La Esmeralda | |
|---|---|
Beach Town | |
  La Esmeralda Location in Uruguay | |
| Coordinates: 34°9′7.3″S53°41′56.5″W / 34.152028°S 53.699028°W Coordinates: 34°9′7.3″S53°41′56.5″W / 34.152028°S 53.699028°W | |
| Country |  Uruguay |
| Department | Rocha Department |
| Elevation | 37 m (121 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 57 |
| Time zone | UTC -3 |
La Esmeralda is a beach town and seaside locality in Uruguay, Rocha Department.
The story of the area began with afforestation of sand dunes in 1949. Then, in the 1970s, the owners of the afforested areas, seeing its potential in tourist business, divided the land in solares (undeveloped plots) intended for the construction of summer homes.
Although this is still an unspoilt resort, in recent years there has been a gradual but steady increase in tourist business development. In last years, the construction of a casino and five-star hotel is planned.
The town is located on the southeast side of Route 9, about 280 kilometres (170 mi) northeast of the capital Montevideo, 154 kilometres (96 mi) northeast of the resort city of Punta del Este, and 61 kilometres (38 mi) southwest of Chuy.
La Esmeralda is situated in La Angostura, isthmus of only 3000 meters wide, between the Laguna Negra and the South Atlantic Ocean on Rocha Department Wetlands, area declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1976. Just a few kilometres from the seaside locality are important tourist spots like La Pedrera, Valizas, Cabo Polonio, Punta del Diablo, the Fortaleza de Santa Teresa, La Coronilla, the Fuerte de San Miguel and the city of Chuy.
The topography is slightly undulating, allowing an excellent view of the ocean. It is densely forested with pines, eucalyptus and acacia, which enabled dune fixation.
La Esmeralda is in the Southern Hemisphere’s temperate zone and has four seasons. Temperatures average 21°C to 27°C (70°F to 80°F) in summer and 10°C and 16°C (50°F to 60°F) in winter.
In 2011 La Esmeralda had a population of 57 permanent inhabitants and 240 dwellings, a figure that has been increasing year by year. [1] No census results have been given for previous years. During the summer season the number or residents is increased significantly due to tourism.
| Year | Population | Dwellings |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 57 | 240 |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay
In the town are a police station, a fire department, accommodations for visitors, a restaurant and several shops.
Uruguay is a country in the southeastern region of South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil. It is located in the Southern Hemisphere on the Atlantic seaboard of South America between 53 and 58 west longitude and 30 and 35 south latitude. It is bordered to the west by Argentina, on the north and northeast by Brazil, and on the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean, which makes up Uruguay's coast.
Rocha is a department in the east of Uruguay. Its capital is the city of Rocha. It borders Maldonado Department to its west, Lavalleja Department to its northwest, Treinta y Tres Department to its north, while to its northeast Laguna Merín forms part of its border with Brazil and at the south end of the lake it also borders the southernmost end of Brazil, with the city of Chuy "shared" between both countries, the border passing through its main commercial avenue.
Punta del Este is a seaside city and peninsula on the Atlantic Coast in the Maldonado Department of southeastern Uruguay. Starting as a small town, Punta del Este later became internationally known as a resort for the Latin and North American jet set and tourists. The city has been referred to as "the Monaco of the South", "The Pearl of the Atlantic", "the Hamptons of South America","the Miami Beach of South America", or "the St. Tropez of South America".
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Piriápolis is a city in the Maldonado Department of Uruguay. It is an important summer resort in the country, predating the larger and better known resort town of Punta del Este. Because it is mainly used as a resort, it has a relatively small permanent population for a city of its size.
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Rocha is the capital city of the Rocha Department in Uruguay.
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Tourism in Uruguay is an important part of the nation's economy.
Castillos is a small city in the Rocha Department of southeastern Uruguay.
La Paloma is a small city in the Rocha Department of southeastern Uruguay.
Puimayen is a resort on the Atlantic Coast in the Rocha Department of southeastern Uruguay near the Brazilian border.
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Barra del Chuy is a resort (balneario) in the Rocha Department of southeastern Uruguay. Its name means Mouth of Chui (stream). It is the last coastal resort of Uruguay, bordering Brazil to the southeast with the stream Arroyo Chui as the natural border.
La Sirena Beach is a beach located around two kilometers north of Aguas Dulces resort, in Rocha Department, Uruguay. It was officially designated as a naturist beach by the authorities of the government of Rocha.
San Antonio is a seaside locality in Uruguay, Rocha Department.
 Coast of Rocha  | |
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Capital: Rocha | ||
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