# Salto Department

Salto Department (Spanish pronunciation:) is a department of the northwestern region of Uruguay. It has an area of 14,163 km$^2$ (5,468 sq mi) and a population of 124,878. Its capital is the city of Salto. It borders Artigas Department to its north, Paysandú Department to its south, the departments of Rivera and Tacuarembó to its east and has the Río Uruguay flowing at its west, separating it from Argentina.

## History

The first division of the Republic in six departments happened on 27 January 1816. Two more departments were formed later in that year. At the time, Paysandú Department included all the territory north of the Río Negro, which included the actual departments of Artigas, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Salto, Paysandú and Río Negro. On 17 June 1837 a new division of Uruguay was made and the department of Salto was created including the actual Artigas Department. Its final borders were defined on 1 October 1884, when the Artigas Department was separated from Salto by the Act of Ley Nº 1854.

## Demographics

Ethnic groups in Salto (2011 est.) :
| Ethnic groups | Ethnic groups | Percent | Percent |
| White | White | 85.1% | 85.1% |
| Black | Black | 9.5% | 9.5% |
| Indigenous | Indigenous | 6.1% | 6.1% |
| Asian | Asian | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| None/Other/Unspecified | None/Other/Unspecified | 4.5% | 4.5% |
At the 2011 census, Salto Department had a population of 124,878 (61,071 male and 63,807 female) and 42,486 households.
Demographic data for Salto Department in 2010:
* Population growth rate: 0.552%
* Birth Rate: 17.32 births/1,000 people
* Death Rate: 8.26 deaths/1,000 people
* Average age: 29.0 (27.6 male, 30.3 female)
* Life Expectancy at Birth:
** Total population: 75.03 years
** Male: 72.07 years
** Female: 78.20 years
* Average per household income: 23,390 pesos/month
* Urban per capita income: 8,409 pesos/month
2010 Data Source:
| Main Urban Centres | Other towns and villages |
| Population given according to the 2011 census. ||
| City / TownPopulation Salto104,028 Constitución2,762 Belén1,926 Colonia Lavalleja (Migliaro+Lluveras)956 (733+223) San Antonio877 | Town / VillagePopulation Colonia 18 de Julio750 Albisu544 Rincón de Valentín481 Colonia Itapebí460 Termas del Daymán356 Garibaldi354 Biassini345 |
| Rural population ||
| According to the preliminary results of the 2011 census, Salto department has a rural population of 7,849. ||

## Government

The executive power is exercised by the Intendencia Municipal de Salto. The Intendant is elected every five years with the possibility of reelection.
The following Municipalities have been formed in Salto Department:
* Constitución
* Belén
* Rincón de Valentín
* Colonia Lavalleja
* San Antonio
* Mataojo

## Tourism

There are Mineral spas at Termas del Daymán and Termas del Arapey. The displays in Museo del Hombre y la Tecnología demonstrate man's interaction with technology.

## Notable people

* Horacio Quiroga (1878-1937) storyteller, playwright and poet. Famous for his work Tales of Love, Madness, and Death. He commit suicide by drinking a glass of cyanide in a Buenos Aires' Hospital by the age of 58 years old.
* Irineo Leguisamo, one of the foremost South American jockeys of the 20th century
* Rafael Addiego Bruno, President of Uruguay in 1985 as an interim measure, born in Salto.
* Edinson Cavani, Football player, The second top goalscorer of Uruguay national football team.
* Luis Suárez, Football player. The top goalscorer of Uruguay national football team.