Caaguazú | |
|---|---|
City and district | |
 Flag | |
  Caaguazú | |
| Coordinates:25°27′36″S56°1′12″W / 25.46000°S 56.02000°W /-25.46000; -56.02000 | |
| Country |  Paraguay |
| Department |  Caaguazú |
| Founded | May 8, 1845 |
| Government | |
| • Intendant | Severo Jose Ríos (PLRA) |
| Area | |
• Total | 977.64 km2 (377.47 sq mi) |
| Population (Est. 2021) | |
• Total | 127,328 |
| Demonym | Caaguazeño/a |
| Postal code | 3400 |
| Area code | 522 |
| Website | http://caaguazu.gov.py/ |
Caaguazú (Spanish pronunciation:[ka(a)ɣwaˈsu]) is a district and city in thedepartment of the same name inParaguay.
The area was originally called ´Picadas de Ka´aguasu´ which means ´the clearings of the big forest.´ These lands were acquired by a man named Cristobal Villalba fromVillarrica through aroyal land grant in 1706 and in 1762 they were inherited by his son named Sebastian. These lands bordered the hills of Ybytyruzu to the south, the pathways to the yerba mate plantations of Curuguaty to the north, the hills of San Joaquin to the west and Parana River shores to the east.[1]
During the dictatorship ofGaspar de Francia, since 1820, the benefits ofyerba mate grew within the population. In 1840, a group of soldiers and workers started a government-owned farmstead in the area. Four years later this farmstead would be organized asGuardia del Empalado by the presidentCarlos Antonio Lopez. As there was a threat of an invasion ofBrazilians coming from the east, president Lopez had 11 thatched roof houses built near a lagoon namedLa Patria to be occupied by 11 families coming fromGuaira. This settlement was organized by the Military Command of Villarrica.[1]
The crew of the 11 first families arrived from Villarrica in 1845 and in 1850, 17 more families arrived. They opened a school that same year and in 1852 the local priest Ignacio Gauto build the first chapel with the help of the neighbors. In 1884, the new municipality of Caaguazu was conformed and separated from the one in Villarrica.[1]
In 2022 the local census bureau registered a total population of, 128 582 people.[2]
Caaguazú had the greatest concentration ofsawmills in Paraguay about fifteen to twenty years ago and up until today is still called the “Wood Capital” of Paraguay, in Spanish (Capital de la Madera). Caaguazú still has more than ten big wood industries producing wood flooring among other things, although many sawmills have mostly moved to the northeastern part of Paraguay, where there are many more trees to log.
National routesPY02 andPY13 pass through the city. PY02 connects it with the two major urban areas of the country,Asunción 173 km (107 mi) west, andCiudad del Este 135 km (84 mi) east. The closest airport to the district isGuaraní International Airport (AGT). Distance from the airport to Caaguazú is about 120 kilometers.[3]
