Editing Geography of Paraguay (section)

===The Eastern Region: Paraneña===
The Eastern region extends from the Río Paraguay eastward to the Río Paraná, which forms the border with Brazil and Argentina. The eastern hills and mountains, an extension of a plateau in southern Brazil, dominate the region. They reach to about {{convert|700|m|ft|sigfig=2|sp=us}} above sea level at their highest point. The Eastern region also has spacious [[plain]]s, broad valleys, and [[lowland]]s. About 80% of the region lies below {{convert|300|m|ft|sigfig=1|sp=us}} in elevation; the lowest elevation, {{convert|60|m|ft|sigfig=1|sp=us}}, occurs in the extreme south at the confluence of the Río Paraguay and Río Paraná.

The Eastern region is drained primarily by rivers that flow westward to the Río Paraguay, although some rivers flow eastward to the Río Paraná. Low-lying [[meadow]]s, subject to floods, separate the eastern mountains from the Río Paraguay.

The Eastern region as a whole naturally divides into five physiographic subregions:

# the Paraná Plateau
# the Northern Upland
# the Central Hill Belt
# the Central Lowland
# the Ñeembucú Plain

In the east, the heavily wooded Paraná Plateau occupies one-third of the region and extends its full length from north to south and up to {{convert|145|km|mi|round=5|sp=us}} westward from the Brazilian and Argentine borders. The Paraná Plateau's western edge is defined by an escarpment that descends from an elevation of about {{convert|460|m|ft|sigfig=2|sp=us}} in the north to about {{convert|180|m|ft|sigfig=2|sp=us}} at the subregion's southern extremity. The plateau slopes moderately to east and south, its remarkably uniform surface interrupted only by the narrow valleys carved by the westward-flowing tributaries of the Río Paraná.

The Northern Upland, the Central Hill Belt, and the Central Lowland constitute the lower terrain lying between the escarpment and the Río Paraguay. The first of these eroded extensions stretching westward of the Paraná Plateau—the Northern Upland—occupies the portion northward from the [[Aquidabán River]] (''Río Aquidabán'') to the Apa River on the Brazilian border. For the most part it consists of a rolling plateau about {{convert|180|m|ft|sigfig=2|sp=us}} above sea level and {{convert|76|to|90|m|ft|sp=us}} above the plain farther to the south. The Central Hill Belt encompasses the area in the vicinity of [[Asunción]]. Although nearly flat surfaces occur in this subregion, the rolling terrain is extremely uneven. Small, isolated peaks are numerous, and it is here that the only lakes of any size are found. Between these two upland subregions lies the Central Lowland, an area of low elevation and relief, sloping gently upward from the Río Paraguay toward the Paraná Plateau. The valleys of the Central Lowland's westward-flowing rivers are broad and shallow, and periodic flooding of their courses creates seasonal swamps. This subregion's most conspicuous features, its flat-topped hills, project {{convert|6|-|9|m|ft|0|sp=us}} from the grassy plain. Thickly forested, these hills cover areas ranging from a hectare to several square kilometers (acres to square miles). Apparently the weathered remnants of rock related to geological formations farther to the east, these hills are called ''islas de monte'' ([[mountain island]]s), and their margins are known as ''costas'' (coasts).

The remaining subregion—the Ñeembucú Plain—lies in the southwest corner of the Paraneña region. This alluvial flatland has a slight westerly-southwesterly slope obscured by gentle undulations. The Tebicuary River (''Río Tebicuary'')—a major tributary of the Río Paraguay – bisects the swampy lowland, which is broken in its central portion by rounded swells of land up to three meters in height.

The main orographic features of the Paraneña region include the Cordillera de Amambay, the Cordillera de Mbaracayú, and the Cordillera de Caaguazú. The Cordillera de Amambay extends from the northeast corner of the region south and slightly east along the Brazilian border. The mountains reach on average  {{convert|400|m|ft|sp= us}} above sea level, although the highest point reaches {{convert|700|m|ft|sp=us}}. The main chain, {{convert|200|km|mi|sp=us}} long, has smaller branches that extend to the west and die out along the banks of the Río Paraguay in the Northern Upland.

The [[Cordillera de Amambay]] merges with the [[Cordillera de Mbaracayú]], which reaches eastward {{convert|120|km|mi|round=5|sp=us}} to the Río Paraná. The average height of this mountain chain is {{convert|200|m|ft|0|sp=us}}; the highest point of the chain, {{convert|500|m|ft|sigfig=1|sp=us}}, lies within Brazilian territory. The Río Paraná forms the Salto del Guairá waterfall where it cuts through the mountains of the Cordillera de Mbaracayú to enter Argentina.

The [[Cordillera de Caaguazú]] falls where the other two main mountain ranges meet and extends south, with an average height of {{convert|400|m|ft|sigfig=2|sp=us}}. Its highest point, [[Cerro de San Joaquín]], reaches {{convert|500|m|ft|sigfig=2|sp=us}} above sea level. This chain is not a continuous massif but is interrupted by hills and undulations covered with forests and meadows. The Cordillera de Caaguazú reaches westward from the Paraná Plateau into the Central Hill Belt.

A lesser mountain chain, the [[Serranía de Mbaracayú]], also rises at the point where the Cordillera de Amambay and Cordillera de Mbaracayú meet. The Serranía de Mbaracayú extends east and then south to parallel the Río Paraná; the mountain chain has an average height of {{convert|500|m|ft|sigfig=2|sp=us}}.

The eastern region has a population of 7,232,890 and an area of 159,827&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, the population density is 45.25/km<sup>2</sup>.