The Uruguayan departments are subdivided into municipalities and, as of 2025, there are 136 municipalities. This second level administrative division system was created by Law No. 18567 of 13 September 2009 and the first municipalities were created (or converted from Local Boards in the previous system) in March 2010. In the municipal elections of 2010 municipal authorities were elected for the first time and they assumed office months later.

Each municipality is governed by a local council, made up of 5 members. The chairperson of the local council is known as alcalde (mayor) and the remaining members are the councilors.

The Montevideo, Canelones and Maldonado departments are completely covered by municipalities, while the other departments have areas not included in any municipality.

Description

Establishment of the system and creation of municipalities The municipalities' system was created by Law No. 18567 of 13 September 2009. The current system is ruled by Law No. 19272 of 18 September 2014. This regulation provided that in settlements with more than 2,000 inhabitants a municipality was to be created including their surrounding territories, as long as it consisted in a social and cultural unit with their own common interests, that justified the creation of this kind of political entity. Settlements with less than 2,000 inhabitants were allowed to establish a municipality if the Departmental Board voted for it after the Intendant proposal, or by popular initiative of at least the 15% of voters in the settlement. Municipalities in departmental seats were only allowed to be created by Departmental Boards after the Intendant's proposal.

Election of authorities and government The municipalities are governed by a local council made up by five members, whose chairperson is known as alcalde (mayor) and the other four members are known as concejales (councilors). They are elected by direct vote each municipal elections, at the same time the departmental authorities are elected.

Criticism There is an ongoing debate regarding this system, due to the high cost and low quality of public services, ambiguous mandates for citizen participation, and inefficient bureaucracy. Critics highlight, particularly in Montevideo, issues like slow responses to local infrastructure needs, excessive personnel, and a lack of effective horizontal coordination between different municipal jurisdictions.

List of municipalities by department

Artigas

# Municipality Population Area Major Foundation 1 Baltasar Brum km2 Juan Marticorena (PN) 15 March 2010 2 Bella Unión km2 William Cresseri (PN) 15 March 2010 3 Tomás Gomensoro km2 Federico Arbiza (PN) 15 March 2010

Canelones

# Municipality Population Area Major Foundation 1 18 de Mayo km2 Adriana Sánchez (FA) 20 March 20132Aguas Corrientes km2Marcelo Delgado (FA) 15 March 20103Atlántida km2Gustavo González (FA) 15 March 20104Barros Blancos km2Julián Rocha (FA) 15 March 20105Canelones km2Darío Pimienta (FA) 15 March 20106Ciudad de la Costa km2Sonia Misirian (FA) 15 March 20107Colonia Nicolich km2Líber Moreno (FA) 15 March 20108Empalme Olmos km2Jorge Álvarez (FA) 15 March 20109La Floresta km2Néstor Erramouspe (FA) 15 March 201010La Paz km2Bruno Fernández (FA) 15 March 201011Las Piedras km2Gustavo González (FA) 15 March 201012Los Cerrillos km2Néstor Roncio (FA) 15 March 201013Migues km2Nahuel Jorge (PN) 15 March 201014Montes km2Rodolfo Salvarrey (PN) 15 March 201015Pando km2Alcides Pérez (FA) 15 March 201016Parque del Plata km2Tania Vecchio (FA) 15 March 201017Paso Carrasco km2Verónica Veiga (FA) 15 March 201018Progreso km2Claudio Duarte (FA) 15 March 201019Salinas km2Óscar Montero (FA) 15 March 201020San Antonio km2Damaso Pani (PN) 15 March 201021San Bautista km2Roberto Siriani (PN) 15 March 201022San Jacinto km2Cristian Ferraro (PN) 15 March 201023San Ramón km2Gonzalo Melogno (PN) 15 March 201024Santa Lucía km2Leonardo Mollo (FA) 15 March 201025Santa Rosa km2Ramiro Azor (FA) 15 March 201026Sauce km2Juan Ottonello (PN) 15 March 201027Soca km2Roberto Rodríguez (PN) 15 March 201028Suárez km2Carlos Nalerio (FA) 15 March 201029Tala km2Leonardo Pérez (PN) 15 March 201030Toledo km2José Gini (FA) 15 March 2010

Cerro Largo

Municipality Population Area Major Foundation 1 Aceguá km2 Javier Rodríguez (PN) 22 March 2013 2 Arbolito km2 Luis Seguí (PN) 22 March 2013 3 Arévalo km2 José Eduardo Lucas (PN) 22 March 2013 4 Bañado de Medina km2 Daniel Cegade (PN) 25 October 2018 5 Centurión km2 Juan Nery dos Santos (PN) 25 October 2018 6 Cerro de las Cuentas km2 Humberto Allende (PN) 25 October 2018 7 Fraile Muerto km2 Pablo Nauar (PN) 15 March 2010 8 Isidoro Noblía km2 Favio Freire (PN) 22 March 2013 9 Laguna Merín 10 Las Cañas km2 Víctor Noda (PN) 25 October 2018 11 Plácido Rosas km2 Eduardo Fernández (PN) 22 March 2013 12 Quebracho km2 Héctor Ortiz (PN) 25 October 2018 13 Ramón Trigo km2 Durmen Menchaca (PN) 22 March 2013 14 Río Branco km2 Christian Morel (PN) 15 March 2010 15 Tres Islas km2 Carlos González (PN) 25 October 2018 16 Tupambaé km2 Macarena Da Rosa (PN) 22 March 2013

Colonia

Municipality Population Area Major Foundation 1 Carmelo km2 Alicia Espíndola (PN) 15 March 2010 2 Colonia Valdense km2 Andrés Malan (PN) 22 March 2013 3 Florencio Sánchez km2 Alfredo Sánchez (PN) 22 March 2013 4 Juan L. Lacaze km2 Arturo Bentancor (FA) 15 March 2010 5 La Paz km2 Walter Eduardo Miranda 26 October 2018 6 Miguelete km2 María Elena Martin (PN) 26 October 2018 7 Nueva Helvecia km2 Marcelo Alonso (PN) 15 March 2010 8 Nueva Palmira km2 Agustín Callero (PN) 15 March 2010 9 Ombúes de Lavalle km2 Marcelo Castro (PN) 22 March 2013 10 Rosario km2 Pablo Maciel (PN) 15 March 2010 11 Tarariras km2 Dany Pérez (PN) 15 March 2010

Durazno

Municipality Population Area Major Foundation Sarandí del Yí km2 Carlos Luberriga (PN) 15 March 2010 Villa del Carmen km2 Fernando Rodríguez (PN) 15 March 2010

Flores

Municipality Population Area Major Foundation Ismael Cortinas km2 Agustín Musa (PN) 15 March 2010

Florida

Municipality Population Area Major Foundation 1 Casupá km2 Luis Oliva Monfort (PN) 15 March 2010 2 Fray Marcos km2 Stella Tucuna (PN) 15 March 2013 3 Sarandí Grande km2 Cayetano Stopingi (PN) 15 March 2010

Lavalleja

Municipality Population Area Major Foundation 1 José Batlle y Ordóñez km2 Pablo Patiño (PN) 27 March 2015 2 José Pedro Varela km2 Martín Rezk (PN) 15 March 2010 3 Mariscala km2 Francisco de la Peña (PN) 24 October 2018 4 Solís de Mataojo km2 Verónica Machado (PN) 15 March 2010

Maldonado

Municipality Population Area Major Foundation 1 Aiguá km2 Ernesto San Román (PN) 15 March 2010 2 Garzón km2 Nazareno Lazo (PN) 15 March 2010 3 Maldonado km2 Andrés Rapetti (PN) 15 March 2010 4 Pan de Azúcar km2 Alejandro Echavarria (PN) 15 March 2010 5 Piriápolis km2 René Graña (PN) 15 March 2010 6 Punta del Este km2 Javier Carballal (PN) 15 March 2010 7 San Carlos km2 Carlos Pereyra (PN) 15 March 2010 8 Solís Grande km2 Patricia Martínez (PN) 15 March 2010

Montevideo

Municipality Population Area Major Foundation 1 Municipality A km2 Jorge Meroni (FA) 15 March 2010 2 Municipality B km2 Silvana Pissano (FA) 15 March 2010 3 Municipality C km2 Jorge Cabrera (FA) 15 March 2010 4 Municipality CH km2 Matilde Antía (PN) 15 March 2010 5 Municipality D km2 Gabriel Velazco (FA) 15 March 2010 6 Municipality E km2 Mercedes Ruiz (PN) 15 March 2010 7 Municipality F km2 Juan López (PN) 15 March 2010 8 Municipality G km2 Leticia de Torres (FA) 15 March 2010

Paysandú

Municipality Population Area Major Foundation 1 Chapicuy km2 Milton Laurencena (PN) 21 March 2013 2 Guichón km2 Martín Álvarez (PN) 15 March 2010 3 Lorenzo Geyres km2 Graciela Barrutte (PN) 21 March 2013 4 Piedras Coloradas km2 Jhonn Cáceres (PN) 21 March 2013 5 Porvenir km2 Ramiro Ayende (PN) 15 March 2010 6 Quebracho km2 Silbia Visoso (PN) 15 March 2010 7 Tambores km2 Ricardo Soares (PN) 21 March 2013

Río Negro

Municipality Population Area Major Foundation 1 Nuevo Berlín km2 Hernán Godoy (PN) 15 March 2010 2 San Javier km2 Washington Laco (PN) 22 March 2013 3 Young km2 Inés Long (PN) 15 March 2010

Rivera

Municipality Population Area Major Foundation 1 Minas de Corrales km2 José González (PC) 15 March 2010 2 Tranqueras km2 Luciano Viera (PC) 15 March 2010 3 Vichadero km2 Luis Alberto Coutinho (PN) 15 March 2010

Rocha

Municipality Population Area Major Foundation 1 Castillos km2 Juan Manuel Olivera (PN) 15 March 2010 2 Chuy km2 Eduardo Calabuig (PN) 15 March 2010 3 La Paloma km2 Sergio Muniz (FA) 15 March 2010 4 Lascano km2 Víctor Larrosa (PN) 15 March 2010

Salto

Municipality Population Area Major Foundation 1 Belén km2 Luis Zuliani (FA) 15 March 2010 2 Colonia Lavalleja km2 Antonio Tejeira (PN) 15 March 2010 3 Mataojo km2 Rosita Moreno (FA) 15 March 2010 4 San Antonio km2 Sandra Toncobitz (PC) 15 March 2010 5 Rincón de Valentín km2 Santiago Dalmao (FA) 15 March 2010 6 Villa Constitución km2 Carlos Souto (FA) 15 March 2010

San José

Municipality Population Area Major Foundation 1 Ciudad del Plata km2 Marianita Fonseca (PN) 15 March 2010 2 Ecilda Paullier km2 Leonardo Giménez (PN) 22 March 2013 3 Libertad km2 Matías Santos (PN) 15 March 2010 4 Rodríguez km2 Norberto Zunino (PN) 22 March 2013

Soriano

Municipality Population Area Major Foundation 1 Cardona km2 Ruben Valentín (PN) 15 March 2010 2 Dolores km2 Juan Oronoz (PN) 15 March 2010 3 José Enrique Rodó km2 Washington Loitey (PN) 27 March 2015 4 Palmitas km2 Juan Vincon (PN) 27 March 2015

Tacuarembó

Municipality Population Area Major Foundation 1 Ansina km2 Ana Isabel Camejo (PN) 27 March 2015 2 Paso de los Toros km2 Luis Irigoin (PN) 15 March 2010 3 San Gregorio de Polanco km2 Asdrúbal Rodríguez (PN) 15 March 2010

Treinta y Tres

Municipality Population Area Major Foundation 1 Cerro Chato km2 Elías Javier Fuentes (PN) 22 December 2017 2 Enrique Martínez km2 Nidia Vera (PN) 22 December 2017 3 Rincón km2 Eduardo Gonzales (PN) 22 December 2017 4 Santa Clara de Olimar km2 Pablo Echevarría (PN) 15 March 2010 5 Vergara km2 José González (PN) 15 March 2010 6 Villa Sara km2 Analía Larrañaga (PN) 22 December 2017

References

External links

Ley Nº 18.644 del 12 de febrero de 2010 Ley Nº 18.653 del 15 de marzo de 2010 Listado y ubicación de los Municipios en Uruguay - Oficina de Planeamiento y Presupuesto Alcaldes y alcaldesas asumen en los 125 Municipios de Uruguay - Elecciones 2020 Mapa de los municipios de Montevideo El Observador: Recorrido por las alcaldías del Departamento de Montevideo Corte Electoral- Resultados de las elecciones generales-locales 2010