Geography Quiz Arcade

Capital of Uruguay: Montevideo — Facts & 5-Question Quiz

The capital of Uruguay is Montevideo. Uruguay sits in South America, has a population of 3,422,794, and uses the UYU. Official languages include Spanish.

Quick facts

  • Capital: Montevideo
  • Continent: South America
  • Population: ~3,422,794
  • Area: 176,215 km²
  • Population density: 19.4 people per km²
  • Official language: Spanish
  • Currency: UYU
  • ISO code: UY

How big is Uruguay?

By population, Uruguay ranks 132nd in the world, holding roughly 0.04% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 89th.

Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Uruguay has 19.4 people per square kilometre, which is about 3.1 times below the world average of 59.4. It is more spacious than its population alone would suggest.

Within South America, Uruguay is the 10th most populous country of 12.

Countries of a similar size

The two countries closest to Uruguay in population are Mongolia (3,398,366) and Moldova (3,272,996).

By land area, its closest counterparts are Cambodia (181,035 km²) and Syria (185,180 km²).

Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.

Language and currency

Spanish is spoken officially in 20 countries in this dataset, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Costa Rica, and 14 others.

Uruguay uses the UYU, and it is the only country that does, which makes the currency name a reliable one-to-one clue.

How to remember Uruguay

Montevideo is on the Río de la Plata, across the water from Buenos Aires. Uruguay and Argentina both have a Sun of May on their flags, but Uruguay's is in a corner above nine stripes.

The flag of Uruguay: white, blue and yellow

🇺🇾 The flag is nine horizontal stripes of white and blue, with a yellow sun with a face, the Sun of May, in a white corner. The nine stripes stand for the country's nine original departments. The Sun of May comes from the story of the sun breaking through the clouds in May 1810, at the start of the move to independence from Spain.

Region and neighbours

Uruguay is a small country in southeastern South America, between Argentina and Brazil, on the Atlantic Ocean and the Río de la Plata. It shares land borders with 2 countries: Argentina and Brazil.

Three facts about Uruguay

  1. Uruguay hosted and won the first FIFA World Cup in 1930, and won it again in 1950.
  2. The historic quarter of Colonia del Sacramento is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  3. Uruguay borders only two countries, Argentina and Brazil.

Sources: Wikipedia: Uruguay, Wikipedia: Flag of Uruguay, Wikipedia: Montevideo, Wikipedia: Colonia del Sacramento, CIA World Factbook.

Quiz yourself on Uruguay

Uruguay capital quiz

  1. What is the capital of Uruguay 🇺🇾?

    • Asunción
    • Montevideo
    • Caracas
    • Quito
    Show answer

    Montevideo

  2. What is the capital of Paraguay 🇵🇾?

    • Asunción
    • Brasília
    • Paramaribo
    • Santiago
    Show answer

    Asunción

  3. What is the capital of Bolivia 🇧🇴?

    • Caracas
    • Sucre
    • Georgetown
    • Brasília
    Show answer

    Sucre

  4. What is the capital of Guyana 🇬🇾?

    • Caracas
    • Asunción
    • Georgetown
    • Sucre
    Show answer

    Georgetown

  5. What is the capital of Ecuador 🇪🇨?

    • Asunción
    • Lima
    • Quito
    • Santiago
    Show answer

    Quito

Uruguay in South America

The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Peru.

If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — South America is the block Uruguay belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.

Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Uruguay.

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Uruguay?

The capital of Uruguay is Montevideo.

What is the population of Uruguay?

About 3,422,794, making it the 132nd most populous country in the world.

How big is Uruguay?

176,215 square kilometres, ranking 89th by land area, at a density of 19.4 people per square kilometre.

What currency does Uruguay use?

The UYU, which no other country uses.

What are the colours of the Uruguay flag?

The flag of Uruguay is nine horizontal stripes of white and blue, with a yellow sun with a face, the Sun of May, in a white corner. The nine stripes stand for the country's nine original departments. The Sun of May comes from the story of the sun breaking through the clouds in May 1810, at the start of the move to independence from Spain.

Which countries border Uruguay?

Uruguay shares land borders with Argentina and Brazil.

How can I remember the capital of Uruguay?

Montevideo is on the Río de la Plata, across the water from Buenos Aires. Uruguay and Argentina both have a Sun of May on their flags, but Uruguay's is in a corner above nine stripes.

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