Colonia Department
Department of Uruguay
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Colonia (Spanish pronunciation: [koˈlonja] ⓘ) is a department of southwestern Uruguay. Its capital is Colonia del Sacramento, the country's second-oldest city.
Colonia Department | |
|---|---|
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Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Location of Colonia Department and its capital | |
| Coordinates (Colonia del Sacramento): 34°28′17″S 57°50′39″W | |
| Country |  Uruguay |
| Established | 1816 |
| Capital of Department | Colonia del Sacramento |
| Government | |
| • Intendant | Guillermo A. Rodríguez |
| • Ruling party | National[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 6,106 km2 (2,358 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 71 m (233 ft) |
| Population (2023 census) | |
• Total | 135,717 |
| • Density | 22.23/km2 (57.57/sq mi) |
| Demonym | colonienses |
| Time zone | UTC-3 (UYT) |
| ISO 3166 code | UY-CO |
| Website | www |
Geography
Climate
Colonia has an annual average temperature of 20.4 °C (68.7 °F). In winter it has an average temperature of 9 °C (48.2 °F) and in summer it has an average temperature of 27 °C (80.6 °F)
Economy
The southwestern region of Uruguay, where Colonia Department is located, is traditionally associated with dairy production.[2] The area contains production plants of several dairy companies, including the well-known Los Nietitos, Colonial, and La Positiva, as well as smaller producers.[3]
The PepsiCo plant located in Colonia del Sacramento, is one of the three largest worldwide, employing more than 2,000 people and serving the entire Latin American import market.[4] The plant operates under special economic zone legislation, and as of November 2019, has successfully approved an enlargement investment for $65 million.[5]
Its proximity to Buenos Aires makes it the main entry point for tourists traveling from Argentina to Uruguay. Tourism is also favored by part of the capital being a World Heritage Site.
Demographics
As of the census of 2023, Colonia Department has a population of 135,797.[7]
| Main Urban Centres | Other towns and villages | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Population stated as per 2011 census.[8] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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- Rural population
According to the 2011 census, Colonia department has an additional rural population of 11,471.[7]
