landmark
Foz do Iguaçu
A tri-border city serving as the Brazilian gateway to Iguaçu Falls, with the Itaipu Dam and the meeting point of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.
4 km · about 5 min drive
South AmericaBrazilParaná
Foz do Iguaçu
Paraná, Brazil · South America
About Foz do Iguaçu
Foz do Iguaçu works well as a base: 10 minutes from Puerto Iguazú, 20km from Parque Nacional do Iguaçu.
Foz do Iguaçu is in Paraná, Brazil, with about 260,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Puerto Iguazú, about 6 km away.
Foz do Iguaçu (Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈfɔz du iɡwaˈsu]; "Mouth of the Iguazu"), colloquially referred to as Foz, is the Brazilian city on the border of Iguaçu Falls. Foz in Portuguese means the mouth or end of a river and Iguaçu in Guarani or Tupi comes from the words y [ɨ], meaning "river", and guasuRead more
[waˈsu], meaning "big".
The city is the 7th largest in the state of Paraná with a population of approximately 258,000 inhabitants. It is approximately 650 km (400 mi) west of the capital of the state, Curitiba, being the westernmost city in that State.
The inhabitants of the city are known as iguaçuenses. The Iguaçu Falls located on the border of Argentina and Brazil and consisting of approximately 257 individual waterfalls over 2.7 km (1.7 mi) were chosen as one of the "New Natural Seven Wonders of the World."
The city is characterized by tourism and cultural diversity. There are about 80 nationalities, being the most representative from Italy, Portugal, Lebanon, China, Paraguay and Argentina. Foz do Iguaçu is integrated into a tri-national region, bordering the Argentine city of Puerto Iguazú and the Paraguayan city of Ciudad del Este. The city's economy is based on tourism, with emphasis on trade and services.
According to research conducted by the Brazilian Tourist Institute (Embratur) and the Foundation Institute of Economic Research (FIFE) in 2006, 2007 and 2008, Foz do Iguaçu was the 2nd most visited leisure destination by foreign tourists after Rio de Janeiro. In 2010, it received from the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism 10 awards for Best Practices and Competitiveness Index. Foz do Iguaçu has been noted as a destination by various national and international media: the British newspaper The Guardian considered it the best foreign destination for the UK. The U.S. TV network CNN classified it as one of the 14 most romantic destinations.
Foz do Iguaçu is home of the Itaipu Dam, the world's second largest hydroelectric plant in power generation, after the Three Gorges Dam in China. With 20 generator units and 14,000 MW of installed capacity, it provides approximately 15% of the energy consumed in Brazil and 86% of the energy consumed in Paraguay.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Foz do Iguaçu?
Within an hour or so of Foz do Iguaçu: Foz do Iguaçu (4 km), Saltos del Monday (5 km), Itaipu Dam (16 km), Parque Nacional do Iguaçu (20 km).
Where is Foz do Iguaçu?
Foz do Iguaçu is in Paraná, Brazil, about 6 km from Puerto Iguazú.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 258,248
- Continent
- South America
- Country
- Brazil
- Region
- Paraná
- Timezone
- America/Sao_Paulo
- Coordinates
- -25.5478, -54.5881
Tags
Worth the detour from Foz do Iguaçu
6 notable places within an hour's drive.
waterfall
Saltos del Monday
A wide horseshoe waterfall on the Monday river near Ciudad del Este, with a walkway to the lip and a viewing platform in the spray. A quiet alternative to Iguazu an hour away.
5 km · about 10 min drive
landmark
Itaipu Dam
Binational hydroelectric dam on the Paraná River near Foz do Iguaçu, with a visitor road crossing the crest.
16 km · about 30 min drive
national park
Parque Nacional do Iguaçu
UNESCO-listed subtropical rainforest park on the Argentine border, with a shuttle road system serving the falls viewpoints.
20 km · about 25 min drive
waterfall
Iguazú Falls (Argentine side)
A colossal system of 275 waterfalls spanning nearly 3 kilometers, with the thundering Devil's Throat as its awe-inspiring centerpiece.
22 km · about 25 min drive
waterfall
Iguaçu Falls (Brazilian side)
The panoramic Brazilian vantage point of Iguaçu Falls, offering jaw-dropping frontal views of the Devil's Throat from a walkway extending into the mist.
22 km · about 25 min drive
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