| Official Name: | San José de Mayo |
| Settlement Type: | Capital city |
| Pushpin Map: | Uruguay |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Uruguay |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Uruguay |
| Subdivision Type1: | Department |
| Subdivision Name1: | San José Department |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | 1783 |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Demonym |
| Population Blank1: | maragato,-a |
| Population As Of: | 2011 Census |
| Population Total: | 36743 |
| Timezone: | UTC -3 |
| Coordinates: | -34.3333°N -56.7167°W |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 80000 |
| Area Code Type: | Dial plan |
| Area Code: | +598 434 (+5 digits) |
| Blank Name: | Climate |
| Blank Info: | Cfa |
San José de Mayo (pronounced as /es/; Mayo pronounced as /ˈmaʒo, ˈmaʃo/) is the capital city of the San José Department in southern Uruguay.
The city is located at the centre of the state, on the intersection of Route 3 with Route 11, from the centre of Montevideo. The railroad track connecting Montevideo with Colonia and with the northwest of the country passes through the city. The river Río San José flows along the northeastern and eastern limits of the city.
Increased precipitation as a result of climate change and impermeabilization of the local land surfaces has made San José de Mayo more prone to flooding over the 1987–2017 period.[1]
San José de Mayo was founded on 1 July 1783. It had acquired "Villa" (town) status before the Independence of Uruguay, which was elevated to "Ciudad" (city) on 12 July 1856 by the Act of Ley Nº 495. During the 19th century it became a commercial and cultural centre, known as "Montevideo chico" ("little Montevideo"). The theatre "Teatro Macció" was constructed at the turn of the 20th century.
In 2011 San José de Mayo had a population of 36,743.[2]
| Year | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 1867 | 3,224 | |
| 1908 | 12,297 | |
| 1963 | 27,482 | |
| 1975 | 28,554 | |
| 1985 | 31,825 | |
| 1996 | 34,552 | |
| 2004 | 36,129 | |
| 2011 | 36,743 |
Besides being the administrative capital of the department, the city is an active regional commercial and financial centre. Its economy is linked mainly to cattle ranching, and it is an agro-industrial centre for dairy products, packing houses, mills, and chemicals.