Flores Department
| Flores Department | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|||
 |
|||
| Coordinates (Trinidad): 33°32′S 56°53′W / 33.533°S 56.883°W | |||
| Country |
 Uruguay
|
||
| Capital of Department | Trinidad | ||
| Government | |||
| • Intendant | Armando Castaingdebat | ||
| • Ruling party | Partido Nacional | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 5,144 km2 (1,986 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2011 census) | |||
| • Total | 25,050 | ||
| • Density | 4.9/km2 (13/sq mi) | ||
| Demonym(s) | Poronguero | ||
| Time zone | UYT (UTC-3) | ||
| ISO 3166 code | UY-FS | ||
| Website | www |
||
Flores is a department of Uruguay, positioned in the southwest of the central part of the country. Its capital is Trinidad. It borders Durazno Department to the north and east, Florida Department to the southeast, San José Department to the south and Soriano Department to the west. Its density of population was the lowest during the 2011 census, closely followed by the departments of Durazno and Treinta y Tres.
The department was formed in 1885 from part of San José Department, during the government of President Máximo Santos. It is named after the former Colorado Party leader, Venancio Flores, who was born in Trinidad in the nineteenth century.
The department has many sites of prehistoric rock art. Such examples of rock art are particularly concentrated at Chamangá (Localidad Rupestre de Chamangá).
Another site of interest is the Palace Cave.
Outside Trinidad, Flores is agricultural, primarily raising cattle for export and sheep for wool and Gauchos, the South American cowboys, can still be seen riding the plains. There are many active ranches (Spanish: estancias), some of which can be visited by tourists.
However, Flores keeps its traditions whilst utilising the best of modern technology. For example, horses are frequently used for round-ups, but communications are all digital, and wireless internet is available throughout the department.
Over 100 species of birds can be found in Flores. For example, rufous horneros, with their oven-like nests, can be seen sitting atop fence posts. Huge colonies of green parrots' nests hang high in the tall eucalyptus. Southern lapwings, locally known as teros, burrowing owls, and elegant-crested tinamou nest in open fields while long wing harriers, gray eagles, and hawks soar high above. Some of the largest great kiskadees are extremely common as are the guira, a type of cuckoo. Along quiet country lanes giant wood rails, pink spoonbills and kingfishers can be seen, alongside flocks of ibis and white egrets in the pastures. Red headed cardinals, both orange throated and red necked woodpeckers, and scissor-tailed nightjars can be seen in the small stands of trees that dot the countryside. Long, split tailed flycatchers zip above the rich grass around twilight. Glittering-bellied emerald hummingbirds drink from the tall purple flowers that carpet the fields from Spring until Fall.
...
Wikipedia