![[Foz de Iguaçú, PR (Brazil)]](../images/b/br-pr-121.gif)
image by Ivan Sache,
2 February 2022 
Last modified: 2022-03-05 by ian macdonald
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image by Ivan Sache,
2 February 2022
The municipality of Foz de Iguaçu (257,971 inhabitants in 2021, therefore
Paraná's 7th most populated municipality; 61,770 ha) is Paraná's easternmost
municipality, located on the borders with Argentina and Paraguay.
Foz de
Iguaçu was settled in 1881 by its first two inhabitants, the Portuguese Pedro
Martins da Silva and the Spaniard Manuel Gonzáles. They were soon joined by the
Goycochéa brothers, who initiated exploitation of yerba mate.
Engineer and
Lieutenant José Joaquim Firmino surveyed Foz de Iguaçu in July 1889; he
identified 324 inhabitants, mostly Paraguayans and Argentinians, but also
Spaniards and English who exploited yerba mate and exported timberwood via river
Paraná. On 22 November 1889, Lieutenant Antonio Batista da Costa Júnior and
Sargent José Maria de Brito established the border military colony, which was
tasked to offer plots to potential colonists.
In the early 20th century, Foz
de Iguaçu had some 2,000 inhabitants, an hostel, four grocery stores, basic
military barracks, a telegraph station and sugar mills. The district of Vila
Iguassu was established in 1910 as part of the the municipality of Guarapuava,
to be left by the army two years later. The municipality of Vila Iguaçu was
established by Law No. 1,383 promulgated on 14 March 1914 and inaugurated on 10
June 1914. The municipality's name was changed to Foz de Iguaçu on 1918.
The bad road connecting Foz de Iguaçu to Curitiba was completed in 1920; the
building of an asphalted road crossing Paraná from west to east was initiated in
the 1950s. The section connecting Foz de Iguaçu to Paranaguá was inaugurated in
1969.
The Iguaçu National Park was pushed in 1916 by Alberto Santos-Dumont
(1873-1932) in 1916; the famous airman convinced Afonso Alves de Camargo
(1873-1956), President (~ Governor) of Paraná (1916-1920; 1928-1930), to
expropriate the Uruguayan Jesus Val. Originally limited to 1,008 ha, the park
area was increased in 1939 to 156,236 ha by President Getúlio Vargas. Subsequent
Decrees issued in 1994 increased the area to 185,000 ha.
The Friendship
International Bridge connecting Brazil to Paraguay was built in 1965, while road
BR-277 connecting Foz de Iguaçu to Curitiba was inaugurated on 1969. Trade
boomed, especially with the Paraguayan sister town of Puerto Presidente
Strossner (today, Ciudad del Este). The building of the Itaipu Binational Dam by
Brazil and Paraguay, initiated in the 1970s, caused a demographic boom.
Population of the town increased from 28,000 in 1960 to 34,000 in 1970 and
136,000 in 1980.
https://foz.portaldacidade.com/
Foz de Iguaçu Portal
The Iguaçu
falls are formed by the falls of river Iguaçu, which in Tupi-Guarani means "big
water".
Eighteen kilometers before joining the Paraná, the Iguaçu overcomes
an uneven terrain and plunges into falls of up to 80 meters in height, reaching
a width of 2,780 meters. The geological formation dates back approximately 150
million years, but the formation of the geographic accident of the cataracts
began approximately 200 thousand years ago.
The Iguaçu River measures 1,200
meters in width above the falls. Below, it narrows into a channel of up to 65 m.
The total width of the falls in the Brazilian territory is approximately 800 m
and on the Argentinean side 1,900 m. The height of the falls varies from 40 to
80 meters. Depending on the river flow, the number of falls varies, reaching a
number greater than 100 in periods of average flow.
The river's average flow
is around 1,500 m3 per second, ranging from 500 m3/s in times of drought to
8,500 m3/s in floods. The largest volume of water occurs between the months of
October to March.
There are 19 main falls, five of them on the Brazilian side
(Floriano, Deodoro and Benjamin Constant, Santa Maria and União) and the others
on the Argentine side.
https://www.icmbio.gov.br/parnaiguacu/guia-do-visitante.html
Instituto
Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade
The flag and arms of Foz do
Iguaçu were first prescribed by Municipal Law No. 502 promulgated on 31 December
1966.
1966 flag![[Foz de Iguaçú, PR (Brazil)]](../images/b/br-pr-fz.gif)
image by Ivan Sache, 2
February 2022 and Tomislav Todorovic, 17 February 2022
Article 1.
Flag.
Divided in eight green trapezoidal quarters
formed by eight white stripes placed in the horizontal dimension, in bend and in
bend sinister, starting from a central white rectangle inscribing the coat of
arms.
The green field represents the natural resources so numerous in Foz do
Iguaçú, in Brazil and in the state of Paraná, of which Foz do Iguaçú is a
devoted daughter.
The coat of arms in the flag's center represents the
municipal government, while the rectangle inscribing it represents the town
proper, seat of the municipality.
The stripes symbolize the municipal power
(municipal government) spreading to all parts of the territory. The eight
trapezoidal quarters represent the diverse rural, commercial and industrial
activities in the municipality.
Coat of arms.
The shield is shaped
like a rectangle with a rounded-off base, the upper angles broken by two curves;
it is surmounted by a mural crown argent with five towers, only three of them
visible.
The shield's shape, except the broken upper angles, recalls that of
the first shields introduced to Portugal by French influence (according to
Peixoto de Faria), evoking here the Latin race, colonizer and main builder of
the Brazilian race.
The mural crown that surmounts it, argent with five
towers, only three of them visible, classifies the seat of a municipality.
Azure (blue) represents the sky's constant limpidity; it is also the heraldic
symbol of beauty, sweetness and recreation, which are the town's attribute due
to its geographical location and incomparable natural beauties that attract
tourists from the whole world eager to see the stunning Iguaçu Falls. Azure,
according to Peixoto de Faria, is also a symbol of nobleness, perseverance, zeal
and loyalty, which are attributes of Foz de Iguaçu's people, who, through
efficient labor, promote the greatness of the town.
In chief are represented
two of the most important tourism attraction spots, highlighting international
projection: the famous International Bridge, aka Friendship Bridge, spanning
over river Paraná and connecting the motherland with neighboring Republic of
Paraguay, with which are maintained the most cordial, friendly and direct links,
and the Three Borders' Landmark erected by Marshal Cândido Rondon on the
Brazilian banks of the confluence of powerful rivers Paraná and Iguaçu, at the
division with neighboring Republics of Paraguay and Argentina.
In the center
of the shield are represented the main cascades part of world-famous Iguaçu
Falls: from left to right, Floriano, Deodoro and Benjamin, in the center, the
emotional Devil Gorge, and right, the cascades located in the Argentinian side.
In the central foreground, a palm grove representing Tarobá, the valiant warrior
featured in the legend of Iguaçu Falls, sentenced by snake god M'Boy to watch
his lover, Naipi, transformed in the big rocks over which the Iguaçu flows,
without ever being allowed to kiss her.
The scroll superimposed to the falls'
base is inscribed with the municipal toponym and date of inauguration, 10 June
1914.
https://leismunicipais.com.br/a/pr/f/foz-do-iguacu/lei-ordinaria/1966/51/502/lei-ordinaria-n-502-1966-adota-aos-simbolos-municipais-que-especificam
Leis Municipais database
This Law was abrogated by Municipal Law No.
2,394 promulgated on 28 May 2001, which slightly changed the design and
description of the coat of arms. A newer bridge was added and the palm grove
alluding to the old legend was dropped.
Article 1.
[..]
In chief
are represented three of the most important tourism attraction spots,
highlighting international projection:
a) The Tancredo Neves Bridge, aka
Brotherhood Bridge, spanning over river Iguaçu and connecting the motherland
with neighboring Republic of Argentina, with which are maintained the most
cordial and friendly links.
b) The famous International Bridge, aka
Friendship Bridge, spanning over river Paraná and connecting the motherland with
neighboring Republic of Paraguay, with which are maintained the most cordial and
friendly links. c) in the center of the two bridges, the Three Borders' Landmark
erected by Marshal Cândido Rondon on the Brazilian banks of the confluence of
rivers Paraná and Iguaçu, at the division with neighboring Republics of Paraguay
and Argentina.
In the center of the shield are represented the main cascades
part of world-famous Iguaçu Falls and Iataipu Dam: from left to right, Floriano,
Deodoro and Benjamin, in the center, the emotional Devil Gorge, and right,
Itaipu Binational.
The scroll superimposed to the falls' base is inscribed
with the municipal toponym and date of creation, 10 June 1914.
https://leismunicipais.com.br/a/pr/f/foz-do-iguacu/lei-ordinaria/2001/239/2394/lei-ordinaria-n-2394-2001-adota-os-simbolos-municipais-conforme-especifica-e-revoga-a-lei-n-502-66
Leis Municipais database
This Law was modified by Municipal Law No.
2,394 promulgated on 28 May 2001; which slightly changed the design and
description of the coat of arms. Indeed, only the writing on the scroll was
modified.
Article 1.
[...]
The scroll superimposed to the falls'
base is inscribed with the toponyms "Foz de Iguaço", "Paraná" and "Brasil".
Beneath, the date of creation of the municipality, 10 June 1914.
https://leismunicipais.com.br/a/pr/f/foz-do-iguacu/lei-ordinaria/2005/307/3073/lei-ordinaria-n-3073-2005-altera-a-lei-n-2394-de-28-de-maio-de-2001-que-adota-os-simbolos-municipais-conforme-especifica
Leis Municipais database
Photos
https://www.facebook.com/prefeituradefozoficial/photos/2419005151546325
https://www.facebook.com/prefeituradefozoficial/photos/4298584313588390
https://www.facebook.com/prefeituradefozoficial/photos/2520907331356106
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