Ciudad del Este, city in eastern Paraguay, on the Paraná River, near the Brazil border. Founded in 1957 and formerly known as Puerto Presidente Stroessner, Ciudad del Este grew from a village to an important city during the late 1970s and early 1980s. This rapid expansion coincided with the construction of the massive Itaipu Dam (1975-1982) on the Paraná. Though many people left once the hydroelectric project was finished, Ciudad del Este maintains a workforce active in services that support the surrounding farming areas of eastern Paraguay. The Puente de la Amistad (Spanish for “Friendship Bridge”) across the Paraná links Ciudad del Este's economy with that of neighboring Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, a city heavily dependent on the tourist industry associated with the nearby Iguaçu Falls. Highways connect Ciudad del Este with Paraguay's capital, Asunción, and eastern areas of Brazil; the Paraná to cities in Argentina. As other cities in border regions, Ciudad del Este is plagued by illegal smuggling and the drug trade. Population (1992) 133,893.
