Physical map of Uruguay

Physical map of Uruguay, equirectangular projection
Click on the map above to enlarge

Uruguay consists of mostly rolling plains, low hills and a fertile coastal lowland. It is bounded on the west by Argentina, on the north and northeast by Brazil, and on the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean. To the south, it fronts the Rio de la Plata, a broad estuary that opens out into the South Atlantic. Montevideo, the capital and major port, sits on the banks of the Rio de la Plata.
Highest point is the Cerro Catedral 514 m.
Three systems of rivers drain the land: rivers flow westward to the Rio Uruguay, eastward to the Atlantic or tidal lagoons bordering the ocean, and south to the Rio de la Plata. The Rio Uruguay, which forms the border with Argentina, is flanked by low banks, and disastrous floods sometimes inundate large areas. The longest and most important of the rivers draining westward is the Rio Negro, which crosses the entire country from northeast to west before emptying into the Rio Uruguay. A dam on the Río Negro at Paso de los Toros has created a reservoir--the Embalse del Río Negro--that is the largest artificial lake in South America. The Rio Negro's principal tributary and the country's second most important river is the Rio Yi.