Nueva Helvecia

This article is about the city in Uruguay. For Mexican-era California settlement, see New Helvetia.

Nueva Helvecia
—  City  —
Nueva Helvecia
Coordinates: 34°17′20″S 57°14′0″W / 34.28889°S 57.233333°W / -34.28889; -57.233333Coordinates: 34°17′20″S 57°14′0″W / 34.28889°S 57.233333°W / -34.28889; -57.233333
Country	Uruguay
Department	Colonia Department
Founded	1862
Population (2004)
- Total	12,000
Time zone	UTC -3
Postal code	70201
Area code(s)	+598 455

Nueva Helvecia ("New Helvetia") is a city in the southeastern part of Colonia Department of Uruguay. It is located on the intersection of Routes 52 and 53, about 120 kilometres (75 mi) west of Montevideo and 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) north of Colonia Valdense. Its status was elevated to "City" category on 11 December 1952 by decree Ley No. 11.892.

Population

In 2004, Nueva Helvecia had a population of 10,002.^[1]

Year	Population
1963	7,686
1975	8,587
1985	8,768
1996	9,650
2004	10,002

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay^[2]

History

The date of its foundation is considered to be 24 April 1862. This year marked the time when a large number of immigrants, mostly from Switzerland, but with a significant number from Austria, Germany, Italy and France, settled in the area.

The Swiss Colony was established in the mid-nineteenth century. Many Swiss descendants live in this area of the department of Colonia in Uruguay. Nueva Helvecia, Colonia Valdense, La Paz, Rosario, Colonia Miguelete, as well as other cities and towns, are the result of immigration of Swiss, Germans, Austrians, French and Italians to Uruguay. In April 2012, the Swiss Colony is celebrating its 150th anniversary of its founding. Most of the history of the colony is found in Dr. Juan Carlos Wirth's five publications and the detailed resources in his books.

Since its foundation, agriculture became one of the main sources of sustenance, in particular fruit and dairy products.

Economic activity

This area of Uruguay had a great influence on the economy of Uruguay and the name "Switzerland of America" is often used.

Nowadays, Nueva Helvecia is famous for its milk production.

See also

• Switzerland–Uruguay relations

References

• Annaheim, Hans, Die Kolonie Nueva Helvecia in Uruguay, in: Regio Basiliensis 8, 1967, S. 27-76. ISSN 0034-3293
• Arlettaz, Gérald, Emigration et colonisation suisses en Amérique 1815-1918, in: Etudes et Sources, Archives Fédérales Suisses, no 5, 1979, pp. 5-236. ISSN 1420-8725
• Aschwanden, Prisca, Die schweizerische Einwanderung in Uruguay zwischen 1880-1929, Lizentiatsarbeit, Universität Zürich, 1990.
• Wirth, Juan Carlos F., Historia de la Iglesia Evangelica de Nueva Helvecia. 1944.
• Wirth, Juan Carlos F., Colonia Suiza hace 80 anos. 1947.
• Wirth, Juan Carlos F., Historia de colonia suiza [de l'Uruguay], Ed. por el comite ejucutivo pro-festejos del centenario de colonia suiza, Nueva Helvecia, 1962.
• Wirth, Juan Carlos F., Del Havre al Rio de la Plata an 47 dias. 1974.
• Wirth, Juan Carlos F., Génesis de la colonia agricola suiza Nueva Helvecia. Historia, documentos y carografia, Ministerio de educacion y cultura, Montevideo, 1980.
• Zbinden, Carl, Die schweizerische Auswanderung nach Argentinien, Uruguays, Chili und Paraguay, Dissertation, Universität Bern, Affoltern a. A., 1931.
• Suizos en Uruguay de Sonia Ziegler e Ignacio Naón. 224 pág. Montevideo, febrero de 2007. ISBN 9974-32-320-7

1. ^ "2004 Census of Colonia department" (XLS). INE. 2004. http://www.ine.gub.uy/fase1new/Colonia/Cuadro7_05.XLS. Retrieved 30 July 2011. 
2. ^ "1963–1996 Statistics / N" (DOC). Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay. 2004. http://www.ine.gub.uy/biblioteca/toponimico/TOPOletraN.doc. Retrieved 4 July 2011. 

External links

• Information and photos of Nueva Helvecia in www.skyscrapercity.com
• Nueva Helvecia in Swiss Info - (Spanish)
• The Beer Festival of Nueva Helvecia, Viajando Por Uruguay
• Guía turística de Colonia - (Spanish)
• INE map of Nueva Helvecia