Itapúa Department facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Itapúa Departamento de Itapúa
Department
Flag Coat of arms
Country	Paraguay
Established	1906
Capital	Encarnación
Area
• Total	16,525 km2 (6,380 sq mi)
Population  (2002)
• Total	453,692
• Density	27.4549/km2 (71.1078/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-04 (AST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-03 (ADT)
ISO 3166 code	PY-7
Number of Districts	30
Website	http://www.itapua.gov.py

Itapúa is a department in the southern part of Paraguay. Its capital city is Encarnación. Itapúa is special because it has 30 districts, which is more than any other department in Paraguay!

History of Itapúa

This department was created in 1906. It happened after the Misiones Department was divided. The city of Encarnación became its capital.

In its early years, Itapúa grew a lot. This was thanks to new immigrants and the arrival of the Carlos Antonio Lopez Railway. The department saw many good times and some challenges.

Later, around the 1950s, things improved again. The famous Carnaval Encarnaceno became very popular. It started to attract many visitors from different places.

In the 1980s, Itapúa began to develop more industries. This growth was not as big as in other departments, like the Central Department.

A big change happened in 1989 with the Yacyretá Dam. This project caused some people to move from their homes near the Yacyretá Reservoir. In 1991, the San Roque González de Santa Cruz Bridge opened. This bridge connects Encarnación with Posadas in Argentina. It also links Paraguay and Argentina.

What Does "Itapúa" Mean?

The name "Itapúa" comes from the Guaraní people. It refers to the place where Encarnación, the capital city, was first built. The word "itá" means "rock" or "stone." "Punta" means "tip." So, Itapúa means "Tip of the Stone."

People of Itapúa

In 2002, a census showed that Itapúa had 453,692 people living there. This makes it the third most populated department in Paraguay. About 8.9% of all people in Paraguay live in Itapúa.

A Mix of Cultures

Many people from different countries came to live in Itapúa. These immigrants came from places like Italy, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, France, Japan, Poland, Syria, and Lebanon. Because so many cultures live together, Itapúa is sometimes called a "Melting pot." This makes it the most diverse department in Paraguay.

When the first immigrants arrived, they mainly worked with natural resources. They especially focused on cutting timber (wood) in the Alto Paraná and San Rafael Hills. Today, these hills are a national park. Now, people in Itapúa work in many successful industries. These include agriculture, growing crops like soybeans, tung, and corn. They also work in livestock farming.

How Itapúa is Divided

The department of Itapúa is split into 30 smaller areas called districts. Here is a list of these districts and their populations from 2002:

Where is Itapúa Located?

This department is in the southeast part of Paraguay's Eastern Region.

Borders of Itapúa

• North: Itapúa shares borders with the departments of Alto Paraná and Caazapá.
• South: It borders Argentina. The Paraná River separates Itapúa from the Argentine Misiones and Corrientes provinces.
• East: It also borders the Argentine Republic (Misiones Province).
• West: Itapúa is next to the Misiones Department in Paraguay.

Climate in Itapúa

Itapúa has a humid subtropical climate. This means it often has lower temperatures. The average temperature each year is about 15 °C (59 °F). Temperatures can go up to 40 °C (104 °F) and as low as -3 °C (27 °F). It rains a lot here, with about 1,700 mm (67 inches) of rain each year. Rain falls throughout most of the year, except usually in July and August.

Images for kids

• 

  Map of Itapúa with district names

See also

• List of high schools in Itapúa
• In Spanish: Departamento de Itapúa para niños