This Latin American country is sandwiched between Brazil to the north and Argentina to the south. It is covered with rolling plains, low hills, and a fertile coastal lowland with four river basins. The country has a temperate to subtropical climate from the south upwards, whereas the warmest month is January and the coolest is June. There are no mountains in zone that act as barriers, so the air masses freely move by the territory, causing fast variations of the climate.
The government sits in the capital, Montevideo. It is based on a constitutional republic, where the president is the Head of State and the Head of Government. The capital once a military stronghold now has become the commercial center of Uruguay. The country is deemed the second least corrupt country in South America. Uruguay\'s economy is strongly dependent on trade especially in agriculture, which circulates the Uruguayan Peso.
The Uruguayan culture is based on European roots, mostly of Spain, France, Germany and Italy. This is also apparent in the nation\'s diet. Uruguay prides itself on its national drink the Grappamiel, which is an alcoholic drink made with honey. The Uruguayans enjoy dancing many dances, as well as, traditional local dances such as the murga, milonga, and commando.
Quick Facts
Population: 3,316,328
Capital: Montevideo
Per-capita GDP: $ 15300
Size: 176,215 km2
Time Zone: (GMT - 03:00 hours) Brasilia
Country information is adapted from public domain resources including the CIA World Fact Book and www.Wikipedia.org.
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