Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil

Language: Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)

Currency: 1 Uruguayan peso ($Ur) = 100 centesimos

Population: 3,308,523

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

Import: machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, minerals, plastics, oil

Export: wool and textile manufactures, beef and other animal products, rice, fish and shellfish, chemicals

Industries: meat processing, wool and hides, sugar, textiles, footwear, leather apparel, tires, cement, petroleum refining, wine

Transportation:
Railways:
total: 2,994 km
standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge (921 km closed)

Highways:
total: 8,420 km
paved: 7,578 km
unpaved: 842 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 1,600 km; used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft

Ports & Harbors: Fray Bentos, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Punta del Este, Colonia, Piriapolis

Location: Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana

Language: Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Currency: 1 bolivar (Bs) = 100 centimos

Population: 23,203,466

Natural Hazards: subject to floods, rockslides, mud slides; periodic droughts

Import: raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport
equipment, construction materials

Export: petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals,
agricultural products, basic manufactures

Industries: petroleum, iron ore mining, construction materials, food processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly

Transportation:
Railways:
total: 584 km (248 km privately owned)
standard gauge: 584 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways:
total: 84,300 km
paved: 33,214 km
unpaved: 51,086 km

Waterways: 7,100 km; Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept oceangoing
vessels

Ports & Harbors: Amuay, Bajo Grande, El Tablazo, La Guaira, La Salina, Maracaibo, Matanzas, Palua, Puerto Cabello, Puerto la Cruz, Puerto Ordaz, Puerto Sucre, Punta Cardon