History of Paraguay (to 1811) Buenos Aires in 1580, the steady deterioration in the importance of Asunción contributed to growing political instability within the province. In 1617 the Río de la Plata Province was divided into two smaller provinces: Paraguay, with Asunción as its capital, and Río de la Plata, with headquarters in Buenos Aires. With this action, Asunción lost control of the Río de la Plata estuary and became dependent on Buenos Aires for maritime shipping. In 1776 the crown created the Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata; Paraguay, which had been subordinate to Lima, now became an outpost of Buenos Aires. Located at
Encarnación, Paraguay Encarnación is the coldest city in Paraguay. Encarnación registered snowfall in the winter of 1975, the first time in the history of Paraguay. The annual mean temperature is 21 °C (70 °F). The annual mean relative humidity is 77%. Encarnación, Paraguay Encarnación () is a district and the capital city of Itapúa Department in Paraguay, located at the south-east of the department, on the right-hand (western) shore of the Paraná River, opposite Posadas, Argentina. The city has an area of 274 km² and a population of 93,497 (2002 Census). Encarnación is the third-largest city of Paraguay. Encarnación is connected to