Foz do Iguaçu

Foz do Iguaçu is the 6th largest city of Parana state and the 12nd largest of the Brazil's Southern region, with a population of 270,000 habitants (including the nearby community of Santa Terezinha do Iguaçu). It is located approximately 500 km west of Curitiba, Parana's capital city. The habitants of the city are called iguaçuenses. It is situated at .

Economy

The city is one of the most visited city by tourists in Brazil. Most of the tourists are Brazilians and Argentinians, but Americans, Germans, Italians, French and Chinese tourists are also common in the city. The city has approximately 100 hotels and "pousadas". The attractions of the city are many:

• The Iguassu Falls (large as three Niagara Falls together), part of the falls are in the Brazilian side, others (including the "Garganta do Diabo", the tallest of the falls, 97 meters high) are in the Argentinian side.
• The Parque do Iguaçu , also in both Brazil and Argentina, where the falls are. It is protected by the IBAMA .
• The Itaipu Dam, the most powerful dam of the world, in Parana river, together with Paraguay.
• The Triplice Fronteira, location where Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay meet.
• The Omar Ibn Al-Khatab mosque, the largest outside Middle East.
• The Bird's Park (Parque das Aves), with a reasonable big collection of wild birds, and the "Bosque Guarani", the city's zoo.

The Itaipu Dam produces about 20% of Brazil's need, and employees (directly and indirectly) about 5000 Iguaçuenses.

Many people who live in the city work in its neighbor, Ciudad del Este. All trade between Brazil and Paraguay is made by the Friendship Bridge (called Ponte da Amizade, in Brazil). There is also another bridge, the Fraternity Bridge (Ponte da Fraternidade, or Ponte Tancredo Neves, in Brazil), that connects Foz do Iguaçu with its Argentinian neighbor, Puerto Iguazu, but this bridge is far less important than the Friendship Bridge. In the last years, the Friendship Bridge faced numerous problems like big traffic jams and manifestations and blockades.

The city is strategically positioned, seeing its position in Mercosul, and it is expected that its importance as a major city rises after the very formation of the SACN (South Community of Nations).

Foz do Iguaçu has very few industries, apart from electrical energy generation; mostly, basic textiles. Because of its high links with tourism, any major domestic or international crisis can put the city's economy down, either by bringing less tourists to the city or by bringing less consumers to Ciudad del Este (duty-free city, swarms of Brazilians everyday try to import, without paying taxes, Paraguayan less-priced goods to Brazil).

History

In 1549, a Spanish explorer, Cabeza de Vaca, found the falls while trailing down the river. Very impressed, he named them "Quedas de Santa Maria". But later the name changed to Quedas do Iguazu, this name is an native name from the Guarani Indians who once lived there.

Until 1860 it was in Paraguayan territory, but given its defeat in the Paraguayan War, and big loses of territory to the winners, the falls passed to Brazilian control in the north side and Argentinian control in the south side.

The region was almost uninhabited, there was only a military colony until 1897, with the creation of a postal office in the region. Given the little attention of the political authorities, the region was very predated by foreigners, mainly Argentinians.

In 1910, the colony's status was upgraded to the position of "vila" (town or village), named "Vila Iguassu", and, in 1914, to city.

In 1916, Alberto Santos-Dumont visited the region and, impressed with the beauties of the region, suggested more attention of the government to the area and asked for the misappropriation of the land where actually is the Parque do Iguaçu (Iguassu Park). Until 1917, this region had a owner, Jezus Val. The state misappropriated the land in the next year, and, in 1939, the Parque do Iguaçu was created.

The city experienced a big economical boom in the 60s to the late 80s, first with the construction of the Friendship Bridge, concluded in 1965, and the Itaipu Dam, finished in the beginning of the 70s. However, the city suffered with the world economy's recession, that implied in less tourists and less consumers to Ciudad del Este's imported goods.

In 2004, the city's economy started again to grow up, after a long time of recession.

Population

The city has a population of 270,000 habitants, and the Triplice Fronteira (Tri Frontier) zone (Ciudad del Este, Hernandarias, Puerto Iguazu and rural areas inside the municipality areas) has a total of 800,000. The city is very heterogeneous. There are many colonies of immigrants there, most African, Arabs, Chinese, Germans, Italians, Lebanese, Paraguayans, Portuguese and Ukrainians. It is a multi-racial city.

The city has the second largest Chinese colony of immigrants in Brazil (approx. 5.000, loses to Sao Paulo), and the third largest Arab colony of immigrants (approx. 4.000, loses to Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro).

The city is predominantly Roman Catholic and Protestant, but a relative large minority of Muslims and Buddhists are present in the city as well. The city itself has a large muslin mosque (largest outside Far East) and a Buddhist temple (the largest in Brazil).

Fernatec is an annual event held in the city's convention centre commemorating the city's multicultural faces, generally in May.

Climate

The climate of Foz do Iguaçu is sub-tropical, with two distinctive seasons; one humid and hot in the summer and another, dry and cool, in the winter. The city's annual average temperature is 23.8°C, but can be as high as 43°C in the summer (highest) or as low as -5°C in the winter (lowest). The average in the summer is 26,5°C and in the winter 15,4°C.

The climate of the city is generally hot or warm throughout the year, due to the relatively low altitude (standing only 173 above sea's level).

Generally, the city is sunny during the year, but rain is fairly common during the spring and in the summer. The weather of the city, however, changes very constantly, because the region where the city stands is the zone where frequently three fronts meet. As consequence, it is not uncommon to see temperatures as high as 35°C and in the summer as low as 8°C in the city, and commonly, thunderstorms.

Transportation

Foz do Iguaçu is connected to the east by the BR-277, to Paranaguá, to the east by the Friendship Bridge to Ciudad del Este, and to the south to Puerto Iguazu by the Fraternity Bridge. Both the BR-277 and the Friendship Bridge are very busy roads, linking Paraguay to the Paranaguá's seaport.

The city has an international airport, the Foz do Iguaçu International Airport(IGU), which served around 600,000 passengers in 2003.

Public Transportation

The city does not operate public transportation, instead, the transportation is given by four private bus companies that competes one with each other, although the fare is issued by the city and valid for all companies. Recently, in 2003, the city implemented a integrated city fare, and created a bus hub near downtown's city, most of the buses' lines pass through the hub, so people would pay only a fare to go anywhere in the city, even taking two lines of two different companies. The transportation covers far areas as the city's airport and the Iguassu Park, but not between the city and its neighbor Ciudad del Este, nor with Puerto Iguazu, which are offered by other companies and paying a higher fare. These lines are not integrated with the city's lines.

Informal Transportation

Every day, hundreds of vans act as commuting vehicles to the people whose earnings is based in informal economy (mainly smuggling). This worsens the traffic problems in the Friendship Bridge, where they act, and are claimed to increase the deficits of Brazilian commerce with smuggling and crime rates near the bridge.

Avenida Brasil (Brazil Avenue)

Since Foz do Iguaçu's foundation, the Brazil Avenue is Foz do Iguaçu's main road. While during the early years of the city the street was primarily where the military headquarters of the city were located (now they are just in the right beginning of the Avenue), nowadays the street is a very active street where many retail stores are located. It is located at the downtown of the city and it is 5 km long (3 km arterial road).

As of 2004, the prefecture of the city decided that a major revitalization of "Avenida Brasil" (Brazil Avenue) was needed. Attracting many consumers from many different areas of the city and even from its neighbours Ciudad del Este and Puerto Iguazu, the avenue, that is wide enough only to support two cars side-by-side, is frequently used during business days, and even more before important commerce holidays (Christmas, Children's day, Easter, Mother's day, with many cars competing for a space for park.

The revitalization proposals asks for removal of the parking space, giving major attention to pedestrians. Also, the avenue would be wide enough only to support one car side-by-side. As of December 2004, no major construction had begun in the avenue yet. The avenue does not have a bus route, by municipal order.

Social Care & Problems

Health and education are two extremes in the city. Recently, in a survey, citizens declared that public education and transport (particular companies, although heavily subsidized) as the strongest points of the city, but health care and criminality as the lowest. Citizens gave emphasis to the effort that the prefecture is doing in transportation and daycare.

Foz do Iguaçu has a HDI of approximately ~0.780 (medium).

Education

The city has a literacy rate of 95.5%, with most children attending public or private schools. Public education has been a priority of the municipality of the city and the government of the state of Paraná; however, most middle and high classes families, kept in sending their children in particular schools.

The city has five colleges, UDC, Uniamérica, Unifoz, Unioeste and Anglo-Americano Faculdades., approximately 30 private schools and approximately 60 public schools (including daycare and kindergarten schools).

Health

As most Brazilian cities, health care in Foz is either public or private. While the private system provides the city's middle and elite classes with a relatively good, modern and reliable health care, the public system is completely inefficient and insufficient to attend the demand of the poor or very poor classes (which composes 40% of the population of the city).

Sanitation

Sanepar is responsible for the water treatment, distribution and water waste treatment. 98% of the population has access to water of good quality, and 90% to public sanitary services (sewer and/or garbage collect). Most sanitary problems, are in the slums of the city.

Criminality & Unemployment

Because of the 1996-2003 recession, unemployment is about 15% and criminality rates are high. Approximately 20% of the population is living in poverty, many in slums along the Paraná River. Curiously, crime rate is very low in the downtown core or in any other areas of tourism interest.

The city and the terrorism threat

After the 9/11 attacks, the USA cogitated that the city could be part of a terrorism web. Many people of Arab origin were succeeding economically in the city, having a reasonably wealthy life, and many sent part of the money earned by their business to the countries to their homeland countries. Neither the city was never a stage of terrorism attack nor the cogitations that the city was acting as fund booster for terrorism proved being as correct, however.

The city was stage of peace manifestations in 2002 and in 2004.

See Also

• Ciudad del Este
• Puerto Iguazu
• Iguassu Falls
• Itaipu Dam
• Friendship Bridge

External Links

• Official site of the city.
• Brazil
• South America.
• Site of the tourist department of the city