Capital: Minas
Population: 60. 000
Surface: 10. 016 km 2.
It distances of Montevideo: 122 km
Located in the Uruguayan Southeast it is narrowly tied by his subsoil and his mineral industry, the reason of being of his origins. Lime, copper has been extracted, granite, dolomita in the Mine Valency; plaster and mármoles in the zone of Polanco; clay and stone sandstone in the Quarry of the Giant Book, and other minerals. The Uruguayan Company of Cement Portland and the factory of portland of Ancap in the outskirts of Minas in full activity they are props of the departmental economy.
The archaeological discoveries of indigenous cultures found in Lavalleja are very scarce. It is known that in the XVIIIth century Guarani Indians lived and minuanes. Nevertheless the first references to the existence of Guarani it dates of 1677, in the time of the Cowshed of Mar.
It is supposed that in these grounds also they lived through the charrúas. The indigenous presence survived the passage of time in the names of many geographical accidents and of his flora. The minuanes were living in the mountainous ranges and they went so far as to shape a social nucleus of more than 400 members
Minas it was created on June 16, 1837 with part of the territories of Long Hill and Maldonado. In March, 1888 in the House of Representatives it was requested to raise the status of the town of Minas to that of city and to change to him the name into that of Lavalleja. The first thing was approved. From then and until on December 26, 1927 finally there was replaced the name of the department of Minas with that of Lavalleja.
