Foz De Iguaçu and Iguacu falls

Located in the state of Parana, Brazil, the city of Foz De Iguaçu is a magnificent city which is studded with scenic locales and sun swept beaches. The city, which boasts of a population of 309,000, is the fourth largest in the state of Parna. It is also the eleventh largest city the entire Southern Brazilian region. The city lies about 400 miles west of Parana’s capital city of Curitiba and its inhabitants are known as “iguacuenses”.

A Global Tourist Destination

The city of Foz De Iguacu is known as a global tourist destination. Although you would mostly see Brazilians and Argentineans flocking the city on a regular basis, glimpses of Americans, British, Italians, Portuguese, Japanese and Chinese are also noticed on a periodical basis. Likewise, it is interesting to note that the city has over a hundred hotels and inns which cater to the tourists on a regular basis.

Major Tourist Attractions

Although there are numerous tourist attractions in Foz De Iguaçu, the Iguaçu falls, which is blessed with a flow that is thrice as fast as Niagara Falls, is an attraction worth mentioning. Garganta do Diablo, which is also known as The Devils Throat in Portuguese, is said to be the tallest fall and stands 97 m high. While “Iguaçu falls” lies in the Brazilian side “The Devils Throat” lies in the Argentinean side.

Iguaçu National Park lies near the two waterfalls and is therefore a part of Brazil as well as Argentina. The park is incidentally protected by the IBAMA. The Triple frontier is another tourist destination where Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay meet. It is interesting to note that each side has its own landmark.

Foz De Iguacu is also the home of Omar Ibn Al-Khattan mosque, which is the largest outside the Middle East. Then there is the bird park which has a large collection of wild birds. There is also a city zoo called Bosque Guarani.

The Economy

Foz De Iguaçu is an economically sound city but most business is done in Ciudad del Este. The Friendship Bridge is used to carry forward the trade between Brazil and Paraguay while the Fraternity Bridge connects Foz De Igacu with the Argentinean city of Puerto Iguazu. The Friendship Bridge is far more important than its counterpart but is said to face numerous problems such as traffic snarls and blockages. The Itaipu Dam is stated to meet 20% of Brazil’s electric requirement. Likewise, the major industries in Foz de Iguacu include power generation and textiles. It is also a major tourist destination.

A Brief History

The city of Foz De Iguacu was found by a Spanish explorer who went by the name of Cabeza de vaca. Till 1897, the city was primarily a military colony and is known to have faced defeat in the War of Triple Alliance. The colony’s status was upgraded to a villa in 1910 and was thus named “Vila Iguazu”. It was only in the year 1914 when it was finally upgraded to a city.

A Unique Cultural Mix

The city has a population of 309,000 residents, of which, many are migrants. Most of the migrant communities include Arabs, Italians, Germans, Chinese, Paraguayans, Palestinians, French, Portuguese, Swedish, Ukrainians, Argentineans and French. The city of Foz De Iguaçu is also supposed to have the second largest Chinese community in Brazil. It is also stated to have the third largest Islamic population. Predominantly Roman Catholic in nature, there are traces of Protestants and Spiritists as well. It also has a Buddhist temple which is incidentally the largest in Brazil. The annual event of Fenartec is held in the City Convention Center. The festival is a true commemoration to the racial diversity and is stated to be held in the month of May.

Suitable Climatic Conditions

The city is blessed with a tropical climate and is blessed with hot and humid summers and dry and cool winters. The annual temperature is about 23.8 degrees Celsius but is known to go up to 47 degree Celsius. During the winter season, the temperature may go as low as -5 degree Celsius. The city is constantly hit by thunderstorms but on the whole, it is a perfect tourist destination.