Page 63 - Across the Andes: Chile’s Atacama Desert & Argentina’s Northwest

• Capital: Montevideo

• Languages: >[LYT^S _SP ZʯNTLW WLYR`LRP ZQ @]`R`Ld

• Location: Uruguay is bordered by Argentina and Brazil

• Geography: Uruguay features plains to the east, south, and west, along with sandy
beaches along the coastline. Rolling hills and mountains can be found in northern
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• Government Type: Presidential Republic

• Population: 3,360,148 (estimate)

• Religions: Roman Catholic 47.1%, non-Catholic Christians 11.1%, non-denominational
23.2%, Jewish 0.3%, atheist or agnostic 17.2%, other 1.1%

• Time Zone: Uruguay time (UYT) is 3 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time. Generally
Uruguay is 1 hour ahead of Eastern Time in the U.S. So usually, when it is 6am in
Washington D.C. it is 7am in Uruguay.

National Holidays: Uruguay

In addition to the holidays listed below, 01/03 The Three Wise Men Day
Uruguay celebrates a number of national
05/01 Labor Day / May Day
holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such
L^ .L]YTaLW LYO 0L^_P] ?Z ʭYO Z`_ TQ dZ` 06/19 Jose Artigas’ Birthday Memorial
will be traveling during these holidays,
please visit www.timeanddate.com/ 07/18 Constitution Day
holidays.
08/25 Independence Day
01/01 New Year’s Day
12/25 Christmas Day

Historical Overview of Uruguay
Early History and Colonization

Prior to European colonization, Uruguay was home to many small nomadic peoples such as the
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between the competing Portuguese and Spanish colonizers in South America. In 1516, Juan
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More explorers came to Uruguay in the 1520s, however settlements were very limited due to
the lack of gold and silver in the region.

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Rio Negro. In 1680, the Portuguese established Colonia del Sacramento across the coast from
Buenos Aires. Due to the competition between the Spanish and the Portuguese, the Spanish
tried to limit Portuguese colonization extending past the borders of Brazil. The Spanish settled

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