San José de Mayo (; Mayo ) is a city in the San José Department in southern Uruguay. Located on the banks of the San José River, it lies approximately northwest of Montevideo. It was founded in 1783 by Spanish colonialists, and later developed into an administrative and agricultural center in the region. Spread over an area of , it had a population of 38,553 inhabitants in 2023.
History San José de Mayo was founded on 1 June 1783 by Eusebio Vidal under orders from Viceroy Juan José de Vértiz y Salcedo. It is named after the San José River. The first settlers consisted of about 40 Spanish families, originating from mainland Spain, accompanied by several indigenous people and supplies. The inhabitants of the city became known as "maragatos" after the Maragatería region in Province of León. These settlers had colonized Patagonia before moving on to southern Uruguay, and later expanded into southern Brazil.
In the early 19th century, San José was a major center in the fight for independence against the Spanish. In 1811, people from San José participated in the revolt led by José Gervasio Artigas. The town served as the provisional capital in the fight against the Empire of Brazil in 1825. The Thirty-Three Orientals passed through San José during the campaign against the Portuguese forces. The Cathedral of San José de Mayo was built between 1857 and 1874.
Geography San José de Mayo is located on the banks of San Jose river, in the San José Department in southern Uruguay. It is spread over an area of . 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.
Demographics and economy In 2023, San José de Mayo had a population of 38,553 inhabitants. The population consisted of 18,436 males and 20,117 females. About 6,665 inhabitants (17.3%) were below the age of fourteen.
Year Population 1867 3,224 1908 12,297 1963 27,482 1975 28,554 1985 31,825 1996 34,552 2004 36,129 2011 36,743 2023 38,553 Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay
The city serves as a major agricultural and industrial centre in Southern Uruguay. Industries in San José include agricultural products, textiles and leather goods, furniture, and automobile parts
References
External links
INE map of San José de Mayo