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English information for visitors:
Area: 173,620
square kilometers (67,820 square miles)
Population: 3,415,920 (July 2005, estimated)
Population density: 8 per square mile
Capital: Montevideo
Population: 1,326,000
Exchange: 1 USD=20 UY$
Geography: The Republic of Uruguay is the second smallest country in South
America and is located on the coast of that continent between the countries of
Brazil and Argentina. Comparable in size to the state of Washington, it is
located between the 30th and 35th degree of southern latitude and the 53rd and
58th degree of western longitude. Uruguay is classified as being in the Southern
subtropical zone of the South American Continent. This means comfortably warm
summers and mild winters.
Uruguay consists of rolling, grass-covered plains in the south and occasional
sweeping slopes in the north, broken by broad, wooded valleys with meadows and
slow moving rivers. The low hills are sprinkled with huge granite blocks that
can be seen against the horizon. Uruguay’s highest point is Mount Catedral,
which is 1,683 feet high. Uruguay’s
Atlantic coastline stretches 200 miles and contains a series of impressive
beaches, tidal lakes, and dunes. There are five interior rivers that flow
westward into the Rio Uruguay, Uruguay’s
western boundary. Three quarters of Uruguay’s area is natural grasslands
and supports the grazing of a multitude of livestock. Five% of the country is
forested, while around 10% is used
for growing crops including a variety fruits and grains. Cities have spacious
green areas and because of the continuity of the winds and the lack of pollutant
industries, there is hardly any environmental pollution.
Earthquakes are unknown in Uruguay.
Climate:
Uruguay’s climate is quite temperate.
Frost is virtually unknown in coastal areas. During the summer months, the
average temperature range is 70° F - 82°F, but can rise into the nineties
especially along the shore, while during the winter months temperatures range
between 50° F- 61° F. The coolest month is June, while the warmest is January.
here are no rainy or dry seasons; the rainfall is equally distributed throughout
the year, but tends to be a bit more frequent in the autumn months. Rainfall
averages 36 inches yearly. The predominantly flat landscape is vulnerable to
rapid changes as weather fronts sweep across the plains, sometimes with strong
cool winds that blow in from Argentina. There can be
frequent thunderstorms in the summer.
Hurricanes are non-existent.
Government: Uruguay is a democratic constitutional republic. The presidency is
determined by a popular vote. The elected president, who is both chief of state
and head of government, serves a five-year term. The vice president is elected
on the same party ticket. The president appoints the
thirteen cabinet ministers who head executive departments.
Head of State and Government: Tabaré Ramón Vázquez Rosas since March 01, 2005.
Language: Spanish (official), Portuguese. English is most often selected as a
second language in Uruguay, especially in the business sectors.
Religion: Roman Catholic (66%),
Protestant, Jewish
Electricity: 220V 50Hz, continental flat three-pin or round two-pin plugs.
Currency and exchange: Uruguay Peso, UR$
(exchange code UYU) = 100 centécimos. Notes are in the denominations of UYU
1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of urug$10, 5,
2 and 1. As of April, 2006 $1 US = UR$24.25
Cambios in Montevideo, Colonia and Atlantic beach resorts change US dollars cash
and traveler’s checks (the latter at slightly lower rates or modest
commissions). Banks are the rule in the interior. Visitors are advised to buy
local currency at banks and exchange shops, as hotels tend to give unfavorable
rates. Inflation in Uruguay,
though less severe than in other Latin American countries, leads to frequent
fluctuations in the
exchange rate.
Better hotels, restaurants and shops accept credit cards, and more and more
Uruguayan ATMs accept North American or European credit cards.
There is no black market.
American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are the most commonly used.
Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant
acceptability and other services which may be available.
ATMs may reject European or U.S. credit cards. Sterling travelers checks can
only be changed at The Bank of London & South America; visitors are therefore
advised to carry US Dollar travelers checks (US$50 and US$100 denominations
only).
Sales tax: The sales tax on real estate and services is 22%, as on tangible
products, including water, electricity, and communication.
Credit Crad Payments has important tax returns. 18 %.
Communications:
Telephone IDD is available to Uruguay, but callers from Uruguay may experience
difficulty, although direct dialing is possible. Country dialing code 598.
Outgoing international code: 00. The local telephone service, which is operated
by the Government, is good.
Mobile telephone There are three mobile telephony providers: Movistar (GSM 850 &
1900), Antel (GSM 1800), and CTI Movil (AM wireless GSM 1900). 100% of the
national territory is covered by mobile networks.
Fax Facilities are widely available.
Internet/E-mail Internet access is available in Uruguay and is very
reasonably priced (around UR$10 per hour). Top level domain is .uy. All towns
have more than one cybercafé, and particularly in Montevideo there should be no
problem in getting online. Although most Internet cafés close in the afternoon
between 2 and 5pm, the majority open early in the morning and do not close until
around 11pm.
Most Hotels and restaurants has free Wi Fi service. 3G Internet access mobile
technology is available in major cities, and gprs internet mobile access
everywhere.
Antel made broadband a priority, increasing ADSL speed, reducing service prices
and offering wireless broadband over its GSM network in remote areas where
copper wires are not installed. Several other ISPs offer ADSL services. In fact,
most Uruguayan ISPs offer some form of broadband access.
Telegram These can be sent worldwide through Italcable, ITT Comunicaciones,
Mundiales SA and Western Telegraph Co Ltd.
Press:
All newspapers are in Spanish; the most popular dailies include El Observador,
El País and Ultimas Noticias.
Mail Postal services are notoriously unreliable and it is recommended that all
items of importance are sent by registered mail or a private mail company such
as DHL or FedEx. Post office hours: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. (main post office in the old
city, Montevideo: 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.). Airmail to Europe takes three to five days.
More about telephone/fax Telephone services are provided by ANTEL, with offices
in all major
towns. Payphones are operated by phone card only, available in denominations up
to UR$500 from ANTEL offices or kiosks. Private satellite cabins are appearing
which are more convenient, do not require a card, but are frequently
more expensive. Phone calls are cheaper at weekends and after 9pm. To call
Uruguay from any other country, dial the country code (00) 598 followed by the
area code (without the first number)
and the number.
Toll-free numbers: All numbers starting with 000
Cell-phone calls: Using pre-paid card Idi, the cost of calling to Argentina,
Brazil, Chile, Spain, Canada y USA is UR$ 4.97; to Paraguay, Bolivia, Ecuador,
Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Italia, France, United Kingdom, Israel,
Suisse, Germany is UR$ 6,65; to Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Ethiopia,
Afghanistan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Nauru, Guinea is UR$ 16,66;and to the rest of
the world is UR$12,40
Time Zone: GMT-3 (three hours later than Eastern Standard time, when no daylight
savings;
Uruguay's daylight savings change is different than the U.S., so there will be a
one to two hour variance during daylight savings periods.)
Pets:
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE IMPORTATION OF DOMESTIC DOGS AND CATS FROM THE UNITED
STATES
These requirements apply to animals traveling with a passenger or animals
traveling by cargo.
The animal must be accompanied by a USDA endorsed health certificate and proof
of rabies vaccination and Praziquantel treatment (the Praziquantel treatment is
for dogs only). It must include the name and address of the owner and the breed,
sex, birth date, size (i.e.: small, medium or large) and any particular markings
of the animal.
The health certificate must also indicate the country of origin and destination.
Rabies vaccination is required for all dogs and cats over three months of age.
It must be given more than thirty (30) days and less than one (1) year before
the arrival date in the country of destination. This vaccination must be listed
on the health certificate and a copy of the Rabies certificate included.
All dogs entering Uruguay must be treated for the tapeworm Echinococcus
granulosus with Praziquantel, at 50 mg per 10 kg of live weight. It must be
given more than seventy two (72) hours and less than thirty (30) days before the
arrival date in the country of destination. This treatment
must be listed on the health certificate.
The health certificate must state that the animal was examined within ten days
of departure and
present no clinical signs of diseases associated with that species. The
Government of Uruguay has additional requirements for countries that are
affected with African horse sickness or Rift Valley fever. Please inquire
regarding this if your animal is traveling to Uruguay from a country other than
the United States.
Police: On the whole, Uruguay is one of the safest countries to visit, and the
presence of tourist police on the streets of Montevideo has had a profound
effect on reducing crime. Petty theft and pick pocketing do still occur,
although simple avoidance measures like appearing confident and avoiding
unfamiliar areas after dark can almost eliminate the possibility.
Outside the capital you are unlikely to encounter anything more threatening than
mild curiosity from the locals – however, it is important that you apply the
same common sense measures to personal safety as you would anywhere else. Over
displays of wealth are especially likely to attract opportunistic thieves who
would otherwise let
you pass in peace, particularly during times of economic instability. Minor
crimes can be reported to police officers on the streets, but in case of
emergency use the number below.
Emergency number: 911
Tipping: 10% because no service charge is added.
Taxi drivers expect a tip.
Siesta time:
Usually, stores and private businesses don’t close mid-day and are open from 9
a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday. Stores also open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on
Saturday. There are several shopping centers, which open from 10
a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Sunday. Banking hours are from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
(certain banks open from 11 a.m.) but a vast ATM network is available around the
clock. The public offices are open from 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in winter and 7 am
to 2.30 pm in summer.
Toilets:
Uruguay has public toilets, similar to those in Europe and the more civilized
centers of the United States, like San Francisco.
Smoking:
Uruguay's new anti-smoking law took effect on March 1, 2006, banning smoking in
office buildings, shopping malls, and other public indoor spaces. Additionally,
all cigarette packs sold must have the warnings displayed on the packages. Now
bars, restaurants or offices where people are caught smoking will face fines of
more than $1,100 (£630) or a three-day closure.
Drugs:
Uruguay is not a major narcotics producing or transit country. Colombian,
Argentine, and Brazilian traffickers increasingly smuggle heroin through the
international airport, while European traffickers use the local mail to smuggle
small quantities of cocaine. Cruise ship passengers and merchant marine sailors
are also suspected of
smuggling small quantities of narcotics. Some Uruguayans have integrated into
Paraguayan drug gangs involved in trafficking marijuana and cocaine base.
Since 2004, Uruguayan counter-narcotics police units have identified and
targeted clandestine laboratories designed to process Bolivian coca and ship
refined cocaine north. The number of confiscated vehicles concealing narcotics
and
contraband increased substantially in 2005. The triborder area of Paraguay,
Argentina and Brazil, which has long been a haven for narcotics traffickers,
affects Uruguay, and the porous border with Brazil lends itself to infiltration.
Limited inspection of airport and port cargo continues to be a problem, with
Uruguay serving as a transit point for contraband and precursor chemicals, to
Paraguay and elsewhere. Although precursor chemical controls exist, they are
difficult to enforce.
Domestic drug consumption consists mainly of marijuana that arrives in small
planes or overland from Paraguay. However, Bolivian cocaine base, smuggled
through Argentina and Brazil, is available cheaply in the marginal neighborhoods
of Montevideo.
Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Uruguay are
severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.