The coat of arms of Uruguay

Uruguay

Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...

was first adopted by law on March 19, 1829.

Exterior features

It consists of an oval, which is divided into four equal sections and crowned by a rising golden sun, the “Sun of May

Sun of May

The Sun of May is one of the national emblems of Argentina and Uruguay, and it is featured on the countries' flags.-Features and specifics:The Sun of May is a representation of the Inca sun god Inti...

”, symbolizing the rising of the Uruguayan nation. The oval is surrounded by a laurel branch on the left and a olive one on the right, representing honor and peace, joined at the bottom by a blue ribbon.

Upper section

In the upper left quarter there is a scale, symbol of equality and justice, set on a blue background. The upper right quarter contains the Cerro de Montevideo

Fortaleza del Cerro

Fortaleza del Cerro, also known as Fortaleza General Artigas, is a fortress situated in Montevideo, Uruguay overlooking the Bay of Montevideo. It belongs to the barrio of Casabó, at the west of Villa del Cerro...

 (Montevideo Hill) with its fortress on the summit, which represents strength, on a silver background.

Lower section

In the lower left, also on a silver background, there is a galloping horse, symbolizing liberty. The lower right quarter holds an ox, which is a symbol of abundance, on a blue background.

See also

• Sun of May#Historical reference