Capital of Uruguay: Montevideo
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.
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 and a page on the flag of 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.