Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite image of the Triple Frontier, a region where Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina meet. Credit: Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2022 ), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
The Triple Frontier, an area where Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina fulfill, is featured in this false-color image, recorded by the European Space Agencys Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.
Also called the Tri-border area, the Triple Frontier is a geographical area in South America where the borders of 3 countries meet: Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. The region is located at the crossway of the Iguazu and Parana rivers, and covers an area of roughly 1,200 square miles (3,100 square kilometers).
This multitemporal composite was created by combining 3 different images, acquired in March, July, and November 2022 using the missions infrared channel. Each image has been assigned a color: red, green, and blue respectively. This method is used to highlight changes between acquisitions and to keep track of the plants development.
Cultivated fields stick out in intense colors. Shades of blue, cyan, and violet indicate that the crops were lusher in November, when the 3rd image was recorded, compared to the previous acquisitions. Locations that have remained practically the same over the 3 dates, such as forests and urban locations, appear in shades of grey, while water bodies, which soak up the majority of the near-infrared light, can be easily recognized in black.
The upper part of the image is controlled by the branched shape of the Itaipú Reservoir, which lies on the Paraná River and crosses the border in between Paraguay (west) and Brazil (east).
Even more south, the confluence of the Iguaçu (or Iguazú) River into the Paraná River is where the borders of Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina fulfill. The sinuous courses of both waterways form natural boundaries. Paraguay lies west of the Paraná River, while the Iguaçu River divides Brazil (north) from Argentina (south).
A colorful patchwork of farming fields can be seen both in Paraguay and Brazil, while the Argentinian landscape here is covered primarily by a dense forest. About 20 km southeast of the confluence, along the Iguaçu River, lie the magnificent Iguaçu Falls, noticeable as an elongated horseshoe. One of the worlds biggest and most outstanding waterfall systems, the falls are at the heart of 2 adjacent nationwide parks, which look like grey areas in both Argentina and Brazil.
Even more south, the confluence of the Iguaçu (or Iguazú) River into the Paraná River is where the borders of Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina fulfill. Paraguay lies west of the Paraná River, while the Iguaçu River divides Brazil (north) from Argentina (south).
A colorful patchwork of agricultural fields can be seen both in Paraguay and Brazil, while the Argentinian landscape here is covered mainly by a dense forest.