Artigas () is the capital of the Artigas Department of Uruguay. It is named after the national hero, José Gervasio Artigas, who fought for the emancipation of the River Plate, and sought to create a federative nation from these colonies. As of 2023, it is the eleventh most populous city in the country with a population of 43,897.
History Artigas was founded on 12 September 1852 by Don Carlos Catalá as a town under the name San Eugenio del Cuareim. On 5 September 1884 it became capital of the department. It was renamed Artigas and its status was elevated from villa (town) to ciudad (city) on 31 August 1915.
Economy Artigas is a centre for trading grain crops (primarily maize) with Argentina and Brazil. The railroad station and, since 1973, airport are focused on this commerce.
The hills in the area contain significant numbers of precious stones, especially agate and amethyst, which were first found in 1860, since when mining has taken place. Souvenirs and handicrafts made using these gem stones are produced in Artigas and exported widely.
IUGS geological heritage site In respect of it being 'the site of world-class amethyst deposits, where the largest amethyst-filled giant geodes were ever found', the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) included the 'Deposits of Amethyst of Los Catalanes Gemological District' in its assemblage of 100 'geological heritage sites' around the world in a listing published in October 2022. The organisation defines an IUGS Geological Heritage Site as 'a key place with geological elements and/or processes of international scientific relevance, used as a reference, and/or with a substantial contribution to the development of geological sciences through history.'
Population In 2011 Artigas had a population of 40,658. Year Population 1852 335 1908 8,857 1963 23,429 1975 29,256 1985 35,117 1996 40,244 2004 41,687 2011 40,658 2023 43,897 Source: National Statistics Institute
Geography The city is located on Uruguay's border with Brazil. It is separated from the Brazilian town of Quaraí, Rio Grande do Sul, by a river. Quaraí is accessible from Artigas by bridge. It is the farthest city from Uruguay's capital Montevideo, being away.
Climate Artigas has a humid subtropical climate, described by the Köppen climate classification as Cfa. Summers are warm to hot and winters are cool, with the occurrence of frosts and fog. The precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with an average of roughly , and the annual average temperature is around .
Transportation The city uses Artigas International Airport.
Consular representation Brazil has a Vice-consulate in Artigas.
Places of worship San Eugenio del Cuareim, Artigas|St. Eugene of the Cuareim Parish Church (Roman Catholic)
Notable people Adelia Silva (1925–2004), educator and writer who had a significant role in elevating the civil rights of black people in Uruguay. Darwin Núñez (born 1999), footballer Pablo Aurrecochea (born 1981), footballer Agustín Da Silveira (born 2000), footballer
References
External links
INE map of Artigas, Pintadito, Cerro Ejido, Cerro Signorelli and Cerro San Eugenio