Uruguay Capitals

The capital of Uruguay is Montevideo, which is located at the mouth of the Río de la Plata along the southern coast of the country. It has the distinction of being the most southern capital in the Americas. On its western side, this city is bordered by the Santa Lucía river. Beginning in the late 17th century, Portuguese colonizers began to settle in this region. By 1724, however, Spanish colonizers forced the Portuguese out of the area and founded the city of Montevideo. This city quickly grew in economic importance and after a little over a century of territorial conflict, Montevideo became the capital of the newly independent Uruguay in 1828.

The population of the city proper of Montevideo is around 1,305,082. The entire metropolitan area, however, has a population size of over 1.9 million. This number makes Montevideo the most populated city in Uruguay and home to approximately one-third of the total national population. This ciity saw some of its fastest growth throughout the 20th century, when it received large numbers of immigrants from several European countries.

Montevideo is a popular tourist destination in Uruguay. In fact, the tourism industry here contributes a large percentage to the national revenue. Most tourists in Montevideo are interested in the historic area of the city, known as Ciudad Vieja. This neighborhood offers museums, interesting architecture, and the government plaza. Given its location on the coast, visitors to Montevideo also enjoy spending time on the beaches, which usually involves walking along the Rambla and visiting the Fortaleza del Cerro (a Spanish colonial military fort). Other popular places in Montevideo include: Palacio Salvo, Solis Theater, Barros Sur, and Punta Gorda.

Montevideo is located within a humid subtropical climate, although the city generally experiences mild temperatures. Between June and September, this city experiences the winter season with cooler temperatures and wet climate. From December to March, Montevideo is in the hot, summer season. Springtime here, considered October and November, is characterized by strong storms. The highest temperature on record for this city is recorded as 109° fahrenheit. Montevideo receives around 43.35 inches of precipitation on an annual basis.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

More on Graphicmaps

Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	Montevideo
Languages	Spanish (official), Portunol, Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)
Ethnic Groups	White 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian (practically nonexistent)
Religion	Roman Catholic 47.1%, non-Catholic Christians 11.1%, nondenominational 23.2%, Jewish 0.3%, atheist or agnostic 17.2%, other 1.1% (2006 est.)
Government	Presidential republic
Independance	25 August 1825 (from Brazil)
Area	176,215.00 km²
Water Area	1,200.00 km²
Land Area	175,015.00 km²
Population	3,351,016.00 Most of the country's population resides in the southern half of the country; approximately 80% of the populace is urban, living in towns or cities; nearly half of the population lives in and around the capital of Montevideo
Location	Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil
No. Bordering Countries	2
Bordering Countries	Argentina 541 km, Brazil 1,050 km
GDP(PPP)	$73,250,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$20,300.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are China, Brazil, and the United States.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are beef, soybeans, cellulose, rice, and wheat.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are Brazil, China, and Argentina.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include refined oil, crude oil, vehicle parts, and cellular phones.
Climate	Mostly mid-latitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east
Terrain	Mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
Learn More	Uruguay

Uruguay Capitals

More on Graphicmaps

What is a Trade Embargo?

Which Two Countries Used to Have the Same Flag?

What Is the Only Two-Sided State Flag?

Which Country Flag Looks Like the Texas Flag?

Flags That Resemble the US Flag

What is Demography?