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The Artigas Department, with an area of 11,928 km² (4,606 square miles) and 78,019 inhabitants, it is the northernmost department of Uruguay. Its capital is Artigas. It is named after José Artigas (1764-1850), leader of the orientales (inhabitants of the Banda Oriental, the Eastern Bank of the Uruguay River) during the wars of Independence. He championed for freedom against colonial powers in the region. His liberal ways, promoting democracy with no limitations, federalism and a series of land reforms would inevitable clash with the centralised and aristocratic views of the Buenos Aires ruling class. He led the Liga Federal (Federal Coalition, group of Argentinian provinces including what is now Uruguay opposed to Buenos Aires strong and heavy handed government) but the war in the region involving Spain, Portugal (eventually Brazil) and Argentina and the invasion of the Portuguese saw him taking refuge in Paraguay where he died in 1850. His forward and revolutionary thinking was never implemented in Uruguay although he is revered as a national hero. It took several decades to achieve universal voting and free access to education for every child. However, his land reforms were never implemented. History
The department was created by law on 1 October 1884, with part of the territory which formerly belonged to Salto. The Battle of Masoller, a noteworthy event in Uruguayan history, was fought on September 1 1904; Masoller is situated on the boundary between the departments of Artigas and Salto, close to the Brazilian border. Research Tips
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