Montevideo Department (Departamento de Montevideo)
Montevideo Department was one of the first departments created in the current territory of Uruguay, then Provincia Oriental. It was created on 27 January 1816 by Montevideo Cabildo's decree and approved by José Artigas on next 3 February, at the same time Maldonado, Soriano, Canelones, San José and Colonia departments were being created. This decree mentioned about its territory that it comprised "beyond the Capital's wall until the Peñarol line". This administrative subdivision Montevideo Department was part of, stayed with some differences performed during the Portuguese and Brazilian domain of the province as Cisplatina Province.
After the Oriental Province obtained its independence as Uruguay, the first Constitution drafted by the Constitutional Assembly was sworn, and its first article confirmed the existing nine departments, among them Montevideo. Years later, the General Assembly passed the Law no. 84 of 7 April 1835, with the power granted by article 17 part 9 of the Constitution (currently article 85), by which reinstated "to Montevideo Department the borders it was assigned during the original creation of departments". This law was further regulated by the decree of 28 August 1835, where it precisely defined where were the borders of Montevideo: the Santa Lucía river from its estuary in River Plate to the convergence with Las Piedras stream, and following this stream until its source at the Pereira hills. There, the border continues through the turn of the hills until the source of Toledo stream, and from there goes through the Toledo stream until the confluence with the Carrasco shoal (in the middle of Carrasco wetlands) and from there going through Carrasco stream until its mouth to the River Plate.
Map - Montevideo Department (Departamento de Montevideo)
Map
Country - Uruguay
Flag of Uruguay |
The area that became Uruguay was first inhabited by groups of hunter–gatherers 13,000 years ago. The predominant tribe at the moment of the arrival of Europeans was the Charrúa people, when the Portuguese first established Colónia do Sacramento in 1680; Uruguay was colonized by Europeans late relative to neighboring countries. The Spanish founded Montevideo as a military stronghold in the early 18th century because of the competing claims over the region. Uruguay won its independence between 1811 and 1828, following a four-way struggle between Portugal and Spain, and later Argentina and Brazil. It remained subject to foreign influence and intervention throughout the 19th century, with the military playing a recurring role in domestic politics. A series of economic crises and the political repression against left-wing guerrilla activity in the late 1960s and early 1970s put an end to a democratic period that had begun in the early 20th century, culminating in the 1973 coup d'état, which established a civic-military dictatorship. The military government persecuted leftists, socialists, and political opponents, resulting in deaths and numerous instances of torture by the military; the military relinquished power to a civilian government in 1985. Uruguay is today a democratic constitutional republic, with a president who serves as both head of state and head of government.
Currency / Language
ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
---|---|---|---|
UYU | Uruguayan peso | $ | 2 |
ISO | Language |
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ES | Spanish language |