Paysandú


Paysandú is the capital of Paysandú Department in western Uruguay.

Location

The city is located on the banks of Uruguay River, which forms the border with Argentina. It lies northwest of Montevideo via Route 1 and Route 3, on the junction of the latter with Route 90. As of the census of 2011, it is the fourth most populated city of the country.
A small distance north of the city is the General Artigas Bridge that links Uruguay with the Entre Ríos Province of Argentina, south of the city Colón.

History

It was founded on October 1756 and had acquired the status of "Villa" before the Independence of Uruguay. On 8 June 1863, its status was elevated to "Ciudad" by the Act of Ley Nº 780.
General Leandro Gomez led Uruguayan forces to save the town from an invasion by Brazilian forces in 1864-5. A battle took place on 2 December 1864.

Population

In 2011 Paysandú had a population of 76,412. It is the fourth largest city in Uruguay, after Montevideo, Salto and Ciudad de la Costa.
YearPopulation
190820,953
196351,645
197562,199
198568,466
199674,568
200473,292
201176,412

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay
Paysandú is more cosmopolitan than most Uruguayan cities, with many settlers from Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Belgium and various African nations.

Climate

Paysandú has a humid subtropical climate, described by the Köppen climate classification as Cfa. Summers are warm to hot and winters are cool, with the occurrence of frosts and fog. The precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with an average of 1,181 mm, and the annual average temperature is around 19 °C.

Economy

The main industries in the city are Norteña brewery, Azucarlito, Paylana, and Paycuero. Paysandú is also the centre of plantation forest industry in Uruguay, with many companies involved in the planting and harvesting of Eucalyptus plantations.

Transportation

The city is served by Tydeo Larre Borges International Airport.

Recreation

Paysandú has some fine recreational beaches on the Uruguay River which have lifeguards during the summer. It is also home to many sporting clubs, including a rowing club, yacht club, and numerous others for football, rugby, hockey, tennis and polo.

Education

Previously the area had a German school, Deutsche Schule Paysandú.
Also the city has a Center of the University of the Republic.

Places of worship

Politicians