San José de Mayo (Mayo ) is the capital city of the San José Department in southern Uruguay.

Geography

The city is located at the centre of the department, on the intersection of Route 3 with Route 11, 90 km from the centre of Montevideo. The railroad track connecting Montevideo with Colonia and with the northwest of the country passes through the city. The river Río San José flows along the northeastern and eastern limits of the city. Increased precipitation as a result of climate change and impermeabilization of the local land surfaces has made San José de Mayo more prone to flooding over the 1987–2017 period.

History

San José de Mayo was founded on 1 July 1783. It had acquired "Villa" (town) status before the Independence of Uruguay, which was elevated to "Ciudad" (city) on 12 July 1856 by the Act of Ley Nº 495. During the 19th century it became a commercial and cultural centre, known as "Montevideo chico" ("little Montevideo"). The theatre "Teatro Macció" was constructed at the turn of the 20th century.

Population

In 2011 San José de Mayo had a population of 36,743. Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay

Places of worship

Economy

Besides being the administrative capital of the department, the city is an active regional commercial and financial centre. Its economy is linked mainly to cattle ranching, and it is an agro-industrial centre for dairy products, packing houses, mills, and chemicals.

Notable residents