UruguayThe '''Eastern Republic of Uruguay''' (Spanish language|Spanish: ''República Oriental del Uruguay'') is a small country located in southern South America. It is bordered by Brazil to the north, the Uruguay River to the west, the estuary of the Río de la Plata (literally "Silver River", but commonly known in English as "River Plate") to the southwest, with Argentina on the other bank of both, and finally the South Atlantic Ocean to the southeast. About one-half of its people live in the capital and largest city, Montevideo. The nation is the second-smallest country in South America and is one of the most politically and economically stable. {| border=1 align=right cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=300 style="margin: 0 0 1em 1em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" |+ <big><big>'''República Oriental del Uruguay'''</big></big> |- | align=center colspan=2 | {| border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 style="background:#f9f9f9;" |- | align=center width=130 | Image:Uruguay flag large.png|125px|Flag of the Uruguay || align=center width=130px | Image:Uruguay_coa.png|Coat of Arms of Uruguay |- | align=center width=130 | (Flag of Uruguay) || align=center width=130px | (Coat of Arms of Uruguay) |} |- | colspan=2 align=center | National motto: ''Libertad o Muerte'' (Spanish language|Spanish, ''Liberty or Death'') |- | align=center colspan=2 style="background:#fff;" | Image:LocationUruguay.png |- | '''Official language''': || Spanish language|Spanish |- | '''Capital''':  - Population: || Montevideo 1,330,405(1996) |- | '''Largest city''': || Montevideo |- | '''List of Presidents of Uruguay|President''': | Tabaré Vázquez |- | '''Area''':  - Total:  - % water: | List of countries by area|Ranked 90th 1 E11 m2|176,220 km² '''¹''' 1.5% |- | '''Land borders''': '''Coastline''': || 1,564km 660km |- | '''Population''':  - Total:  - Population density|Density: | List of countries by population|Ranked 130th 3,399,237 (2002) 19/km² |- | '''Independence'''  - Declared  - Recognized || From Brazil August 25, 1825 August 28, 1828 |- | '''Religions''': || Roman Catholic  (~66%), Protestant  (2%), Judaism|Jewish  (1%) |- | '''Gross domestic product|GDP''' (2005):  - Total:  - GDP/capita: | Rank List of countries by GDP (PPP)|91th, List of countries by GDP|85th, List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita|67nd, List of countries by GDP (Nominal) per capita|74th $32,885 $9,619 |- | '''Currency''': || Uruguayan Peso |- | '''Time zone''': || UTC -3 |- | '''National anthem''': || ''Orientales, la Patria o la tumba'' |- | '''Top-level domain|Internet TLD''': || .uy |- | '''List_of_country_calling_codes|Calling Code''': || 598 |} == History == ''Main article: History of Uruguay'' The name "Uruguay" comes from Guaraní, the language of the native people of the region. It means "River of the Painted Birds". The first Europeans arrived in the area in the early 16th century. Both Spain and Portugal pursued the European colonization of the Americas|colonization of Uruguay, with the Spanish eventually gaining control. The future capital, Montevideo, was founded in the early 18th century and became a rival to Buenos Aires across the Río de la Plata. Montevideo, however, was thought of as a military center for the Spanish empire, while Buenos Aires was a commercial center. In the early 19th century, independence movements sprung up across South America, including Uruguay (then known as the ''Banda Oriental'' ("Eastern Shore", referring to the area east of the Río de la Plata). Uruguayan territory was contested between the nascent states of Brazil and Argentina. Brazil annexed the area in 1821 under the name of Provincia Cisplatina, but a revolt began on August 25, 1825, after which Uruguay became an independent country with the Treaty of Montevideo in 1828. European settlers exterminated the original population of Charrúa Indians. The last four Charruas, including the warrior Tacuabe, were taken to Paris in 1833 to be displayed as circus attractions. In the latter part of the 19th century, Uruguay participated in the War of the Triple Alliance against Paraguay. Uruguay then experienced a series of elected and appointed presidents and saw conflicts with neighboring states, political and economic fluctuations and modernization, and large inflows of immigrants, mostly from Europe. The work of President of Uruguay|President José Batlle y Ordóñez made Uruguay an advanced nation with a complex Welfare state|welfare system; for most of the 20th century Uruguay was on par with European nations. Due to its advanced social system and its stable democracy, Uruguay came to be known as "the Switzerland of the Americas". The Uruguayan economy relies largely on agricultural exports. The world wars brought prosperity as Uruguayan beef and grain went to feed a war-ravaged Europe. World food prices dropped precipitously following the end of WWII, which triggered years of decline for the Uruguayan economy. By the 1960's, the stable social system began to break down as the economy spiralled. The government started losing popular support as students, workers and lower-class families felt the pain of an economy unable to adapt to a post-agricultural world economy. The Tupamaros, a radical leftist group, responded to the crisis with violence, which triggered government repression that ended with the suspension of individual rights by the president, Jorge Pacheco Areco, and his succesor, Juan María Bordaberry. Finally, in 1973, the army seized power, ushering in 11 years of military dictatorship in what was once one of the most stable democracies in the region. In 1984, democracy was finally restored with the election of Julio María Sanguinetti. == Politics == ''Main article: Politics of Uruguay'' Uruguay's Constitution of 1967 created a strong president|presidency, subject to legislative and judiciary|judicial checks. The President of Uruguay|president, who is both head of state and head of government, is elected by popular vote for a five-year term, with the vice president elected on the same ticket. Thirteen cabinet (government)|cabinet ministers, appointed by the president, head executive departments. The parliament is the bicameral General Assembly or ''Asamblea General'', which consists of a 30-member senate (''Cámara de Senadores''), presided over by the vice president of the republic, and a 99-member Chamber of Representatives (''Cámara de Representantes''). Members for both houses are elected by popular vote for a five-year term. The highest court is the Supreme Court; below it are appellate and lower courts, and justices of the peace. In addition, there are electoral and administrative ("contentious") courts, an accounts court, and a military justice system. For most of Uruguay's history, the Colorado and Blanco parties had alternated in power. The elections of 2004, however, brought the Frente Amplio, a coalition of various leftist parties, to power with majorities in both houses of parliament and the election of President Tabaré Vázquez|Tabaré Vázquez Rosas by an absolute majority. == Departments == Image:Uy-map.png|thumb|Map of Uruguay ''Main article: Departments of Uruguay'' Uruguay consists of 19 departments (''departamentos'', singular - ''departamento''): * Artigas Department|Artigas * Canelones Department|Canelones * Cerro Largo Department|Cerro Largo * Colonia Department|Colonia * Durazno Department|Durazno * Flores Department|Flores * Florida Department|Florida * Lavalleja Department|Lavalleja * Maldonado Department|Maldonado * Montevideo Department|Montevideo * Paysandú Department|Paysandú * Río Negro Department|Río Negro * Rivera Department|Rivera * Rocha Department|Rocha * Salto Department|Salto * San José Department|San José * Soriano Department|Soriano * Tacuarembó Department|Tacuarembó * Treinta y Tres Department|Treinta y Tres == Geography == ''Main article: Geography of Uruguay'' Image:Uruguay_T2.png|thumb|right|Photo Uruguay is the second-smallest country in South America. The landscape features mostly rolling plains and low hills (''cuchillas'') with a fertile coastal lowland, most of it grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising. The highest point in the country is the Cerro Catedral at 514 m. To the southwest is the Río de la Plata (Silver River), the estuary of the Uruguay River, which forms the western border, and the Paraná River, that does not run through Uruguay itself. The only other major river is the Río Negro, Uruguay|Río Negro. Several lagoons are found along the Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic coast. The climate in Uruguay is temperate climate|temperate, but fairly warm, as freezing temperatures are almost unknown. The predominantly flat landscape is also somewhat vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts, as well as to the pampero, a chilly and occasionally violent wind blowing north from the pampa|pampas plains in Argentina. == Economy == ''Main article: Economy of Uruguay'' '''Uruguay's''' economy is characterised by an export-oriented agriculture|agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, and high levels of social spending, as well as a developed industrial sector. After averaging growth of 5% annually in 1996–1998, in 1999–2001 the economy suffered from lower demand in Argentina and Brazil, which together account for nearly half of Uruguay's exports. Despite the severity of the trade shocks, Uruguay's financial indicators remained more stable than those of its neighbours, a reflection of its solid reputation among investors and its investment-grade sovereign bond rating — one of only two in South America. In recent years Uruguay has shifted most of its energy into developing the commercial use of IT technologies and has become the leading exporter of software in Latin America. While some parts of the economy appeared to be resilient, the downturn had a far more severe impact on Uruguayan citizens, as unemployment levels rose to more than twenty percent, real wages fell, the peso was devalued, and the percentage of Uruguayans in poverty reached almost 40%. These worsening economic conditions played a part in turning public opinion against the free market economic policies adopted by the previous administrations in the 1990s, leading to popular rejection of proposals for privatization of the state petroleum company in 2003 and of the state water company in 2004. The newly elected Frente Amplio government, while pledging to continue payments on Uruguay's external debt, has also promised to undertake a crash jobs programs to attack the widespread problems of poverty and unemployment. == Demographics == ''Main article: Demographics of Uruguay'' As a Spanish language|Spanish-speaking country of Latin America, most Uruguayans share a Spain|Spanish cultural background, even though about one-quarter of the population is of Italy|Italian origin. Some 88% of the population is of European descent, with mestizo|mestizos (8%) and blacks (4%) forming the only significant ethnic minorities. Church and state are officially separated, with most adhering to the Roman Catholic faith (66%), with smaller Protestant (2%) and Judaism|Jewish (1%) communities, as well as a large nonprofessing group (31%). Uruguay is distinguished by its high literacy rate, large urban middle class, and relatively even income distribution. During the past two decades, an estimated 500,000 Uruguayans have emigrated, principally to Argentina and Brazil. As a result of the low birth rate, high life expectancy, and relatively high rate of emigration of younger people, Uruguay's population is quite mature. == Culture == ''Main article: Culture of Uruguay'' * List of Uruguayans * Music of Uruguay * Mario Benedetti, Uruguay's best-known novelist * Eduardo Galeano, writer and social commentator renowned throughout Latin America * Jorge Majfud, Uruguayan writer == Sports == ''Main article: Sports in Uruguay'' Soccer (''fútbol'' in Spanish) is the most important sport in Uruguay. Uruguay won two Olympics|Olympic gold medals in soccer in 1924 and in 1928. The first Football World Cup|World Cup in soccer was held in 1930 in Montevideo, which Uruguay won. The ''Estadio Centenario'' was built for the World Cup, and serves to this day as the country's main soccer stadium. Uruguay also won the World Cup in 1950, beating Brazil in Rio de Janeiro at Maracanã Stadium, a fact that many Uruguayan soccer fans still boast of. While soccer is undoubtedly the most popular sport in Uruguay, rugby and basketball are also popular. == Miscellaneous topics == * Communications in Uruguay * Transportation in Uruguay * Military of Uruguay * Foreign relations of Uruguay * Reporters without borders World-wide press freedom index 2002: Rank 21 out of 139 countries (3 way tie) == External links == === Government resources === * [http://www.uruguay.gub.uy/ Portal del Estado Uruguayo] - Uruguayan State portal (in Spanish) * [http://www.presidencia.gub.uy/ Presidencia de la República Oriental del Uruguay] - Official presidential site (in Spanish) * [http://www.parlamento.gub.uy/ Poder Legislativo] - Official site of the Uruguayan Parliament (in Spanish) * [http://www.poderjudicial.gub.uy/ Poder Judicial] - Official site of the Uruguayan Judiciary (in Spanish) === General information === * [http://www.uruguaytotal.com/ Uruguay Total] - Uruguayan portal (in Spanish) * [http://www.uruguay.com/ Uruguay.com] - Uruguayan portal (in Spanish, with English links) * [http://www.vino-uruguay.com/index.php?Lang=en Wine Uruguay] - Uruguayan Wine Guide (in English, Spanish, German) === Commercial links === * [http://www.turismo.gub.uy/index.php Ministerio de Turismo del Uruguay] - Government tourism information site (in Spanish, Portuguese and English) * [http://www.traveltouruguay.com/ Travel to Uruguay] - Tourism portal (in English) * [http://www.uruguayxxi.gub.uy/ Uruguay XII] - Investment and Export Promotion (in Spanish and English) *[http://www.uru.org.uy Uruguayan Rugby] - Uruguayan Rugby Union (in Spanish) *[http://www.fubb.org.uy Uruguayan Basketball] - Uruguayan Basketball Federation (in Spanish) {{South_America}} Category:South American countries Category:Uruguay ar:اوروغواي ca:Uruguai da:Uruguay de:Uruguay et:Uruguay es:Uruguay eo:Urugvajo fr:Uruguay gl:Uruguai - Uruguay ko:우루과이 hi:उरुग्वे id:Uruguay it:Uruguay he:אורוגוואי lt:Urugvajus ms:Uruguay nl:Uruguay nds:Uruguay ja:ウルグアイ no:Uruguay pl:Urugwaj (państwo) pt:Uruguai ru:Уругвай sk:Uruguaj sl:Urugvaj fi:Uruguay sv:Uruguay tl:Uruguay tr:Uruguay uk:Уругвай yi:אורוגװײַ zh:乌拉圭 First page | Prev | Next | Last page |

This article on Uruguay is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Uruguay".

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