Hernandarias, Paraguay

Hernandarias is a district and city in the Alto Paraná Department of Paraguay. It was named after Hernando Arias de Saavedra, the first South American governor born in the Americas. The city sits right across the highway from the huge Itaipu Dam, one of the world's largest hydroelectric power plants.

Hernandarias is about 349 km away from the country's capital, Asunción. Because of its close link to the dam, it is often called the "Latin American Capital of Electric Power." Together with nearby areas, it forms part of the busy urban region known as the Gran Ciudad del Este.

Etymology

Hernandarias used to be called "Tacurú Pucu," which means "Long antplace." Today it is named after Hernando Arias de Saavedra, who was the first person born in the Americas to become a governor during the time when Europe ruled much of the world.

Geography

Hernandarias has a warm climate, with an average temperature of 21 °C. It can get quite hot, reaching up to 38 °C, and very cool, down to 0 °C. This area gets a lot of rain, more than anywhere else in the country. In the winter, there is often dew and fog.

The town of Hernandarias is located between the Acaray and Paraná Rivers.

Demography

Hernandarias has a population of 79,735 people. About half are males, with 40,389, and the other half are females, with 39,346. These numbers come from estimates by the Directorate General of Statistics, Census and Surveys.

History

The city of Hernandarias was officially formed on July 26, 1988, and later upgraded to a first-class municipality on March 22, 1990. It used to be an important place for making a special kind of tea called yerba mate, with a big factory named "Industrial Paraguaya." As big dams were built, the area grew and developed. The city was named after a place called Tacurú Puku, which means "Big Ant Hill," because of many ant mounds in the area.

Economy

Hernandarias is an important place for energy and farming. It has two big hydroelectric power plants. One is Acaray, which started in 1968, and the other is Itaipú, finished between 1976 and 1982. Itaipú is the world's largest dam and is considered one of the amazing feats of modern engineering.

The area is also good for growing crops like palm, mint, maize, coffee, cotton, rice, beans, wheat, and castor. People there also work in forestry, animal farming, and trade.

Tourism

Hernandarias has many interesting places for tourists to visit, especially around the Itaipu and Acaray dams. Some popular spots include the Biological Reserve Itabo, which is a natural area with many plants and animals. The Museum of the Earth Guarani is an interactive museum showing the culture of ancient people and the animals in the region. There is also a Museum of Natural History, a Zoo Itaipu with many animals, and a Forest Nursery with many different plants.

Other places to see are an aquaculture station where fish are raised, and the Refuge Tatar yupi with places to relax by the lake. The Municipal Theatre is a big venue for performances, and Walk Spain is a special area with offices and a library. The Parana Country Club is a nice neighborhood to live in.

How to get there

This city is located 15 km from Ciudad del Este. You can travel on Route II "Mcal. Estigarribia" until the viaduct at the 4 km mark, then take the highway that leads to Saltos del Guairá.

Panoramic view of the Itaipu Dam, located in this district.