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Geography of Uruguay – The Ultimate Free Guide 2021

Learn facts and Geography of Uruguay including Major Geographical Features, Natural resources, Region, area, Capital, Border countries, rivers in Uruguay.

Uruguay is a country in the southeastern region of South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil. It is located in the Southern Hemisphere on the Atlantic seaboard of South America between 53 and 58 west longitude and 30 and 35 south latitude. It is bordered to the west by Argentina, on the north and northeast by Brazil, and on the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean, which makes up Uruguay’s coast.

• Uruguay is the smallest Spanish-speaking nation in South America with a land area of 175,015 km² (67,574 sq mi) and a water area of 1,200 km² (463 sq mi).

• Uruguay is the world’s only sovereign nation that does not extend north of the 30 degrees south latitude

Geography Of Uruguay

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Region:

Southeastern region of South America

Area:

Ranked 89th Position in the world.

Capital:

Montevideo

Population:

34,60,000

Bordering Countries:

• North and East: Brazil
• Southeast: Atlantic Ocean
• South: Río de la Plata
• Western: The Uruguay River serves as its western boundary with Argentina.

Total Size:

176,215 km²

Geographical Coordinates:

32.5228° S, 55.7658° W

World Region or Continent:

South America

General Terrain:

Uruguay has flat plains on its eastern, southern, and western edges. The narrow Atlantic coastal plain is sandy and marshy, occasionally broken by shallow lagoons.

Geographical Low Point:

Atlantic Ocean (0 m)

Geographical High Point:

Cerro Caterdal (410mi)

Climate:

Uruguay has a humid subtropical climate. It is fairly uniform nationwide, Weather is sometimes humid.

Major cities:

Major Land forms:

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.

Major Rivers and Lakes:

Major Rivers:

Famous Places:

• Montevideo
• Maldonado
• Punta Rubia, Rocha
• Colonia
• Lavalleja

Natural Resources:

• Marble,
• Stone,
• Granite, and
• Bauxite.

Major Geographical Features:

Biomes & Ecosystems:

Tropical and subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands

Topography:

The general character of the land is undulating hills, with a few forest areas along the banks of the numerous streams.

Southern Uruguay consists mostly of rolling plains and is an eastward extension of the Argentine pampas. The Atlantic coastline is fringed with tidal lakes and sand dunes. Low, unbroken stretches of level land line the banks of the two border rivers, the Uruguay and the Plata.

The northern section is broken by occasional ridges and low ranges (cuchillas), alternating with broad valleys, and is a southern extension of Brazil. The highest point in the country, Catedral, is 514 m (1,686 ft) above sea level.

The most noteworthy feature of the northwest landscape is the Cuchilla de Haedo. The Cuchilla Grande runs northeastward from the southern region to the Brazilian border. The Negro, which rises in Brazil, crosses Uruguayan territory and flows into the Uruguay River, which separates Uruguay from Argentina.

Islands:

• Brazilian Island
• Gorriti Island
• Isla de Flores
• Isla de las Gaviotas, Montevideo
• Juncal Island
• Lobos Island (Rio Negro)
• Timoteo Domínguez Island
• Vizcaíno Island

Mountain Ranges:

Uruguay has no Mountains.

States of Uruguay:

Facts about Uruguay:

• The country’s name comes from the Uruguay river and means river of the painted birds in the Guarani language. The river starts in Brazil, ends in the Río de la Plata Basin and forms the border between Uruguay and Argentina.
• Every single house in Uruguay has its own unique name.
• It claims to be the birthplace of the tango (as does Argentina).
• Uruguay’s national anthem, which lasts more than five minutes, is the world’s longest in terms of performance duration (and is quite catchy too)!
• Uruguay is the only country in Latin America which is entirely outside of the tropics.
• José Mujica, Uruguay’s president from 2010-2015, donated 90% of his income to charity and earned himself the nickname of the world’s poorest president.
• In 2009, Uruguay became the first country in the world to provide every schoolchild with a free laptop and Wi-Fi access.
• In 2013, Uruguay was named The Economist’s Country of the Year.
• Uruguay has a literacy rate of 98.1% for adults, one of the highest in the world. This is thanks to the country’s provision of free, compulsory education.
• Uruguay’s motto is Libertad o Muerte, meaning Liberty or Death.

See Also:

World Map

References:

• World Atlas – (Geography of Uruguay)
• Wikipedia – (Geography of Uruguay)
• countrystudies.us – (Geography of Uruguay)