Tacuarembó
Encyclopedia
Tacuarembó is the capital city of the Tacuarembó Department
in north-central Uruguay
. It is located on Km. 390 of Route 5
, 113 kilometres (70.2 mi) south-southwest of Rivera
, the capital city of the Rivera Department
. Routes 26 and 31 also meet Route 5 within the city limits. The stream Arroyo Tacuarembó Chico, a tributary of Río Tacuarembó, flows through the north part of the city.
ordered the creation of a city in the region. The task was entrusted to the President's brother, Colonel Bernabé Rivera
.
Colonel Rivera left Montevideo
on a three-month journey with a caravan of wagons and families, towards the shore of the Tacuaremboty River, which in the Guaraní language
means "river of the reeds". The area was surveyed and divided into blocks for settlement. On January 21, 1832, Coronel Rivera founded the town under the name "San Fructuoso", after Saint Fructuosus of Tarragona
(whose Saint's Day
is January 21).
By 1837, San Fructuoso was a growing town. It had more than 500 residents, a justice of the peace, a military commander, a parish priest, a mayor, and a Public Works Commission. On June 16, the Tacuarembó Department
was created (along with Salto
and Paysandú
), and San Fructuoso was named the capital.
Over time, the community continued to grow. On June 17, 1912, San Fructuoso was elevated to city status and changed its name to "Tacuarembó".
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay
, described by the Köppen climate classification
as Cfa. Summers are warm to hot and winters are cool, with frequent frost
s and fog
. The precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with an average of 1,165 mm (45.87 in), and the annual average temperature is 18 °C (64.4 °F).
, Mario Benedetti
, Tomás de Mattos
,and Jorge Majfud
are from Tacuarembó, as is José Núñez
, 19th century Nicaraguan politician. Tango musician Carlos Gardel
purportedly was born near Tacuarembó, in the village of Valle Edén.
Tacuarembó Department
Tacuarembó is the largest department of Uruguay. Its capital is Tacuarembó.-Population and Demographics:As of the census of 2004, there were 90,489 people and 28,054 households in the department. The average household size was 3.2...
in north-central Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
. It is located on Km. 390 of Route 5
Route 5 (Uruguay)
Route 5 is a national route of Uruguay. In 1975, it was assigned the name Brigadier General Fructuoso Rivera, a national hero of Uruguay. It is one of the most important highways in country, along with Route 3, connecting Montevideo in the south with Rivera in the north and passing through the...
, 113 kilometres (70.2 mi) south-southwest of Rivera
Rivera
Rivera is the capital of Rivera Department of Uruguay. It is located at the north end of Route 5, on the border with Brazil. The Brazilian city of Santana do Livramento is right across the border, only a street away of it...
, the capital city of the Rivera Department
Rivera Department
Rivera is a department of Uruguay. Its capital is Rivera.- History :The Battle of Masoller, a noteworthy event in Uruguayan history, was fought on September 1, 1904; Masoller is situated on the boundary between the departments of Artigas and Salto, close to the Brazilian border.-Population and...
. Routes 26 and 31 also meet Route 5 within the city limits. The stream Arroyo Tacuarembó Chico, a tributary of Río Tacuarembó, flows through the north part of the city.
History
On October 24, 1831, a presidential degree by Fructuoso RiveraFructuoso Rivera
José Fructuoso Rivera y Toscana was an Uruguayan general and patriot who assisted in the efforts to force Brazilians out of the Banda Oriental.-Founder of Colorado Party and President of Uruguay:...
ordered the creation of a city in the region. The task was entrusted to the President's brother, Colonel Bernabé Rivera
Bernabé Rivera
Bernabé Rivera is a small town in the Artigas Department of northern Uruguay. It is located around north of Route 30 and around west-northwest of the city of Artigas. It is situated south of the hill Cuchilla del Yacaré and north of the stream Arroyo Tres Cruces.Its status became elevated to...
.
Colonel Rivera left Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
on a three-month journey with a caravan of wagons and families, towards the shore of the Tacuaremboty River, which in the Guaraní language
Guaraní language
Guaraní, specifically the primary variety known as Paraguayan Guaraní , is an indigenous language of South America that belongs to the Tupí–Guaraní subfamily of the Tupian languages. It is one of the official languages of Paraguay , where it is spoken by the majority of the population, and half of...
means "river of the reeds". The area was surveyed and divided into blocks for settlement. On January 21, 1832, Coronel Rivera founded the town under the name "San Fructuoso", after Saint Fructuosus of Tarragona
Fructuosus
Saint Fructuosus of Tarragona was a bishop and Christian saint and martyr, the outstanding name in the early history of Christianity in Hispania. He was bishop of Tarragona and was arrested during the persecutions of Christians under the Roman Emperor Valerian . Along with him were two deacons,...
(whose Saint's Day
Calendar of saints
The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the feast day of said saint...
is January 21).
By 1837, San Fructuoso was a growing town. It had more than 500 residents, a justice of the peace, a military commander, a parish priest, a mayor, and a Public Works Commission. On June 16, the Tacuarembó Department
Tacuarembó Department
Tacuarembó is the largest department of Uruguay. Its capital is Tacuarembó.-Population and Demographics:As of the census of 2004, there were 90,489 people and 28,054 households in the department. The average household size was 3.2...
was created (along with Salto
Salto Department
Salto Department is a department of Uruguay. Its capital is Salto.-Population and Demographics:As of the census of 2004, there were 123,120 people and 34,441 households in the department. The average household size was 3.5...
and Paysandú
Paysandú Department
Paysandú Department is a department of Uruguay. Its capital is Paysandú. Its name origin is debated but is likely to be of charrua origin.The fertile soils of Paysandú have encouraged much agricultural development. Livestock raising is one of the principal agricultural activities, with cattle...
), and San Fructuoso was named the capital.
Over time, the community continued to grow. On June 17, 1912, San Fructuoso was elevated to city status and changed its name to "Tacuarembó".
Population
In 2004, Tacuarembó had a population of 51,224.| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 41,521 |
| 1975 | 37,692 |
| 1985 | 40,511 |
| 1996 | 45,891 |
| 2004 | 51,224 |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay
Climate
Tacuarembó has a humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
, described by the Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
as Cfa. Summers are warm to hot and winters are cool, with frequent frost
Frost
Frost is the solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below the dew point of the adjacent air as well as below the freezing point of water. Frost crystals' size differ depending on time and water vapour available. Frost is also usually...
s and fog
Fog
Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
. The precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with an average of 1,165 mm (45.87 in), and the annual average temperature is 18 °C (64.4 °F).
Notable residents
Writers Circe MaiaCirce Maia
-Works:Maia has published poetry and translations.Among her better known works are an English-Spanish bilingual compilation of her poems, 'Yesterday a Eucalyptus', Amersham, UK: Brindin Press, 2001.Other of her poetry publications include:...
, Mario Benedetti
Mario Benedetti
Mario Benedetti was an Uruguayan journalist, novelist, and poet....
, Tomás de Mattos
Tomás de Mattos
Tomás de Mattos Hernández is a Uruguayan writer and librarian. Being from Tacuarembó, de Mattos is one of the relatively few contemporary Uruguayan writers from the north of the country....
,and Jorge Majfud
Jorge Majfud
-Life:He was born in Tacuarembó, Uruguay. He majored in and in 1996 graduated from the in Montevideo. He travelled extensively to gather material that would later become part of his novels and essays, and was a professor at the of Costa Rica and at , where he taught art and mathematics.In 2003...
are from Tacuarembó, as is José Núñez
José Núñez
José Núñez, born in Tacuarembó, was the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 6th President of Nicaragua from 10 March 1834 to 23 April 1835, from 25 January 1837 to January 1838, from 13 March 1838 to 1838 and from 17 November 1838 to 23 April 1839, respectively...
, 19th century Nicaraguan politician. Tango musician Carlos Gardel
Carlos Gardel
Carlos Gardel was a singer, songwriter and actor, and is perhaps the most prominent figure in the history of tango. He was born in Toulouse, France, although he never acknowledged his birthplace publicly, and there are still claims of his birth in Uruguay. He lived in Argentina from the age of two...
purportedly was born near Tacuarembó, in the village of Valle Edén.