Ciudad del Este is the capital of Alto Paraná department, in Paraguay, situated at . Founded in 1957, it was originally called Puerto Flor de Lis, then until 1989 Puerto Presidente Stroessner (after Alfredo Stroessner). It is part of a triangle known as the Triple Frontera or Tríplice Fronteira in Portuguese.

Ciudad del Este generates about 60% of the national GDP alone; it is the third major free-tax commerce zone in the world, after Miami and Hong Kong, and, together with Foz do Iguaçu, it is Itaipu's headquaters. The city's economy (and Paraguay's economy as well) relies heavily of the mood of the Brazilian economy, observing that 95% of Paraguay's share of the energy gerated by the Itaipu Dam is sold for Brazil (300 mi US$), and that daily, many Brazilians cross the border to buy less-expansive products (US$1.2 bn, eletronics, generally).

It is the second largest city in the country, with a population estimated at 240,000, and 375,000 with its suburbs (Hernandárias and nearby rural areas).

The city is known throughout Paraguay as being a dangerous place with high crime rates. There also existed rumors in Western media that Al-Qaida operatives were located here, but those claims were not proven.

External Links

• South America Pictures.