About Uruguay

Welcome to Uruguay. A small and friendly country. The territory's location (34 53 S 56 10 W) guarantees a temperate climate with diverse but predictable weather. Ever since its independence in 1825, Uruguay has been characterized by a long history of democracy and stability. In its 2007 index of democracy, the British weekly magazine The Economist ranked Uruguay as the only "full democracy" in South America.

Uruguay has a population of 3.5 million. Half of these inhabitants live in Montevideo, the country's capital. While Montevideo is a very modern and vibrant city, with a long multicultural tradition, it has preserved a small but charming colonial district.

Eighty-five percent of the country's inhabitants are Caucasian with European customs and education. The indigenous population was tragically wiped out in the mid 1800s, and thus Uruguay's current population is made up primarily of descendants of European immigrants. Over many decades, men and women from Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France and countries throughout the world chose to come to this region to settle, and as they did they forged a tolerant and open country.

In addition, in recent decades Uruguay's economy has been marked by stability and prosperity. Proof of this is the great demand for Uruguayan Government bonds in the world's stock markets.

The country's green grasslands, rivers and seacoasts make it an idyllic and peaceful place to live in. The liveliness and cosmopolitanism of its people; the safety of its streets; its predictable and fair weather… all of this combines to produce a unique and invaluable mix.