Flores Department

Flores is a department of Uruguay, positioned in the southwest of the central part of the country. Its capital is 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.

History

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 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

Outside Trinidad, Flores is agricultural, primarily raising cattle for export and sheep for wool and Gauchos, the South American cowboys, can still be seen riding the plains. There are many active ranches (Spanish: estancias), some of which can be visited by tourists.