Las Piedras, Uruguay
Encyclopedia
Las Piedras is a city in the Canelones Department
of Uruguay
. It is located on the east side of Route 5
, 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) north of the border with Montevideo Department
. Bordering La Paz
to the south and Montevideo
to the southeast, it belongs to the wider metropolitan area of Montevideo. The stream Arroyo de Las Piedras flows by the city.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay Its status was elevated to "City" category on 15 May 1925 by decree Ley No. 7.837.
Battle of Las Piedras, 1811
On May 18, 1811 the Uruguayan
independence leader don José Gervasio Artigas
led patriot forces to victory against Spain
at the Battle of Las Piedras
. While not the definitive event in the country's independence process, it marked a significant step towards the eventual establishment of an independent Uruguay
.
Canelones Department
The Canelones Department , with an area of and 485,240 inhabitants, is located to the south of Uruguay. Its capital is Canelones.-Geography and climate:...
of 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 the east side 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...
, 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) north of the border with Montevideo Department
Montevideo Department
Montevideo is a department of Uruguay.It is by far the smallest one in area, and the most populated as well. It contains the city of Montevideo, capital of Uruguay. While most of the department is covered by the capital city, there are still smaller towns within its limits, e.g...
. Bordering La Paz
La Paz, Uruguay
La Paz is a small city in the Canelones Department, southern Uruguay. It is located east of Route 5 on the border with Montevideo Department. It belongs to the wider Montevideo Metropolitan Area.- History :...
to the south and 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...
to the southeast, it belongs to the wider metropolitan area of Montevideo. The stream Arroyo de Las Piedras flows by the city.
Population
According to the 2004 census, it had a population of 69,220 inhabitants.| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 41,921 |
| 1975 | 53,331 |
| 1985 | 58,283 |
| 1996 | 66,584 |
| 2004 | 69,220 |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay Its status was elevated to "City" category on 15 May 1925 by decree Ley No. 7.837.
History
Las Piedras was founded in 1744.Battle of Las Piedras, 1811
On May 18, 1811 the Uruguayan
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...
independence leader don José Gervasio Artigas
José Gervasio Artigas
José Gervasio Artigas is a national hero of Uruguay, sometimes called "the father of Uruguayan nationhood".-Early life:Artigas was born in Montevideo on June 19, 1764...
led patriot forces to victory against Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
at the Battle of Las Piedras
Battle of Las Piedras
The Battle of Las Piedras was fought on May 18, 1811 as part of the Uruguayan struggle for independence.-Background and development of events:...
. While not the definitive event in the country's independence process, it marked a significant step towards the eventual establishment of an independent 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...
.