From Wikitravel

Uruguay is a country in South America. It has a south Atlantic Ocean coastline and lies between Argentina to the west and Brazil to the north. It is the third-smallest country in South America (after Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago). The country has a mostly low-lying landscape. The name Uruguay means: River of the colorful birds it is related to the name Guyana: Arawak Guayana land of many waters another country in South America There is a town in brazil named Uruguayana

Contents 1 Regions 2 Cities 3 Other destinations 4 Understand 4.1 Climate 4.2 Terrain 4.3 History 5 Get in 5.1 By plane 5.2 By train 5.3 By car 5.4 By bus 5.5 By boat 6 Get around 7 Talk 8 Buy 9 Eat 10 Drink 11 Sleep 12 Work 13 Stay safe 14 Stay healthy 15 Respect 16 Contact

Regions

Administrative divisions 

19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres

Cities

• Montevideo - Capital.
• Chuy - Right on the border with Brazil
• Colonia del Sacramento
• Fray Bentos
• Juan Lacaze
• La Paloma
• Nueva Palmira
• Paysandu
• Punta del Este
• Piriapolis
• Salto

Other destinations

Understand

Climate

Subtropical

Natural hazards 

seasonally high winds droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts

Terrain

Mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland.

highest point 

Cerro Catedral 514 m

History

A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement, the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to agree to military control of his administration in 1973. By the end of the year the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold throughout the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the most free on the continent. In 2004, a leftist coalition which included the Tupamaros won elections which left them in control of both houses of congress, the presidency, and most city and regional governments.

Get in

By plane

Pluna (the Uruguayan carrier) has connecting flights from San Pablo and Madrid.

There are other companies that also have flights to Montevideo. In 2004, American Airlines launched a non-stop flight from Miami to Montevideo. The flight is not daily and only operates during the North American winter season.

You can see a list of airlines at the international airport's Web site.

By train

There are limited commuter train services around Montevideo. There are some tourist trains which do not have a fixed schedule. You need to find annoucements for them at the Montevideo train station. There is no regular long distance train service.

By car

By bus

There are many buses which run to Porto Alegre,Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro Brazil.

By boat

The "Buquebus" ferry service operates between Buenos Aires, Argentina, and both Colonia and Montevideo, Uruguay. Some services continue to Punta del Este.

Journey time is approximately three hours.

Get around

Talk

Languages 

Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier) Most Uruguayans in the city have studied English in school but they do not speak it. Outside of Montevideo and Punta Del Este there are few English speakers.

Amerindian traits can be found everywhere in Uruguayan culture, from cuisine to vocabulary.

Buy

Yerba Mate gourds.

Antiques.

Eat

prices

a breakfast for 4 people can cost as little as $58 pesos (U$2) in a supermarket

1 box(1 litre) of Tropical Fruit Juice $30 pesos 2 packages(5 ounce each) of coconut biscuits $28

There are many public markets where you can get a hundred varieties of meat. Vegetarians can order ravioli just about anywhere. In the bar the local specialty is gramajo, a dish which is french fries like potatoes, eggs, and ham. If you ask they can make it without the ham. One dish that should not be missed is chivito, a heart-attack-on-a-platter combination of meat, potatoes, fried eggs, ham, cheese and mayonnaise.

There are many good sidewalk cafés in the center of the city along the pedestrian streets in the direction of the old city.

Drink

Yerba Mate is widely drunk on the streets, but it is difficult to order in restaurants. You may have to buy a package at a super mercado and make your own. The drinking gourds are widely available from economical to super-luxe silver and horn. Yerba Mate is a social drink. If you are with a group of Uruguayans they will probably not offer you any because they assume that foreigners do not like the bitter taste. If you try some it will make everybody happy.

Uruguay is also acquiring a reputation for its fine wines, especially those made from the Tannat grape.

Sleep

The Radisson is on a main square and costs about USD $80-$100 per night. It has a pool. It may have been a former Moonies building. Room 1958 has a horrible problem with windows creaking in the night and morning, probably due to the changing temperature. Breakfast buffet is included in the rate, as well as several pieces of underwear washed for you daily. (March 2005)

Ciudad Vieja Hostel, in the Core of the Historical Heart of the City and in the Middle of Montevideo’s Nightlife. More information at http://www.ciudadviejahostel.com

Red Hostel at http://www.redhostel.com/ is a 2004 renovated old Montevideo classic French home. Typical hostel traffic, but very nice staff who like to hang out with their friends late at night on the hostel roof.

Work

There are numerous English language schools which are looking for native speakers as teachers. They can arrange papers or pay teachers under the table. The pay is not good, but enough to live on in Montevideo. Work permits are not particularly difficult to obtain and Uruguay lets you convert a tourist visa to a work visa without leaving the country.

Stay safe

Unlike its South American neighbours, crime is not a serious problem in Uruguay. Like anywhere, however, sensible precautions should be taken. That being said, Montevideo provides the highest opportunity for a run in with pickpockets.

In an emergency, call 911 or 999.

Stay healthy

In Montevideo and Punta del Este the tap water is safe to drink. The Hospital Britanica near the Tres Cruces central bus terminal has European-quality service and is clean and efficient.

Respect

Contact

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