Encarnación, Paraguay

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 km2 and a population of 93,497 (2002 Census), and the Greater Encarnacion area has a population of over 225,000 according to a 2020 estimate. 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 km (225 miles) from Asunción, and located on Route 6, some 280 km (175 miles) from Ciudad del Este. Due to its proximity, many Argentines travel to the city. The city is an important financing centre of Paraguay and maintains a commercial relationship with Argentine Posadas.

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, is the third most important airport of the country. Encarnación was a host city for the 2003 Futsal Men's World Cup.

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

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, the city suffered a destructive F4 tornado that killed around 300 and injured around 700.

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.

Lately, the city experienced a radical change, with the loss of the "Zona Baja" because the "Plan de Terminación Yacyretá" (Termination plan of Yacyretá) giving way to a renewed modern city with wide avenues and bridges.

In 2015, Encarnación was Paraguay's third city with a growing economy and a multicultural and cosmopolitan population. Affordable contracts for work in certain business places, as bars, restaurants, discos and casinos, are easy to find in Encarnación.

Tourism
Lately Encarnación has become the tourism capital of the country, with its wide beaches and newly completed waterfront boardwalk. The city is located near the Jesús and Trinidad Jesuit Ruins, declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1993, and the Beach in Carmen del Paraná. Due its location, at the Argentina–Paraguay border, the area is characterized by a high commercial and tourist exchange between Paraguay and Argentina.

In 2010, Encarnación began its transformation to become the centre of summer tourism for nationals and regionals. 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. From the three beaches the San José Beach is the most visited 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 anterior 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.

In 2015 Encarnación reached a new peak in tourists that visited the city. With more than 30 000 people going there for their vacation Jaime Fernandez, head of the Hotel Association of Encarnación, confirmed that there were no places available throughout the Encarnación and lodgings were improvised 50 km (31 miles) around the city.

Encarnación's Carnival Party, taken place every January and February, attracts more than 100, 000 tourists. Different clubs will compete against each other on a parade in which they will be qualified by a group of judges under the following criteria: originality, design, charisma, dance, rhythm, beauty, and elegance.

Despite the protocols caused by COVID-19, there was a great quantity of tourists at Encarnación's beaches in January 2021. 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). The 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 20.4 °C (68.7 °F). The annual mean relative humidity is 73%.

Places of Worship
Among the places of worship, they are predominantly Christian churches, (Catholic and Orthodox).

Twin towns
Encarnación is twinned with:
 * Corrientes, Argentina
 * Paysandú, Uruguay
 * Posadas, Argentina
 * Punta Cana, Dominican Republic