Uruguay is the second smallest of the South American republics. Its 500 km coastline is one long white sandy beach, occasionally interrupted by dunes, pine, acacia and eucalyptus trees. Summer resorts and towns are dotted all along its coast, starting in the east with the charming colonial town of Colonia del Sacramento, just south of Carmelo, followed by the beaches of Montevideo, Atlántida, Solis, Piriápolis, Portezuelo and Punta del Este, jewel of the Atlantic Ocean and Rio de la Plata. Continuing further east lie the tranquil resort towns of La Paloma, La Pedrera and La Coronilla. If you plan to travel Uruguay, take a moment to brush up on the travel tips that will help you be more prepared for travel anywhere in Uruguay.

URUGUAY GENERAL INFORMATION

Area: 176,215 sq km (68,037 sq miles). Population: 3,385,000 (2002). Population Density: 19.2 per sq km. Capital: Montevideo. Population: 1,329,000 (UN estimate 2001). Government: Republic since 1967. Formerly declared independence from Spain in 1825 and officially recognised in 1928. Head of State and Government: President Tabare Vazquez since 2004.

Language: Spanish. Some English is spoken in tourist resorts.

Religion: Roman Catholic is the predominant religion.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Continental flat three-pin or round two-pin plugs.

GEOGRAPHY: Uruguay is one of the smallest of the South American republics. It is bordered 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.

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URUGUAY ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

GETTING AROUND URUGUAY

Since the military airline TAMU has suspended services, there are no domestic flights within Uruguay except for the domestic leg of international flights from Punta del Este via Montevideo to Brazil. Buses are reasonably priced and there are frequent services to all sizeable destinations. Travelling by car poses few problems once outside hazardous Montevideo, although the country's winding roads and hilly terrain require some care. Local transport is predominantly by bus and metered taxi.

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URUGUAY 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 good.

Mobile telephone: GSM 1900 network operated by AM Wireless Uruguay. GSM 1800 network operated by ANTEL (website: www.antel.com.uy).

Fax: Facilities are widely available.

Internet: ISPs include Movinet (website: www.movinet.com.uy) and Uruguay Net (website: www.uruguaynet.com.uy). There are Internet cafes in main urban areas.

Telegram: These can be sent worldwide through Italcable, ITT Comunicaciones, Mundiales SA and Western Telegraph Co Ltd.

Post: Post office hours: 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 La Mañana, El Observador, El País and Ultimas Noticias.


URUGUAY BUSINES PROFILE

Economy: Uruguay is one of the more prosperous Latin American countries. The economy has a traditionally strong agricultural sector, with beef and wool being the most important products; dairy exports to other Latin American countries are substantial. Crop farming is widespread, producing mostly cereals, rice, fruit and vegetables. Manufacturing is concentrated in oil and coal-derived products, chemicals, textiles, transport equipment and leather products. The oil and coal, both for manufacturing and energy consumption (the latter supplemented by Uruguay’s own hydroelectricity stations), are imported. Mining is confined to small-scale extraction of building materials, industrial minerals and some gold. The tourism industry brings in just under US$1 billion annually. Uruguay’s economic health depends heavily on that of its two large neighbours, Argentina and Brazil. Both Latin American giants have been in the doldrums since the turn of the millennium, then, in August 2002, both Argentina and, to a lesser extent, Brazil were gripped by financial crises. This led to a collapse in the cross-border trade upon which Uruguay is heavily dependent. The government was forced to take emergency measures in the form of currency devaluation, loan rescheduling and, in an unusually drastic move, closing down the country’s entire financial system as it approached meltdown. It also appealed for support from the IMF, which responded with a US$3 billion package. With the worst of the crisis past, Uruguay is now returning to something approaching economic health. Uruguay is a member of Mercosur, the principal regional trade bloc, as well as the Asociación Latinoamericana de Integración (ALADI) and the Inter-American Development Bank. The country’s main trading partners are Brazil, Argentina, the USA and Germany.

Business: Businessmen should wear conservative suits and ties. As far as communication is concerned, some knowledge of Spanish will prove invaluable, although English may be spoken by many in business and tourist circles. Appointments are necessary and punctuality is expected. Visiting cards are essential and it would be an advantage to have the reverse printed in Spanish. Avoid visits during Carnival week.

Business hours: Usually, stores and private businesses are open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. Stores also open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. There are several shopping centers, which open from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday to Sunday. Banking hours are from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (certain banks open from 11:00 a.m.) but a vast ATM network is available around the clock. The public offices are open from 2:30 pm to 7:00 pm in winter and 7:00 am to 2.30 pm in summer.

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URUGUAY SOCIAL PROFILE

Food & Drink: 90% of the land in Uruguay is devoted to raising beef so you can well imagine what is typically found on menus. The prices are very low and the beef is excellent! Local beers are very good and the wines are better than one might expect. Soft drinks are plentiful.

Nightlife: Theatre, ballet and symphonic concerts are staged in Montevideo from March to January. Tango is nearly as popular as in Argentina, and the ‘La Cuparsita’ club in Montevideo fills up quickly. There are discos in the Carrasco area. There are several dinner-dance places in Montevideo. Large Montevideo hotels have good bars. When there is music for dancing, the price of drinks increases quite considerably. There are also several casinos.

Special Events: The principal festival is the national Carnival Week (starting Feb 7 in 2005). Although this ‘fiesta’ is officially only for the Monday and Tuesday preceding Ash Wednesday, most shops and businesses close for the entire week. Houses and streets are appropriately decorated and humorous shows are staged at open-air theatres. La Semana Criolla, or Holy Week (Mar in 2005), offers traditional activities like asados (barbeques), folk music and horseriding/cowboy stunt riding. For a complete list of special events, contact the Ministerio de Turismo (see Contact Addresses section).

Social Conventions: Shaking hands is the normal form of greeting. Uruguayans are very hospitable and like to entertain both at home and in restaurants. Normal courtesies should be observed. Smoking is not allowed in cinemas or theatres or on public transport.


URUGUAY DRIVING INFORMATION

U.S. Licenses accepted. Driving is on the right-hand side of the road. Wearing seat belts and using headlights on highways and other inter-city roads 24 hours a day are mandatory. Children under 12 must ride in the back seat. Motorcyclists must wear helmets. The use of cellular phones while driving is prohibited. Right turns on red lights and left turns at most intersections marked with a stoplight are not permitted. Drivers approaching an intersection from the right or already in traffic circles have the right of way. Flashing high beams indicate intent to pass or continue through unmarked intersections. For driving under the influence, violators are fined and confiscated licenses may be retained for up to six months.


URUGUAY HEALTH & SECURITY

There are no specific health risks for travelers coming to Uruguay. However, travelers should ensure that adequate medical insurance is obtained before traveling. Medical and dental care is excellent, but treatment is expensive.

Montevideo is the second most secure capital city in the world after Tokyo. The crime rate is very low in Uruguay, but one still needs to be alert and exercise reasonable caution. It is safer to take a taxi in downtown Montevideo, especially at night. If driving, keep the doors locked and windows mostly rolled up. Keep valuables out of sight on the floor or in the trunk.

The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance.

Within Montevideo, the emergency number to contact the police, fire department, rescue squad, or ambulance service is 911. In the rest of the country, dial 02-911 to connect with the Montevideo central emergency authority, which will then contact the local emergency service.

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URUGUAY CURRENCY/MONEY

Currency: Peso Uruguayo (urug$) = 100 centécimos. Notes are in the denominations of urug$1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of urug$10, 5, 2 and 1.

Banking: Banks are open from 8:30 am to 1 or 1:30 in the afternoon on weekdays only.

Currency exchange: Visitors are advised to buy local currency at banks and exchange shops, as hotels tend to give unfavourable rates. Inflation in Uruguay, though less severe than in other Latin American countries, leads to frequent fluctuations in the exchange rate.

Credit & debit cards: 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 US credit cards.

Travellers cheques: Sterling travellers cheques can only be changed at The Bank of London & South America; visitors are therefore advised to carry US Dollar travellers cheques (US$50 and US$100 denominations only).


URUGUAY SHOPPING

Nothing really remarkable here. Uruguay has no Amerindian crafts etc. Most items are imported from other places. What is good here are leather goods and jewelry.

URUGUAY TIPPING

In restaurants, it's customary to tip about 10% of the bill. Taxi drivers do not require tips, although you may round off the fare for convenience.


URUGUAY PEOPLE

Uruguayans share a Spanish linguistic and cultural background, even though about one-quarter of the population is of Italian origin. Most are nominally Roman Catholic although the majority of Uruguayans do not actively practice a religion. Church and state are officially separated.

Uruguay is distinguished by its high literacy rate, large urban middle class, and relatively even income distribution. The average Uruguayan standard of living compares favorably with that of most other Latin Americans. Metropolitan Montevideo, with about 1.4 million inhabitants, is the only large city. The rest of the urban population lives in about 20 towns. During the past two decades, an estimated 500,000 Uruguayans have emigrated, principally to Argentina and Spain. Emigration to the United States also rose significantly. As a result of the low birth rate, high life expectancy, and relatively high rate of emigration of younger people, Uruguay's population is quite mature.

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URUGUAY CLIMATE & CLOTHING

Climate: First of all, it NEVER snows in Uruguay! The summers on the coast are quite hot which is conducive to the beach and water sport component of vacations; inland hills can be cooler, especially at night. Because of the open land, the weather can change quite rapidly. Sunscreen is a must, especially in the summer (December thru March.)

Clothing: Urban Uruguayans favor European dress, the younger set prefers jeans and tee shirts. We recommend that you bring some sort of small backpack to carry with you. A sweater may be necessary sometimes at night, and it does rain in Uruguay so bring appropriate weather gear.


URUGUAY SPORTS & ACTIVITIES

Watersports: Windsurfing and water-skiing are popular along the coast. Boating is a favourite Uruguayan pastime. Santiago Vazquez on the St Lucia River is one of several popular centres. Arrangements can be made for hire of motor or sailing boats in Montevideo and elsewhere. There are plenty of places to swim when the weather permits. The ‘metropolitan’ beaches (from Ramírez and including Pocitos) tend to be dirty and unsuitable for bathing. Those along the Atlantic coast are, however, clean and are suitable for swimming. Many of the resort areas in the interior have swimming pools. The mineral baths at Minas are worth a visit.

Fishing: There are three fishing areas: along the Rio de la Plata from Colonia to Piriápolis for surf-casting; from Piriápolis to Punta del Este (considered one of the best fishing areas in the world); and along the Atlantic Coast towards the Brazilian border. Boats and tackle can be hired in fishing clubs in Fray Bentos, Montevideo, Mercedes, Paysandú, Punta del Este and Salto.

Golf: There is a municipal course in Montevideo, plus clubs at the Punta del Este Country Club and Victoria Plaza Hotel.

Spectator sports: There are two main horseracing tracks: Hipodromo de Maronas (Saturday and Sunday afternoon); and Las Piedras (Thursday, Saturday and Sunday). Football is the most popular spectator sport; matches are played regularly throughout the country.
Dune walking is increasingly popular in Cabo Palonia.


URUGUAY TIME ZONE

Uruguay is in Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil. Uruguay Time Standard Time is GMT -3

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