Foz

Foz is a term used in Portuguese to denote the mouth or estuary of a river, and it appears in various place names, especially in Portuguese-speaking countries. It is also used as a proper noun in several locales, with Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil being the most widely known.

Foz do Iguaçu, often shortened to Foz, is a city in the state of Paraná, Brazil, located at the triple border with Argentina and Paraguay along the Iguazu River, near the Iguazu Falls. It has a population of about 260,000. The economy centers on tourism, driven by the Iguazu Falls and the nearby Itaipu Dam on the Paraná River, one of the world’s largest hydroelectric plants with a capacity of about 14 gigawatts. The city serves as a regional gateway with an international airport and extensive cross-border commerce with Ciudad del Este in Paraguay and Puerto Iguazú in Argentina.

Foz is also the name of a municipality in Galicia, Spain, known simply as Foz or A Foz in Galician. It lies on the Atlantic coast in the province of Lugo, in the La Mariña region, near Ribadeo. The area features fishing communities, beaches, and estuaries, and forms part of the Galicia coast tourist circuit. The name reflects its geographic position at the mouth of local rivers and its coastal character.