Educational information
1. Two regions divided by a river
The Paraguay River splits the country in two. To the east lies the Eastern Region (Región Oriental), home to the capital and most cities. To the west is the Western Region (Región Occidental), known as the Chaco.
Paraguay is organised into 17 departments plus the Capital. According to the 2022 Census by the INE, the national statistics office, the country has 6,109,903 inhabitants: 4,215,101 in urban areas and 1,894,802 in rural areas.
If you don't yet know where to live or invest, start there: which region, near which river, and how far from the capital.
2. The cities at a glance
Population from the 2022 National Population and Housing Census (INE, final results).
| City | Department | Region | Population 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asunción | Capital | Eastern | 462,241 |
| Luque | Central | Eastern | 259,705 |
| Capiatá | Central | Eastern | 236,999 |
| San Lorenzo | Central | Eastern | 225,395 |
| Limpio | Central | Eastern | 139,652 |
| Lambaré | Central | Eastern | 127,150 |
| Fernando de la Mora | Central | Eastern | 110,255 |
| Mariano Roque Alonso | Central | Eastern | 85,133 |
| Ciudad del Este | Alto Paraná | Eastern | 325,819 |
| Pedro Juan Caballero | Amambay | Eastern | 127,437 |
| Encarnación | Itapúa | Eastern | 106,842 |
| San Bernardino | Cordillera | Eastern | 12,216 |
| Filadelfia | Boquerón | Western (Chaco) | 20,595 |
3. Asunción and Greater Asunción
Asunción
The capital, on the banks of the Paraguay River, founded in 1537. It belongs to no department: it is the Capital. Population: 462,241.
People usually look at it when the decision is about living or working in the capital, close to government offices.
Greater Asunción
Around the capital are neighbouring cities in the Central department: Luque, Capiatá, San Lorenzo, Limpio, Lambaré, Fernando de la Mora, Mariano Roque Alonso and others. They are not Asunción neighbourhoods: each is a separate district with its own municipality, its own bylaws and its own paperwork. The Central department has 1,883,927 inhabitants.
People usually look at it when they want to be near the capital without living in it. Before deciding, check which municipality the exact address belongs to: local taxes and permits depend on it.
4. On the Paraná River: Encarnación and Ciudad del Este
Encarnación
Capital of Itapúa, on the Paraná River, with 106,842 inhabitants. The San Roque González de Santa Cruz bridge links it to Posadas, Argentina. It has a riverfront and beaches and is known as the «National Carnival Capital». DINAC, the civil aviation authority, operates the Teniente Amín Ayub González airport in the city.
People usually look at it when life or work has one foot in Argentina, or when they want a southern city on the river.
Ciudad del Este
Capital of Alto Paraná, with 325,819 inhabitants. It was founded in 1957 alongside the Friendship Bridge, which links it to Brazil over the Paraná, and is a regional trading hub. In the same department, in Minga Guazú, is Guaraní International Airport.
People usually look at it when their activity is tied to trade or to Brazil.
5. Cordillera and the north: San Bernardino and Pedro Juan Caballero
San Bernardino
In Cordillera, on the shores of Lake Ypacaraí, about 50 km from Asunción. A small town of 12,216 people and one of the country's main summer resorts.
People usually look at it when they are thinking of a second home or a quieter life without moving far from the capital. In summer the town's pace changes.
Pedro Juan Caballero
Capital of Amambay, a department on the Brazilian border, 452 km from Asunción. Population: 127,437.
People usually look at it when they have family or work ties on the Brazilian side of the border.
6. The Chaco: Filadelfia
Capital of Boquerón, in the heart of the Chaco, founded by Mennonite settlers. Population: 20,595.
People usually look at it when the decision is tied to activity in the Chaco or to the Mennonite colonies.
7. How to compare cities before you decide
- Visit before you sign. Stay a few days and, if you can, come back in another season: summer changes the pace of many towns.
- Do the real journeys. Time the trip to work, school, hospital and the airport you'll use, at the hours you'll actually travel.
- Check services at the exact address: electricity (ANDE), water (ESSAP or a local water board), internet and mobile signal.
- Confirm the municipality. In Greater Asunción, two houses a few blocks apart can be in different cities.
- If you're buying, a notary (escribano) checks the property's legal status.
What we checked and what we didn't
- Population figures are from the 2022 Census (INE) and cover the whole district, not just the urban core.
- The distances for San Bernardino and Pedro Juan Caballero are those published by Visit Paraguay. We did not cross-check them with the MOPC (Ministry of Public Works): time your own route.
- We left out the country's land area and the official location of each international airport because we could not confirm them in an official source today.
- We don't give opinions on safety or prices: they vary by area and by block, and are best seen on the ground.
Official sources
Information checked in October 2026
- INE, final results of the 2022 Census
- INE, population by department and district (Table A1)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay, country profile
- SENATUR, Visit Paraguay: Asunción, Encarnación, Ciudad del Este, San Bernardino, Pedro Juan Caballero, Filadelfia
- Municipality of Encarnación, beaches and riverfronts
- DINAC, Airports Directorate and news on the Encarnación airport
Educational information, not legal, tax or immigration advice.