San José de Mayo (Spanish pronunciation: [saŋ xoˈse ðe ˈmaʝo]) is the capital city of the San José Department in southern Uruguay.

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San José de Mayo
Capital city
From top, left to right: view of the Cathedral, the Macció Theater, the City Hall, monument of José Artigas in the Independence Square, the Treinta y Tres Orientales Square and the station.
San José de Mayo Location in Uruguay
Coordinates: 34°20′0″S 56°43′0″W
Country	Uruguay
Department	San José Department
Founded	1783
Population  (2011 Census)
• Total	36,743
• Demonym	maragato-a
Time zone	UTC -3
Postal code	80000
Dial plan	+598 434 (+5 digits)
Climate	Cfa

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The city is located at the centre of the state, on the intersection of Route 3 with Route 11, 90 kilometres (56 mi) from the centre of Montevideo. The railroad track connecting Montevideo with Colonia and with the northwest of the country passes through the city. The river Río San José flows along the northeastern and eastern limits of the city.

Increased precipitation as a result of climate change and impermeabilization of the local land surfaces has made San José de Mayo more prone to flooding over the 1987–2017 period.^[1]

This section does not cite any sources. (January 2023)

San José de Mayo was founded on 1 July 1783. It had acquired "Villa" (town) status before the Independence of Uruguay, which was elevated to "Ciudad" (city) on 12 July 1856 by the Act of Ley Nº 495.^[2] During the 19th century it became a commercial and cultural centre, known as "Montevideo chico" ("little Montevideo"). The theatre "Teatro Macció" was constructed at the turn of the 20th century.

In 2011 San José de Mayo had a population of 36,743.^[3]

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

• Cathedral Basilica and National Sanctuary of St. Joseph (Roman Catholic)
• Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompei Parish Church (Roman Catholic)
• Our Lady of Fatima Parish Church (Roman Catholic)
• Our Lady of the Orchard Chapel (Roman Catholic)

This section does not cite any sources. (January 2023)

Besides being the administrative capital of the department, the city is an active regional commercial and financial centre. Its economy is linked mainly to cattle ranching, and it is an agro-industrial centre for dairy products, packing houses, mills, and chemicals.

• Cesár Cortinas [es], (1892-1918), musician and composer
• Laura Cortinas (1881-1969), writer, politician, feminist and playwright
• Ismael Cortinas (1884-1940), politician