Foz do Iguaçu, Border city in Paraná, Brazil.
Foz do Iguaçu is a border city in Paraná, Brazil, that spreads across forested hills and open areas along the Iguaçu River. Main roads lead from residential districts to the center, where shops, the bus terminal and markets shape daily life.
A military post was established here in 1889 to secure the frontier, and the settlement became an independent municipality in 1914. Immigrants from Europe and the Middle East shaped the town during the 20th century through farming and commerce.
The name comes from the Guaraní expression for "great water", which visitors encounter at the triple border junction where Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay meet. People cross the Friendship Bridge daily to shop or work, moving between three countries in minutes.
The town sits about 25 kilometers from the waterfalls, and many visitors use it as a base for exploring the region. Local buses run regularly to the national park and to the border crossings into Argentina and Paraguay.
The Itaipu hydroelectric plant was built between 1967 and 1985 on the river and brought thousands of workers to the area, multiplying the population in a few years. Today the facility generates a large share of the energy for Brazil and Paraguay.
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