Uruguay

Capital Montevideo

Population 3,480,222

Area 181,034 km2

Key facts

Uruguay is a country located in South America. There are 2 countries (Argentina, Brazil) that Uruguay shares its borders with. The official language of Uruguay is Spanish. Unfortunately, if you speak English, it might be problematic to communicate fluently unless you know Spanish.

In the EF English Competency Index (EF EPI), which assesses the language proficiency of non-native speaking countries, Uruguay was ranked 53rd out of 100 countries in 2021.

The national currency in Uruguay is Uruguayan peso (UYU). The peso ($U) is subdivided into 100 centésimo (¢).

Uruguayan
Banknotes

$U20$U50$U100$U200$U500$U1000$U2000

Uruguayan
Coins

$U1$U2$U5$U10$U50

Check with your bank before your trip to find out if there are any fees for using your card abroad. Some banks do not charge fees when you use a foreign ATM or pay in foreign currency, but others may charge a fixed cost for each transaction or allow a limited number of free withdrawals. The travel card provided by Wise.com, Revolut or Monose might be an excellent option to cut down on transaction fees.

Ookla® Speedtest The average fixed internet speed in Uruguay is 232.05 Mbps and mobile is Mbs.The global average is 197.25 Mbps and 127.73 Mbps respectively.

ATM Density Uruguay has more ATMs than most other countries.276.29 ATMs per 100,000 people.The global average is 39.49.

SIM Registration In order to purchase a SIM card in Uruguay, a passport or ID is required as identification.

Socket types

There are 4 socket types used in Uruguay. Type C is a popular socket type throughout Europe (except the United Kingdom), Russia, and certain Asian countries. Type I is not very common around the world, so it might be a good idea to check if your electronics need an adapter.

Type C 230 V, 50 Hz  Type F 230 V, 50 Hz  Type I 230 V, 50 Hz  Type L 230 V, 50 Hz  

The sockets’ shapes and voltage differ from country to country and a travel plug adapter may be required. Portable devices, such as phones, notebooks or tablets, usually handle the entire range of voltages used across the world (110-240V).

Public holidays

In the year 2024, Uruguay will celebrate 15 national public holidays. The next one Christmas Day will take place on December 25.

Date Holiday name
January 1, 2024Moving holiday New Year’s DayAño Nuevo
January 6, 2024Moving holiday Children’s DayDía de los Niños
February 12, 2024Moving holiday CarnivalCarnaval
February 13, 2024Moving holiday CarnivalCarnaval
March 28, 2024Moving holiday Maundy ThursdaySemana de Turismo
March 29, 2024Moving holiday Good FridaySemana de Turismo
April 19, 2024Moving holiday Landing of the 33 Patriots DayDesembarco de los 33 Orientales
May 1, 2024Moving holiday International Workers’ DayDía de los Trabajadores
May 18, 2024Moving holiday Battle of Las PiedrasBatalla de las Piedras
June 19, 2024Moving holiday Birthday of José Gervasio Artigas and Never Again DayNatalicio de Artigas y Día del Nunca Más
July 18, 2024Moving holiday Constitution DayJura de la Constitución
August 25, 2024Moving holiday Independence DayDía de la Independencia
October 12, 2024Moving holiday Day of the raceDía de la Raza
November 2, 2024Moving holiday Deceased ones dayDía de los Difuntos
December 25, 2024Moving holiday Christmas DayDía de la Familia

Tourism

What hotel chains are present in Uruguay?

There are no Mariott hotels in Uruguay.

The Hilton hotel chain operates in Uruguay.

The IHG hotel chain operates in Uruguay.

There are no Best Western hotels in Uruguay.

There are Radisson hotels in 2 cities: Colonia del Sacramento and Montevideo.

The Accor hotel chain operates in Uruguay.

What fast food chains are present in Uruguay?

The McDonald’s chain operates in Uruguay.

The KFC chain does not operate in Uruguay.

The Burger King chain operates in Uruguay.

The Subway chain operates in Uruguay.

The Domino’s Pizza chain does not operate in Uruguay.

The Starbucks chain does not operate in Uruguay.

Weather

What is the weather like in Montevideo?

Today the sun in Montevideo, rises at 5:34 AM and sets at 7:20 PM. The climate of Montevideo may be categorized as a Humid subtropical (Cfa), according to Koppen’s classification system.

TodayNov 8OvercastLow: 14.4°C (57.92°F)High: 21.7°C (71.06°F)
SaturdayNov 9OvercastLow: 11.6°C (52.88°F)High: 26.5°C (79.7°F)
SundayNov 10RainLow: 14.4°C (57.92°F)High: 29.2°C (84.56°F)
MondayNov 11Rain showersLow: 13.3°C (55.94°F)High: 23.8°C (74.84°F)
TuesdayNov 12OvercastLow: 11.4°C (52.52°F)High: 21°C (69.8°F)
WednesdayNov 13OvercastLow: 11.3°C (52.34°F)High: 21.9°C (71.42°F)

Weather data for Montevideo (capital city) by Open-Meteo.com

Transport

Railways There are passenger trains operating between some cities.

Subway Systems There is no subway system in any city.

Taxi Apps You can use Uber in 2 cities. Bolt is not available in Uruguay.

Car Rental Avis , Sixt , Hertz are all available in Uruguay.

Road Connectivity Index (2016)  With a score of 5.5, Uruguay is placed 46th out of 129 nations.

Driving Side In Uruguay traffic is right-handed.

Safety

Theft Occurrence Rate  3,414.00 thefts per 100,000 people in 2020.The global average is 544.

Road Traffic Casualties 14.80 deaths per 100,000 people in 2019.The global average is 16.74.

Travel Advisory Level (U.S. DoS)  Level 2: Exercise increased caution. 

Emergency phones in Uruguay

911 Police
911 Ambulance
911 Fire police

Sources

Smoking & Alcohol

Smoking ban Smoking is forbidden in all public indoor locations, with limited exceptions.

Cananbis legality Recreational usage: Legal, but buying prohibited for foreigners.
Medical usage: Legal

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