Progreso, Uruguay
Encyclopedia
Progreso is a town in the Canelones Department
of southern Uruguay
. It belongs to the wider metropolitan area of Montevideo
and is located on the old Route 5 (which runs parallel to the railway track Montevideo - Santa Lucia), about 29 kilometres (18 mi)
from the centre of Montevideo.
The name Progreso is due to the arrival of the railway in 1871, which was introduced into Uruguay by the English
.
The railway system enabled the place to expand itself beyond its original borders and to achieve, at the same time, some sort of economic prosperity. The railway system also resulted in the establishment of some English families near the industrial area of the city. Today the wooded avenue that leads to the railway station is known as the Avenida de los Ingleses, meaning «Avenue of the Englishmen». The neighborhood where this station is located is known as the Villa Inglesa, «English Village».
Progreso was elevated to "Pueblo" (town) category on 1 July 1953 by decree Ley No. 11.968.
Present-day Progreso, despite its name, ranks high in Uruguay as far as the unemployment rate is concerned.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay
Canelones Department
The Canelones Department , with an area of and 485,240 inhabitants, is located to the south of Uruguay. Its capital is Canelones.-Geography and climate:...
of southern Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
. It belongs to the wider metropolitan area of Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
and is located on the old Route 5 (which runs parallel to the railway track Montevideo - Santa Lucia), about 29 kilometres (18 mi)
from the centre of Montevideo.
History
The city was founded in 1871 under the name of Progreso, the Spanish term for «Progress». However, prior to 1871, the place where the current city is located received the name of Puntas del Canelón Chico or Arroyo del Gigante.The name Progreso is due to the arrival of the railway in 1871, which was introduced into Uruguay by the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The railway system enabled the place to expand itself beyond its original borders and to achieve, at the same time, some sort of economic prosperity. The railway system also resulted in the establishment of some English families near the industrial area of the city. Today the wooded avenue that leads to the railway station is known as the Avenida de los Ingleses, meaning «Avenue of the Englishmen». The neighborhood where this station is located is known as the Villa Inglesa, «English Village».
Progreso was elevated to "Pueblo" (town) category on 1 July 1953 by decree Ley No. 11.968.
Present-day Progreso, despite its name, ranks high in Uruguay as far as the unemployment rate is concerned.
Population
According to the 2004 census, Progreso had a population of 15,775.| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 6,844 |
| 1975 | 9,612 |
| 1985 | 11,244 |
| 1996 | 14,471 |
| 2004 | 15,775 |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay