What is the capital of Paraguay?

The capital of Paraguay is Asunción.

Asunción stands on the eastern bank of the Paraguay River in the country’s western-central area. The river separates the city from Paraguay’s Occidental Region and, farther southwest, from Argentina. Administratively, Asunción is an autonomous capital district rather than part of one of Paraguay’s departments.

The settlement’s Spanish fort was established on August 15, 1537, by Juan de Salazar de Espinosa. It was named Nuestra Señora Santa María de la Asunción, honoring the Catholic Feast of the Assumption. A cabildo established in 1541 formally elevated the settlement from a military fort to a city.

Asunción became an important base for Spanish exploration and colonization in the Río de la Plata region. Expeditions from the city helped establish or re-establish settlements including Buenos Aires and Santa Fe. That history explains its nickname, the “Mother of Cities.”

Do not confuse Asunción with Paraguay’s departments or with other South American capitals such as Lima, Santiago, or Sucre.