The flag of the independent Provincia Oriental approved by the Congreso de la Florida in 1825.
Florida Department was formed on 10 July 1856 from part of San José Department.
In 1760 the first populated place in its territory started by creating a fortress, the Fortín del Pintado, and in 1809 the "Villa de San Fernando de la Florida" was created. During the events of the Independence of Uruguay, a temporary government was set up in this town, and on 25 August 1825, the Congreso de la Florida proclaimed the three fundamental laws of the new independent country.
Most of the border of the department with Durazno Department in the north is formed by the Yí River, with many of its tributaries flowing in the north part of the department. From east to west, these are the streams: Arroyo del Pescado, Arroyo Molles del Pescado, Arroyo Illescas, Arroyo Sauce, Arroyo Mansavillagra, Arroyo Timote, Arroyo Molles del Timote, Arroyo de Castro, Arroyo Sarandí and Arroyo Sauce de Villaneuva, which also forms the border near the city of Durazno. The border then follows Arroyo Batoví a tributary of Arroyo Maciel, the later forming big part of the border of the department with Flores Department to the west and is itself a tributary of Yí River.
Further south, separating the department from San José Department to the west, is the stream Arroyo de la Virgen, a tributary of Santa Lucia River. The later forms the south border of the department, separating it from Canelones Department, with its tributaries flowing through the south part of the department. From east to west, these are: Arroyo Chamaré and Arroyo Casurá, both of which are part of the east border of the department, Arroyo Chamizo, Arroyo de Arias and the Santa Lucia Chico River, with Arroyo de Pintadito as its tributary. A dam in the course of the Santa Lucia Chico River near 25 de Mayo and Cardal forms the Paso de Severino Reservoir.
Crossing the middle of the department from west to east and separating the streams of the north with those of the south, is the Cuchilla Grande Inferior hillrange, which joins the Cuchilla Grande hillrange in the east of the department.
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