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This article is about the capital city of Paraguay. For other uses, see Asunción (disambiguation).
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 of Asunción
Coat of arms of Asunción
Coat of arms
Nickname(s): Mother of Cities
Asunción is located in Paraguay
Location in Paraguay
Coordinates: 25°16′S 57°38′W﻿ / ﻿25.267°S 57.633°W﻿ / -25.267; -57.633Coordinates: 25°16′S 57°38′W﻿ / ﻿25.267°S 57.633°W﻿ / -25.267; -57.633
Country  Paraguay
District Gran Asunción
Founded August 15, 1537
 • Intendant Arnaldo Samaniego
 • City 117 km2 (45.2 sq mi)
 • Metro 1,000 km2 (400 sq mi)
Elevation 43 m (141 ft)
Population (2009[1])
 • City 542,023
 • Density 4,411/km2 (11,420/sq mi)
 • Metro 2,329,061
Demonym Asunceno, -a
Postal code 1001-1925
Area code(s) (+595) 21
HDI (2011) 0.742 – high
Website (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.



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.

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.


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

Districts and neighborhoods[edit]

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


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.[2] Relative humidity is high in the summer, so the heat index is higher than the true air temperature.[citation needed] 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)
Record high °C (°F) 40.8
Average high °C (°F) 33.5
Daily mean °C (°F) 28.2
Average low °C (°F) 22.8
Record low °C (°F) 12.4
Rainfall mm (inches) 147.2
Avg. precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 8 7 7 8 7 7 4 5 6 8 8 8 83
Average 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[3]
Source #2: NOAA updated to 9/2012.,[4] Danish Meteorological Institute (sun only)[5]


The population is approximately 540,000 people in the city proper.[1] 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.[6]

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.[7]

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 [8] 2000/2001 [8] 2010[9]
Total 68.72 72.04 75.90
Men 62.55 69.63 72.78
Women 70.24 74.66 79.33


Approximately ninety percent of the population of Asunción professes the Catholic religion.[10] 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.[10] The Catholic Archbishop is Eustaquio Pastor Cuquejo Verga, C.SS.R.[10] 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.[citation needed]


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.[citation needed]



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 Lumen, 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 Goethe and Colegio de la Asunción.


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.


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.[citation needed]

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.

Major financial buildings in Asunción
Citi Asunción.jpg Banco Nacional de Fomento-Bicentenario.JPG
Edificio Bancard Paraguay.jpg BBVA Paraguay.jpg Sudameris Bank-Bicentenario.JPG


Main access roads
Asunción's new buses

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.

For more details on this topic, see rail transport in Paraguay.

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

Tourist attractions[edit]

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 3,5 and 5,8 miles from Asunción's boundaries respectively, in the city of San Lorenzo, part of Greater Asunción.


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.


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[edit]

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.[citation needed]

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:

The 7 treasures of Asunción
Palacio de los López en Asunción.jpg Panteón de los Héroes en Asunción.jpg Congreso Nacional Paraguay.jpg
Palacio de los López Panteón Nacional de los Héroes Cabildo
Catedral de Asunción Paraguay.jpg ASUNCION HOTEL GUARANI ESPLENDOR.jpg Teatro Municipal Ignacio A. Pane.jpg
Catedral Metropolitana de Asunción Hotel Guaraní Teatro Municipal Ignacio A. Pane
Catedral de la Santísima Trinidad by Felipe Méndez.jpg
Iglesia de la Santísima Trinidad



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[edit]

Twin towns – Sister cities[edit]

Asunción is twinned with:

See also[edit]


  1. ^ a b "Paraguay Facts and Figures". MSN Encarta. Archived from the original on 2009-10-31. Retrieved 2009-07-07. 
  3. ^ "World Weather Information Service - Asuncion". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved November 8, 2012. 
  4. ^ "ASUNCION Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved November 8, 2012. 
  5. ^ "Paraguay - Asuncion (pg 208)". Climate Data for Selected Stations (1931-1960) (in Danish). Danish Meteorological Institute. Retrieved December 18, 2012. 
  6. ^ "MECDigital " Demografía". Retrieved 2011-03-13. 
  7. ^ "Worldwide Cost of Living Survey 2007". 2007-06-18. Retrieved 2011-03-13. 
  8. ^ a b "Paraguay, quinto en esperanza de vida, en A. Latina - ABC Digital". 2009-05-22. Retrieved 2012-06-05. 
  9. ^ "Paraguay - Estadísticas". Retrieved 2012-06-05. 
  10. ^ a b c Template:2014 Annuario Pontificio, p. 60
  11. ^ [1][dead link]
  13. ^ "Cancillería. Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores. Asuntos Federales y Electorales. Hermanamientos". Retrieved 2012-06-05. 
  15. ^ Lei Municipal de São Paulo 14471 de 2007 WikiSource (Portuguese)
  16. ^ Intendencia se hermanó con Asunción | Intendencia de Montevideo
  17. ^ Documento de declaración de hermanamiento entre las capitales latinoamericanas. Municipalidad de Madrid, URL último acceso el 18/11/2007.

External links[edit]