View source for Flores Department

{{short description|Department of Uruguay}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->| official_name      = Flores [[Departments of Uruguay|Department]]
| native_name        = 
| native_name_lang   = <!-- ISO 639-2 code e.g. "fr" for French. If more than one, use {{lang}} instead -->
| image_skyline      = 
| image_alt          = 
| image_caption      = 
| image_flag         = Flag of Flores Department.svg
| flag_size          = 105px
| image_shield       = Coat of arms of Flores Department.png
| shield_size        = 85px
| image_map          = 
| map_alt            = 
| map_caption        = Map of Flores Department
| pushpin_map        = Uruguay
| pushpin_image      = Uruguay_Flores_map.svg
| pushpin_label_position = none
| pushpin_map_alt    = 
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Flores Department and its capital
| coordinates        = {{coord|33|32|S|56|53|W|type:adm1st|display=inline}}
| coor_pinpoint      = [[Trinidad, Uruguay|Trinidad]]
| coordinates_footnotes = 
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|Uruguay}}
| established_title  = Inception
| established_date   = 1885
| founder            = 
| seat_type          = [[Capital (political)|Capital of Department]]
| seat               = [[Trinidad, Uruguay|Trinidad]]
| government_footnotes = 
| leader_party       = 
| leader_title       = [[Intendant]]
| leader_name        = [[Armando Castaingdebat]]
| leader_title1      = Ruling party
| leader_name1       = [[National Party (Uruguay)|Partido Nacional]]
| unit_pref          = Metric<!-- or US or UK -->
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_total_km2     = 5,144
| area_note          = 
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 106
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 26271
| population_as_of   = 2023&nbsp;census
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym = Poronguero
| population_note    = 
| timezone1          = UYT
| utc_offset1        = -3
| postal_code_type   = 
| postal_code        = 
| area_code_type     = 
| area_code          = 
| iso_code           = UY-FS
| website            = {{URL|http://www.imflores.gub.uy}}
| footnotes          = 
}}
'''Flores''' ({{IPA|es|ˈfloɾes}}) is a [[Departments of Uruguay|department]] of [[Uruguay]], positioned in the southwest of the central part of the country. Its capital is [[Trinidad, Uruguay|Trinidad]]. It borders [[Durazno Department]] to the north and east, [[Florida Department]] to the southeast, [[San José Department]] to the south and [[Soriano Department]] to the west. Its density of population was the lowest during the 2011 census, closely followed by the departments of Durazno and Treinta y Tres.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ine.gub.uy/censos2011/index.html |title=Censos 2011 (needs flash plugin) |date=2012 |publisher=INE |access-date=20 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112153208/http://www.ine.gub.uy/censos2011/index.html |archive-date=12 January 2012 }}</ref>

==History==
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2023}}
The department was formed in 1885 from part of San José Department, during the government of President [[Máximo Santos]]. It is named after the former [[Colorado Party (Uruguay)|Colorado Party]] leader, [[Venancio Flores]], who was born in Trinidad in the nineteenth century.

The department has many sites of prehistoric [[rock art]]. Such examples of rock art are particularly concentrated at [[Chamangá]] ([[Localidad Rupestre de Chamangá]]).

Another site of interest is the [[Palace Cave]].

==Economy==
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2023}}
Outside Trinidad, Flores is agricultural, primarily raising cattle for export and sheep for wool and [[Gaucho]]s, the [[South America]]n [[cowboy]]s, can still be seen riding the plains. There are many active ranches (Spanish: ''estancias''), some of which can be visited by tourists.

However, Flores keeps its traditions whilst utilising the best of modern technology. For example, horses are frequently used for round-ups, but communications are all digital, and wireless internet is available throughout the department.

==Fauna==
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2023}}
Over 100 species of birds can be found in Flores. For example, rufous [[hornero]]s, with their oven-like nests, can be seen sitting atop fence posts. Huge colonies of green [[parrot]]s' nests hang high in the tall eucalyptus.  Southern [[lapwing]]s, locally known as teros, [[burrowing owl]]s, and elegant-crested tinamou nest in open fields while long wing harriers, gray [[eagle]]s, and [[hawk]]s soar high above. Some of the largest great kiskadees are extremely common as are the guira, a type of [[cuckoo]]. Along quiet country lanes giant wood rails, pink [[spoonbills]] and [[kingfishers]] can be seen, alongside flocks of ibis and white [[egret]]s in the pastures. Red headed cardinals, both orange throated and red necked woodpeckers, and scissor-tailed nightjars can be seen in the small stands of trees that dot the countryside. Long, split tailed [[tyrant-flycatcher|flycatchers]] zip above the rich grass around twilight. Glittering-bellied emerald [[hummingbird]]s drink from the tall purple flowers that carpet the fields from Spring until Fall.

[[Tegu]] lizards, [[armadillo]]s, [[fox]], [[skunk]]s, hares, opossums and [[snake]]s enjoy the undeveloped pastures which dominate the department.

A nature reserve is maintained in the department's capital, Trinidad.

==Demographics==
{{bar box
|title=Ethnic groups in Flores (2011 est.)<ref name="ascendenciaEtnicoRacial">{{cite web|title=Población por sexo y ascendencia étnico racial, según departamento.|language=es|publisher=National Institute of Statistics|url=https://www.ine.gub.uy/web/guest/censos-2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130232330/https://www.ine.gub.uy/web/guest/censos-2011|archive-date=30 November 2020}}</ref>
|titlebar=#ddd
|left1='''Ethnic groups'''
|right1='''Percent'''
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[White Latin Americans|White]]|GREEN|92.4}}
{{bar percent|[[Afro-Uruguayans|Black]] |BLUE|3.5}}
{{bar percent|[[Indigenous people|Indigenous]] |RED|3.6}}
{{bar percent|[[Asian people|Asian]]|YELLOW|0.4}}
{{bar percent|None/Other/Unspecified|gray|3.8}}
}}

[[File:Flores Department map.jpg|thumb|228px|Topographic map of Flores Department showing main populated places and roads]]
It is the most sparsely populated of all the [[Departments of Uruguay|Uruguayan departments]] with a population density of under 5 people per km² and 350,000 head of cattle. Of the total population of 25,050, some 21,430 live in the capital [[Trinidad, Uruguay|Trinidad]].

As of the census of 2011, Flores Department had a population of 25,050 (12,342 male and 12,708 female) and 10,589 households.<ref name=pop>{{cite web |url=http://www.ine.gub.uy/censos2011/resultadosfinales/flores.html |title=Censos 2011 Flores (needs flash plugin) |date=2012 |publisher=INE |access-date=25 August 2012 |archive-date=3 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603120141/http://www.ine.gub.uy/censos2011/resultadosfinales/flores.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Demographic data for Flores Department in 2010:
*Population growth rate: 0.151%
*Birth Rate: 14.73 births/1,000 people
*Death Rate: 9.25 deaths/1,000 people
*Average age: 34.3 (33.2 male, 35.5 female)
*Life Expectancy at Birth:
**Total population: 78.66 years
**Male: 74.82 years
**Female: 82.20 years
*Average per household income: 26,324 pesos/month
*Urban per capita income: 11,025 pesos/month
''2010 Data Source:''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ine.gub.uy/biblioteca/uruguayencifras2011/Uruguay%20en%20cifras%202011%20-%2002%20-%20Poblacion.pdf |title=Uruguay en cifras |date=2011 |language=es |publisher=INE |access-date=25 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113192837/http://www.ine.gub.uy/biblioteca/uruguayencifras2011/Uruguay%20en%20cifras%202011%20-%2002%20-%20Poblacion.pdf |archive-date=13 November 2012 }}</ref>

:'''Urban population'''
<blockquote>
{| style="margin-top:16px;"
|-
|- valign="top"
| 
{| class="wikitable" 
! City / Town || Population
|- 
| [[Trinidad, Uruguay|Trinidad]] || 21,429
|-
| [[Ismael Cortinas]] || 918
|-
| [[Andresito, Uruguay|Andresito]] || 261
|-
| [[La Casilla]] || 181 
|-
| [[Juan José Castro (Uruguay)|Juan José Castro]] || 97
|-
| [[Cerro Colorado (Flores)|Cerro Colorado]] || 96
|-
|}
|}
</blockquote>

:'''Rural population'''
<blockquote>
Flores department has a rural population of 2,068.<ref name=pop/>
</blockquote>

Population data stated according to the 2011 census.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ine.gub.uy/censos2011/resultadosfinales/cuadros/NIVEL%20DEPARTAMENTAL/Flores/P_3_FLO.xls |title=Censos 2011 Cuadros Flores |date=2012 |publisher=INE |access-date=25 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010041327/http://www.ine.gub.uy/censos2011/resultadosfinales/cuadros/NIVEL%20DEPARTAMENTAL/Flores/P_3_FLO.xls |archive-date=10 October 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Notable people==
* Dr. [[Armando Castaingdebat]] is the administrative head of Flores Department.
* [[Danilo Pallares Echeverría]] is a local writer and musician, author of the 'Flores Hymn'.
* [[Faustino Harrison]] was [[President of Uruguay]] 1962-1963.
* [[Benito Medero]] was a government minister in the 1970s and Ruralist leader in the 1960s.
* [[Chory Castro]] is an international soccer player.

==See also==
* [[List of populated places in Uruguay#Flores Department]]
* [[Máximo Santos#Creation of Flores Department]]
* [[Himno a Flores]] (Flores hymn)
* [[Trinidad, Uruguay#Nature reserve]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.imflores.gub.uy Official site of Flores] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200513194944/http://www.imflores.gub.uy/ |date=2020-05-13 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121010044722/http://www.ine.gub.uy/mapas/censos2011/para%20colgar%20en%20web/pdf/07_UYFS/A1H_07Departamental.pdf INE map of Flores Department]
*[http://www.periodicas.edu.uy/Nuestra_tierra/pdfs/Los_Departamentos_02.pdf Nuestra Terra, Colección Los Departamentos, Vol.2 "Flores"]{{Dead link|date=October 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}
*{{Cite Collier's|wstitle=Flores|short=x}}

{{Coord|33|36|0|S|56|50|0|W|display=title}}

{{Flores Department}}
{{Departments of Uruguay}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Flores Department| ]]
[[Category:Departments of Uruguay]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1885]]
[[Category:1885 establishments in Uruguay]]