Uruguay (from Guaraní language, that means “river of the painted birds”), is the smallest country in South America located between Brazil and Argentina. Its small surface, allows people to travel around the country on short times, constantly changing landscapes, cultures and natural attractions.
Uruguay is a cosmopolitan country; over 100 years ago many people from different cultures started to arrive to Uruguay, which has contributed to form the nowadays national identity.
At the beginning, it was inhabited by natives (guaraní, guenoas, charrúas, minuanes, yaros and boanes); through the time started to arrive European immigrants, looking for a better future and, as a consequence, they started “to market” black slaves to do domestic tasks.
With each different culture arrived diverse customs; at the same time they started to mixi between themselves, giving elements very established today in our popular culture: the mate, the ruedos, the criollas, rural houses, the drums (“los tambores”), the candombe, the carnaval (carnival), the llamadas, the murga, the comparsas, the tango, the milongas, the soccer.
Between the people and the costumes, Uruguay is a very friendly country to visit and stay there.
Uruguay Travel Resources
These are my favourite companies to use when I travel.
• Search cheap flights with Skyscanner.
• Find the best deals on hotels on Booking.com.
Uruguay Tours
• Find sightseeing tours on Viator.
• Search small group adventure tours of South America with G Adventures.
General Facts
• Capital: Montevideo
• Surface: 176.215 kms²
• Population: 3.305.723 habs (2005)
• Official language: Spanish
• Monetary unit: Pesos uruguayos
• Religion: Secular State with free exercise of all religions (most developed: catholic, umbanda, jewish and protestant).
• Government type: Representative democracy.
• Climate: warm temperate, with its four seasons fairly well defined: autumn, winter, spring and summer.
International Code: +598 / Internet: .uy
Best Places to Go in Uruguay
Uruguay is formed for different landscapes like: oceanic and river beaches, dunes, natural hot water swimming pool (termas), rivers, lakes, lagoons, wetlands, among others.
At the same time, has a small surface but with an important diversity of flora and fauna, that enriches its natural heritage.
Nowadays, Uruguay is implementing a Protected Areas National System over all the country, which will guarantee the conservation of environments and local communities associated to them.
The country has 19 departments, divided by zones:
Southwest
The historical constructions charge great importance. The city of Colonia del Sacramento is emphasized here (few kms from Montevideo); founded in 1680 by the Portuguese, at present is declared Cultural Heritage of Mankind (UNESCO), being emphasized as an important tourist destiny. This part of the country has too important places with very nice natural conditions to learn snorkelling and dive.
North
The exploitation of agatas and amethysts mines and the cultural exchange through the border with Brazil (from were has born the “portuñol”, a language that mix Spanish and Portuguese) are the characteristic that are emphasized here.
East
The oceanic coast offers kilometres of white sand beaches very required by the surfers for the practice of this sport as well as by tourists and ecotourists, among others.
This region of the country is emphasized for its rich nature (mobile dunes, forests of “ombúes” trees, communities of palm groves “palmares”, lagoons, wetlands, and one of the greatest communities of sea wolfs located on the mystical Cabo Polonio islands.
It is too a MAB Biosphere Reserve and a RAMSAR site), which is complemented with historic fortresses, native cemeteries (“cerritos de indios”), Natural Protected Areas and local communities (most of them fisher men or crafts sellers).
Centre
It is emphasized for its mountain ranges, with subtropical weather vegetation remainders presence, small waterfalls and caverns; because of this, the centre of the country is a very attractive area for the adventure activities like rappel, trekking, mountain bike, among others.
South
There are very important extensive areas cultivated with vineyards, from where are originated the great Uruguayan wines rewarded on a worldwide basis. Over the Río de la Plata (Silver River) and very close to Montevideo, there are small cities with an important commercial and social activity connected to the capital city. It is an area were you see more farm developments and production related to this activity.