Rocha Department

RochaDepartment
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Rocha Department and its capital
Coordinates (Rocha):34°29′0″S54°21′0″W
Country	Uruguay
Capital of Department	Rocha
Government
•Intendant	Alejo Umpiérrez
• Ruling party	Partido Nacional
Area
• Total	10,551 km2(4,074 sq mi)
Population (2011 census)
• Total	68,088
• Density	6.5/km2(17/sq mi)
Demonym	Rochense
Time zone	UTC-3(UYT)
ISO 3166 code	UY-RO
Website	www.rocha.gub.uy

Rocha(Spanish pronunciation:[ˈrotʃa]) is adepartmentin the east ofUruguay.Its capital is the city ofRocha.It bordersMaldonado Departmentto its west,Lavalleja Departmentto its northwest,Treinta y Tres Departmentto its north, while to its northeastLaguna Merínforms part of its border withBraziland at the south end of the lake it also borders the southernmost end of Brazil, with the city ofChuy"shared" between both countries, the border passing through its main commercial avenue.

Rocha has natural beauties likeCabo Polonio,Valizas,Santa Teresa National Park.It is well known for its beach resorts, likePunta del DiabloorLa Esmeralda,which swell with visitors during the summer holidays. Inland, the primary economy of Rocha is based on large cattle ranches.

History

On 7 July 1880, the department of Rocha was formed from territory that had belonged to the department of Maldonado since the first division of the Republic in departments in 1819.

Population and Demographics

Ethnic groups in Rocha (2011 est.)
Ethnic groups			Percent
White			91.5%
Black			7.0%
Indigenous			4.6%
Asian			0.3%
None/Other/Unspecified			2.8%

Topographic map of Rocha Department showing main populated places and roads

As of the census of 2011, Rocha Department had a population of 68,088 (33,269 male and 34,819 female) and 46,071 households.

Demographic data for Rocha Department in 2010:

• Population growth rate: -0.082%
• Birth Rate: 14.04 births/1,000 people
• Death Rate: 10.44 deaths/1,000 people
• Average age: 35.0 (34.0 male, 36.0 female)
• Life Expectancy at Birth:
  • Total population: 75.82 years
  • Male: 72.17 years
  • Female: 79.43 years
• Average per household income: 19,978 pesos/month
• Urban per capita income: 8,635 pesos/month

2010 Data Source:

Main Urban Centres

Population stated as per 2011 census.

City / Town	Population
Rocha	25,422
Chuy	9,675
Castillos	7,541
Lascano	7,645
La Paloma	3,495
Cebollatí	1,609
La Aguada y Costa Azul	1,090
Velázquez	1,022

Other towns and villages

Population stated as per 2011 census.

Town / Village	Population
18 de Julio	977
Punta del Diablo	823
San Luis al Medio	598
La Coronilla	510
Puimayen	505

Rural population

According to the 2011 census, Rocha department has an additional rural population of 4,146.

La Paloma, Rocha

In literature

Rocha department features inCarlos Maria Dominguez's 2004 novelCasa de Papel(trs English, 2005,The House of Paper). The narrator visits the ruins of a house of books ergo, 'house of paper', which had been built and then destroyed by an obsessive book collector on the sand spit separatingRocha lagoonfrom the ocean.

See also

• List of populated places in Uruguay#Rocha Department

External links

• Official site of the Department of Rocha - About the Department
• INE map of Rocha Department
• Tourism in Uruguay, Rocha
• Nuestra Terra, Colección Los Departamentos, Vol.10 "Rocha"