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URUGUAY

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A Brief Description

All of South America, and this land called Uruguay, was occupied by large groups of indigenous Indian peoples long before the Europeans arrived.

When the Spanish Explorer, Juan Diaz de Solis, came ashore in the area in 1516, his welcoming was rather unfriendly, as Solis, and most of his landing party were promptly killed by Indians.

In 1680, the Portuguese founded Colonia on the edge of the River Plate, directly across from the Spanish controlled city of Buenos Aires.

In response, the Spanish established Montevideo as a military stronghold, and with its natural harbor, this upstart settlement soon became an important regional center of commerce.

At the beginning of the 19th century, after many decades of forced Spanish control, Jose Gervasio Artigas, an exiled military officer, led the long struggle for political freedom, and that independence came to fruition in 1825; and then, in 1828, the State of Uruguay was officially created.

Uruguay's independence was immediately threatened, as both Argentina and Brazil desired this land. Subsequently, it wasn't long before Montevideo was overrun, and warring factions immersed this new country into civil war and political dictatorships.

A somewhat short-lived productive era began in the early 20th century, as governmental reforms included a long list of social services, including free health care and education, pensions for workers, and a real concentrated effort to improve the economy.

In short-order this proved problematic, as Uruguay, with few natural resources, soon experienced financial pressures on its new welfare state that grew to unmanageable levels; this brought political unrest, another dictatorship, and then, a disastrous guerrilla movement, one that took Uruguay's military many years to finally control.

Civilian rule was finally restored in 1985, and in 2004, a new and progressive coalition won national elections, which in essence ended 175 years of political instability in the country.

Today, along its sunny beaches, and in the restaurants and shops of Montevideo, tourism is again on the rise and it's very easy to imagine a bright future for Uruguay. Just imagine!

Read more about Uruguay here!

Mansa Beach, Uruguay Travel the World through Poster Art!

Facts and Figures

Name Uruguay

(long form) Oriental Republic of Uruguay

Population 3,415,900

Population & Density (all countries) here

Capital City Montevideo (1.3 mil)

Currency Uruguayan peso (UYU)

Currency Converter here

Languages Spanish, Portunol

Flag here

National Day August 25

Religions Catholic (66%), Protestant (2%), others

Geographic Coordinates

Latitude/Longitude (Capital City)

34º 53 S, 56º 11' W

Relative Location Uruguay is positioned in both the southern and western hemisphere. It's located on the southeastern coast of South America, and bordered by Brazil, Argentina and the Atlantic Ocean.

Land Statistics

Coastline 410 miles (660 km)

Land Areas

(land) 67,035 sq miles (173,620 sq km)

(water) 1,004 sq miles (2,600 sq km)

(TOTAL) 68,039 sq miles (176,220 sq km)

Land Area (all countries) here

Landforms The eastern, southern, and western plains in Uruguay eventually flow into the rolling hills and low mountains of the interior.

In the southwest, the flat lowlands between the coastline and hills (Littoral) merge more gradually into the hilly interior.

Along the Atlantic, near Montevideo, sandy beaches ring the coastline. In the east - from Punta del Este to Cabo Polonio - the coastal plain is sandy, marshy, and broken by a few bays and lagoons.

In the north, a series of low mountains run north into the highlands of Brazil. In the east, a narrow band of low mountains extends from the coastal areas through Treinta y Tres.

In this land of rivers, major ones include the Uruguay, which flows south along its entire border with Argentina, on into the River Plate (Rio de la Plata; the Negro, and the Yi (its largest tributary); the Cebollati, and the Yaguaron on the border with Brazil,

Formed by dams on the Negro, a huge artificial lake extends across the center of the country.

Highest Pt. Mt. Catedral - 1,687 ft. (514 m)

Lowest Pt. Atlantic Ocean - 0 ft. (0 m)

Land Divisions 19 departments: including; Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo and Treinta y Tres.

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Maps

Uruguay (large color) Map here

Uruguay Outline Map here

Uruguay CIA version here

Uruguay Maps at UT here

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South America (Bodies of Water) here!

South America (Capital Cities) here!

South America (Landforms) here!

South America (Outline) here!

South America (Country Test) here!

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World Outline Maps (printable) here

World Time Zone Map here

Recommended Links

Uruguay (Complete) info on the (GDP) economy, imports and exports, natural resources, government, population, military, transportation, and more here

Uruguay Embassy (Washington, DC) web site

Uruguay Photos at TrekEarth.com here

Uruguay Tourism here

Uruguay Travel Info here

Montevideo, Uruguay Travel the World through Poster Art!

Time and Weather

Climate Uruguay is the only Latin American country not situated within the tropics, and its location provides a sunny and warm temperate climate, with rain (mostly brief showers) distributed evenly throughout the year.

Temperatures rarely reach below 40° F (4° C) and daily high averages in winter approach 60° F (16° C). In summer, daily high averages reach into the mid 70s.

Note that seasons in Uruguay are just the opposite of those in the northern hemisphere.

Street scene, Montevideo, Uruguay Travel the World through Poster Art!

Traveler Info

Attractions: Tourism in Uruguay begins in Montevideo, a beautiful, picturesque city of both Italian and Spanish colonial architecture.

Favorite stops within the capital city include historic Ciudad Vieja (Old Town); the lively Mercado del Puerto (port area), with its eclectic restaurants, open-air markets, and shopping venues; Plaza del Entrevero; Palacio del Salvo; the Museum of American Art, and we can't forget the miles of attractive and clean sandy beaches that ring the city's coastline.

Other points-of-interest in Uruguay include the 17th century colonial towns of Carmelo, San Jose, and especially Colonia, with its cobblestone streets and colorful houses; the Uruguayan Riviera and its Caribbean-like beaches and trendy resorts; day trips by ferry to exciting Buenos Aires, and eco-tours.

Uruguay is truly a country of water, and be it on the ocean or inland rivers and lakes, watersports activities abound, including canoeing, fishing, kayaking, jet skiing, wind surfing and water skiing.

Country Dialing Code 598

ElectricityUruguay uses 220 volts AC (50 Hz)

Electrical adapters, products and tips here

Travel Warnings here

Visa Information here

PLEASE NOTE: Before making travel plans for any worldwide destination, we strongly recommend you authenticate important details regarding visas, local health care, customs, etc. We always find it helpful to contact the nearest consulate of any country before beginning a journey into a foreign land.

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