# Uruguay (UY)

**Capital:** Montevideo  
**Currency:** Uruguayan Peso (UYU) (UYU)  
**Population:** 3'499'451  
**Area:** 176'215 km²

> Uruguay is a stable Mercosur member and, thanks to its free-port regime, a key transshipment and transit hub on South America's Atlantic coast. The Port of Montevideo is the main container gateway, while Nueva Palmira serves the Parana-Paraguay waterway for cargo from Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil. Carrasco Airport is regarded as South America's first free airport, focused on pharma and perishables.

Uruguay (UY) is located on South America's Atlantic coast between Brazil and Argentina on the Río de la Plata; it is an Atlantic hub and free-port transit country within Mercosur (customs union with common external tariff AEC). The customs authority is the Dirección Nacional de Aduanas (DNA), using the electronic LUCIA system and the VUCE trade window; import VAT is 22 percent on customs value plus duty (reduced 10 percent for certain goods; Mercosur-origin goods benefit with valid proof). Main cargo airport: Carrasco (MVD), South America's first free airport, focused on pharma and perishables. Seaports: Montevideo (free port, main container gateway) and Nueva Palmira (free port, Paraná-Paraguay waterway, gateway for Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil). Road corridors: Ruta 1 to Colonia, Ruta 5 to Rivera (Brazil border); railway Montevideo–Paso de los Toros serves UPM cellulose. Main exports: beef (cold chain), cellulose, soy products, dairy, rice; key partners: China, Brazil, Argentina and the EU.

**Top Import Partners:** CN, BR, AR, US, DE

**Top Export Partners:** CN, BR, AR, NL, US

**Top Import Goods:** Erdölprodukte, Fahrzeuge, Maschinen, Elektronische Geräte, Chemiesche Produkte

**Top Export Goods:** Rindfleisch, Zelluloseprodukte, Sojaprodukte, Milchprodukte, Reis

**Key Airports:**
- [Carrasco General Cesáreo L. Berisso International Airport (MVD)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/carrasco-general-cesareo-l-berisso-international-airport-mvd)
- [Capitan Corbeta CA Curbelo International Airport (PDP)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/capitan-corbeta-ca-curbelo-international-airport-pdp)
- [Nueva Hesperides International Airport (STY)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/nueva-hesperides-international-airport-sty)
- [Santa Bernardina International Airport (DZO)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/santa-bernardina-international-airport-dzo)
- [Tydeo Larre Borges Airport (PDU)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/tydeo-larre-borges-airport-pdu)
- [Aeroclub Canelones](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/aeroclub-canelones-airport-5470)
- [Anchorena Airport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/anchorena-airport-10149)
- [Artigas International Airport (ATI)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/artigas-international-airport-ati)
- [Cardona Airport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/cardona-airport-5638)
- [Centro Aeronáutico Piriápolis](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/centro-aeronautico-piriapolis-airport-27310)

## Customs & Import

**Import VAT:** IVA-Grundsatz 22 Prozent, ermässigte Tasa mínima 10 Prozent, Ausfuhren 0 Prozent  
**Customs complexity:** mittel  
**Customs system:** Elektronisches Zollsystem LUCIA der DNA, angebunden an die Aussenhandelsplattform VUCE; Mercosur-Zollunion mit Gemeinsamem Aussenzoll (AEC).  
**Customs authority:** [Dirección Nacional de Aduanas (DNA)](https://www.aduanas.gub.uy)

## Logistics & Risk

**Logistics role:** Atlantik-Hub / Free-Port-Transitland (Mercosur)  
**Economic area:** Mercosur (Zollunion)  
**Logistics risk:** niedrig  
**Dangerous goods relevance:** mittel  
**Pharma/cold chain:** hoch

## Sources & Last Verified

- [https://www.aduanas.gub.uy](https://www.aduanas.gub.uy)
- [https://www.aduanas.gub.uy/](https://www.aduanas.gub.uy/)
- [https://www.aduanas.gub.uy/innovaportal/v/2769/8/innova.front/sistema-lucia.html](https://www.aduanas.gub.uy/innovaportal/v/2769/8/innova.front/sistema-lucia.html)
- [https://www.gub.uy/direccion-general-impositiva/comunicacion/publicaciones/son-bienes-servicios-gravados-tasa-basica-del-22](https://www.gub.uy/direccion-general-impositiva/comunicacion/publicaciones/son-bienes-servicios-gravados-tasa-basica-del-22)
- [https://anp.com.uy/en/home/ports/commercial/port-nueva-palmira](https://anp.com.uy/en/home/ports/commercial/port-nueva-palmira)
- [https://aeropuertodecarrasco.com.uy/en/cargo/](https://aeropuertodecarrasco.com.uy/en/cargo/)
- [https://ivacalculator.com/uruguay/](https://ivacalculator.com/uruguay/)

*Last verified: 2026-07-29*

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*Freight Academy — Country Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/uy](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/uy)*

*Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/country/en/uy](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/country/en/uy)*