The north side of Isla de Lobos

The Isla de Lobos is a small island located about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) southeast of Punta del Este, Uruguay. An islet lies east of the island.

The island is an outcropping of rocks that is a continuation of the Cuchilla Grande, in an area of Atlantic Ocean immediately at the mouth (outer limit) of the estuary of Río de la Plata.

Administratively, it belongs to the jurisdiction of the province of Maldonado, although it constitutes a natural reserve. Somewhat to the northwest is the smaller Gorriti Island which is the second most southern place in Uruguay.

It was discovered by Spanish navigator Juan Díaz de Solís in 1516 and named “San Sebastian de Cádiz” and later in 1527, it was visited by the Venetian navigator Sebastián Gaboto in his expedition to Rio de la Plata and Paraná. In 1528, Diego Garcia Moguer sailed for the region and named it the “Island of the Snapper.” In 1599, the island was visited by Laurens Bicker.

Sea lions in Isla de Lobos

In 1858, the Uruguayan government erected a lighthouse on the island and it was rebuilt in 1907. With its height of 59 meters above sea level, it is one of the highest lighthouses in the world.

From the balcony outside, which is accessed (upon authorization) by 240 steps, there is a wonderful panoramic view of the island and the coast of Punta del Este.

Isla de Lobos is a nature reserve because it has the largest colony of sea lions in the western hemisphere: in 2001 there were 180,000 sea lions of the species called “two hairs” and 6,500 of the species known as the “wig.”

It is part of the “Coastal Islands National Park” administered by the Uruguayan Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries.

Design Features

Coat of arms of Uruguay

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

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

In the lower left quarter, also on a silver background, there is a galloping horse which symbolizes liberty.

The lower right quarter holds an ox, which is a symbol of abundance, on a blue background.

Flag of Uruguay

The national flag of Uruguay (Pabellón Nacional) has a field of nine equal horizontal stripes alternating white and blue. The canton is white, charged with the Sun of May, from which 16 rays extend, alternating between triangular and wavy.

The flag was first adopted by law on December 16, 1828 and had 17 stripes until July 11, 1830, when a new law reduced the number of stripes to nine. The flag was designed by Joaquín Suárez.

Symbolism and Design

The nine horizontal stripes on the flag represents the nine original departments of Uruguay.

National Banners

Flag of Artigas

Unusual among nations, Uruguay has three official “National Banners” (Banderas Patrias): the Pabellón, as described above, the flag of Artigas and the flag of the Treinta y Tres (Decree 18, February 1952).

While the Pabellón Nacional is the main national flag, the other two flags are also officially recognized for historical reasons, and all three are flown together on government buildings.

Flag of the Treinta y Tres

Standard of the President of Uruguay (At Sea)

Naval Jack of Uruguay