Encarnación () is a district and the capital city of Itapúa Department in Paraguay, located at the south-east of the department, on the right-hand (western) shore of the Paraná River, opposite Posadas, Argentina. The city has an area of 274&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>

and a population of 106,842 (2022 Census), and the Greater Encarnacion area has a population of around 200,000. Encarnación is the third-largest city of Paraguay. The city was originally named Nuestra Señora de la Anunciación de Itapúa, and is considered the capital of summer by most of its inhabitants.

Encarnación is connected to the Argentine city of Posadas by the San Roque González de Santa Cruz Bridge and the International Train. The city is located on Route 1, some 370&nbsp;km (225 miles) from Asunción, and located on Route 6, some 280&nbsp;km (175 miles) from Ciudad del Este. Due to its proximity, many Argentines travel to the city.

The Teniente Amin Ayub Gonzalez Airport (IATA: ENO, ICAO: SGEN), at coordinates 27°13′23″S 55°50′03″W, is 12 kilometres from the city and is the third most important airport of the country.

Demographics

Encarnación is the capital of the department of Itapúa. According to the 2002 National Census, Encarnación has a total population of 93,497 and an urban population of 67,173.

Most of the inhabitants are of mixed Spanish and Amerindian descent as in the rest of Paraguay but there are also minorities of Germans, Ukrainians and Poles.

The city has the largest settlement of Ukrainians in Paraguay.

History

The mission called Anunciación de Itapua was founded by the Paraguayan Jesuit San Roque González de Santa Cruz on 25 March 1615, on the southern side of the Paraná river. That mission was relocated to the north side in the current location of the city in 1703 under the name Encarncación de Itapua. It gained in importance after the coming of the railway in 1894.

In 1926, a destructive F5 tornado devastated the city, killing at least 300 and injuring around 500. It is the deadliest tornado in South American history.

On February 20, 1931, a student-worker group led by Obdulio Barthe took the city of Encarnación and declared it a "revolutionary commune", Encarnación Commune, under the leadership of popular assemblies.

In 1957, the city was made the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Encarnación.

Because of its mild climate Encarnación is often called "The Pearl of the South".

Encarnación was the birthplace of Alfredo Stroessner, general and head of state of Paraguay from 1954 to 1989.

The city has recently experienced a radical change, The "Plan de Terminación Yacyretá" (Termination plan of Yacyretá) resulted in the loss of the "Zona Baja", which gave way to a renewed modern city with wide avenues and bridges.

Encarnación was a host city for the 2003 Futsal Men's World Cup.

In 2015, Encarnación was Paraguay's third city with a growing economy and a multicultural and cosmopolitan population. In December 2011 the Costanera Avenue was inaugurated and with it three beaches were opened to the public. These three beaches were the Mbói Ka’e Beach, the Pacu Cuá Beach, and the San José Beach. The San José Beach is the most visited of the three beaches by tourists and has several restaurants at the tourists’ disposal.

In January 2013, ABC Color reported that tourism in Encarnación moved at least USD $10 million in the month, more than the USD $5 million to USD $6 million of the previous year. Prior to this, the city converted into a destination for thousands of tourists from all parts of the country, including tourists from other countries of the region. Given this, the city prepared its protocols for 9 months to be a safe destination for tourists.

Geography

The city is located at the south-east of the department, on the right-hand (western) shore of the Paraná River, opposite Posadas, Argentina.

Climate

Encarnación has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa). Summers are hot and humid, and winters are temperate and cool. Due to its geographical position in the extreme south of the country, Encarnación is the coldest city in Paraguay.

Encarnación registered snowfall in the winter of 1975, the first time in the history of Paraguay.

The annual mean temperature is 21.4&nbsp;°C (70.5&nbsp;°F). The annual mean relative humidity is 73%.

{|style="width:80%;text-align:center;line-height:1.2em;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto" class="wikitable mw-collapsible"

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!Colspan=14|Climate data for Encarnación

<gallery mode="">

File:J30_993_Catedral_de_Nuestra_Señora_de_la_Encarnación.jpg|The Encarnación Cathedral, Paraguay

File:J30_964_Moschee.jpg|A Mosque in Encarnación. (Centro Benéfico Cultural Islámico de Encarnación). Paraguay

File:San_Jorge_20120427_874.jpg|The Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral of San Jorge, in Encarnación.

</gallery>

<gallery>

File:Encarnacionbeach.jpg|San José Beach, Encarnación, Paraguay

File:Encar01.jpg|San José Beach

File:PY2005-samba1.jpg|Samba dancer from Encarnación

File:Encarnación, Paraguay4.jpg|Costanera Avenue, Encarnación, Paraguay

File:Encarnación skyline from Posadas.jpg|Encarnación, Paraguay

File:Encarnación 20120427 837.jpg|Encarnación, Paraguay

</gallery>

Twin towns

Encarnación is twinned with:

  • Corrientes, Argentina
  • Paysandú, Uruguay
  • Posadas, Argentina
  • Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

References

  • Carnival in Encarnacion Official site
  • World Gazeteer: Paraguay – World-Gazetteer.com
  • multimedia in youtube