It also has one of the lowest crime rates in Latin America, one of the lowest poverty levels, highest standards of living, and the longest life expectancy.

Uruguay enjoys four distinct seasons, and its 41-inch rainfall is spread evenly throughout the year, without any wet or dry season—although rain is uncommon in the mid-summer months of January and February.

The average daytime high temperature is about 82°F in midsummer, with the average low around 65°F. In mid-winter, highs run around 60°F, with the lows near 42°F.

Frost is rare in Uruguay, and it never snows. Few people use air conditioning due to the cool evenings and ocean breeze, but you’ll want to use the heat in the wintertime.

The official language of Uruguay is Spanish. However, it’s unlike what you would have learned in school or spoken in Mexico or Costa Rica.

Uruguayan Spanish shows a strong Portuguese influence, with a lot of words that simply don’t exist in other Spanish-speaking countries.

But don’t worry. If you already speak Spanish, you’ll do fine with whatever version you’ve learned. If you don’t know a word of Spanish, you will need to carry a phrasebook with you, as English is not spoken widely in Uruguay, especially outside of the bigger cities.