Alto Paraguay
| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Capital: | Fuerte Olimpo |
| Area: | 82,349 km² |
| Inhabitants: | 15,008 (2002) |
| Pop. density: | 0.2 inh./km² |
| ISO 3166-2: | PY-16 |
| Map | |
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Alto Paraguay is a department in Paraguay. The capital is the city of Fuerte Olimpo. In 1992 the Chaco Department was merged with Alto Paraguay, effectively recreating the original departement Olimpo as it existed until 1945.
Alto Paraguay contains a varied and large amount of natural resources which is why this department is home to several national parks, each with different characteristics. The Defensores del Chaco National Park is the largest in the Paraguayan territory. The mentioned park is home to the hill Cerro León, which is the highest point in the northern region of Paraguay. The dry surface is optimal for the growth of different kinds of cactus. Another park in this department, Parque Nacional Río Negro, is located in an area with several small lakes and is home of most of the fauna in the department. Other national parks in Alto Paraguay are Parque Nacional Coronel Cabrera and Parque Nacional Chovoreca, which reside in dry regions.
The most important cities in the Alto Paraguay department are:
The department is divided in 3 districts:
