Paysandu

It was founded in October 1756 and had acquired the status of "Villa" (town) before the independence of Uruguay. On 8 June 1863, its status was elevated to "Ciudad" (city) by the Act of Ley Nº 780. General Leandro Gomez led Uruguayan forces to save the town from an invasion by Brazilian forces in 1864–1865. A battle took place on 2 December 1864. From the late nineteenth century, Paysandú experienced a significant influx of Italian immigrants, who settled in both urban and rural areas. Initially, many were engaged in river transport, trade and agriculture. By the early twentieth century, the city had become one of the principal centers of Italian settlement in Uruguay, second only to Montevideo. During this period, various associations and institutions were established to serve and organize the Italian community. …

The city is located on the banks of the Uruguay River, which forms the border with Argentina. It lies 378 kilometres (235 mi) northwest of Montevideo via Route 1 and Route 3, on the junction of the latter with Route 90. As of the census of 2011 it was the fourth-most populated city of the country. A small distance north of the city is the General Artigas Bridge that links Uruguay with the Entre Ríos Province of Argentina, south of the city Colón. Paysandú has a humid subtropical climate, described by the Köppen climate classification as Cfa. Summers are warm to hot and winters are cool, with the occurrence of frosts and fog. The precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, although winters are slightly drier, with an average of 1,181 mm (46.5 in), and the annual average temperature is around 19 °C (66 °F). On 20 January 1943, Paysandú recorded a temperature of 44.0 °C (111. …

The main industries in the city are Norteña brewery, Azucarlito (sugar), Paylana (which is a producer of world-class woolen fabrics), and Paycuero (leather). Paysandú is also the centre of plantation forest industry in Uruguay, with many companies involved in the planting and harvesting of Eucalyptus plantations.