At that time, Paysandú Department included all the territory north of the Río Negro, which included the present-day departments of Artigas, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Salto, Paysandú and Río Negro.

On 1 October 1884, it became capital of the newly formed Department of Rivera by the Act of Ley Nº 1.757.

Along the borders with Brazil, to the north, runs the hill range Cuchilla de Santa Ana.

Route 44, which marks part of the southern border of the department, connects with Melo to the southeast.

A small length of this track, from Montevideo to Florida only, is also active for passenger trains.

The small airport of the city of Rivera receives light aircraft and an irregular service by a Brazilian airline to Porto Alegre.