Uruguay was part of the
Spanish Empire, and since gaining
independence, both countries have cultivated strong cultural and economic ties. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, large waves of
Spanish immigrants, primarily from the regions of
Galicia and the
Basque Country, settled in Uruguay, shaping its
culture, society, and
demographics. Since the 1960s, Spain has been one of the main destinations for Uruguayan emigrants who left the country due to various events, such as the
civic-military dictatorship (1973-1985) and the
banking crisis of 2002. In the early 21st century, a significant wave of Uruguayans established residence in Spain, often facilitated by access to Spanish citizenship, since a large portion of Uruguay's population is composed of first- or second-generation descendants of Spanish immigrants
who arrived in Uruguay in the 20th century. As of 2022, around 80,000 Uruguayans reside in Spain. The main regions of settlement are
Catalonia, the
Valencian Community, and
Galicia. Expatriate Uruguayans have their own associations in Spain, notably the Uruguayan Center of Madrid and several Consultative Councils. Official information consider that there are at least 50 Uruguayan-run organizations in Spain. ==Notable people==