Capital: Montevideo

Language: Spanish

Currency: Uruguayan Peso

There is far more to Uruguay than Punta Del Este, a famous resort that has always attracted the international jet set. Like Colonia del Sacramento, for example, a city in the southwest on the opposite side of the Río de La Plata from Buenos Aires. It is famous for its Barrio Histórico, an area replete with buildings from when it was a Portuguese colony. To the north of the neighbourhood is the 19 century lighthouse, the Colonia del Sacramento, which offers wonderful river views.

Geography

Uruguay is located in the southeastern region of South America. It borders Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, with the Río de la Plata (River of Silver) to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast. With an area of approximately 176,000 square kilometres, Uruguay is geographically the second-smallest nation in South America, after Suriname.

Climate

The country has a relatively mild and fairly uniform climate nationwide, with a humid subtropical climate. Only in some spots of the Atlantic Coast and at the summit of the highest hills of the Cuchilla Grande, the climate is oceanic. Seasonal variations are pronounced, but extremes in temperature are rare. The absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, makes all locations vulnerable to high winds and rapid changes in weather as fronts or storms sweep across the country.

Culture

Uruguayan culture is inherently diverse with its multicultural origins, with a legacy of artistic and literary traditions, despite its small size! Uruguay is known for its heavy European influence, made by alternating conquerors, Spain and Portugal!

Gastronomy

Everything from Mediterranean foods to Germany and Scotland has influenced the cocktail of Uruguayan cuisine! It is more a result of immigration than local Amerindian cuisine. The Spanish influence is clearly abundant in desserts such as churros (pastry cylinders, usually fried, and often filled with dulce de leche), flan, ensaimadas yoo (Catalan sweet bread), and alfajores!