San José de Mayo
Encyclopedia
San José de Mayo is the capital city of the San José Department
in southern Uruguay
. It is located at the centre of the department, on the intersection of Route 3
with Route 11
, 90 kilometres (55.9 mi) from the centre of Montevideo
. The railroad track connecting Montevideo with Colonia and with the northwest of the country passes through the city. The river Río San José flows along the northeastern and eastern limits of the city.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay
ranching, and it is an agro-industrial centre for dairy products, packing houses, mills, and chemicals.
San José Department
San José Department is a department of Uruguay. Its capital is San José de Mayo.-Population and Demographics:As of the census of 2004, there were 103,104 people and 33,063 households in the department. The average household size was 3.0...
in 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 is located at the centre of the department, on the intersection of Route 3
Route 3 (Uruguay)
Route 3 is a national route of Uruguay. In 1975, it was assigned the name General José Artigas, a national hero of Uruguay. It is one of the most important highways in the country along with Route 5, connecting the south coast near Rafael Perazza with Bella Unión in the extreme northwest. The road...
with Route 11
Route 11 (Uruguay)
Route 11 is a national route of Uruguay. In 1983, it was assigned the name José Batlle y Ordóñez. It connects Atlántida to Ecilda Paullier.-References:...
, 90 kilometres (55.9 mi) from the centre 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...
. The railroad track connecting Montevideo with Colonia and with the northwest of the country passes through the city. The river Río San José flows along the northeastern and eastern limits of the city.
History
San José de Mayo was founded on 1 July 1783 and during the 19th century it became a commercial and cultural centre, known as "Montevideo chico" ("little Montevideo"). Its status was elevated to "City" category on 12 July 1856 by decree Ley No. 495. The theatre "Teatro Macció" was constructed at the turn of the 20th century.Population
In 2004, San José de Mayo had a population of 36,339.| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 27,482 |
| 1975 | 28,424 |
| 1985 | 31,825 |
| 1996 | 34,927 |
| 2004 | 36,129 |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay
Economy
Besides being the administrative capital of the department, the city is an active regional commercial and financial centre. Its economy is linked mainly to cattleCattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
ranching, and it is an agro-industrial centre for dairy products, packing houses, mills, and chemicals.