Itapúa Department

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Departamento de Itapúa
Flag of Itapúa
Coat of arms of Itapúa
Coat of arms
Paraguay Itapua.png
Coordinates: 27°20′S 55°53′W﻿ / ﻿27.333°S 55.883°W﻿ / -27.333; -55.883
Country  Paraguay
Established 1906
Capital Encarnación
 • Governor David Benjamín Franz Kugler (ANR)
 • Total 16,525 km2 (6,380 sq mi)
Population (2002)
 • Total 453,692
 • Density 27/km2 (71/sq mi)
Time zone AST (UTC-04)
 • Summer (DST) ADT (UTC-03)
ISO 3166 code PY-7
Number of Districts 30

Itapúa (Spanish pronunciation: [itaˈpua]) 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.


This department was created after the breakup of the Misiones Department, with the city of Encarnación as the capital. It had a high economic growth in the first 30 years by the coming of immigrants and the Carlos Antonio Lopez Railway, the growth was accompanied with several ups and downs.

Then came an era of decline until the 50s when the Carnaval Encarnaceno becomes known and attract tourists from various regions. In the 80s the department becomes more industrial, but modestly, if compared with other departments like Central Department.

In 1989 Yacyretá began repositioning the people living in the Yacyretá Reservoir, it still continues. The San Roque González de Santa Cruz Bridge was inaugurated in 1991, connecting not only the city of Encarnación and Posadas, but Paraguay with Argentina.


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".


According to the 2002 National Census Itapúa has a total population of 453,692 inhabitants making it the third most populated department of the country after Central and Alto Paraná, 8,9% of Paraguay's total population lives in this department.

Cultural diversity[edit]

Much of the Itapúa region was colonized by immigrants from different origins, among them are the Italian, German, Russian, Ukrainian, French, Japanese, Polish, and recent time there were also immigrants from Syria and Lebanon. Because of this cultural diversity Itapúa was given the name "Melting pot", making it the most cosmopolitan department of Paraguay.

In the beginning, the first economic sector of the immigrants was the exploitation of natural resources, especially timber, in the Alto Paraná and San Rafael Hills, now a national park, but now they hold several thriving industries. They also engaged in agriculture (soybean, tung, corn, etc.) and livestock.

Administrative division[edit]

The department is divided into the following 30 districts:

District Population (2002) District Population (2002) District Population (2002)
1 Alto Verá 13,799 11 Fram 6,923 21 Nueva Alborada 9,193
2 Bella Vista 9,193 12 General Artigas 11,042 22 Obligado 11,441
3 Cambyretá 9,193 13 General Delgado 6,611 23 Pirapó 6,754
4 Capitán Meza 9,193 14 Hohenau 9,685 24 San Cosme y Damián 7,322
5 Capitán Miranda 9,193 15 Itapúa Poty 14,642 25 San Juan del Paraná 7,091
6 Carlos Antonio López 17,622 16 Jesús 5,560 26 San Pedro del Paraná 28,598
7 Carmen del Paraná 9,193 17 La Paz 3,076 27 San Rafael del Paraná 20,434
8 Coronel Bogado 17,065 18 Leandro Oviedo 4,353 28 Tomás Romero Pereira 27,239
9 Edelira 22,287 19 Mayor Otaño 12,157 29 Trinidad 6,873
10 Encarnación 93,497 20 Natalio 19,456 30 Yatytay 11,415
Mapa Itapua Paraguay con Nombres.PNG


This department is located southeast of the Eastern Region of Paraguay.



The climate is humid subtropical with a tendency to low temperatures, the annual average is 15°C, with a maximum of 40°C and a minimum of -3°C. Rainfall is abundant, with an annual average of nearly 1,700 mm, recorded throughout most of the year except in July and August.

See also[edit]