Conchillas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Conchillas
Town
Conchillas Location in Uruguay
Country	Uruguay
Department	Colonia Department
Population  (2011)
• Total	401
Time zone	UTC -3
Postal code	70004
Dial plan	+598 4577 (+4 digits)

Conchillas is a small, historic town in southwestern Uruguay. It's located in the Colonia Department, right on the coast of the Río de la Plata. This town has a unique past, especially because of its strong English influences.

Where is Conchillas?

The town of Conchillas is found along the beautiful coast of the Río de la Plata. It's near a small stream called Arroyo Conchillas. If you travel about 50 kilometers (around 31 miles) northwest, you'll reach Colonia del Sacramento. This is the main city of the department. Carmelo, another town, is about 40 kilometers (around 25 miles) to the southeast.

Conchillas' History

Edificio Evans, a historic building in Conchillas

Conchillas was reportedly started by English settlers on October 24, 1887. It quickly became an important place for mining valuable materials. The English built a factory and even set up two cemeteries. They also established an Anglican Church. It's believed they even used their own special money for trading, which was accepted by people nearby.

When World War II began, the important buildings and businesses in Conchillas were sold. Two Uruguayan business owners bought them and made some changes. Today, you can still see the strong English influence in the town's buildings. This is mainly in the architecture, not so much in how people live.

On December 21, 1955, Conchillas and a nearby area called "Gil" were officially made into a "Pueblo" (which means village or town). They were given the common name "Conchillas."

Conchillas' Population

According to the 2011 census, Conchillas had a population of 401 people. In earlier years, the population was higher. For example, in 1908, there were 3,149 people. The numbers have changed over time.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay

• In the 2011 census, the population of the Pueblo Gil area (309 people) was counted separately from Conchillas.

See also

In Spanish: Conchillas para niños