Salto, Uruguay

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Salto, Uruguay

Salto
—  Capital city  —
Uruguay Street, Salto Downtown
Salto is located in Uruguay
Salto
Location in Uruguay
Coordinates: 31°23′0″S 57°57′0″W / 31.383333°S 57.95°W / -31.383333; -57.95Coordinates: 31°23′0″S 57°57′0″W / 31.383333°S 57.95°W / -31.383333; -57.95
Country  Uruguay
Department Salto Department
Founded 1756
Population (2004)
 - Total 99,072
 - Demonym salteño
Time zone UTC -3
Postal code 50000
Area code(s) +598 473

Salto is the capital city of the Salto Department in northwestern Uruguay and the second largest city of the country. It is located on Route 3, about 496 kilometres (308 mi) northwest of Montevideo, and on the east bank of Río Uruguay, across the city Concordia of Argentina. About 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) north of city, the Salto Grande Bridge, built on top of the Salto Grande Dam, joins the two sides.

Contents

Population

In 2004, Salto had a population of 99,072.

Year Population
1963 57,975
1975 73,897
1985 80,821
1996 93,117
2004 99,072

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay

Transportation

Salto is connected to Montevideo by regular bus services and by the railroad track Montevideo - Salto - Artigas. Nueva Hesperides International Airport has scheduled connections with Montevideo, enabling easy access of tourists to the local thermal baths. There are plans to improve it and local business people are keen to see it expand, allowing freight (particularly fruit) to be shipped directly from the region.

Local features

Popular activities among young people include drinking mate (a herbal beverage), going dancing at night and crossing into Argentina to go shopping in Concordia on weekends.

One of the attractions are thermal pools which are located close to the city. They are kept at over 38 °C (100 F) around the year.

Salto is also known for its street Calle Uruguay, in which locals stroll during weekend nights to socialize and drink mate with friends.

Despite its many slum areas, Salto is considered one of the higher class areas of Uruguay for its various amenities that most of the country is lacking.

Noted local people

  • Uruguayan author Horacio Quiroga was born in this city in 1879.
  • Enrique Amorim was born here in 1900.
  • Pedro Virgilio Rocha, intercontinental champion, Peñarol F.C., was born in 1966.
  • Professional footballers Luis Alberto Suárez (Liverpool F.C.) and Edinson Cavani (SSC Napoli) were also born in Salto in 1987. They were both members of the Uruguay squad that achieved a fourth place finish at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
  • Association of Tennis Professionals Uruguayan No.1 Pablo Cuevas resides in Salto, though he was born in Argentina.

See also

  • List of diplomatic missions in Uruguay#Consulate in Salto

  1. ^ "2004 Census of Salto department" (XLS). INE. 2004. http://www.ine.gub.uy/fase1new/Salto/Cuadro7_15.XLS. Retrieved 8 July 2011. 
  2. ^ "1963–1996 Statistics / S" (DOC). Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay. 2004. http://www.ine.gub.uy/biblioteca/toponimico/TOPOletraS.doc. Retrieved 8 July 2011. 


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