Paysandú Department () is a department of the northwestern region of

Uruguay Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of 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 the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...

. It has an area of and a population of 121,843. Its capital is the city of

Paysandú Paysandú () is the capital and most populous city of the Paysandú Department in western Uruguay. Located on the banks of the Uruguay River, it is the country's List of cities in Uruguay, fourth-largest city and a vital cultural and economic hu ...

. It borders

Salto Department Salto Department () is a Departments of Uruguay, department of the northwestern region of Uruguay. It has an area of about and a population of about 136,197. Its capital is the city of Salto, Uruguay, Salto. It borders Artigas Department to its n ...

to its north, Tacuarembó Department to its east,

Río Negro Department Río Negro Department (, ) is a department of the northwestern region of Uruguay. It has an area of and a population of 57,334. Its capital is Fray Bentos. It borders Paysandú Department to the north, Tacuarembó Department to the east, Durazno ...

to its south and has the Río Uruguay flowing at its west, separating it from

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

. The origin of its name is debated but is likely to be of

Charrúa The Charrúa are an Indigenous people or Indigenous Nation of the Southern Cone in present-day Uruguay and the adjacent areas in Argentina ( Entre Ríos) and Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul). They were a semi-nomadic people who sustained themselves ...

origin.

History

The first division of the Republic in six departments happened on 27 January 1816. Two more departments were formed later that year. At that time, Paysandú Department included all the territory north of the Río Negro, which included the actual departments of Artigas, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Salto, Paysandú, and Río Negro. On 17 June 1837, a new division of Uruguay was made and this territory was divided into three parts. In the new division, Paysandú Department included also the actual department of Río Negro, until it was split from it in 1868.

Demographics

As of the census of 2011, Paysandú Department had a population of 113,124 (55,361 male and 57,759 female) and 42,849 households. Demographic data for Paysandú Department in 2010: * Population growth rate: 0.250% * Birth Rate: 16.84 births/1,000 people * Death Rate: 8.34 deaths/1,000 people * Average age: 30.8 (29.1 male, 32.7 female) * Life Expectancy at Birth: ** Total population: 77.03 years ** Male: 73.78 years ** Female: 80.67 years * Average per household income: 24,543 pesos/month * Urban per capita income: 9,457 pesos/month ''2010 Data Source:'' :Rural population According to the 2011 census, Paysandú Department has an additional rural population of 4,364.

Economy

The fertile soils of Paysandú have encouraged much agricultural development. Livestock raising is one of the principal agricultural activities, with cattle being raised for both the dairy and beef industries alongside sheep for wool production. Market-gardening is also prominent with the cultivation of oranges and blueberries, whilst wheat, barley, sunflowers and soya beans are also produced. There is also a small fishing industry on the

Uruguay River The Uruguay River ( ; ) is a major river in South America. It flows from north to south and forms parts of the boundaries of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, separating some of the Argentine provinces of La Mesopotamia from the other two countr ...

. Tourism too, is important for the area. Ecotourism is gaining prominence especially in the Esteros de Farrapos National Park further down the river. In addition many farms provide accommodation and facilities for tourists visiting the area. Paysandú is home to a large brewery and hosts an annua
Semana de la Cerveza
(Beer week), a weeklong festival of music, arts, carnival type rides, and beer.

Map of the department

References

External links

INE map of Paysandú Department

Nuestra Terra, Colección Los Departamentos, Vol.11 "Paysandú"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paysandu Department Departments of Uruguay States and territories established in 1820