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General Information
Area: 176,215 sq km (68,037 sq miles).
Population: 3,313,000 (1999).
Population Density: 18.8 per sq km.
Capital: Montevideo. Population: 1,344,839 (1996).
GEOGRAPHY: Uruguay is one of the smallest of the South American republics. It is bounded to the north by Brazil, to the southeast by the Atlantic, and is separated from Argentina in the west and south by the River Uruguay, which widens out into the Rio de la Plata estuary. The landscape is made up of hilly meadows broken by streams and rivers. There is a string of beaches along the coast. Most of the country is grazing land for sheep and cattle. Montevideo, the most southern point of the nation, accommodates more than half of the population. About 90 per cent of the land is suitable for agriculture, although only 12 per cent is used in this way. Uruguay is known as the ‘Oriental Republic’ because it stands on the eastern bank of the Rio de la Plata.
Government: Republic since 1967. Gained independence from Spain in 1828. Head of State and Government: President Jorge Batlle Ibáñez since 1999.
Language: Spanish. Some English is spoken in tourist resorts.
Religion: Roman Catholic is the predominant religion.
Time: GMT - 3.
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Continental flat three-pin or round two-pin plugs.
Communications:
Telephone
IDD is available to Uruguay, but callers from Uruguay may experience difficulty, although direct dialling is possible. Country code: 598. Outgoing international code: 00. The local telephone service, which is operated by the Government, is generally adequate, but long-distance calls may take a considerable time to be put through.
Mobile telephone
AMPS network operated by Antel (website: www.antel.com.uy). No GSM network exists at present.
Fax
Some hotels have facilities.
Internet
ISPs include Movinet (website: www.movinet.com.uy) and Uruguay Net (website: www.uruguaynet.com.uy). E-mail can be accessed from Internet cafes in main urban areas.
Telegram
These can be sent worldwide through ITT Comunicaciones, Mundiales SA, Italcable and Western Telegraph Co Ltd.
Post
Post offices open 0800-1800 (main post office in the old city, Montevideo: 0900-1900). Airmail to Europe takes three to five days.
Press
All newspapers are in Spanish; the most popular dailies include El Diario, El País and La Mañana.
BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change.
BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice):
Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov):
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
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