Río Negro Department | |||
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Location of Río Negro Department & its capital | |||
Coordinates (Fray Bentos): 33°8′S 58°18′W / 33.133°S 58.300°W | |||
Country | Uruguay | ||
Capital of Department | Fray Bentos | ||
Government | |||
• Intendant | Omar Lafluf | ||
• Ruling party | Partido Nacional | ||
Area | |||
• Total | 9,282 km2 (3,584 sq mi) | ||
Population (2011 census) | |||
• Total | 54,765 | ||
• Density | 5.9/km2 (15/sq mi) | ||
Demonym(s) | Rio negrense | ||
Time zone | UYT (UTC-3) | ||
ISO 3166 code | UY-RN | ||
Website | www |
Río Negro Department (Spanish: Departamento de Río Negro, Spanish pronunciation: [ˈri.o ˈneɣɾo]) is a department of the northwestern region of Uruguay. It has an area of 9,282 km2 (3,584 sq mi) and a population of 54,765. Its capital is Fray Bentos. It borders Paysandú Department to the north, Tacuarembó Department to the east, Durazno Department to the southeast, Soriano Department to the south and has the Río Uruguay flowing at its west, separating it from Argentina.
The first division of the Republic in six departments happened on 27 January 1816. Later in that year two more departments were formed. At the time, Paysandú Department included all the territory north of the Río Negro, which included the current 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 in three parts. In the new division, Paysandú Department also included the current department of Río Negro, until it was split from it in 1868.
The Río Negro flows along the southern border of the department, forming the natural border with the departments of Durazno to the southeast and Soriano to the south. Tributary streams (arroyos) to the Río Negro, flow through most of the department. From east to west, these are: Arroyo Salsipuedes Grande, which forms part of the border with Tacuarembó Department to the east, while its tributary Arroyo Juan Tomas forms a little part of the northeast border with Paysandú Department, Arroyo Tres Árboles with its tributary Arroyo Islas de Argüelles, Arroyo Rolón, Arroyo Grande, with its tributaries Arroyo de las Flores and Arroyo Averías Grande, Arroyo Don Esteban Grande, Arroyo Sanchez Grande, with its tributaries Arroyo Sanchez Chico and Arroyo Coladeras.