Introduction
Regional Context of Ciudad del Este Ciudad del Este is Paraguay’s second largest city, with a 2020 population of 304,282 and an area of just over 150 square kilometers (58 square miles). Located approximately 330 miles east of the nation’s capital, Asunción, Ciudad del Este is the capital of the Departamento Alto Paraná, one of the districts within Paraguay. Surrounding the city are smaller cities and towns, including Hernandarias to the north, Minga Guazú to the west, and Presidente Franco to the south. Across the Paraná River is Foz do Iguaçu, a Brazilian city of approximately the same size as Ciudad del Este. The
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two cities are currently only connected by the Puente de la Amistad, built in 1965, although a new bridge between Presidente Franco and Foz do Iguaçu is under construction and is expected to be completed in 2023. Just to the south and slightly east of the two cities is Puerto Iguazú, a smaller Argentine town built to support the region’s biggest tourist attraction, Iguazú Falls. A ferry is currently the only direct connection between Paraguay and Argentina, departing from Presidente Franco on the Paraguayan side.
