Alto Paraguay Department (Departamento de Alto Paraguay)
In 1992, the Chaco Department was merged with Alto Paraguay.
Alto Paraguay contains many natural resources, so is home to several national parks, each with different characteristics. The Defensores del Chaco National Park is the largest in the Paraguayan territory and holds the hill Cerro León, the highest point in northern Paraguay. The dry terrain optimally grows various species of cactus. Parque Nacional Río Negro is an area with several small lakes and most of the department's fauna. In the dry regions are Parque Nacional Coronel Cabrera and Parque Nacional Chovoreca.
Map - Alto Paraguay Department (Departamento de Alto Paraguay)
Map
Country - Paraguay
Flag of Paraguay |
Spanish conquistadores arrived in 1524, and in 1537 established the city of Asunción, the first capital of the Governorate of the Río de la Plata. During the 17th century, Paraguay was the center of Jesuit missions, where the native Guaraní people were converted to Christianity and introduced to European culture. After the expulsion of the Jesuits from Spanish territories in 1767, Paraguay increasingly became a peripheral colony, with few urban centers and settlers. Following independence from Spain in the early 19th century, Paraguay was ruled by a series of authoritarian governments characterized by nationalist, isolationist and protectionist policies. This period ended with the disastrous Paraguayan War (1864–70), during which the country lost half its prewar population and around 25–33% of its territory to the Triple Alliance of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. In the 20th century, Paraguay faced another major international conflict—the Chaco War (1932–35) against Bolivia—in which it prevailed. Afterwards, the country came under a succession of military dictators, culminating in the 35-year regime of Alfredo Stroessner, which lasted until his overthrow in 1989 by an internal military coup. This marked the beginning of Paraguay's democratic era, which continues to this day.
Currency / Language
ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
---|---|---|---|
PYG | Paraguayan guaranà | ₲ | 0 |
ISO | Language |
---|---|
GN | Guarani language |
ES | Spanish language |