| Ciudad Del Este |
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| cities in paraguay | |
| paraná river | |
| international border crossings | |
| settlements established in 1957 | |
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It is the second largest city in the country, with a population estimated at 240,000 in the city center or 375,000 including the suburbs ( Hernandarias , Presidente Franco , Minga Guazú (where the ''Guaraní'' International Airport is located). Ciudad del Este generates about 60% of Paraguay's GDP . It is the third major free-tax commerce zone in the world, after Miami and Hong Kong , and — together with Foz do Iguaçu — it is the headquarters of the company that operates the nearby Itaipu dam. The city's economy (and Paraguay's Economy as well) relies heavily of the mood of the Brazilian Economy , observing that 95% of Paraguay's share of the energy generated by the Itaipu Dam is sold for Brazil (US$ 300 millions), and that daily, many Brazilians cross the border to buy less-expensive products (US$1.2 bn, mostly electronics). Smuggling is a major occupation in the city, with some estimates putting the value of this black market at five times the national economy. The city has a large Asian-born population, specifically Taiwanese , Arabs and Iran ians, evident in the city's Mosque and Pagodas . The Taiwanese government paid for the construction of the city's town hall in exchange for Paraguayan support in the United Nations , hence the Taiwanese flag that flies on the building. The city has a reputation in Paraguay as being a dangerous city with high crime rates and it is not common to see private guards outside many buildings. There also existed rumors in Western media that Al-Qaida operatives were located here, but those claims were not proven, as these are recognized only " Off The Record ". Other rumours had members of Hezbollah using the city as a base to launch bomb attacks on Argentine Jews. See AMIA Bombing . It is believed that the suicide bomber entered Argentina through the Triple Border. In 2005, it was a Filming Location for ''Miami Vice'', a movie directed by Michael Mann and based on his television series Of The Same Name . EXTERNAL LINKS |
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