Rivera Department | |||
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Location of Rivera Department & its capital | |||
Coordinates (Rivera): 30°54′S 55°33′W / 30.900°S 55.550°W | |||
Country | Uruguay | ||
Capital of Department | Rivera | ||
Government | |||
• Intendant | Marne Osorio | ||
• Ruling party | Partido Colorado | ||
Area | |||
• Total | 9,370 km2 (3,620 sq mi) | ||
Population (2011 census) | |||
• Total | 103,493 | ||
• Density | 11/km2 (29/sq mi) | ||
Demonym(s) | Riverense | ||
Time zone | UYT (UTC-3) | ||
ISO 3166 code | UY-RV | ||
Website | rivera |
Rivera Department is a department of the northern region of Uruguay. It has an area of 9,370 km2 (3,620 sq mi) and a population of 103,493. Its capital is the city of Rivera. It borders Brazil to the north and east, Cerro Largo Department to the southeast, Tacuarembó Department to the south and west and Salto Department to the northwest.
The first division of the Republic in six departments happened in 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 in three parts. In the new division, the Tacuarembó Department included also the actual department of Rivera, until it was split from it in 1884.
On 7 May 1862 the village Pueblo de Ceballos was created, in honour of the Spanish viceroy Pedro de Cevallos. In July 1867 it took on the official name "Rivera". The Brazilian town Santana do Livramento already existed just across the border. On 1 October 1884, it became capital of the newly formed Department of Rivera by the Act of Ley Nº 1.757.
Along the eastern borders of the department with Cerro Largo Department flows Río Negro, with its tributaries flowing through the easternmost part of the department. From north to south, these are: Arroyo San Luis, which forms part of its border with Brazil, Arroyo del Hospital with its tributary Arroyo Blanco and Arroyo Ceibal.
The western part of its southern border with Tacuarembó Department is formed by Río Tacuarembó, with its tributaries flowing through most of the department. From west to east, these are: Arroyo Rubio Chico, Arroyo Laureles which also forms part of the southern border of the department, Arroyo Cuñapirú with its tributaries Arroyo Batoví, Arroyo Mangueras, Arroyo de los Médanos, Arroyo Corrales and Arroyo Zapucay, Arroyo Yaguarí with its tributary Arroyo Carpintería, and Arroyo Caraguatá with its tributary Arroyo Coronilla.
At the northwest end of the department reaches the hill range Cuchilla de Haedo from the south turning into the Cuchilla Negra hill range, with the hill Cerro de los Peludos between them. Along the borders with Brazil, to the north, runs the hill range Cuchilla de Santa Ana. In the middle of the department is the hill Cerro de la Cruz, while on its eastern end are the hills Cerro del Hospital and Cerro Bonito.