Artigas, Uruguay

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Artigas
Capital city
Church of the Sacred Heart
Church of the Sacred Heart
Coat of arms of Artigas
Coat of arms
Artigas is located in Uruguay
Artigas
Artigas
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Country  Uruguay
Department Artigas
Founded September 12, 1852
Founded by Don Carlos Catalá
Elevation 121 m (397 ft)
Population (2011)
 • Total 40,658
Demonym(s) artiguense
Time zone UYT (UTC−3)
 • Summer (DST) UYST (UTC−2)
postal code 55000
Dial plan +598 477 (+5 digits)

Artigas (Spanish pronunciation: [arˈtiɣas]) is the capital of the Artigas Department of Uruguay. Its name comes from that of the national hero, José Gervasio Artigas, who fought for the emancipation of the River Plate, and sought to create a federative nation from these colonies. As of the census of 2011, it is the eleventh most populous city of the country.

Location

The city is located on the border with Brazil, separated only by a bridge from the town Quaraí of the state Rio Grande do Sul of Brazil. It is the farthest city from Uruguay's capital Montevideo, being 600 kilometres (370 mi) away.

History

It was founded on 12 September 1852 by Don Carlos Catalá as the town of San Eugenio del Cuareim. On 5 September 1884 it became capital of the department. It was renamed Artigas and its status was elevated from villa (town) to ciudad (city) on 31 August 1915.[1]

Economy

Artigas is a centre for trading grain crops (primarily maize) with Argentina and Brazil. The railroad station and, since 1973, airport are focused on this commerce.

The mountains in the area contain significant numbers of precious stones, especially agate and amethyst, which were first found in 1860, since when mining has taken place. Souvenirs and handicrafts made using these gem stones are produced in Artigas and exported widely.

Population

In 2011 Artigas had a population of 40,658.[2]

Year Population
1852 335
1908 8,857
1963 23,429
1975 29,256
1985 35,117
1996 40,244
2004 41,687
2011 40,658

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay[1]

Transportation

The city is served by Artigas International Airport.

Places of worship

  • San Eugenio del Cuareim, Artigas|St. Eugene of the Cuareim Parish Church (Roman Catholic)

Climate

Artigas has a humid subtropical climate, described by the Köppen climate classification as Cfa. Summers are warm to hot and winters are cool, with the occurrence of frosts and fog. The precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with an average of 1,293 mm (50.9 in),[citation needed] and the annual average temperature is around 19 °C (66 °F).[dubious ]


References

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External links