The Greater Tres Lagoas Area of Foz do Iguaçu

Photos: Tres Lagoas' Saint Peter's Parrish (Paróquia São Pedro) and Bairro (neighborhood) pioneer Edmundo Roberto Kinner


The city of Foz do Iguaçu is divided into 12 regions or areas - for administration purposes. Each region is identified by a number (R-01) or the name of the most prominent bairro in the region or area. For instance, R-01 or Region One is known as the Greater Tres Lagoas Area. The main neighborhood in this case is called Três Lagoas which started out with somebody selling smaller land parcels mostly chunks taken off a small agricultural property and sold to Class E, wage earners to be paid in soft and nearly never-ending 100-installment plans. Some of the bairros in this and in other city areas were the result of invasions or occupations (the choice of either word will denounce political or ideological preference). There are over 9.000 basic education students (from ages 2 to 9) enrolled at 9 city schools.

Touristically speaking the area owns some of the city's smaller attractions like the Itaipu Dam Beach Area, some clubs, ultralight aircrafts owners' association of a sort, a newly-built katamaram boat for sunset cruises and so on.

Also, sadly and infamously, the Três Lagoas Area of town also owns the city's correctional district with a hell-on-earth type of horrible jail - that will soon be closed off for good. A new top security State Pennitentiary has been built and as of lately also a State Prison for people awaiting judgement. There will soon be a Female Pennitentiary and I also heard about somnthing like a Teenage Jail for adolescent "offenders". The Jail Sector of the Tres Lagoas Area is called Três Fronteiras Residential Park - and this is the kind of real estate enterprise that didn't prosper. Thanks to the abundance of jailhouses around prices, for land and houses around are going down.

Also what is going down is the once-flourishing city red light district. This district prospered during the Itaipu Dam Construction Days when 48.000 Paraguayan and Brazilian male hands joined to build the world's largest dam.


List of the 12 Regions of Foz do Iguaçu - may be good to someone, who knows? Numbers following region's name are about number of barrios in the region.

Region 01 - Três Lagoas Area (38)
Region 02 - Via "C" Area (27)
Region 03 - San Francisco Area (21)
Region 04 - The Porto Meira Area (31)
Region 05 - Jardim San Paulo Area (22)
Region 06 - Jardim America Area (19)
Region 07 - Imperatriz Park Area (22)
Region 08 - Vila "A" - AKLP Area (24)
Region 09 - City Center and Vila Yolanda Area (20)
Region 10 - Campos do Iguaçu - Fields of the Iguaçu Area (29)
Region 11 - The Carimã Area (10)
Region 12 - Rural Area

The purpose of dissecting the city like this is to make a point about the importance of barrios (neighborhoods) for local economies. IN the same extant that we live in the "city" and not in the Republic; as far as cities are cncerned, our lives happen in neighborhoods. Most of the attractions people see belong at first to the neighborhood where they are. Sometimes you may stay in top five-star hotel located in a neighborhood that the tourist will never learn about. Some times it is bad for business.

There is a Rural Area North and a Rural Area South
In the case of Foz do Iguaçu, here is a list of the possession of the Rural Area South:
a) The Foz do Iguaçu-Cataratas International Airport (Yes, hyphenated)
b) Over 106 hectares of land within the Iguassu National park
c) Park's Visitor Center
d) The Cataratas Hotel
e) The World famous Iguassu Falls
f) The Conscienciology Research Center
g) The Cognopolis Neighborhood - comprising
h) City's fishing and leisure farms