Uruguay is a stable, secure jurisdiction with a sophisticated legal system and developed economy. It ranks 36th in the Heritage Organisation’s 2013 Index of Economic Freedom, a measure of freedom enjoyed in business, trade, monetary, financial, investment and labour markets. Because of this, Uruguay is not considered an international tax haven, and therefore a Uruguayan company projects a positive image to clients, suppliers and even venture capitalists.

Uruguay is politically and economically stable, making Uruguay company formation a good long-term solution. According to 2012 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International, a measure of corruption amongst public officials and politicians, Uruguay ranks as the world's 20th least corrupt country.

100% foreign ownership is permitted. A minimum of one director and one shareholder is required, who can be of any nationality and need not be resident in Uruguay. Corporate shareholders are permitted. Following the formation of a SAFI, shareholders' and directors' details are not available for public viewing.

Uruguay company formation via a SAFI is a cost-effective corporate structure. There is no minimum paid up capital requirement, there are no annual reporting requirements and Uruguay government fees are low.

If properly structured, a SAFI is legally exempt from corporation tax provided certain conditions are met. One such condition is that the company is not permitted to conduct business in Uruguay.

International entrepreneurs use the Uruguayan SAFI for the following activities: i) investing in securities, bonds, shares, notes, debentures ii) real estate investment and iii) legally tax-exempt international trade.

Healy Consultants can open a local or international corporate bank account to support Uruguay company formation. Healy Consultants works with internationally banks such as HSBC, Standard Chartered and Citibank to provide corporate bank account services.

A Uruguayan limited liability company is subject to a profits tax of 30% on international and local income. Furthermore, a Uruguayan company is also required to register for value added tax (VAT), currently levied at 23%.

A SAFI is not permitted to take a shareholding of more than 50% in a Uruguayan company.

Uruguay negatively ranked 89th for its ease in which to do business in out of 183 countries, according to the 2012 Doing Business Survey by the World Bank.

1.	The Spanish arrived in present-day Uruguay in 1516. The Indians' fierce resistance to conquest, combined with the absence of gold and silver, limited their settlement in the region during the 16th and 17th centuries.
2.	In 1603 the Spanish began to introduce cattle, which became a source of wealth in the region. In 2007, Uruguay had cattle herds totalling 12 million head, making it the country with the highest number of cattle per capita at 3.8. Beef and wool represent the main activities and main source of income for 65% of farms, followed by vegetable farming at 12%, dairy farming at 11%, hogs at 2%, and poultry at 2%. Beef is the main export commodity of the country, totaling over $1 billion US dollars in 2006.
3.	With 176,214 km2 (68,037 sq mi) of continental land and 142,199 km2 (54,903 sq mi) of jurisdictional water and small river islands, Uruguay is the second smallest sovereign nation in South America and the third smallest territory. The landscape features mostly rolling plains and low hill ranges (cuchillas) with a fertile coastal lowland. Uruguay has 660 km of coastline.
4.	The Reporters Without Borders worldwide press freedom index has ranked Uruguay as 37th of 178 reported countries in 2010. Freedom of speech and media are guaranteed by the constitution, with qualifications for inciting violence or "insulting the nation". Uruguayans have access to more than 100 private daily and weekly newspapers, more than 100 radio stations and some 20 terrestrial television channels and cable TV is widely available.
5.	Football is the most popular sport in Uruguay. The first international match outside the British Isles was played between Uruguay and Argentina in Montevideo in July 1902. Uruguay won gold at the1924 Paris Olympic Games, and again in 1928 in Amsterdam. The Uruguay national football team has won the FIFA World Cup on 2 occasions. Uruguay won the inaugural tournament on home soil in 1930, and again in 1950, famously defeating home favorites Brazilin the final match.
6.	José Mujica, Uruguay’s president, is a vegetarian, and has been described as "the world's 'poorest' president", as he donates around 90 percent of his monthly salary, approximately $12,000, to charities to benefit poor people and small entrepreneurs.
7.	Peru is an active member of several regional blocs and one of the founders of the Andean Community of Nations. It is also a participant in international organizations such as the Organization of American States and the United Nations
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