During the 16th century, inhabitants of the city of Santa Fe settled at the other shore of the Paraná river.
Economy
Paraná is not only the head of the provincial government, but also an important river port for the transshipment of cereals, cattle, fish, and lumber from the surrounding region. The principal industries installed are the manufacture of cement, furniture, and ceramics.
Cityscape
The centre of the city gathers colonial churches, European styles such as that of the 3 de Febrero Theatre or the Government House, the mixed styles of the city's Cathedral, and modern towers like those near the Parque Urquiza park. The city is connected to the city of Santa Fe on the other side of the Entre Ríos by the Hernandarias Subfluvial Tunnel inaugurated in 1969.
Paraná has a Pampean climate, which under the Köppen climate classification, would be classified as a humid subtropical climate. The average annual temperature is. Winters are characterized with mild temperatures during the day and very cold nights. The average high is while the average low is. Temperatures occasionally fall below, leading to frosts. Spring and Fall are transitional seasons with warm temperatures during the day with cool temperatures during the night. Normally, the last frost occurs on August 4 although frosts can occur as late as October 9. The first frost occurs on June 22 though frosts as early as May has occurred. Summers are characterized by hot weather during the day with mild to warm nights. The average temperature during summer is around although heat waves can push temperatures above while cool Pampero winds can push temperatures below. Most of the precipitation occurs during the summer, receiving an average precipitation of . The city, along with the entire province is located in an area of high risk of tornadoes in the country, particularly during spring and summer. Paraná receives of precipitation per year, most of it concentrated in the summer months and there are 87 days with measurable precipitation. The average relative humidity is 73%. Wind speeds are moderate throughout the year, ranging from a low of in April to a high of in September. Paraná receives an average of 2713.3 hours of bright sunshine per year, ranging from a low of 51% in June to a high of 67% in January and February. The highest temperature ever recorded was on January 2, 1963 while the lowest temperature ever recorded was on July 10, 1976.
