Situated in South America, Uruguay 🇺🇾 (officially Oriental Republic of Uruguay) is one of the most interesting places you can land on when you spin the globe. With a population of about 3.4 million and a total area of 181,034 km², it offers far more than its statistics suggest.
Whether you discovered Uruguay through our random country spinner or searched for it directly, this guide covers everything you need to know: the flag, the capital city of Montevideo, population figures, languages, currency, geography and a collection of memorable facts.
Where is Uruguay located?
Uruguay lies in South America, in the Americas region of the world. Measuring roughly 181,034 square kilometres, it ranks 92nd in the world by total area.
Uruguay has a coastline as well as land borders with Argentina and Brazil — a crossroads position that has influenced its culture and economy for centuries.
Montevideo serves as the capital — the centre of government and, for most travellers, the gateway to everything else Uruguay has to offer.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Who lives in Uruguay?
Uruguay is home to approximately 3.4 million residents — the 134th largest population on the planet. Its people are known as Uruguayans.
The main language spoken here is Spanish. Learning even a handful of phrases before a visit goes a long way with locals.
Like every country featured on Spin a Country, Uruguay rewards curiosity — its festivals, food and everyday customs tell a story that statistics alone never can.
Good to know before you go
The official currency is the Uruguayan peso (UYU, symbol $). Exchange rates fluctuate, so check current rates before travelling.
The international dialling code for Uruguay is +598. Websites from the country typically use the .uy internet domain.
If Uruguay came up on your random spin, take five minutes to memorise its flag, capital (Montevideo) and population — these are the three facts most often asked in geography quizzes.
Neighbouring countries
Uruguay shares borders with 2 countries:
Fun facts about Uruguay
- Uruguay's flag emoji is 🇺🇾 — its two-letter country code is UY and its three-letter code is URY.
- Uruguay covers 181,034 km², ranking 92nd in the world by area.
- With about 3.4 million people, Uruguay holds the 134th spot in the world population ranking.
- Uruguay is a member state of the United Nations.
- Uruguay shares borders with 2 countries.
Uruguay — frequently asked questions
- What is the capital of Uruguay?
- The capital of Uruguay is Montevideo.
- What is the population of Uruguay?
- Uruguay has a population of approximately 3,386,588 people, ranking 134th in the world.
- Where is Uruguay located?
- Uruguay is located in South America, part of the Americas region.
- What language is spoken in Uruguay?
- The main language spoken in Uruguay is Spanish.
- What currency is used in Uruguay?
- Uruguay uses the Uruguayan peso (UYU).
