Uruguay

The Bañados del Este Biosphere Reserve in eastern Uruguay comprises a remarkable complex of ecosystems and a vast complex of coastal wetlands. Together, these form a rich habitat for wildlife, including near-threatened or endangered species.

Colonia del Sacramento is located at the tip of a short peninsula with a strategic position on the north shore of Uruguay's Río de la Plata. The Historic Quarter is a fusion of Portuguese, Spanish and post-colonial styles. The buildings date from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.

The Bioma Pampa-Quebradas del Norte Biosphere Reserve comprises a mosaic of different ecosystems, including a primary forest with a subtropical jungle: the quebradas, which represents the southernmost vestige of the Atlantic Forest environment.

Montevideo is the principal city, the most important port, and the capital of Uruguay. As the commercial, financial, and political center of Uruguay, the city is considered to have the highest quality of life in Latin America.

Fray Bentos is the capital of the Río Negro Department. Its port on the Uruguay River is one of the nation's most important harbors. The Fray Bentos industrial complex was built in the mid-nineteenth century to process meat produced on the vast prairies nearby.

The Guaraní Aquifer System is a large underground groundwater reservoir and hydrogeological system. It is a transboundary aquifer spread across four South American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

The Pampas is a natural region of vast fertile lowland plains in South America that extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Andes. This flat, fertile grassland biome can be divided into three distinct ecoregions: the Uruguayan Savanna, the Humid Pampas and the Semiarid Pampas.

Río de la Plata is a tapering intrusion of the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of South America between Uruguay to the north and Argentina to the south. The Brazilian Highlands, the Andes Mountains, and Patagonia bound the Río de La Plata drainage basin.

The Uruguay River is a major river in South America. Its headwaters originate in Brazil's coastal range. The river forms parts of the boundaries of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina before eventually joining the Paraná River to form the Río de la Plata estuary.