capital	Presidente Hayes department	Cordillera department
	Argentina department		Paraguarí department
		Central
		Ñeembucú department	Paraguarí department

Districts of Central Department

The Central Department is divided into 19 smaller areas called districts.

Fernando de la Mora

Luque

Limpio

Capiatá

Mariano R. Alonso

Lambaré

San Lorenzo

Villa Elisa

Ypacaraí

Itauguá

Areguá

Ypané

J. A. Saldívar

Guarambaré

Ñemby

San Antonio

Villeta

Nueva Italia

Itá

Economy and Industries

Central Department is a very important economic area for Paraguay. It has the second-largest economy in the country.

What Industries are There?

Many different types of factories and businesses operate here. These include:

• Food processing
• Making furniture
• Producing clothing
• Creating medicines (pharmaceuticals)
• Working with metals (metallurgic)
• Making plastic products
• Producing ceramics

The city of Villeta is especially known for having many industries.

Concrete factories in Villeta.

Tourism and Attractions

The Central Department offers many fun places to visit.

Famous Natural Spots

One of the most famous natural attractions is Lago Ypacaraí. This beautiful lake draws visitors from all over the world. The city of Areguá, which is the capital of the department, is located right on the shores of this lake.

Laguna de Itá, Itá

Related pages

• Departments of Paraguay
• ISO 3166-2:PY

Images for kids

• 

  Capiatá.

See also

In Spanish: Departamento Central para niños