Durazno

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Durazno

Durazno, department of central Uruguay with an area of 4,713 square miles and a population of 56,966 (1996). Most of the departmental territory extends between the rivers Negro and Yi, often called Uruguay's Mesopotamia. The capital is the city of Durazno (30,529 inhabitants in 2004), founded in 1821. The main activities of the department are farming, cattle raising, and shoe manufacturing. A large reservoir on the Río Negro provides irrigation for a good part of central Uruguay and electric energy for Greater Montevideo. Since 1989 the state has held a Carnaval which has drawn large crowds in addition to the multi-band concert series Pilsen Rock which was initiated in 2005.

See alsoUruguay, Geography .

                                     CÉsar N. Caviedes