Asunción

This article is about the capital city of Paraguay. For other uses, see Asunción (disambiguation).

Asunción
From the top to bottom, left to right: skyline of the city from the Paraguay River, Citibank Tower, the Cabildo of Asunción, the National Pantheon of the Heroes, Palacio de los López, Hotel Guaraní
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname(s): Mother of Cities
Asunción Location in Paraguay
Coordinates:
Country	Paraguay
District	Gran Asunción
Founded	August 15, 1537
Government
• Intendant	Mario Ferreiro
Area
• City	117 km2 (45.2 sq mi)
• Metro	1,000 km2 (400 sq mi)
Elevation	43 m (141 ft)
Population (2009)
• City	542,023
• Density	4,411/km2 (11,420/sq mi)
• Metro	2,329,061
Demonym(s)	Asunceño, -a
Postal code	1001-1925
Area code(s)	(+595) 21
HDI (2011)	0.742 – high
Website	www.mca.gov.py (Spanish)

Nuestra Señora Santa María de la Asunción (Spanish pronunciation: [asunˈsjon], Guarani: Paraguay) is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.

The Ciudad de Asunción is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San Antonio, Limpio, Capiatá and Villa Elisa, which are part of the Central Department. The Asunción metropolitan area has more than 2 million inhabitants. The Municipality of Asunción is listed on the Asunción Stock Exchange, as BVPASA: MUA, a unique feature of any city.

It is the home of the national government, principal port, and the chief industrial and cultural centre of the country.

History

Cabildo of Asunción in 1854

Asunción is one of the oldest cities in South America and the longest continually inhabited area in the Rio de la Plata Basin; for this reason that it is known as "Mother of Cities". It was from Asunción that the colonial expeditions departed to found other cities, including the second foundation of Buenos Aires and of other important cities such as Villarrica, Corrientes, Santa Fe and Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

The site of the city may have been first visited by Spanish conqueror Juan de Ayolas, on his way north, up the Paraguay River, looking for a passage to the mines of Alto Perú (present-day Bolivia). Later, Juan de Salazar y Espinosa and Gonzalo de Mendoza, relative of Pedro de Mendoza, were sent in search of Ayolas, but were unable to find him. On his way up and then down the river, de Salazar stopped briefly at a bay in the left bank to resupply his ships. He found the natives friendly, and decided to found a fort there, in August, 1537. He named it Nuestra Señora Santa María de la Asunción.

In 1542, natives destroyed Buenos Aires, and the Spaniards fled to Asunción. Thus, the city became the center of a large Spanish colonial province comprising part of Brazil, present-day Paraguay and northeastern Argentina: the Giant Province of the Indies. In 1603 Asunción was the seat of the First Synod of Asunción, which set guidelines for the evangelization of the natives in their lingua franca, Guaraní.

In 1731, an uprising under José de Antequera y Castro was one of the first rebellions against Spanish colonial rule. The uprising failed, but it was the first sign of the independent spirit that was growing among the criollos, mestizos and natives of Paraguay. The event influenced the independence of Paraguay, which then materialised in 1811. The secret reunions between the independence leaders to plan an ambush against the Spanish Governor in Paraguay Bernardo de Velasco were held at the home of Juana María de Lara, in downtown Asunción. On the night of May 14 and May 15 the rebels succeeded and were able to force governor Velasco to surrender. Today, Lara's home is known as Casa de la Independencia (House of the Independence) and serves as a museum and historical building.

View of the city of Asunción during the Paraguayan War.

After Paraguay became independent, there was significant change in Asunción. Under the presidency of Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia roads were built throughout the city and the streets were named. However, it was during the presidency of Carlos Antonio López that Asunción (and Paraguay) progressed, as the new president implemented new economic policies. More than 400 schools, metallurgic factories and the first railroad service in South America were built during the López presidency. After López died, his son Francisco Solano López became the new president and led the country through the disastrous Paraguayan War that lasted for five years. After the end of the armed conflict, Asunción was occupied by Brazilian troops until 1876.

Many historians have claimed that this war provoked a steady downfall of the city and country, since it massacred two thirds of the country's population. Progress slowed down greatly afterwards, and the economy remained stagnated.

After the Paraguayan War, Asunción began a slow recovery attempt. Towards the end of the 19th century and during the early years of the 20th century, a flow of immigrants from Europe and the Ottoman Empire came to the city. This led to a change in the appearance of the city as many new buildings were built and Asunción went through an era more prosperous than any since the war.

• 

  Asunción's Downtown in 1872

• 

  Asunción at night

• 

  Harbour of Asuncion

Geography

Six districts of the city of Asunción

Asunción is located between the parallels 25° 15' and 25° 20' of south latitude and between the meridians 57° 40' and 57° 30' of west longitude. The city sits on the left bank of the Paraguay River, almost at the confluence of this river with the River Pilcomayo. The Paraguay River and the Bay of Asunción in the northwest separate the city from the Occidental Region of Paraguay and Argentina in the south part of the city. The rest of the city is surrounded by the Central Department.

With its location along the Paraguay River, the city offers many landscapes; it spreads out over gentle hills in a pattern of rectangular blocks. Places such as Cerro Lambaré, a hill located in Lambaré, offer a spectacular show in the springtime because of the blossoming lapacho trees in the area. Parks such as Parque Independencia and Parque Carlos Antonio López offer large areas of typical Paraguayan vegetation and are frequented by tourists. There are several small hills and slightly elevated areas throughout the city, including Cabará, Clavel, Tarumá, Cachinga, and Tacumbú, among others.

Asunción's Downtown

• 

  Asunción, seen from the International Space Station

• 

  Mariscal Lopez Avenue, one of the largest in the city

• 

  Democracy Square

Districts and neighborhoods

Asunción is organized geographically into districts and these in turn bring together the different neighborhoods.

Neighborhoods of Asunción

Neighborhood	Population (2002)	Neighborhood	Population (2002)	Neighborhood	Population (2002)
1. Itá Enramada	4845	24. Seminario	5070	47. Pinoza	6621
2. Santa Ana	5775	25. Vista Alegre	12,611	48. Jara	13,554
3. Bañado Santa Ana	8374	26. Panambí Retá	2386	49. Banco San Miguel	953
4. Roberto L. Pettit	20,201	27. Panambí Verá	2591	50. Tablada Nueva	6573
5. Republicano	8429	28. San Pablo	21,787	51. Virgen del Huerto	4809
6. Pirizal	4022	29. Terminal	4305	52. Virgen de la Asunción	9983
7. San Vicente	15,412	30. Hipódromo	8348	53. Bella Vista	6657
8. Bañado Tacumbú	10,958	31. Nazareth	7133	54. Santo Domingo	2591
9. Obrero	19,823	32. Villa Aurelia	9871	55. Cañada del Ybaray	3166
10. Tacumbú	13,366	33. Los Laureles	3517	56. Las Lomas (Carmelitas)	5604
11. Sajonia	14,873	34. Mariscal Estigarribia	7711	57. Madame Lynch	8589
12. Itá Pytá Punta	4225	35. San Cristóbal	6618	58. Salvador del Mundo	3883
13. San Antonio	9544	36. Herrera	5149	59. Ñu Guazú	1342
14. Dr. Francia	10,925	37. Santa María	4591	60. Mbocayaty	6512
15. La Encarnación	4928	38. Ytay	3054	61. Mburucuyá	8377
16. Catedral	3676	39. San Jorge	4844	62. Trinidad	4515
17. General Díaz	6068	40. Ycuá Satí	6687	63. Virgen de Fátima	6064
18. Pettirossi	11380	41. Manorá	1898	64. San Rafael	10,732
19. San Roque	6355	42. Villa Morra	4114	65. Botánico	9982
20. Ricardo Brugada (Chacarita)	10,455	43. Recoleta	10,230	66. Zeballos Cué	18,553
21. San Felipe	5679	44. Tembetary	3515	67. Loma Pytá	6231
22. Las Mercedes	4827	45. Mburicaó	7691	68. San Blas	3651
23. Ciudad Nueva	8584	46. General Caballero	8128	69. Santa Rosa	3546
24. Carlos A. López	?			70. Mariscal López	5025

Climate

Asunción has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) that closely borders on a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cfa) and a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen: Am), characterized by hot, humid summers and mild winters. Relative humidity is high in the summer, so the heat index is higher than the true air temperature. The average annual temperature is 23 °C (73 °F). The average annual precipitation is 1,400 millimetres (55 in), distributed in over 80 days yearly.

Asunción generally has a very short dry season between June and September, but the coldest months are June and July, which can get frost on average one day a year. The wet season covers the remainder of the year. The climate of Asunción can be described as hot and humid for most of the year.

During the wet season, Asunción is generally hot and humid though towards the end of this season, it becomes noticeably cooler. In contrast, Asunción's dry season is pleasantly mild. Asuncion's annual precipitation values observe a summer maximum, due to severe subtropical summer thunderstorms which travel southward from northern Paraguay, originating in the Gran Chaco region of the northwestern part of the country. The wettest and driest months of the year are April and July respectively. receiving 166 mm (6.54 in) and 39 mm (1.54 in) of average total monthly precipitation respectively.

Climate data for Asunción (1971–2000)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	40.8 (105.4)	39.6 (103.3)	39.6 (103.3)	36.4 (97.5)	34.4 (93.9)	33.5 (92.3)	34.7 (94.5)	37.4 (99.3)	39.6 (103.3)	41.8 (107.2)	40.2 (104.4)	41.7 (107.1)	41.8 (107.2)
Average high °C (°F)	33.5 (92.3)	32.6 (90.7)	31.6 (88.9)	28.4 (83.1)	25.0 (77)	23.1 (73.6)	23.2 (73.8)	24.8 (76.6)	26.4 (79.5)	29.2 (84.6)	30.7 (87.3)	32.3 (90.1)	28.4 (83.1)
Daily mean °C (°F)	28.2 (82.8)	27.5 (81.5)	26.5 (79.7)	23.5 (74.3)	20.4 (68.7)	18.5 (65.3)	18.2 (64.8)	19.6 (67.3)	21.2 (70.2)	23.9 (75)	25.4 (77.7)	27.1 (80.8)	23.3 (73.9)
Average low °C (°F)	22.8 (73)	22.3 (72.1)	21.3 (70.3)	18.6 (65.5)	15.7 (60.3)	13.8 (56.8)	13.1 (55.6)	14.3 (57.7)	15.9 (60.6)	18.6 (65.5)	20.1 (68.2)	21.8 (71.2)	18.2 (64.8)
Record low °C (°F)	12.4 (54.3)	12.5 (54.5)	9.4 (48.9)	8.0 (46.4)	2.6 (36.7)	−1.2 (29.8)	−1.2 (29.8)	0.0 (32)	3.6 (38.5)	7.0 (44.6)	8.8 (47.8)	10.0 (50)	−1.2 (29.8)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	147.2 (5.795)	129.2 (5.087)	117.9 (4.642)	166.0 (6.535)	113.3 (4.461)	82.4 (3.244)	39.4 (1.551)	72.6 (2.858)	87.7 (3.453)	130.8 (5.15)	164.4 (6.472)	150.3 (5.917)	1,401.2 (55.165)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	8	7	7	8	7	7	4	5	6	8	8	8	83
Average relative humidity (%)	68	71	72	75	76	76	70	70	66	67	67	68	70
Mean monthly sunshine hours	276	246	254	228	205	165	195	223	204	242	270	295	2,803
Source #1: World Meteorological Organization
Source #2: NOAA updated to 9/2012., Danish Meteorological Institute (sun only)

Demographics

The population is approximately 540,000 people in the city proper. Roughly 30% of Paraguay's 6 million people live within Greater Asunción. Sixty-five percent of the total population in the city are under the age of 30.

The population has increased greatly during the last few decades as a consequence of internal migration from other Departments of Paraguay, at first because of the economic boom in the 1970s, and later because of economic recession in the countryside. The adjacent cities in the Gran Asunción area, such as Luque, Lambaré, San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora and Mariano Roque Alonso, have absorbed most of this influx due to the low cost of the land and easy access to Asunción. The city has ranked as the least expensive city to live in for five years running by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.

Population by sex and age according to the 2002 census

Age	Quantity (census 2002)	Men	Women
0–4 years	45,382	23,058	22,374
5–9 years	46,120	23,330	22,324
10–14 years	46,272	22,985	23,287
15–29 years	155.675	71,885	83,790
30–59 years	164,367	75,871	88,496
+60 years	54,296	21,686	32,610
Total	512,112	238,815	273,297

Demographic development of Asunción

Life expectancy

	1990/1992	2000/2001	2010
Total	68.72	72.04	75.90
Men	62.55	69.63	72.78
Women	70.24	74.66	79.33

Religion

Approximately ninety percent of the population of Asunción professes the Catholic religion. The Catholic Archdiocese of Asunción covers an area of 2,582 square kilometers including the city and surrounding area and has a total population of 1,780,000 of whom 1,612,000 are Catholic. The Catholic Archbishop is Eustaquio Pastor Cuquejo Verga, C.SS.R. In Paraguay's capital there are also places of worship of other Christian denominations including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well as of other religions including Islam, Buddhism and Judaism.

Language

The main language spoken is Paraguayan Spanish (56.9%); the Guaraní language is spoken by (11.1%); (27.4%) of the population speaks Jopará, which is a dialect composed of Guaraní mixed with words borrowed from Spanish (Creole). Other languages show a presence of 4.5% in the population.

Education

Schools

See also: List of high schools in Asunción

The city has a large number of both public and private schools. The best-known public schools are the Colegio Nacional de la Capital (which is one of the oldest schools in the city, founded in 1877), Colegio Nacional Presidente Franco and Colegio Nacional Asunción Escalada. The best-known private schools are, Colegio Inmaculado Corazón de María, Salesianito, Colegio Cristo Rey, Colegio Internacional, Colegio San José, Colegio San Ignacio de Loyola, Colegio Santa Teresa de Jesús, American School of Asunción, Colegio Dante Alighieri, Colegio Santa Clara, Colegio Campoalto,Colegio San Francisco,Colegio Goethe and Colegio de la Asunción.

Universities

Universidad Americana

The main universities in the city are the Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (private Catholic university) and the Universidad Nacional de Asunción (state-run). The Católica has a small campus in the downtown area next to the Cathedral and a larger campus in the Santa Ana neighborhood, outwards toward the adjoining city of Lambaré, while the Universidad Nacional has its main campus in the city of San Lorenzo, some 5 km (3 mi) eastward from Asunción. There are also a number of smaller privately run universities such as Uninorte, Universidad Americana and Universidad Autónoma de Asunción, among others.

Economy

In terms of commerce, this sector has grown considerably in recent years stretching towards the suburbs where shopping malls and supermarkets have been built. Paraguay's only stock exchange, the BVPASA, is located here. The city itself is listed on it, as BVPASA: MUA.

In Asuncion, the most important companies, businesses and investment groups are headquartered. This city is the economic center of Paraguay, followed by Ciudad del Este and Encarnación.

Transportation

Main access roads

Asunción's new buses

Silvio Pettirossi International Airport

Because the Paraguay River runs right next to Asunción the city is served by a river terminal in the downtown area. This port is strategically located inside a bay and it is where most freight enters and leaves the country. There is a lesser terminal in the Sajonia neighbourhood, and a shuttle port in Ita Enramada, almost opposite the Argentine city of Clorinda, Formosa.

Public transportation is used heavily and is served through buses that reach all the regions of the city and surrounding dormitory communities. The main long-distance bus terminal is on the Avenida República Argentina and its bus services connect all of the Departments of Paraguay, as well as international routes to nearby countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Uruguay.

Silvio Pettirossi International Airport is Paraguay's main national and international gateway, located at Luque, suburb of the capital Asunción.

Tourist attractions

Traditional buildings in Calle Palma

The National Pantheon of Heroes is one of the most significant buildings in Asunción

The city is home to the Godoi Museum, the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (which contains old paintings from the 19th century), the Church of La Encarnación, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the National Pantheon of the Heroes, a smaller version of Les Invalides in Paris, where many of the nation's heroes are entombed. Other landmarks include the Palacio de los López, the old Senate building (a modern building opened to house Congress in 2003) and the Casa de la Independencia (one of the few examples of colonial architecture remaining in the city).

Calle Palma is the main street downtown where several historical buildings, plazas, shops, restaurants and cafes are located. The "Manzana de la Rivera", located in front of the Presidential Palace, is a series of old traditional homes that have been restored and serve as a museum showcasing the architectural evolution of the city. The old railway station maintains the old trains that now are used in tourist trips to the cities of Luque and Areguá.

Asunción also has luxurious malls that contain shops selling well-known brands. The biggest shopping malls are Shopping del Sol; Mariscal López Shopping, Shopping Villa Morra in the central part of the city, Shopping Multiplaza on the outskirts of the city and the Mall Excelsior located downtown. Pinedo Shopping and San Lorenzo Shopping are the newest and also sizeable shopping malls located just 5.6 and 9.3 kilometres (3.5 and 5.8 mi) from Asunción's boundaries respectively, in the city of San Lorenzo, part of Greater Asunción.

Sports

The Estadio Defensores del Chaco is the largest stadium in Paraguay

Association football is the main sport in Paraguay, and Asunción is home to some of the most important and traditional teams in the country. These include Olimpia, Cerro Porteño and Club Libertad, Club Nacional, Club Guaraní and Club Sol de América, which have their own stadiums and sport facilities for affiliated members. The Defensores del Chaco stadium is the main football stadium of the country and is located in the neighbourhood of Sajonia, just a few minutes away from the centre of Asunción. Since it is a national stadium sometimes it is used for other activities such as rock concerts. Asunción is also the heart of Paraguayan rugby union.

The nightlife revolves around two areas: one in the downtown part of the city and the other in the neighbourhoods of Manora and Las Carmelitas, a night full of nightclubs and bars.

Culture

Asunción also hosts several symphony orchestras, and ballet, opera and theater companies. The most well known orchestras are the City of Asunción's Symphony Orchestra (OSCA), the National Symphony Orchestra and the Northern University Symphony Orchestra. Among professional ballet companies, most renowned are the Asunción Classic and Modern Municipal Ballet, the National Ballet and the Northern University Ballet. The main opera company is the Northern University Opera Company. A long-standing theater company is Arlequín Theater Foundation's. Traditional venues include the Municipal Theater, the Paraguayan-Japanese Center, the Central Bank's Great Lyric Theater, the Juan de Salazar Cultural Center, the Americas Theater, the Tom Jobim Theater, the Arlequín Theater and the Manzana de la Rivera. Asunción is also the center of Architecture in Paraguay.

The seven treasures of cultural heritage material of Asunción

The choice of the seven treasures of cultural heritage material has been developed Asunción during the months of April and May 2009. Promoted by the "Organización Capital Americana de la Cultura", with the collaboration of the Paraguayan authorities participating in the election was carried out with the intention to disclose the material cultural heritage of Assumption.

A total of 45 candidates have chosen to become one of the treasures of cultural heritage material Assumption. The result of the vote, which involved 12,417 people, is as follows:

Media

Newspapers

The most read newspapers are: Diario ABC Color, Diario Popular, Diario La Nación, Diario Última Hora, and Diario Crónica, although the most successful are Diario Popular and Diario ABC Color.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Paraguay

Twin towns – Sister cities

Asunción is twinned with:

Rosario, Argentina La Plata, Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina Formosa, Argentina Corrientes, Argentina Resistencia, Argentina Posadas, Argentina Santa Fe, Argentina

Iquique, Chile Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia Campinas, Brasil Curitiba, Brasil São Paulo, Brasil Bogotá, Colombia Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Chiba, Japan

Ciudad de México, Mexico Puebla de Zaragoza, Mexico, 2009 Trujillo, Peru Madrid, Spain Taipei, Taiwan Montevideo, Uruguay Miami, USA Caracas, Venezuela, 1982

See also

• List of twin towns and sister cities in Paraguay

External links

• Asunción travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Senatur Asunción Info (in Spanish)
• Municipality of Asunción