Paysandú Department

The **Paysandú department** () is a department of Uruguay. The capital is the city of Paysandú.

Its ISO 3166-2 code  is **UY-PA**.

## Geography

The Paysandú department is in the western part of Uruguay, along the Uruguay river. It has an area of , the third largest department in the country, after the Tacuarembó and Salto departments. The population is 113,124 inhabitants (2011 census) for a population density of  inhabitants/km<small>2</small>.

There are two chains of low hills in the department. These chains of low and rounded hills are named _cuchillas_ in the country. The two _cuchillas_ in the department are _cuchilla de Queguay_ to the northwest, and _cuchilla de Haedo_ to the southeast.

There is one protected area in the department: _Montes del Queguay_ (); it is around the confluence of the Queguay Grande and Queguay Chico rivers.

### Rivers

The main rivers in the department are:
- Uruguay, to the west and that forms the border with Argentina; and
- Queguay Grande, a tributary of the Uruguay river that flows through the department from East to West.

### Climate

The Köppen climate classification type for the climate in Paysandú is a "Humid subtropical climate" and of the subtype **Cfa**.

The average amount of precipitation for the year in Paysandú is . The month with the most precipitation on average is March with  of precipitation. The month with the least precipitation on average is May with an average of .

The average temperature for the year in Paysandú is . The warmest month, on average, is January with an average temperature of . The coolest month on average is June, with an average temperature of .

## Demographics

The inhabitants of the Paysandú department (and of the city of Paysandú) are known, in Spanish, as _Sanduceros_.

**Evolution of the population in Paysandú**

- **Rural population**
According to the 2011 census, the Paysandú department has a rural population of 4,364.

- **Main towns**

|City / Town||Population <small>(2011)</small>|
| --- | --- | --- |
|Paysandú|76,412||
|Nuevo Paysandú|8,578||
|Guichón|5,039||
|Chacras de Paysandú|3,965||
|Quebracho|2,853||
|San Félix|1,718||
|Porvenir|1,159||
|Tambores|1,111||
|Piedras Coloradas|1,094||

## Related pages

- Departments of Uruguay
- ISO 3166-2:UY

## Other websites

- Intendencia Departamental de Paysandú website
- Statoids - Departments of Uruguay
- Enciclopedia Geográfica del Uruguay: Paysandú

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Paysandú
- **type**: Departments of Uruguay, Department
- **image skyline**: Paysandú - Puerto 3.jpg
- **image alt**: Old port facilities in Paysandú (customs office).
- **image caption**: Old Customs, custom office in the old port in Paysandú.
- **image flag**: Flag of Paysandú Department.svg
- **image shield**: Coat of arms of Paysandú Department.png
- **shield size**: 75px
- **image map**: Paysandu in Uruguay.svg
- **map caption**: Location of Paysandú, in red, in Uruguay
- **subdivision type**: Country
- **established title**: Creation
- **established date**: 27 January 1816
- **seat type**: Capital city, Capital
- **seat**: Paysandú
- **leader title**: Intendant
- **leader name**: Guillermo Caraballo
- **unit pref**: Metric
- **area total km2**: 13922
- **population total**: 113124
- **population as of**: 2011
- **population density km2**: auto
- **timezone1**: UYT
- **utc offset1**: -03
- **iso code**: ISO 3166-2:UY, UY-PA
- **website**: [http://www.paysandu.gub.uy/ Official website]