Geography of Uruguay

Geography of Uruguay
ContinentSouth America
RegionAmericas
Coordinates33°00′S 56°00′W / 33.000°S 56.000°W / -33.000; -56.000
AreaRanked 89
 • Total176,215 km2 (68,037 sq mi)
Coastline660 km (410 mi)
BordersTotal land borders:
1564 km
Argentina: 579 km
Brazil: 985 km
Highest pointCerro Catedral (514 m)
Lowest pointAtlantic Ocean (0 m)
Longest riverRio Negro
Exclusive economic zone142,166 km2 (54,891 sq mi)

Uruguay is a country in the southeastern region of South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil. It is located in the Southern Hemisphere on the Atlantic seaboard of South America between 53 and 58 west longitude and 30 and 35 south latitude.[1] It is bordered to the west by Argentina, on the north and northeast by Brazil, and on the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean, which makes up Uruguay's coast.[1]

To the south, it fronts the Río de la Plata, a broad estuary that opens out into the South Atlantic.[1] Montevideo, the capital and major port, sits on the banks of the Río de la Plata and is on approximately the same latitude as Cape Town and Sydney.[1] Uruguay is the smallest Spanish-speaking nation in South America with a land area of 175,015 km2 (67,574 sq mi) and a water area of 1,200 km2 (463 sq mi).[1][2] Additionally, Uruguay is the world's only sovereign nation that does not extend north of the 30 degrees south latitude (if Nugent Island is considered New Zealand's northernmost point); accordingly, all other nations include at least some land further north than all points in Uruguay; in this sense, Uruguay could be considered the world's southernmost country. It has an Exclusive Economic Zone of 142,166 km2 (54,891 sq mi). It is the only country in South America situated completely south of the Tropic of Capricorn, as well as one of only four in the world.

  1. ^ a b c d e Gillespie, Charles Guy (1992). "Geography". In Hudson, Rex A.; Meditz, Sandra W. (eds.). Uruguay: a country study (2nd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. pp. 52–62. ISBN 0-8444-0737-2. OCLC 25409241. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  2. ^ "Uruguay". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. May 27, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2021.