hnston Island
Midway Islands: Sand Island
Palmyra Atoll: West Lagoon

Military
United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues
United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Disputes - international:

none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Uruguay

Introduction
Uruguay

Background:

Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military stronghold,
soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an important
commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by Brazil in
1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later and secured
its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations
of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century established
widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established
a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement
named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's
president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973.
By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued
to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was not
restored until 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio
Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of
political control previously held by the Colorado and Blanco
parties. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the
freest on the continent.

Geography
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:

total: 176,220 sq km
land: 173,620 sq km
water: 2,600 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than the state of Washington

Land boundaries:

total: 1,648 km
border countries: Argentina 580 km, Brazil 1,068 km

Coastline:

660 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or edge of continental margin

Climate:

warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Terrain:

mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Catedral