Geography of Uruguay
Location:
Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil
Geographic coordinates:
33 00 S, 56 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than the state of Washington
Land boundaries:
Coastline:
660 km
Maritime claims:
Climate:
warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
Terrain:
mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
Elevation extremes:
Natural resources:
arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries
Land use:
Irrigated land:
7,700 sq km (1997 est.)
Natural hazards:
seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in weather fronts
Environment - current issues:
water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal
Environment - international agreements:
total:
176,220 sq km
land:
173,620 sq km
water:
2,600 sq km
total:
1,564 km
border countries:
Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea:
200 nm; overflight and navigation guaranteed beyond 12 nm
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Cerro Catedral 514 m
arable land:
7%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
77%
forests and woodland:
6%
other:
10% (1997 est.)
party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation