Geography
The Oriental Republic of Uruguay is in southern South America. It is bordered by Argentina, Brazil and the South Atlantic Ocean.

Montevideo is the capital city and a major port. Salto is Uruguay's second largest city.

The terrain consists of coastal lowland, rolling plains and low hills. Rivers include the Rio Uruguay and the Rio Negro.

The climate of Uruguay is warm and temperate.

Environment
National Parks in Uruguay are the National Park of Santa Teresa and the National Park of San Miguel.

Marshlands in the east of Uruguay are designated as UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Water birds such as the black-necked swan, heron, ibis, flamingo and stork can be found in Uruguay.

Architecture
Although a modern city, a number of buildings in the Spanish Colonial style can be seen in Montevideo. These include examples of architecture from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Founded over forty-five years before Montevideo, Colonia del Sacramento was an early Portuguese settlement on the Rio de la Plata. The Historic Quarter of the City of Colonia del Sacramento became a World Heritage site in 1995.

Population
The population of Uruguay was estimated at 3,308,535 in 2011.

Languages
Spanish is the official language in Uruguay. Portunol or Brazilero, a Portuguese-Spanish language, is spoken on the Brazilian border.

Religion
Around two-thirds of the people in Uruguay are Christians, mostly Roman Catholic.

Food
Beef and lamb are the mainstays of Uruguayan cuisine. Meat is fried, grilled, roasted, barbecued, stewed, and made into sausages. Other foods eaten include fish, cheese, eggs and bread.

Pasta and pizza are Italian contributions to Uruguay's food.

Dulce de Leche, a caramel sauce, is used in desserts including flans. Lemon pie is another favourite sweet dish.

Yerba mate, a traditional drink, is made with the leaves of the yerba plant. Coffee and tea are popular drinks and wine is produced locally.

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