TheTriple Frontier (Spanish:Triple Frontera,Portuguese:Tríplice Fronteira) is atri-border area along the junction ofArgentina,Brazil andParaguay, where theIguazú andParaná rivers converge. Near the confluence are the cities ofPuerto Iguazú (Argentina),Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil) andCiudad del Este (Paraguay). This area is nearIguazú Falls and theItaipu hydroelectric plant.
The population in the Triple Frontier is concentrated in three border cities, with the majority of the region's population living on the Paraguayan side of the border. Of the three major border cities, the largest isCiudad del Este inParaguay, which in 2018 had a population of 299,255. Meanwhile, the tourist-centricBrazilian cityFoz do Iguaçu has a population of approximately 258,248 (2020) andPuerto Iguazú,Argentina is the smallest of the three cities, with a population of just 82,227.
In the metropolitan region of the Paraguayan side,Presidente Franco has a population in 2018 of 98,805;Hernandarias, 79,036; andMinga Guazú, 86,755.[1]
All together, the population of the Triple Frontier adds up to about 950,000 people, making this region the tripoint with the highest population in the world.
TheArab community and otherAsian immigrant communities, which make up an important part of the urban population in the Triple Frontier, are estimated to number approximately 30,000.[2][page needed]
The Triple Frontier is an important tourist area, within the touristic subregion of theRegión de las Aguas Grandes. Visitors can see theTancredo Neves bridge, which connects the Argentine city of Puerto Iguazú and its Brazilian neighbor, Foz do Iguaçu. At the convergence of the borders, each of the three bordering countries has erected anobelisk, painted in the national colors of the country in which it is located. All three countries can be seen from each of the obelisks.
The Guarani Aquifer is arguably the biggest reservoir of fresh, potable water in the world—right under Triple Border soil (Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay). The majority (71%) of its 1.2 million square kilometers lies in Brazil.[citation needed]
 | This section has multiple issues. Please helpimprove it or discuss these issues on thetalk page.(Learn how and when to remove these messages) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
|
TheGeorge W. Bush administration cited "clear examples" of Islamic groups in the tri-border region in 2002 that "finance terrorist activities." Paraguayan authorities allegedHezbollah andHamas were operating in the Triple Frontier, among the local population of Arab origin. However, no evidence supporting this claim was ever publicised and local politicians pointed out that no individuals had ever been convicted of terrorist activities.Paraguayo Cubas, the former mayor of Ciudad del Este, compared the search for Islamist terrorists in the region following 2001 to theRed Scares of earlier decades.[3]
The particular geography of the border region, rampant political corruption and weak judicial system[which?] make it very difficult to monitororganized crime and the illicit activities connected with it.[4] To U.S. officials and law enforcement familiar with the region, "Iranian-backedHezbollah militia have been fostering a well-financed force of Islamist radicals in the region"[why?].[5]
A counter-terrorism expert[who?] withthe Pentagon's National Security Study Group described the Tri-border in 2007 as "the most important base for Hezbollah outsideLebanon itself, home to a community of dangerous fanatics that send their money to financially support Hezbollah."[5] Of the 25,000 LebaneseArabs who live in the region, not all support terrorism, but many openly acknowledge they send money to Hezbollah and thatShiite mosques have "an obligation to finance it".[5]
The Paraguayan authorities say[when?] they have evidence that money is being sent to organizations with terrorist connections because of the amount of money leaving Paraguay for the Middle East, said Carlos Altemburger, Chief of the Department for the Prevention and Investigation of Terrorism in Paraguay.[3] In response to the situation, Paraguay approved the entry of 400 US soldiers "for joint military exercises, such as programs on fighting urban terrorists, public security and humanitarian assistance", according toThe Washington Post.[6] However, in October 2006 Paraguay decided not to renew a defense-cooperation agreement.[7]
Foz do Iguaçu tourist groups dispute the reports of terrorist activity in the region, as has theU.S. State Department.[8]
Since 1996, the Tripartite Command of the Triple Frontier, which coordinates monitoring tasks among the three bordering countries, has been operating from Foz do Iguaçu. The 3+1 Group was created between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and the United States (the "1"), in 2002 to further strengthen security in the region.[8] In 2005, the governments of the three nations stated they would set up a joint intelligence center in Foz do Iguaçu specifically to monitor the situation.[9]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)25°35′33″S054°35′35″W / 25.59250°S 54.59306°W /-25.59250; -54.59306
