View source for Presidente Hayes Department

{{Short description|Department of Paraguay}}
{{Redirect|Presidente Hayes|the football club|Club Presidente Hayes|the 19th president of the United States|Rutherford B. Hayes}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Presidente Hayes
| native_name             = 
| native_name_lang        = es<!-- ISO 639-2 code -->
| type                    = [[Departments of Paraguay|Department]]
| image_skyline           = 
| image_alt               = 
| image_caption           = 
| image_flag              = Bandera del Departamento de Presidente Hayes(2025).png
| flag_alt                = 
| image_shield            = 
| shield_alt              = 
| nickname                = 
| motto                   = 
| anthem                  = 
| image_map               = Presidente Hayes in Paraguay.svg
| map_alt                 = 
| map_caption             = 
| coordinates             = {{coord|23|46|S|58|37|W|region:PY_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint           = 
| coordinates_footnotes   = 
| subdivision_type        = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name        = {{flag|Paraguay}}
| subdivision_type1       = Region
| subdivision_name1       = 
| parts_type              = Largest city
| parts_style             = para
| p1                      = 
| established_title       = [[Republic of Paraguay|Established]]
| established_date        = 
| blank_name_sec1         = [[Districts of Paraguay|Number of Districts]]
| blank_info_sec1         = 8
| founder                 = 
| named_for               = 
| seat_type               = [[Capital (political)|Capital]]
| seat                    = [[Villa Hayes]]
| government_footnotes    = 
| leader_party            = [[Colorado Party (Paraguay)|ANR]]
| leader_title            = Governor
| leader_name             = Bernardo Zárate
| unit_pref               = Metric
| area_footnotes          = 
| area_total_km2          = 72907
| area_rank               = 
| area_land_km2           = 
| area_water_km2          = 
| area_water_percent      = 
| area_note               = 
| elevation_footnotes     = 
| elevation_m             = 
| population_footnotes    = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Paraguay: Departments, Districts, Cities, Towns |url=https://citypopulation.de/en/paraguay/cities/ |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=citypopulation.de}}</ref>
| population_total        = 126880
| population_as_of        = 2022
| population_rank         = 
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_note         = 
| timezone                = [[Time in Paraguay|PYT]]
| utc_offset              = -03
| postal_code_type        = 
| postal_code             = 
| area_code_type          = 
| area_code               = 
| iso_code                = [[ISO 3166-2:PY|PY-15]]
| website                 = 
| footnotes               = 
}}

'''Presidente Hayes''' ({{IPA|es|pɾesiˈðente ˈaʝes}}) is a [[Departments of Paraguay|department]] in [[Paraguay]]. The capital is the city of [[Villa Hayes]]. The department was named after [[U.S. President]] [[Rutherford B. Hayes]], who awarded the territory to Paraguay while arbitrating a boundary dispute between Paraguay and [[Argentina]] after the [[Paraguayan War]].

== Districts ==

The department is divided into eight districts:

# [[Benjamín Aceval (Paraguay)|Benjamín Aceval]]
# [[Campo Aceval]]
# [[General Bruguez]]
# [[José Falcón, Paraguay|José Falcón]]
# [[Nanawa (Puerto Elsa)|Nanawa]] (Puerto Elsa)
# [[Nueva Asunción]] (Chaco’í)
# [[Puerto Pinasco (Paraguay)|Puerto Pinasco]]
# [[Teniente Esteban Martínez]]
# [[Teniente Primero Manuel Irala Fernández]]
# [[Villa Hayes]]

{{stack | clear = true
| [[File:Gobernación de Pdte. Hayes.JPG|thumb|Government of Presidente Hayes near the Paraguay river]]
| [[File:Calle en Benjamin Aceval.JPG|thumb|A street of Benjamín Aceval]]
}}

== History ==

In the colonial period, conflicts between settlers and native tribes resulted in the abandonment of towns and missions including Melodía, Timbó, Naranjajay, and Remolinos.

Only [[Fort Borbon]], today called [[Fuerte Olimpo|Fort Olimpo]], survived. Founded during the government of [[Joaquín Alós y Brú]], the garrison contained the southern advance of the [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]].

French settlers tried but failed to settle the area, with the exception of [[Villa Occidental]].

After the [[Paraguayan War]] of 1864–1870, U.S. President [[Rutherford B. Hayes]] arbitrated a boundary dispute between Argentina and Paraguay and ultimately awarded the territory to Paraguay in 1878. In gratitude, Paraguay renamed the department as "Presidente Hayes".<ref name="boring">{{cite news|last1=Cavanaugh|first1=Darien|title=The Paraguayan War was the Dumbest and Costliest Conflict the Americas Ever Experienced|url=https://warisboring.com/the-paraguayan-war-was-the-dumbest-and-costliest-conflict-the-americas-ever-experienced/|access-date=19 January 2018|work=War Is Boring|date=19 April 2017}}</ref>

In 1906, during the political division of Paraguay, the department was divided into two regions, Oriental and Occidental. The latter was divided in military headquarters that depended on the War and Marine Ministry.

Important dates for this department include June 12 (Chaco Peace Day), September 29 (Boquerón Victory Day) and November 12 ([[Laudo Hayes Firm Day]]).

[[Pozo Colorado]] was named the capital in 1988.<ref>{{cite web|title=Presidente Hayes |url=https://mexico.inaturalist.org/places/wikipedia/Presidente%20Hayes}}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=June 2025}} However, the capital was changed to Villa Hayes in 1999.<ref>{{cite web |title=Webpage for the Departamento de President Hayes |url=https://www.embajadadeparaguay.org/pages/departamentos/presidente-hayes.php |access-date=28 October 2024}}</ref>

==Geography==
=== Borders ===

Located between parallels 22° 03′ and 25° 20′ of South latitude and the meridians 57° 15′ and 61° 00′ of longitude West.

* To the North: [[Alto Paraguay Department|Alto Paraguay department]], from which is separated by the road of the railway from "km&nbsp;160" to "km&nbsp;20", from this point by an imaginary straight line until [[Paraguay River]].
* To the South: [[Formosa Province]], [[Argentina]], from which is separated by the Pilcomayo River, all the way from its flow into the [[Paraguay River]] to the San Lorenzo Mission.
* To the East: the departments [[Concepción Department (Paraguay)|Concepción]], [[San Pedro Department, Paraguay|San Pedro]], [[Cordillera Department|Cordillera]] and [[Central Department|Central]]; Presidente Hayes is separated from them by the Paraguay River, from its flow into the La Paz River until the Pilcomayo River.
* To the West: [[Boquerón Department|Boquerón department]], separated by the road that connects the San Lorenzo Mission with the Forts Gral. Díaz, Avalos Sánchez, Zenteno, Dr. Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia, Boquerón, Isla Poí and Casanillo, and from this point with an imaginary straight line until "km&nbsp;160".

[[File:Benjamin Aceval.JPG|thumb|Monumento de Benjamín Aceval]]

=== Climate ===

The temperature reaches {{convert|44|°C}} in summer and drops to {{convert|0|°C}} in winter. The average temperature is {{convert|26|°C}}. The average amount of precipitation is between {{convert|900|and|1200|mm}} annually.

=== Hydrography ===

The Paraguay River forms one border of the department. The tributary rivers Pilcomayo, San Carlos, Siete Puntas, Negro, Verde, Montelindo, Aguaray Guazú, and Confuso also flow through the department but are not navigable for big ships. To the south lies the Patiño Swamp.

The city of [[Villa Hayes]] floods frequently when the rivers overflow.  The land elsewhere in the department is higher.

[[File:Barco en el Rio Paraguay.JPG|thumb|View from Villa Hayes of a ship sailing on the Paraguay River]]

=== Environment ===

There are four ecosystems in the Chaco territory: the floodplain of the Paraguay River, Pozo Azul, Laguna Salada, and the Floodplain of the Pilcomayo River.

The Pilcomayo River's deviation towards Argentina has produced several changes in the habits of the people; the drought causes the migration of the jacarés to most humid areas and spreads diseases.

Endangered flora include [[timbó]], [[Ceiba chodatii|samu'u]], white and red [[quebracho tree|quebracho]], and [[karanday]] and endangered fauna include [[carpincho]], [[Giant anteater|jurumi]], [[Yacare caiman|jacaré]], and [[tapir]].

The east has saline soil and the south has calcareous soil. The hills Confuso, Siete Cabezas and Galván are small elevations.

== Economy ==
===Industry and business===

Presidente Hayes leads Paraguay in production of [[cattle]], and is second in production of horses.

The population is heavily involved in agriculture; the department is third place in production of [[sorghum]]. [[Cotton]] and [[sugarcane]] are also agricultural products of the area; Villa Hayes and [[Benjamín Aceval (Paraguay)|Benjamín Aceval]] are notable for production of sugarcane.

The sugar factory Censi and Pirota is located in Villa Hayes. [[Sawmill]]s, [[ceramic]] factories and [[steel]] mills are also in the city. [[ACEPAR]], Aceros del Paraguay, is an important iron and steel industry and is also located in Villa Hayes.

In addition, in Villa Hayes is Astillero Chaco Paraguayo S.A., a specialising in the construction of launches for heavy loads, fuel and vegetable oil transportation. There is also soap and lime factories and an [[Esso|ESSO]] plant of fuel and lubricants.

Puerto Falcón trades heavily with Argentina and also sees a lot of tourism. Tinfunqué National Park is a major tourist attraction with an area of 280,000 hectares.

[[File:14102007 036.JPG|thumb|The church of Villa Hayes]]

=== Transportation and services ===

The most important way of transportation is Route No. 9 "Carlos Antonio López" also known as "Transchaco", which cross the Paraguay River through the Remanso Bridge and extends to [[Bolivia]].

The Route No. 12 "Vice Presidente Sánchez" borders Pilcomayo River, but is not passable when raining.

The road Pozo Colorado-Puerto Milirar reaches Concepción, crossing the Paraguay River through a bridge.

The different roads that connect portions of the department have the inconvenience of being impassable during the rainy season.

Paraguay River is the most used way to communicate with Puerto Pinasco.

In Puerto Falcón, is possible the communication with the Argentine city [[Clorinda, Formosa|Clorinda]] through the San Ignacio de Loyola International Bridge.

The cattle establishments use aerial ways.

There are two FM radio stations, Radio Villa Hayes and Dyon. About 3,200 people have phone service.

There are 16,865 households in the department, 6,165 in the urban area, and 10,700 in the rural area. The percentage of which count with basic facilities are the following:

* Electric power: 39.9%
* Running water: 19.1%
* Trash collection: 4.3%

=== Health and education ===

The region has 96 institutions of elementary education, 192 of basic education and 29 of high school education.

There are 38 hospitals and health care centers.

== Flag ==
[[File:Flag of Presidente Hayes Department.svg|thumb|The flag of Presidente Hayes Department.]]
The flag of the state is a simple green and white [[Triband (flag)|triband]]. Originally, the department's flag was a white flag with a green border and two diagonal stripes from the top-right and top-left corners touching a coat of arms design, but at some point it was replaced with the current one.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Martins-Tuválkin |last2=Olivier Touzeau |title=President Hayes Department, Paraguay |url=https://www.fotw.info/flags/py-15.html |website=Flags of the World |access-date=28 October 2024}}</ref> However, at some point, it was changed back to the original flag.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jahecha Paraguay |url=https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=874855350538594|website=Facebook |access-date=9 October 2025}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
* Geografía Ilustrada del Paraguay, Distribuidora Arami SRL; 2007. {{ISBN|978-99925-68-04-0}}
* Geografía del Paraguay, Primera Edición 1999, Editorial Hispana Paraguay SRL

== External links ==
{{commons category|Presidente Hayes Department}}
* [http://www.ventacamposparaguay.com/photos2.htm photos of ranches in Pde Hayes Province]

{{Departments of Paraguay}}
{{Geography of Paraguay}}
{{Rutherford B. Hayes}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Presidente Hayes Department| ]]
[[Category:Presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes]]