Mercedes La Hermosa del Sur | |
|---|---|
Capital city | |
 Plaza Independencia | |
  Mercedes Location in Uruguay | |
| Coordinates:33°15′0″S58°2′0″W / 33.25000°S 58.03333°W /-33.25000; -58.03333 | |
| Country |  Uruguay |
| Department |  Soriano |
| Founded | 1788 |
| Area | |
• Total | 24.6 km2 (9.5 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 26 m (85 ft) |
| Population (2023 Census) | |
• Total | 43,543 |
| • Density | 1,770/km2 (4,580/sq mi) |
| • Demonym | mercedario-a |
| Time zone | UTC -3 |
| Postal code | 75000 |
| Dial plan | +598 453 (+5 digits) |
| Climate | Cfa |
Mercedes (Spanish pronunciation:[meɾˈseðes]) is the capital and largest city of thedepartment ofSoriano inUruguay. According to the census 2011, it is the tenth most populated city of the country.
Mercedes is an important centre of tourism, commerce and a commercial port. Its main industries are based on agriculture, dairy products, paper manufacturing and industrial activities. Itsrambla (riverside promenade) is one of the widest in the country.
Mercedes was founded in 1788 by the priest Manuel Antonio de Castro y Careaga with the name ofCapilla Nueva de las Mercedes. It had acquired the status of "Villa" (town) before the Independence of Uruguay. On 6 July 1857, its status was elevated to "Ciudad" (city) and it was designated as capital of Soriano, one of the nine original departments of the Republic at the time, by the Act of Law Nº 531. Previously, the capital of the department wasVilla Soriano.[1]
In 2023, it had a population of about 43,543[2]
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1908 | 15,667 |
| 1963 | 31,325 |
| 1975 | 34,518 |
| 1985 | 36,701 |
| 1996 | 39,320 |
| 2004 | 42,032 |
| 2011 | 41,174 |
| 2023 | 43,543 |
Source:Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay[1]
The city is located on the junction ofRoute 2 with Route 14, and is situated on the south bank of theRío Negro. Also Route 21 fromColonia del Sacramento ofColonia Department terminates in this city.
| Climate data for Mercedes, Uruguay (1991–2020, extremes 1941–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 42.8 (109.0) | 41.6 (106.9) | 40.0 (104.0) | 36.0 (96.8) | 32.2 (90.0) | 30.2 (86.4) | 30.5 (86.9) | 33.3 (91.9) | 36.1 (97.0) | 36.6 (97.9) | 39.7 (103.5) | 42.0 (107.6) | 42.8 (109.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 31.5 (88.7) | 29.8 (85.6) | 28.0 (82.4) | 24.2 (75.6) | 20.3 (68.5) | 17.3 (63.1) | 16.6 (61.9) | 19.1 (66.4) | 20.8 (69.4) | 23.8 (74.8) | 27.4 (81.3) | 30.0 (86.0) | 24.1 (75.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 24.7 (76.5) | 23.5 (74.3) | 21.7 (71.1) | 18.0 (64.4) | 14.5 (58.1) | 11.8 (53.2) | 10.9 (51.6) | 12.8 (55.0) | 14.5 (58.1) | 17.5 (63.5) | 20.6 (69.1) | 23.1 (73.6) | 17.8 (64.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 17.9 (64.2) | 17.2 (63.0) | 15.3 (59.5) | 11.7 (53.1) | 8.7 (47.7) | 6.1 (43.0) | 5.3 (41.5) | 6.5 (43.7) | 8.2 (46.8) | 11.2 (52.2) | 13.7 (56.7) | 16.2 (61.2) | 11.5 (52.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 5.0 (41.0) | 5.3 (41.5) | 2.2 (36.0) | −1.3 (29.7) | −4.5 (23.9) | −8.2 (17.2) | −7.6 (18.3) | −5.0 (23.0) | −5.6 (21.9) | −3.5 (25.7) | 0.4 (32.7) | 3.0 (37.4) | −8.2 (17.2) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 133.1 (5.24) | 123.8 (4.87) | 134.2 (5.28) | 116.9 (4.60) | 78.9 (3.11) | 68.0 (2.68) | 61.1 (2.41) | 70.7 (2.78) | 78.5 (3.09) | 120.9 (4.76) | 96.8 (3.81) | 131.5 (5.18) | 1,214.4 (47.81) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 72 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 64 | 69 | 72 | 76 | 78 | 80 | 77 | 74 | 72 | 72 | 68 | 63 | 72 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 293.0 | 243.6 | 244.4 | 180.2 | 168.3 | 139.3 | 160.1 | 188.7 | 200.6 | 224.8 | 262.0 | 272.6 | 2,577.6 |
| Source 1:Instituto Uruguayo de Metereología[3][4][5] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2:NOAA (precipitation and sun 1991–2020),[6] Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (humidity 1980–2009)[7] | |||||||||||||
Mercedes was one of the host cities of the official1967 Basketball World Cup.
Capital:Mercedes | ||
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