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Asunción

geography Maturity 7-9 Next article →

Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.

Asunción del Paraguay 1892
Asunción del Paraguay 1892

It sits on the eastern bank of the Paraguay River. This river is very important for the area. It sits just north of where the Pilcomayo River joins it. The river acts as a border for the city. It separates Asunción from Argentina to the southwest. It also separates the city from the Occidental Region of Paraguay.

Costanera Asunción
Costanera Asunción

The city is a major hub for the whole country.

Asunción is a very busy and productive place. It is the most densely populated area in Paraguay. The city itself has 462,241 people. The larger metropolitan area, called Greater Asunción, has over 2.3 million people.

Avenida Aviadores del Chaco
Avenida Aviadores del Chaco

This large area includes cities like San Lorenzo and Luque. The city is a center for many things. It holds the headquarters for the three state powers. It is also a center for banking and culture. Most main roads to other cities start right here.

This city has a very long history. It is one of the oldest cities in South America. People call it "the Mother of Cities."

Calle palma asuncion
Calle palma asuncion

This is because Spanish groups left Asunción to found many other places. They started cities like Buenos Aires and Córdoba. A fort was first built there in August 1537. Juan de Salazar y Espinosa named it after a religious feast. Later, the city became a center for a large Spanish province. It even helped lead the way to Paraguay's independence in 1811.

Life in the city has changed many times. During the 1800s, the city saw big progress. The first railroad in South America was built during the López presidency.

Asunción tram (ex-Brussels 9003) on Calle M Estigarribia in 1986
Asunción tram (ex-Brussels 9003) on Calle M Estigarribia in 1986

Later, the city saw a tram system. It used horses and steam before using electricity. The trams stopped running in the late 1990s. The city also faced hard times during the Paraguayan War. After that war, many people from Europe and the Ottoman Empire moved there. This helped the city grow and build new things.

Today, Asunción is a key part of the region. It is a strategic spot in the Southern Cone. It sits roughly halfway between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

Corredor Vial Botánico
Corredor Vial Botánico

This helps the city grow as a regional hub. It is the home of the Mercosur headquarters. It also hosts the South American Football Confederation in Luque. The city is known for being a good place for business. It is also one of the safest capitals in Latin America. Visitors often find it to be a very affordable place to visit.

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🖼️ Images & Media (44)
File:Asunción del Paraguay 1892.jpg
Asunción del Paraguay 1892.jpg
File:Asunción tram (ex-Brussels 9003) on Calle M Estigarribia in 1986.jpg
Asunción tram (ex-Brussels 9003) on Calle...
File:Calle Palma.png
Calle Palma.png
File:Corredor Vial Botánico.png
Corredor Vial Botánico.png
File:Costanera Sur Cerro Lambaré.png
Costanera Sur Cerro Lambaré.png
File:Puente Héroes del Chaco 2.png
Puente Héroes del Chaco 2.png
File:Busto Gandhi Costanera de Asunción.png
Busto Gandhi Costanera de Asunción.png
File:Vista Jade Park.png
Vista Jade Park.png
File:Municipalidad de Asunción del Paraguay.jpg
Municipalidad de Asunción del Paraguay.jpg
File:Escudo de Asunción (Paraguay).svg
Escudo de Asunción (Paraguay).svg
File:Banco Central del Paraguay by Felipe Méndez.jpg
Banco Central del Paraguay by Felipe Méndez.jpg
File:Centro Histórico de la ciudad Asunción.jpg
Centro Histórico de la ciudad Asunción.jpg

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