Lavalleja Department

Lavalleja Department
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Minas within Lavalleja Department
Coordinates (Minas): 33°55′39″S 54°57′36″W
Country	Uruguay
Capital of Department	Minas
Government
• Intendant	Adriana Peña
• Ruling party	Partido Nacional
Area
• Total	10,016 km2 (3,867.2 sq mi)
Population (2004 census)
• Total	60,925
• Density	6.1/km2 (15.8/sq mi)
Demonym	Serrano
Time zone	UYT (UTC-3)
ISO 3166 code	UY-LA
Website	lavalleja.gub.uy

The Department of Lavalleja is a department of Uruguay. The capital is Minas. It is located in the southeast of the country, bordered to the north by the department of Treinta y Tres to the east with Rocha, to the south with Canelones and Maldonado, and to the west to Florida.

The department is named in honor of Brigadier Juan Antonio Lavalleja, who had distinguished military and political action in the country's independence.

History

The department was created on June 16, 1837, with part of Cerro Largo and Maldonado departments. It was first named as Minas. In March 1888, it was asked that the Chamber of Deputies raised the settlement hierarchy of the village of Minas to be a town and to change the department's name to Lavalleja. The first was approved. From then, and until December 26, 1927, when the name was changed to Lavalleja, widespread debates about the matter were held. There was political will to designate a department under the name of the head of the Liberation Crusade, but not at the expense of Minas, even considering creating a new department named Lavalleja, being rejected afterwards.

Population and Demographics

As of the census of 2004, there were 60,925 people and 20,737 households in the department. The average household size was 2.9. For every 100 females, there were 99.1 males.

• Population growth rate: -0.157% (2004)
• Birth Rate: 14.57 births/1,000 people (2004)
• Death Rate: 10.49 deaths/1,000 people
• Average age: 34.8 (33.5 Males, 36.1 Females)
• Life Expectancy at Birth (2004):
  • Total population: 76.01 years
  • Male: 71.87 years
  • Female: 80.31 years
• Average Family Size: 2.31 children/woman
• Urban per capita income (cities of 5,000 inhabitants or more): 4,316.8 pesos/month

Cities, towns and villages

Population stated as per 2004 census.

City / Town	Population
Minas	37,925
José Pedro Varela	5,332
Solís de Mataojo	2,676
José Batlle y Ordoñez	2.424
Mariscala	1,674
Pirarajá	967
Zapicán	640

Rural population

According to the 2004 census, Lavalleja department has an additional rural population of 8,033.

See also

• List of populated places in Uruguay#Lavalleja Department

External links

• INE map of Lavalleja Department