San Estanislao

Infobox Settlement
official_name = San Estanislao de Kostka
native_name =
nickname = Santaní
motto =


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image_shield =Coat_of_arms_of_Paraguay.svg


mapsize = 200px
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Paraguay
subdivision_type1 = Department
subdivision_name1 = San Pedro
leader_title = Intendente Municipal
leader_name = Andrés Rafael Jara Melo
established_title = Founded
established_date =November 13, 1749 by the Jesuit Sebastián Yegros
area_magnitude =
area_total_sq_mi =
area_total_km2 = 2625
area_land_sq_mi =
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area_urban_sq_mi =
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population_as_of = 2008
population_note =
population_total = 52.983
population_metro =
population_urban =
population_density_km2 = 20.18
population_density_sq_mi =
timezone = -4 Gmt
utc_offset =
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latd=24 |latm=39 |lats=0 |latNS=S
longd=56 |longm=26 |longs=0 |longEW=W
elevation_m = 134
elevation_ft =
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 8210
area_code =(595) (43)
website =

San Estanislao de Kostka (usually referred to as San Estanislao or, more commonly, Santaní) is a city and district in the department of San Pedro, Paraguay.

History

San Estanislao was founded on November 13, 1749 by Father Sebastián de Yegros, a Jesuit priest from Asunción. The town was originally founded as Jesuit mission with the goal of converting the surrounding Indian population.

The city is named for a Polish priest who was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII on November 13, 1726, 23 years before San Estanislao was founded.Santaní, as the city is commonly referred to locally and throughout Paraguay, is a contraction of the word for saint in Spanish ("san") and the word for Estanislao in Guaraní ("taní"). People from Santaní are referred to as "santanianos" in Spanish.

In 1869, during the Triple Alliance War, San Estanislao was briefly the seat of the national governemnt under Marshall Francisco Solano López. Following battles elsewhere in Paraguay, López and several of his regiments passed through the city. López governed from the city from August 23-31, 1869.

Immigration to San Estanislao

Around 1880, San Estanislao became home to immigrants both from other parts of Paraguay and from Europe, especially from Germany and Italy. The influence of the Italian immigrants, in particular, can still be seen today in various buildings in Italian styles and the last names of some of the oldest Santaniana families.

Decades later, around 1920, Santaní also received immigrants from Lebanon. After arriving to Itacurubí del Rosario, some of the new arrivals made their way to Santaní. Other countries that sent relatively large numbers of immigrants to the city were France, Portugal, Brazil, and Spain.

Economy

During the postwar period after 1870, Santaní and the surrounding countryside were sustained mostly through agriculture and forestry. Tobacco was the major crop, and its production and packaging for export were a main contributor of jobs.

Today, the primary economic activity continues to be agriculture (especially cotton, mandioca, soy, and sesame). Beef and milk production, forestry, commerce, and regional services (medical treatment, banking, and construction) also contribute to the city's economy.

Education

San Estanislao is home to schools ranging from primary- to university-level, both public and private.

In 1994, a College of Economic Sciences was established in the city as part of the UNA. Other universities also have campuses in the city.

Transportation

Travel time between San Estanislao and Asunción (232 km away) was greatly reduced with the inauguration of Route 3 in May 2004.

References and external links

* [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/PA/17/San_Estanislao.html Maps and weather for San Estanislao]