Location

• Uruguay is tucked between Brazil and Argentina on the Atlantic side of South America. Montevideo is on the north side of the Rio de la Plata, the river estuary that separates Uruguay from Argentina. The city is 34.5 degrees south of the equator, with a climate similar to the southern coastal areas of the U.S. but with reversed seasons.
  
  

Connections

• Montevideo has an international airport with direct flights to Buenos Aires; Santiago, Chile; the major cities of Brazil; Panama City, Panama; Miami, Florida; and Madrid, Spain. Ferry boats travel several times a day between Montevideo and Buenos Aires, about 140 miles to the west.
  
  

People

• The population of Montevideo, and Uruguay as a whole, is almost entirely of European extraction, and the official language is Spanish. In 2008, Montevideo had a population of 1.35 million. Uruguay's population is 3.4 million.
  
  

Money

• The currency is the Uruguayan peso. Uruguay works on a dual currency system in which bank accounts can hold both the local pesos and U.S. dollars. Automated teller machines will dispense both currencies. More expensive items such as property, cars and appliances are priced in dollars, while everyday items have peso prices. Merchants usually take either currency.
  
  

Economy

• Historically, Uruguay has been a major agricultural producer and processor. Tourism and international banking are growth sectors in the economy.
  
  

Fun Fact

• Montevideo has 22 kilometers (about 14 miles) of coastline along the Rio de la Plata. Most of the coast is public property consisting of parks, sports fields and nine attractive beaches within the city limits.