Foz do Iguaçu

Climate The climate of Foz do Iguaçu is humid subtropical, with two distinctive seasons; one humid and hot in the summer and another, dry and cold, in the winter. The city's annual average temperature is 23.8 °C (74.8 °F), but can be as high as 40 °C (104 °F) in the summer (highest) or as low as -5 °C (23 °F) in the winter (lowest). The average in the summer is 26.5 °C (79.7 °F) and in the winter 15.4 °C (59.6 °F). The climate of the city is hot or warm throughout the year, due to the relatively low altitude (standing only 173 m, , above sea 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 (95 °F) and in the summer as low as 8 °C (46 °F) in the city and frequent thunderstorms. == History ==

s in Iguaçu National Park In 1549, a Spanish explorer, Cabeza de Vaca, found the falls while travelling down the river. Very impressed, he named them "Quedas de Santa Maria". Later the name changed to Quedas del Iguazú; which was derived from the native name of the local Guarani Indians. Until 1860, it was under the disputed territory between Brazil and Paraguay, but given the latter's defeat in the Paraguayan War, the falls were recognized as part of the Brazilian territory. from the series Autofagia, local mysticism through the figure of Pombero, a creature from Guarani mythology. ==Crime==

With the border of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina being one the world's largest drug trafficking points, the city of Foz do Iguaçu experiences a large circulation of smuggled goods, cars and weapons, which generates several social problems, especially violence, resulting in a very high homicide rate relative to the population. The city leads the ranking of adolescent homicides in the country. Apart from being one of the most violent cities in southern Brazil, it is also one of . The largest favela in the state of Paraná is located in the city, in the Porto Meira neighborhood. ==Demographics==

The city has a population of approximately 265,000, whilst the Triple Frontier region (the metropolitan areas of Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil; Ciudad del Este, Paraguay; and Puerto Iguazú, Argentina) has a population of close to 1 million. The city's population is heterogeneous, with immigrant communities from many parts of the world, such as Arabs (mostly from Lebanon or Syria), Asians (mostly of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean descent), Europeans (mostly Germans, Italians, French, Swedes, Portuguese, Poles, and Ukrainians), and other Central and South Americans (mostly Paraguayans and Argentines with some Haitians, with UNILA attracting students from all over the Americas). The residents are predominantly Roman Catholic but there is a relatively large minority of Muslims and Buddhists. The city has a large mosque and a Buddhist temple. Fenartec is an annual event held in May to commemorate the city's multicultural diversity. Source: Paranaense Institute for Economic and Social Development (2014) Arab influence Since 1940, Lebanese and other Arabs have settled in the southwestern city of Foz do Iguaçu, in the "Triple Border" area where Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil converge in a region of loosely controlled borders. People of Lebanese heritage constitute around 90% of the population from Middle East in the city, with others from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Syria and Palestine. == Transportation ==

, terminal land side . It is now a protected building, part of the GRESFI Club , Paraguay and Argentina. Foz do Iguaçu is connected to the east by the BR-277, to Paranaguá, and to the west by the Friendship Bridge to Ciudad del Este, and to the south to Puerto Iguazú 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 is served by Foz do Iguaçu/Cataratas International Airport. Nearby options are Cataratas del Iguazú International Airport in Puerto Iguazú, Argentina and Guaraní International Airport in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. Public transport The city does not operate its own municipal transport networks, but instead licenses four private bus companies to operate services on its behalf. The bus fares are set by the municipality for all four companies. In 2003, the city initiated an integrated city fare and created a hub near the city centre. Now, most of the bus routes pass through this hub and passengers pay a standard fare within the city zone, which enables them to transfer routes, even when these may be operated by another company. The transport network extends to certain distant areas, such as the city's airport and the Iguazu Park, but not between the city and its neighbor Ciudad del Este, nor with Puerto Iguazú, which are serviced by other companies. These routes are not part of the integrated network, a situation reflected by higher fares. Avenida Brasil (Brazil Avenue) Since Foz do Iguaçu's foundation, Brazil Avenue is the city's main road. While during its early years the street was primarily the military headquarters' location (now they are just in the right beginning of the Avenue), nowadays the street is a very active place where many retail stores are located. It is located at the downtown of the city and it is 5 km (3 mi) long (of which 3 km, , is arterial road). ==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 upper-class families continue to send their children to elite private schools. The city has approximately 30 private schools and approximately 120 public schools (including daycare and kindergarten schools). In addition, there are 7 universities: • Cesufoz; • UDC; • Uniamérica; • Unifoz; • Unioeste; • Anglo-Americano Faculdades; • IFPR (Technical Institute). In January 2010, the Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana (UNILA) was founded. ==Tourism==

The city is one of Brazil's most-frequented tourist destinations. Most tourists are Brazilians and Argentines. The city has about 100 hotels and inns. Its main attractions are: • Iguaçu Falls, which has a flow capacity equal to three times that of Niagara Falls. Part of the falls are on the Brazilian side. Others are on the Argentine side. "Devil's Throat" ("Garganta do Diabo" in Portuguese) is the tallest of the falls, which is 97 m (318 ft) high; • Parque Nacional do Iguaçu (Iguaçu National Park), in both Brazil and Argentina, where the falls are. It is protected by the IBAMA. Attractions include also Macuco Safari river rafting and Poço Preto Hike; • Itaipu Dam, the first-largest generator of hydro-electric power in the world, in the Parana river, between Brazil and Paraguay. Both the plant and the Biological Reserve can be visited; • The Tríplice Fronteira (Triple Frontier) location where Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay meet. Each side has its own Marco (landmark); • The Omar Ibn Al-Khattab mosque, the largest in Latin America; • The Bird Park (Parque das Aves), which features a collection of wild birds, and the "Bosque Guaraní" the city's zoo. ==Consular representations==

The following countries have consular representations in Foz do Iguaçu: • Argentina (Consulate) • Paraguay (Consulate-General) File:Consulado Argentina Foz do Iguaçu.jpg|Consulate of Argentina File:Consulado Geral Paraguai Foz do Iguaçu.jpg|Consulate-General of Paraguay ==Sports==

Foz do Iguaçu hosted an edition of the Summer X Games in 2013. ==Notable people==

• Pepê, football player • Fabiano Beltrame, football player • Jean Silva, mixed martial artist ==See also==