Americas · capital city
What Is the Capital of Uruguay?
Montevideo
The capital of Uruguay is Montevideo. About 1.8 million people live in the Montevideo urban area — 52.4% of the country's population.
1.8 million
Urban area population
UTC-3
Time zone
34.85°S
Latitude · 56.17°W
Yes
Largest city
Montevideo at a glance
Name origin
The origin of the name is disputed but refers to a hill or mountain (monte); one theory combines the Spanish word monte (mountain) with the Latin video (I see).
Time zone
UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). No daylight saving time.
Coordinates
34 51 S, 56 10 W · IANA time zone America/Montevideo
Location of Uruguay
Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil
Capitals of neighbouring countries
Capitals closest to Montevideo
Buenos Aires, Argentina — 203 km
Asunción, Paraguay — 1,075 km
Santiago, Chile — 1,342 km
Stanley, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) — 1,878 km
Brasília, Brazil — 2,274 km
La Paz, Bolivia — 2,363 km
Lima, Peru — 3,296 km
Quito, Ecuador — 4,495 km
Straight-line distance between capitals.
Frequently asked questions about Montevideo
What is the capital of Uruguay?
The capital of Uruguay is Montevideo. About 1.8 million people live in the Montevideo urban area — 52.4% of the country's population.
Is Montevideo the largest city in Uruguay?
Yes — Montevideo is also the largest urban area of Uruguay (1.8 million).
What time zone is Montevideo in?
Montevideo is on UTC-3 — UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). There is no daylight saving time.
Where does the name Montevideo come from?
The origin of the name is disputed but refers to a hill or mountain (monte); one theory combines the Spanish word monte (mountain) with the Latin video (I see).
Which capital is closest to Montevideo?
Among the capitals of neighbouring countries, Buenos Aires (Argentina) is the closest, 203 km away in a straight line.
Data: CIA World Factbook (public domain); population: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).