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Altos (Paraguay)

Altos
District
San Lorenzo de la Cordillera de los Altos
Altos is located in Paraguay
Altos
Altos
Coordinates: 25°14′0″S 57°15′0″W / 25.23333°S 57.25000°W / -25.23333; -57.25000Coordinates: 25°14′0″S 57°15′0″W / 25.23333°S 57.25000°W / -25.23333; -57.25000
Country Paraguay
Department Cordillera
Founded August 10, 1538
Government
 • Intendente municipal Juan Félix Ramírez Ruíz (2015-2020)
Area
 • Total 92 km2 (36 sq mi)
Elevation 207 m (679 ft)
Population (2008)
 • Total 13,114
 • Density 73/km2 (190/sq mi)
Time zone -4 Gmt
Postal code 3240
Area code(s) 0512

Altos is a district and locality of the Cordillera Department, Paraguay.

It is also called “Altos de Ybypytaré”, which in Guaraní means “path of the wind”, previously called “San Lorenzo de la Cordillera de los Altos”, one of the oldest cities of Paraguay. It is known as the “Terrace of the country” because of its high altitude.

The climate in this department is mild and dry. The average temperature is 22° Celsius, in summer reaches 39 °C and in winter drops to 3 °C.

Altos’ population is 13,114 in total, 6,862 men and 6,252 women, according to information provided by the Statistics, Polls and Census General Direction.

There are two versions of its foundation. The first tells that Domingo Martínez de Irala founded it, on August 10, 1538. The second one tells that it was Friar Luis de Bolaños in 1580, with the purpose of being the first “Reducción Guaraní” of Río de la Plata and Paraguay.

It was the hiding place of Joseph Mengele, notorious nazi scientist and medical doctor, who experimented in the Nazi concentration camps. Mengele and his wife flew to Altos in 1959, after the government of Occidental Germany discovered their home in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and he received the notification for arrest. His wife did not adapt to this new life and left him. In 1960, he panicked after hearing news of the interest of the nazi hunter in his capture, and with kidnapping of Adolf Eichmann, left Altos to go to Hohenau in the South of Paraguay.

The Altos is known for the harvesting of pharmacological plants and coffee, as well as general agriculture, woodcraft, and the breeding of horned cattle.


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