Artigas Department

The Artigas Department stretches across 11,928 square kilometers of land, making it the fifth largest administrative region in Uruguay.

The department was established on October 1, 1884, from territory previously belonging to Salto Department and named after independence leader José Gervasio Artigas.

The population combines Uruguayan and Brazilian influences due to its border location, with a demographic composition of 82.8% white and 17% black residents.

The department maintains strong agricultural activities, focusing on grain crops, sugar cane cultivation, and fruit production, particularly in the Bella Unión region.

The region contains substantial amethyst deposits, with the largest amethyst geode in the world, the Empress of Uruguay, discovered here in 2007.

Inception: October 1, 1884

Capital city: Artigas

Elevation above the sea: 100 m

Part of: South America Midwest Integrated Zone

Shares border with: Salto Department, Rivera Department, Rio Grande do Sul, Corrientes Province

Website: http://artigas.gub.uy

GPS coordinates: -30.62417,-56.94500

Latest update: May 27, 2025 07:03