San Antonio, Paraguay
Encyclopedia
San Antonio is a city in Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...

 located in the Central Department
Central Department
Central is a department in Paraguay. The capital is Areguá. With its 1,929,834 inhabitants it is the most populated of the 17 departments of Paraguay.-Boundaries:*North: the departments of Cordillera and Presidente Hayes....

. It has been significant since colonial times, as it was located beside the Royal Way, a road which leads to the city of Villeta
Villeta
Villeta is a city of Paraguay, in the Central Department, on the banks of Paraguay River. It is an important industrial center and port.-Toponymy:...

. Today, it is experiencing great industrial growth.

History

Some historians claim that the town was begun by Dr Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia (1814–1840), who established a fortress to defend the Paraguayan territory. Others say the town began around 1679. In 1782 the Franciscan Missionaries founded an Indian town in the area with donations of the neighbors of Asuncion
Asunción
Asunción 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...

. San Antonio may have been founded in 1890 by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 citizen Gustavo Conrado Gotees (born Conrad Götz in Schnabelwald, Germany).

San Antonio was important in the War of the Triple Alliance
War of the Triple Alliance
The Paraguayan War , also known as War of the Triple Alliance , was a military conflict in South America fought from 1864 to 1870 between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay...

 (1864–1870). Brazilian troops arrived in its ports, en route to the historical battle of Ytororo in December 1868. After the war San Antonio was empty. In 1903 the Paraguayan citizen Agustin Quiñónez moved there, and promoted the city; this was a second foundation of the town. A few families of French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...

, Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...

, German and Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....

  origins came to settle.

Location

San Antonio is located on the Paraguay River
Paraguay River
The Paraguay River is a major river in south central South America, running through Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina...

, latitude 25 38 and longitude 57 63 in the south center 25 km from the capital, Asuncion
Asunción
Asunción 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...

. In the north it is bordered by the districts of Ñemby
Ñemby
Ñemby is a city in the Central Department of Paraguay. It is part of the Gran Asunción metropolitan area.-History:Among the historical sites of this city stands the Church of San Lorenzo which was founded by Spanish settlers in 1718 when Ñemby was a population of only 2,187 inhabitants.Other...

 and Villa Elisa
Villa Elisa, Paraguay
Villa Elisa is a city in the Central Department of Paraguay on the outskirts of Asuncion. It was the only colony that was inhabited by Swedish people in Paraguay and today is one of the most important and active cities that are part of the Metropolitan Area of the capital...

, in the south with Ypane
Ypané
Ypané is a town in the Central Department of Paraguay, 27 km from Asunción. It is communicated by Routes 1 and 2. It is called the "Garden City"...

, in the east with Ñemby and in the west with the Paraguay River.

There are 17 neighborhoods: San Francisco, Mbocayaty, Pueblo, San Blas, Ma. Auxiliadora, Naranjaty, Antigua Imagen, San Jorge, Acosta Ñu, Achucarro, Cerrito, San Agustín, Amanecer, Las Garzas, La Merced, Cerrito, and Achucarro.

Climate

The river has an impact on the weather, making the nights and early mornings fresh, and the days very hot. Temperatures range between 25 to 36 °C (77 to 96.8 F) in summer, and in winter between 8 to 12 °C (46.4 to 53.6 F).

Politics

On March 16, 1981, San Antonio was ascended to the category of city. Its first mayor was Francisco Bogado Caballero. On April 21, 1903, the Senate and the Congress issued a law declaring the community a District.

Flora

In the city there are a great variety of trees such as the tajy or lapacho
Lapacho
Lapacho or Taheebo is a herbal tea made from the inner bark of Pink Ipê, Tabebuia impetiginosa. It is also sold under more ambiguous and possibly misleading names like "Ipes", "Ipê", "Pau d'arco", "Ipe Roxo", or "Trumpet Bush"....

, trébol, pine, eucalyptus, cedar laurel and palm. The most important forest reservation is the Parque Ytororó.

Education and health care

The city has both private and public schools. There are 11 national schools amount and 10 private ones dedicated to elementary teaching. There are three national high schools and two private ones.

The Health Center was founded in 1978 by Higinio Mendoza and Luis Medina. Around 15 babies are delivered each month. Between 35 and 40 patients are seen per week and the emergency service is available 24 hours. The Instituto de Previción Social I.P.S has a peripheral presence in the city.

Industries

There are many industries in this young city. Business include tanning and alcohol production.
Some communication companies are located in this city, offering both cellular and radial communication.

International Products Corporation

The first industry that was established in the city was the International Products Corporation (IPC) slaughterhouse, which was the primary employer in San Antonio and other towns in the area. Founded May 30, 1917, it was aa slaughterhouse for cattle, pigs and goats, with facilities to prepare and refrigerate with modern procedures. In the first year the company exported 73,443 boxes of refrigerated meat. Two refrigerated ships were bought, the Paraguay and the Ytororo.

A siren sounded daily at 2 AM for about 20 minutes so that the workers get ready to begin the work day at 3 AM. The company had a villa for 1,400 employees, with a communal kitchen and laundry. They also had a recreational center for the employees, which provided space for social activities. In the 1960s many soccer teams were located there, including Cerro Porteño
Cerro Porteño
Club Cerro Porteño is a professional Paraguayan football club, based in the neighbourhood of Barrio Obrero in Asunción. Founded in 1912, Cerro has won 28 Primera División titles and is one of the most popular football club in Paraguay...

, Guarani
Club Guaraní
Club Guaraní is a Paraguayan football team, based in the neighbourhood of Dos Bocas in outer Asunción, founded in 1903.-History:Club Guaraní is the second oldest Paraguayan football club. It was founded in 1903 under the name of "Football Club Guarani" and its first president was Juan Patri...

, Sol de America
Sol de América
The term Sol de América may refer to:* Club Sol de América, a Paraguayan sports club* Sol América, an airline based in Caracas...

, Libertad
Club Libertad
Club Libertad is a sports club based in the District Tuyucuá of the city of Asuncion, capital of Paraguay. It was founded on July 30, 1905 and currently plays in the Paraguayan Primera División...

 and Sportivo Luqueño.

In 1978 the company was closed. Years later, it was bought by industrialist Don Alberto Antebi, and production restarted on January 12, 1981 with modern equipment, Israel is one of the main customers.

Port of Puerto Naranja

In 1926 the first port was opened to export fruit. The port was named Puerto Naranja, as there was a large orange plantation nearby which provided much of the fruit exported through this port.

Between the years 1960 and 1965 Puerto Minera was used for shipping stones from Cerro Ñemby, which were used to pave the streets of Puerto Pilcomayo.

Fishing

Because it is located on the banks of the Paraguayan River, fishing is an important activity, The river has many varieties of fish ranging from dorado
Dorado
Dorado is a constellation in the southern sky. It was created in the late 16th century and is now one of the 88 modern constellations. Its name refers to the dolphinfish , which is known as dorado in Spanish, although it has also been depicted as a swordfish...

, pacu, tres puntos, corvina, piraña, palometa, Anguilla de rio, armado, and surubí.

Sport Clubs and ther organizations

San Antonio has many sport clubs which are members of the Regional League of Paraguay. Clubs include Club Porvenir, Club Ytororó, Club Coronel Romero, Club 1er de Marzo, and Club Unión.

It has a Fire Squad of volunteers, belonging to the 13th company; the first ones joined on December 14, 2002. The Boys Scouts has a facility that opened in 1999. The security of the population is in the hands of the National Police of Precinct 24.

Means of communication

San Antonio has two community radio stations: Radios San Pablo FM and San Antonio FM. It has a post office and telecommunications.

Festivals

The main celebration of San Antonio is in June. It is very picturesque because it takes place on the beach on the Paraguayan River. It is celebrated with many flowers, colorful balloons and other ornaments in the streets. In the morning, there is a mass, then the Nautical procession, with decorated canoes and other boats, with the patron image of San Antonio.

There is an annual Expo San Antonio to show artisan work of the inhabitants and the products of the different companies. This exposition gives students a space to show different products and works made in their schools, in all different areas such as sciences, chemistry, and workshops such as mechanics, electricity, carpentry and iron metal work.

External links

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