Salto del Guairá facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Saltos del Guairá
City
Flag
Salto del Guairá Location in Paraguay
Country	Paraguay
Department	Canindeyú
Founded	March 3, 1959
Population  (2021)
• Total	23,536
Time zone	UTC-04 (AST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-03 (ADT)
Postal code	7800
Area code(s)	(595) (46)

Saltos del Guairá is a city in Paraguay. It's the main city, or capital, of the Canindeyú area. The city is about 200 kilometers (124 miles) north of Ciudad del Este. It sits right next to the Paraná River. This river forms the border with Brazil, and on the other side is the Brazilian city of Guairá.

The name "Guaíra" comes from the Tupi language. It means "place difficult to reach." The city's full name, "Salto del Guaira," means "Guaira Falls" in Spanish. It was named after the amazing Guaíra Falls. These huge waterfalls were once located right on the border with Brazil. However, they disappeared in 1982. This happened when the Itaipu Dam was built and the area was flooded.

History of Saltos del Guairá

The area where Saltos del Guairá is located was once called "Reserve #10." On March 3, 1959, a private company founded the "Colony Salto del Guairá." This company was called "Colonizadora Salto del Guairá S.A." Its leaders were Mr. José Luís Serrati, Mr. Ibrahin Abud, and Mr. Carlos Ricardo Méndez Goncalvez.

Later, in 1972, a local church council was created. This council helped manage the area. It was part of the Hernandarias District at that time. The council included important local people like Isabelino Pimienta Medina, Carmelo Peralta, and Pedro Ramón Girett.

Becoming a District and Capital

On July 30, 1973, the government made Saltos del Guairá its own district. This meant it was no longer part of Hernandarias. It also became a "third category Municipality." That same year, the government changed the borders of some areas. Saltos del Guairá gained land from the Caaguazú and Alto Paraná departments.

On May 29, 1974, the local government asked for the city to be made a "first category" city. This request was approved on July 2, 1974. Saltos del Guairá officially became a First Class City. It also became the capital of the Canindeyú Department.

The city's growth happened during an important time. More farms were being created in the eastern part of the country. The huge Itaipu Dam was also being built. This dam eventually caused the famous Guaíra waterfalls to disappear.

Geography and Location

Saltos del Guairá is located in the eastern part of Paraguay. It is in the Canindeyú Department. Its exact location is 24 degrees 04 minutes South latitude and 54 degrees 20 minutes West longitude.

Borders and Natural Features

To the north, Saltos del Guairá borders the Brazilian cities of Novo Mundo and Guaira. The Paraná River forms part of this northern border. To the east, the city is separated from Brazil by the Amambay and Mbarakayú mountains. The Paraná River also forms part of this eastern border.

To the south, the Itambey River separates it from the Alto Paraná Department. The San Joaquin mountains separate it from Caaguazú. To the west, the Curuguaty and Corrientes rivers separate it from the Department of San Pedro.

The Canindeyú department, where Saltos del Guairá is located, is mostly rural. This means that about 8 out of every 10 people live in the countryside.

Climate

Saltos del Guairá has a pleasant climate. It is about 200 meters (656 feet) above sea level. The city gets about 1,483 millimeters (58 inches) of rain each year. The average temperature is 21°C (70°F). In July and August, the temperature can drop to 0°C (32°F). The highest temperatures can reach 39°C (102°F).

Water Systems

The district's land has two main water systems. These are the Piratiy River and the Carapa River. They collect and drain water from the area.

Population and Area

The district of Salto del Guairá has a total population of 145,841 people. The population density is about 9.9 people per square kilometer. The total area of the district is 14,667 square kilometers.

City Infrastructure

Salto del Guairá is an important city in the northern part of Paraguay. It has many important buildings and services. These include government offices, military bases, and hospitals (both public and private). The city also has places for sports and fun, shops, schools, colleges, and universities. There are also many religious buildings.

Economy of the Region

The main economic activity in the department is trade with tourists. Many products are sold to people from Brazil. Farming is also very important. The biggest crop grown is soy.

Other important crops include maize (corn), sugarcane, wheat, and cotton.

Sugar Cane

The land in the department is good for raising animals. It has wide valleys and flat or gently rolling hills. This helps make it the third-largest producer of cattle in Paraguay. There are also many pigs. Horses and goats are raised on a smaller scale.

Some of the main industries in the area include making wooden parts for buildings and transportation. There are also businesses for storing goods and timber. Bakeries are important, as well as factories that make ceramic products for building.

Education

The Canindeyú department has a lower level of education overall. A large number of people in the area have not had much schooling.

However, Saltos del Guairá city has good educational facilities. It has three main schools and fourteen smaller primary schools for basic education. There are also six high schools. For higher education, there is a Faculty of Law and Social Sciences. There is also a Faculty of Economics, which is part of the National University of Ciudad del Este. Other universities like U.T.C.D and U.P.A.P also have branches here.

Communications

The city has modern communication networks. These include TELECEL, Copaco, Personal, and CTI. These services allow people to call the capital city, other cities in Paraguay, and even other countries.

Local media includes the Canindeyú 95.5 television network. There are also radio stations like Radio Salto del Guairá (90.3) and Radio Tricolor Mbaracayu (103.9). Cable TV is also available. Important newspapers like Ultima Hora and ABC Color have representatives here. There is also a local newspaper called Semanario Regional Paranazâo River.

Roads and Transportation

The Paraná River and the Itaipu Lake are important waterways. They help connect Saltos del Guairá with nearby Brazilian towns like Mundo Novo and Guaira. People can travel between these places using rafts.

Most transportation in the area happens by land. Many roads are not yet paved. Route 10, called "La Residenta," crosses the department from east to west and reaches Saltos del Guairá. There are also branches that go to Ypehú and Corpus Christi. This route also connects to a larger highway. This highway links Saltos del Guairá to the Alto Paraná department and other major cities in Paraguay.

The Canindeyú department has about 1,056.2 kilometers (656 miles) of departmental roads. Many local neighborhood roads are not paved. The city also has small airports for smaller airplanes.

Consular Office

Brazil has a Consulate in Saltos del Guairá. This office helps Brazilian citizens and promotes relations between the two countries.