BEIJING, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, is to pay a visit to Uruguay on Sept. 3-5.

    The following are the basic facts about Uruguay.

    The Oriental Republic of Uruguay, with Montevideo as its capital, lies in the southeast of South America, covering an area of 177,000 square km.

    It boarders Brazil on the north and Argentina on the West. The southeastern part of the country lies along the Atlantic Ocean, with a coastline of about 660 km.

    According to a 2002 census, the country has a population of 3.38 million, 56 percent of whom are Roman Catholics. The official language is Spanish.

    Uruguay won its independence in 1825 from Spanish rule, which dated back to the 18th century.

    Under the 1996 constitution, the country's legislative power is exercised by the bicameral National Congress. The Senate and Chamber of Deputies have 30 and 99 members respectively, all serving a five-year-term.

    The country's president and vice-president are elected by direct ballot for five years. The president is head of state and government and commander-in-chief of the army, while the vice president also serves as the president of the National Congress and president of the Senate.

    Uruguay is a traditional agricultural and livestock breeding country. Its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2004 was around 13.2 billion U.S. dollars.

    The country's principal trading partners are Brazil, the United States, Argentina, Germany and China. It is a member of the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) and Organization of American States (OAS).

    China and Uruguay established diplomatic relations on Feb. 3, 1988. Bilateral relations have been developing smoothly ever since. Enditem