| Caaguazú | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| — Department — | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Paraguay | ||
| Region | |||
| Established | |||
| Capital | Coronel Oviedo | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 11,474 km2 (4,430.1 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2002) | |||
| • Total | 448,983 | ||
| • Density | 39.1/km2 (101.3/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | AST (UTC-04) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | ADT (UTC-03) | ||
| ISO 3166 code | PY-5 | ||
| Number of Districts | 20 | ||
Caaguazú is a department in Paraguay. The capital is the city of Coronel Oviedo.
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The area that today is known as Caaguazú, was threatened during the 16th and 17th centuries by the Portuguese Bandeirant and Guaicurú Indians, desolating the land for many years.
In the 18th century, Caaguazu began to be repopulated. In 1712, Gregorio Bazán de Pedraza founded the Villa de San Isidro Labrador de Curuguaty, followed by Ybytimí in 1715, San Joaquín in 1746, and Carayaó in 1770.
In 1906 the 5th department of the country was created with the name Yhú, and included the city Yhú, as capital to the department, Ajos, Carayaó, San Joaquín and Caaguazú. But in 1945, with the territorial reorganization, it was given the name of Caaguazú.
In 1973, the territory, surface and limits of this department were finally well defined, the way they are known nowadays.
Is the hometown of several Paraguayan personalities, such as the writer Mario Halley Mora and the musician Cayo Sila Godoy.
The name "Caaguazú" (Ka'aguazu in Guaraní) means "great herb".
It is located in the middle of the Oriental Region of the country, in the coordinates 24º30’ and 25º50’ of latitude South and between the meridians 55º00’ and 56º45’ of latitude West.
Its limits are:
The department is divided in 21 districts:
| Districts | Population (2002) [1] | Districts | Population (2002) [1] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Caaguazú | 98.136 | 11 Raúl Arsenio Oviedo | 27.734 |
| 2 Carayaó | 13.234 | 12 Repatriación | 29.503 |
| 3 Coronel Oviedo | 84.103 | 13 R. I. Tres Corrales | 7.666 |
| 4 Doctor Cecilio Báez | 6.173 | 14 San Joaquín | 14.930 |
| 5 Doctor J. Eulogio Estigarribia | 24.634 | 15 San José de los Arroyos | 15.299 |
| 6 Doctor Juan Manuel Frutos | 19.128 | 16 Santa Rosa del Mbutuy | 10.989 |
| 7 José Domingo Ocampos | 9.198 | 17 Simón Bolívar | 4.938 |
| 8 La Pastora | 4.440 | 18 Tres de Febrero | 8.818 |
| 9 Mariscal Francisco Solano López | 7.330 | 19 Vaquería | 10.257 |
| 10 Nueva Londres | 4.110 | 20 Yhú | 34.737 |
*The new district of Tembiaporá is not added to the list and map yet, since it was created recently.
The average climate is mild, with abundant rains. The temperature reaches 41 degrees Celsius in summer and drops to 0 degrees C in winter. It is one of the best areas for agriculture in the country.
The Cordillera de Caaguazú goes through the department from north to south, the mountain range that conforms it is: San Joaquín, in San Joaquín and Yhú; Tajao Paú and Carayaó; and Caaguazú, between Carayaó and Coronel Oviedo. Their high is no more than 200 meters, but to the east the land elevates and reaches the 250 meters.
To the west there are formations of fluvial and glacial origins that date from the Carboniferous period (Paleozoic era), with soils of sandstone. To the east, the soil is also of fluvial origin, lacustrine and marine, correspondent to the Permian period. In the mountain range, there are sandstones from the Triassic period, with content of quartz.
The soils are sandstone and basalt, in addition to mountains and meadows.
The territory is composed by a succession of valleys and more elevated lands that go from north to south. In the north are the valleys with ample fields apt for cattle, to the east, the land has forests and natural herbal lands.
The land is exploit for agriculture.
The most important bodies of water that cross the department are: the Paraguay River, the Tebicuary-mi River and the streams Tapiracuai, Mbutuy, Hondo and Tobatiry. The Paraná River and other rivers: Acaray, Monday-mi, Yguazú, Capiibary and Guyraungua.
The Caaguazú department includes the regions of the Central Forest, in the middle of the department, the Alto Paraná, in the east area, and the Central Littoral, in the west.
The principal activity of the region is the forestal activity, which provides the raw material for the wood industry.
This is one of the areas that is most affected by deforestation. Some plant species in danger of extinction are the yvyra paje, nandyta, cedar and tumera aureli; and animal species, the tirica, jaguareté, and arira’y.
Caaguazú is the number one national producer of manioc and the second cotton producer. The population also dedicates to cattle and farming of other vegetables.
It is also the second producer of sugar cane and the fourth of maize.
The most important industries are the cotton, oil and wood industry, and also the manufacturing of furniture.
Because it is located in a crossroad, it is an important commercial center.
The access routes to the department are “Mcal. Estigarribia” (number 2) and “Dr. Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia” (number 7). They cross the entire department, from west to east and communicate the country from Asunción to Ciudad del Este.
The route “Gral. Aquino” (number 3) joins with route “Bernardino Caballero” (number 5) and communicates with Concepción and Pedro Juan Caballero. The route “Dr. Blas Garay” (number 8) joins with route number 2 in Cnel. Oviedo and communicates with Villarrica and Caazapá.
There are a few runways for small airplanes.
The department has phone service for more than 10,300 lines, radio stations, in AM: Radio Excélsior, Tajy, Coronel Oviedo, La Voz del Este; and in FM: Seguritec Ingeniería S. A., Horizonte, Centenario, Lo Mita, Mensajero, Radio Clásica, América, Alborada, among others. There are also television channels.
Caaguazú has 589 institutions of elementary education, 913 of basic school studies and 151 of high schools (according to the Paraguayan educational system).
There are 65 health establishments, including hospitals and other health care centers.
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