Ciudad de la Costa is a city in

Canelones Department The Departamento de Canelones ( es, Departamento de Canelones; ) is one of the 19 uruguayan departments. With an area of and 518,154 inhabitants, it is located in the south of Uruguay. Its capital is Canelones. Geography and climate Neighbou ...

Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...

, on the banks of the

Río de la Plata The Río de la Plata (, "river of silver"), also called the River Plate or La Plata River in English, is the estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River at Punta Gorda. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean and fo ...

between the streams Arroyo Carrasco and Arroyo Pando. It is considered an extension of the metropolitan area of

Montevideo Montevideo () is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2011 census, the city proper has a population of 1,319,108 (about one-third of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...

which it borders to the west, while to the east it borders

Costa de Oro Costa de Oro is a long group of resort towns and beaches in Canelones Department, Uruguay, east of the Ciudad de la Costa. Salto. Ciudad de la Costa is also the name of the municipality to which the city belongs, but which does not include the area of

Barra de Carrasco Barra de Carrasco is a residential neighbourhood and resort of Ciudad de la Costa in Canelones, Uruguay. Its name means "mouth of the Carrasco Creek". Location It is located adjacent to Carrasco, an eastern neighbourhood (barrio) of Montevideo ...

History

The area, characterized by a sandy beach 16 km long, was known as "Rincón de Carrasco" during the 19th century. It was populated gradually during the 20th century, forming a series of resorts starting from Barra de Carrasco in the west, up to El Pinar in the east. The various resorts became characterized by a high floating population that inhabited the area only in summer or on weekends, while most of the permanent population worked in Montevideo. The abundance of sandy soils made possible the existence of multiple sand pits, which gave rise to the various lakes that characterize the area. Some lakes are used for bathing and water sports, while others are not suitable for these applications and, instead, act as a refuge for many species of birds and animals.

Climate

Ciudad de la Costa has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

typical of the region, with warm to hot and wet summers and mild winters with relatively evenly distributed precipitation year-round.

Population

Since the 1980s there was an explosive growth of population due to an expansive process of Montevideo. According to the census of 1996, its population reached 66,402 inhabitants, 92.6% more than in 1985. The various resorts began to merge to form a unit that actually led to its declaration as a city. The growth in subsequent years has continued at a slower pace. At the census of 2004, the population was 83,888 inhabitants, 28.8% more than in 1996. The coastal city is the largest satellite town of the metropolitan area and the third largest city in

. In 2010, the ''Intendencia de Canelones'' recorded a population of 79,412 for the municipality during the elections. The census 2011 results show a total population of 95,176 inhabitants. This number reflects the total sum of the neighborhoods that belong to the municipality. The Instituto Nacional de Estadística, however, has posted some more areas, outside the municipality, as parts of Ciudad de la Costa, a detailed count of which is given in a separate table below. Were these areas to be counted in, the population would rise to 112,447, making it thus the second largest city of Uruguay. There are no other official sources supporting this count, however, leaving Salto as the second city in terms of population. The population growth has not been accompanied by an adequate development of infrastructure services, so that much of the city lacks public sanitation and many roads are often impassable during rainy periods. Despite these difficulties, the Ciudad de la Costa is now a commercial and tourist centre of importance in the country. The

Carrasco International Airport Carrasco/General Cesáreo L. Berisso International Airport is the main international airport of Uruguay. It is the country's largest airport and is located in the Carrasco, Montevideo, Carrasco neighborhood of Montevideo. It has been cited as ...

is located north of the city, and Autodromo Victor Borrat Fabini to the east.

Coastal resorts of Ciudad de la Costa

Population of the resorts according to 2011 census. The area of Lomas de Solymar also contains Parque de Solymar, Montes de Solymar and Médanos de Solymar. Postal code 15007 has been assigned to Médanos de Solymar.

Other entities part of Ciudad de la Costa (city)

The 2011 census results mention the following non-coastal censual areas as parts of Ciudad de la Costa. These areas do not belong to the municipality of Ciudad de la Costa. See section Population above.

Landmarks

North of the

Ruta Interbalnearia Ruta Interbalnearia (which means Inter-resort Route) or Ruta Líber Seregni is a national route of Uruguay. It connects Montevideo with Punta del Este to the east along the coast. The road is approximately in length. It is marked on maps and si ...

there is a private cemetery, Parque del Recuerdo.