Uruguay
Americas Β· Capital: Montevideo
How it is run: Uruguay is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Uruguay is home to 3.4 million people in South America, where people speak Spanish.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
3.4 million people
That is about 418 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
181,034 kmΒ²
Roughly the size of Italy or the state of Arizona.
ποΈ How crowded
Only about 19 people per square kilometre β lots of wide open space between towns.
π Size in its region
22nd most people in Americas
15th largest by land in Americas.
π£οΈ Official languages
Spanish
π° Money
Uruguayan peso ($)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
78.3 years on average
One of the healthier countries β good hospitals and clean water make a big difference.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$25,216
An upper-middle-income country: growing cities, and more families joining the middle class.
π’ Living in cities
95.7% of people
Mostly a city country β think buses, trains and apartment blocks.
π Kids under 15
17.9% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+598
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.uy
π§ People here are called
Uruguayan
π·οΈ Name at home
Uruguay
Also written: Oriental Republic of Uruguay, RepΓΊblica Oriental del Uruguay.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Latin American and Caribbean Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Uruguay touches 2 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Uruguay
French
Uruguay
Arabic
Ψ§ΩΨ£ΩΨ±ΩΨΊΩΨ§Ω
Chinese
δΉζε
Japanese
γ¦γ«γ°γ’γ€
Russian
Π£ΡΡΠ³Π²Π°ΠΉ
Portuguese
Uruguai
German
Uruguay
Put it in perspective π
- United States β the most populated country in Americas β has about 101.0Γ as many people as Uruguay.
- Uruguay covers roughly 1,724 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Uruguay lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 1,692 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: πΊπΎ is the flag of Uruguay. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is UY.
π·οΈ Official name
Oriental Republic of Uruguay
ποΈ Capital
Montevideo
π Region
Americas Β· South America
π€ Country code
UY
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Uruguay π
π§ Where on the map
33.0Β° S, 56.0Β° W
π Half of the world
Southern & Western hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC-4 β when it is noon in London it is about 08:00 in Montevideo.
- Uruguay sits in South America, in the southern and western half of the globe.
- The capital of Uruguay is Montevideo β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Uruguay shares its part of the world with Bolivia. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- Uruguay is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- πΊπΎ is the flag of Uruguay. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is UY.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Uruguay has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Uruguay can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Uruguay spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Uruguay?
Montevideo
Which money do people spend in Uruguay?
Uruguayan peso ($)
How many countries share a land border with Uruguay?
2 β Argentina, Brazil.
Roughly how many people live in Uruguay?
3.4 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.