Villeta

This article is about the city in Paraguay. For the municipality in Colombia, see Villeta, Cundinamarca.
Villeta
Villeta
Coordinates: 25°30′36″S 57°33′36″W / 25.51000°S 57.56000°W / -25.51000; -57.56000Coordinates: 25°30′36″S 57°33′36″W / 25.51000°S 57.56000°W / -25.51000; -57.56000
Country Paraguay
Department Central
Founded March 5th 1714
Government
 • Intendente Municipal Carlos Hugo Rojas Fernández (ANR)
Area
 • Total 888 km2 (343 sq mi)
Elevation 55 m (180 ft)
Population (2008)
 • Total 36,228
 • Density 25/km2 (60/sq mi)
Time zone -4 Gmt
Postal code 2680
Area code(s) (595) (225)

Villeta is a city of Paraguay in the Central Department, on the banks of Paraguay River. It is an important industrial center and port.

Entrance of Villeta

Toponymy

The city was founded on March 5, 1714, by Juan Gregorio Bazán de Pedraza, with the original name of San Felipe de Borbón del Valle del Bastán en los Campos del Guarnipitán (Saint Philip of Bourbon of the Valley of Bastan in the Fields of Guarnipitan), in homage to the King Felipe II. It was later renamed Villeta because of its resemblance to a great Villa.

INC

Villeta's Port

The port is administered by the National Administration for Navigation and Ports (ANNP), and is specially equipped for the handling of heavy machinery. Many different kinds of merchandise are traded through this port.

Characteristics:

Climate

The temperature in summer sometimes reaches 40°C or higher. The minimum in winter is 0°C. The average for the entire Central Department is 22°C. The city is located in one of Paraguay's departments with the most rainfall during the months from January to April; and the least during the months from June to August.

Church of Villeta

Demography

The total population of the city is 36,228 inhabitants, 18,362 males and 17,866 females, according to the data from the General Directorate of Statistics, Polls and Census.

History

Villeta was founded in 1714 by the Governor Juan Gregorio Bazán de Pedraza. During the government of Dr. Francia, the city became an important conduit for communication with other countries, making the economic development of the district possible.

Historic building of Villeta 1921 known locally as the haunted house

Economy

Until 1930 the city was famous because of activity at the port, mostly the export of oranges. Today the port is used for multiple purposes.

Villeta's port on the banks of the Paraguay River is the shipping point for most of Paraguay's exports. Nineteen large factories located in the area produce cement, iron rods, cotton, electric cables, and agricultural chemicals, and other activities. The cement and chemical plants are infamous for the environmental contamination they cause.

The major processing plant for Paraguay's cement industry is located in Villeta.

Tourism

There are several historic buildings in the city. The Church of the Virgin of the Rosary (Virgen del Rosario), built during the period of the Paraguayan War also served as a Hospital, and is one such edifice. The architecture of the church is an example of the distinctive characteristics of 19th-century art in Paraguay, especially in the murals painted by Adán Kunos.

Fishing can be enjoyed in Guyrati, Angostura e Itaipiru.

Canoe in the Paraguay river

Personalities

Famous residents of Villeta include:

Municipality of Villeta

How to get to Villeta

Villeta is 34 kilometers from Asunción; by way of the Southern Access Route with a designated and signed branch route that leads straight to the city.

References

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, January 04, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.