Languages spoken in Uruguay
South America · Capital: Montevideo · Population 3.4 million
The official language of Uruguay is Spanish. An estimated 88% of the population speaks it as a first or additional language, or roughly 3 million people. Spanish belongs to the Indo-European language family. Spanish is also spoken in all two of its neighbours.
What languages are spoken in Uruguay?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| SpanishIndo-European | 88% | Official | 3 million |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of Uruguay?
The official language of Uruguay is Spanish. Spanish is spoken by an estimated 88% of the population, or roughly 3 million people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak Spanish in Uruguay?
An estimated 88% of Uruguay's 3.4 million people speak Spanish, which works out at roughly 3 million speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about Uruguay
- Capital
- Montevideo
- Population
- 3.4 million
- Continent
- South America
- Area
- 181,034 km²
- Currency
- UYU
- Languages recorded
- 1
- Land borders
- 2
- ISO codes
- UY / URY / 858
Which countries border Uruguay?
Uruguay shares a land border with two countries: Argentina and Brazil. Spanish, the most widely spoken language in Uruguay, is also spoken in Argentina and Brazil.
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Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.