República Oriental del Uruguay
Eastern Republic of Uruguay

Flag Coat of Arms
Motto: Libertad o Muerte (English: "Liberty or Death")
Anthem: Orientales, la Patria o la tumba
Capital	Montevideo 34°53′S 56°10′W
Largest city	Montevideo
Official language(s)	Spanish
Government President	Democratic Republic Tabaré Vázquez
Independence from Brazil	- Declared August 25, 1825 - Recognised August 28, 1828
Area  - Total    - Water (%)	176,220 km² (90th) 68,039 sq mi  1.5
Population  - July 2006 est.  - 2002 census  - Density	3,431,932 (131st 1) 3,399,237 19/km² (156th 1) 50/sq mi
GDP (PPP)  - Total  - Per capita	2005 estimate $54.58 billion (74th) $16,000 (46th)
HDI (2003)	0.840 (46th) – high
Currency	Uruguayan Peso (UYU)
Time zone  - Summer (DST)	(UTC-3) (UTC-2)
Internet TLD	.uy
Calling code	+598
1.) Rank based on 2005 figures

Uruguay, officially the Eastern Republic of Uruguay or Republic East of the Uruguay (River) (Spanish: República Oriental del Uruguay; pron. IPA [re'puβlika oɾien'tal del uɾu'ɣwaj]), is a 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 "River of Silver", 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 half of its people live in the capital and largest city, Montevideo. The nation is the second smallest independent country in South America, larger than only Suriname (it is also larger than French Guiana, which is not independent), and is one of the most politically and economically stable. Image File history File links Flag_of_Uruguay. ... Image File history File links Uruguay_coa. ... Flag ratio: 2:3 The flag of Uruguay was first adopted by law on December 16, 1828. ... The Coat of Arms of Uruguay was first adopted by law on March 19, 1829. ... This page lists state and national mottos for the worlds independent states and their subdivisions. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is formally recognized by a countrys government as their official national song. ... Orientales, la Patria o la tumba is the national anthem of Uruguay. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... In politics, a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... Montevideo Downtown and port, Montevideo Independence Plaza, c. ... Uruguayans share a Spanish linguistic and cultural background, even though about one-quarter of the population is of Italian origin. ... Montevideo Downtown and port, Montevideo Independence Plaza, c. ... An official language is a language that is given a privileged legal status in a state, or other legally-defined territory. ... This is a list of Presidents of Uruguay. ... In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people who do not base their political power on any principle beyond the control of the people of that state or country. ... Tabaré Ramón Vázquez Rosas (born 17 January 1940) is the current President of Uruguay. ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... 1825 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... August 28 is the 240th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (241st in leap years), with 125 days remaining. ... 1828 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here surface areas between 100,000 km² and 1,000,000 km². ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... For the Cusco album, see 2002 (album). ... World map of the population density in 2006 Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. ... Map of countries by population This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population, with population figures estimated for 1 July 2005 (rounded to the nearest 1,000). ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries/dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The figures in the following table are based on areas including inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Map of world GDP (PPP) by country using the IMF and World Bank lists for 2004 There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP), the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. ... Map of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita, based on the 2004 IMF data. ... World map indicating HDI of UN member states, 2003. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... World map indicating HDI of UN member states, 2003. ... The peso (ISO 4217 code: UYU) is the official currency unit of Uruguay. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... A time zone is a region of the Earth that has adopted the same standard time, usually referred to as the local time. ... Daylight saving time (DST), often referred to as daylight savings time, is a widely used system of adjusting the official local time forward, usually one hour, from its official standard time for the summer months. ... It has been suggested that leap second be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that leap second be merged into this article or section. ... The following is a list of currently existing Internet Top-level domains (TLDs). ... .uy is the Internet country code top-level domain ( ccTLD) for Uruguay. ... A telephone dial This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164. ... Pronunciation refers to: the way a word or a language is usually spoken; the manner in which someone utters a word. ... The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a system of phonetic notation devised by linguists to accurately and uniquely represent each of the wide variety of sounds (phones or phonemes) used in spoken human language. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Sunset in the Uruguay River Map of the Uruguay River The Uruguay River (in Spanish, Río Uruguay, pronounced ) is a river in South America. ... Río de la Plata in relation to Uruguay and Argentina A satellite view of the estuary The Río de la Plata (from Spanish: River of Silver), also known by the English name River Plate, as in the Battle of the River Plate, or sometimes [La] Plata River, is... Montevideo Downtown and port, Montevideo Independence Plaza, c. ...

History

Main article: History of Uruguay This is the History of Uruguay. ...

Rio de la Plata in 1603

The name "Uruguay" comes from Guaraní, the original language of the native people of the region. It means "river of the painted birds." Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2829x1826, 4759 KB) Indians from Rio de la Plata. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2829x1826, 4759 KB) Indians from Rio de la Plata. ... Guaraní (local name: avañeẽ ) is an Amerindian language of South America that belongs to the Tupí-Guaraní subfamily. ...

The first Europeans arrived in the area in the early 16th century. Both Spain and Portugal pursued the 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. Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europes borders. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Montevideo Downtown and port, Montevideo Independence Plaza, c. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Buenos Aires (English: Fair Winds, originally Ciudad de la Santísima Trinidad y Puerto de Santa María de los Buenos Aires, City of the Holy Trinity and Port of Saint Mary of the Fair Winds) is the capital of Argentina and its largest city and port, as well as...

In the early 19th century, independence movements sprung up across South America, including Uruguay (then known as the Banda Oriental, or "Eastern Strip", 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. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... The coronation banquet for George IV 1821 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... 1825 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... There were several treaties signed in Montevideo. ... 1828 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

The original population of Charrúa Indians was gradually decimated over three centuries, culminating on 11 April 1831 in a mass killing at Salsipuedes, which was led by General Fructuoso Rivera, Uruguay's first president. After that date the few remaining Charrúas were dispersed and a viable Charrúa culture was a thing of the past, although Charrúa blood still runs in the veins of many Uruguayans today as a result of extensive Charrúa-Spanish intermixing during colonial times. Four Charrúas — Senaqué, the leader Vaimaca Pirú, the warrior Tacuabé and his wife Guyunusa — were taken to Paris in 1833 to be displayed as circus attractions. Formerly a tribe in southern South America, the Charrua were slowly killed and integrated into the prevailing cultures of Uruguay and southern Brazil following the arrival of European settlers. ... Salsipuedes is a small town in California, USA. Its name is translated from Spanish language as get out if you can. Categories: Cities in California ... Gen. ...

In the latter part of the 19th century, Uruguay participated in the War of the Triple Alliance against Paraguay. Combatants Paraguay Uruguay, Argentina, Brasil Commanders Francisco Solano López Bartolomé Mitre, Duke of Caxias Strength at the beginning of the war ca. ...

General Fructuoso Rivera

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 José Batlle y Ordóñez made Uruguay an advanced nation with a complex 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". Image File history File links Image of General Fructuoso Rivera, President of Uruguay, as realized by Baldassare Verazzi (d. ... Image File history File links Image of General Fructuoso Rivera, President of Uruguay, as realized by Baldassare Verazzi (d. ... This is a list of Presidents of Uruguay. ... José Batlle y Ordóñez (May 21, 1856 - October 20, 1929) was the president of Uruguay from 1903 until 1907 and for a second term from 1911 to 1915. ... The Welfare State of the United Kingdom was the result of the William Beveridge Report in 1942, which identified five Giant Evils in society: squalor, ignorance, want, idleness and disease. ... World map showing the Americas The Americas commonly refers to the lands of the Western hemisphere, consisting of the continents of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions. ...

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 marxist-leninist 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 successor, 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. Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II... Tupamaros, also known as the MLN (Movimiento de Liberación Nacional or National Liberation Army), was an urban guerrilla organization in Uruguay in the 1960s and 1970s. ... Jorge Pacheco Areco was President of Uruguay from December 6, 1967 to March 1, 1972. ... Juan María Bordaberry is a Uruguayan statesman, who served as President from 1972 to 1976, when he was ousted in a military coup. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Julio María Sanguinetti Coirolo (born 1936), was President of Uruguay from 1 March 1985 to 1 March 1990 and from 1 March 1995 to 1 March 2000. ...

Politics

Main article: Politics of Uruguay Uruguay is a democracy and representative republic with its capital in Montevideo. ...

Uruguay's president Tabare Vasquez

Uruguay's Constitution of 1967 created a strong presidency, subject to legislative and judicial controls. The 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 ministers, appointed by the president, head executive departments. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1664x1107, 267 KB) Tabaré Vázquez y Rodolfo Nin en la asunción presidencial (Marcello Casal Jr/ABr) Photographed by Marcello Casal Jr/ABr, from http://img. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1664x1107, 267 KB) Tabaré Vázquez y Rodolfo Nin en la asunción presidencial (Marcello Casal Jr/ABr) Photographed by Marcello Casal Jr/ABr, from http://img. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, universities, and countries. ... A legislature is a governmental deliberative body with the power to adopt laws. ... In law, the judiciary or judicature is the system of courts which administer justice and provide a mechanism for the resolution of disputes. ... This is a list of Presidents of Uruguay. ... Queen Elizabeth II, is the Head of State of 16 countries including: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Jamaica, New Zealand and the Bahamas, as well as crown colonies and overseas territories of the United Kingdom. ... The head of government is the leader of the government or cabinet. ... This article is about the political process. ... Alternate meanings in cabinet (disambiguation) A Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ...

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. Insert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text here:This article is about the legislative institution. ... In government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. ... A senate is a deliberative body, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature. ...

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 National parties have alternated in power. The elections of 2004, however, brought the Encuentro Progresista-Frente Amplio-Nueva Mayoría, a coalition of socialists,former Taupamaros, comunists and social democrats among others to power with majorities in both houses of parliament and the election of President Tabaré Vázquez Rosas by an absolute majority. 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Broad Front (Frente Amplio in Spanish, also known as Encuentro Progresista) is a Uruguayan political party. ... Tabaré Ramón Vázquez Rosas (born 17 January 1940) is the current President of Uruguay. ...

Departments

Map of Uruguay

Main article: Departments of Uruguay Image File history File links Mapa de Uruguay. ... Uruguay consists of 19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) (capitals in parentheses): Artigas (Artigas). ...

Uruguay consists of 19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento):

Artigas Department is a department of Uruguay. ... Artigas is the capital of the department of Artigas in Uruguay. ... Canelones Department is a department of Uruguay. ... Canelones is the capital of the department of Canelones in Uruguay. ... Cerro Largo Department is a department of Uruguay. ... Melo is the capital of the department of Cerro Largo in Uruguay. ... Colonia is a departamento in southwestern Uruguay. ... Colonia del Sacramento is a city in southwestern Uruguay, by the Río de la Plata, facing Buenos Aires, Argentina. ... Durazno is a department of Uruguay. ... Durazno is the capital of the department of Durazno in Uruguay. ... Flores is a department of Uruguay. ... Trinidad is the capital of the department of Flores in Uruguay. ... Florida is a department (departamento) of Uruguay. ... Florida is the capital of the department of Florida in Uruguay. ... Lavalleja Department is a department of Uruguay. ... Minas is the capital of the department of Lavalleja in Uruguay. ... The Maldonado Department in Uruguay is located east of the Uruguayan capital Montevideo. ... Maldonado is a city in Uruguay. ... Montevideo is a department (departamento) of Uruguay. ... Montevideo Downtown and port, Montevideo Independence Plaza, c. ... Paysandú Department is a department of Uruguay. ... Paysandú is the capital of the department of Paysandú in Uruguay. ... The Río Negro Department is a department located in the western part of Uruguay. ... Map of Uruguay, showing Fray Bentos as well as Montevideo Fray Bentos is a town in west Uruguay, close to the border with Argentina, and about 160 km (100 mi) due north of Buenos Aires. ... Rivera is a department of Uruguay. ... Rivera is the capital of the department of Rivera in Uruguay. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... Rocha is the capital of the department of Rocha in Uruguay. ... Salto Department is a department of Uruguay. ... Salto is the capital of the department of Salto in Uruguay. ... San José Department is a department of Uruguay. ... San José is the capital of the department of San José in Uruguay. ... Soriano is a department of Uruguay. ... Mercedes is te capital and largest city of the Soriano Department. ... Tacuarembó is a department of Uruguay. ... Tacuarembó, both a town and province in north-central Uruguay. ... Treinta y Tres is a department of Uruguay. ... Treinta y Tres is a small town in Uruguay. ...

Geography

Satellite photo of Uruguay

Main article: Geography of Uruguay Download high resolution version (691x786, 1205 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (691x786, 1205 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Map of Uruguay Shaded relief map of Uruguay Political map of Uruguay Uruguay is a country in Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil. ...

Uruguay is the third smallest country in South America, after Suriname and French Guiana. The landscape features mostly rolling plains and low hill ranges (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 metres (1,686 ft). To the southwest is the Río de la Plata (River of Silver), 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. Several lagoons are found along the Atlantic coast. South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Binomial name Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758 Cattle (called cows in vernacular usage, kine archaic, or ky as the Scots plural of coo) are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. ... Binomial name Ovis aries Linnaeus, 1758 The domestic sheep (Ovis aries) is the most common species of the sheep genus. ... A foot (plural: feet) is a non-SI unit of distance or length, measuring around a third of a meter. ... Río de la Plata in relation to Uruguay and Argentina A satellite view of the estuary The Río de la Plata (from Spanish: River of Silver), also known by the English name River Plate, as in the Battle of the River Plate, or sometimes [La] Plata River, is... Sunset in the Uruguay River Map of the Uruguay River The Uruguay River (in Spanish, Río Uruguay, pronounced ) is a river in South America. ... The sun rising over the Paraná River, from the north-east of Rosario, Argentina. ... The Río Negro (Spanish for Black River) is a river in Uruguay. ... The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of the earths surface. ...

The climate in Uruguay is 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 pampas plains in Argentina. In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ... The pampero is a west or southwest wind in Southern Argentina. ... This article is about the lowland plains in South America. ...

Enclaves and exclaves

There is one Argentine enclave within Uruguayan territory: the island of Martín García (co-ordinates 34°11′S 58°15′W). It is situated near the confluence of the Paraná and Uruguay rivers, a mere kilometre (1,100 yd) inside Uruguayan waters, about 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) from the Uruguayan coastline, near the small city of Martín Chico (itself about halfway between Nueva Palmira and Colonia). This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Island off the coast of Uruguay that is part of Argentina. ... This article is about the unit of measure known as the yard. ... A mile is any of a number of units of distance, each in the magnitude of 1–10 km. ... City in Uruguay. ... A colonia was a Roman outpost, usually established by veterans of a Roman Legion, who received land as a part of their retirement from the Legions. ...

An agreement reached by Argentina and Uruguay in 1973 reaffirmed Argentine jurisdiction over the island, ending a century-old dispute between the two countries. According to the terms of the agreement, Martín García is to be devoted exclusively to a natural preserve. Its area is about 2 square kilometres (500 acres), and the population about 200 persons. In addition, Gloria Recoda has exclusive land rights on a quarter of the island. 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... This article is about the unit of measure known as the acre. ...

Economy

Main article: Economy of Uruguay

Montevideo, Uruguay's capital

Uruguay's economy is characterised by an export-oriented 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^{[citation needed]}. Uruguays economy remains dependent on agriculture. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Playa_Pocitos. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Playa_Pocitos. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ...

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. A free market is an idealized market, where all economic decisions and actions by individuals regarding transfer of money, goods, and services are voluntary, and are therefore devoid of coercion and theft (some definitions of coercion are inclusive of theft). Colloquially and loosely, a free market economy is an economy... Privatization (sometimes privatisation, denationalization, or, especially in India, disinvestment) is the process of transferring property from public ownership to private ownership and/or transferring the management of a service or activity from the government to the private sector. ... The Broad Front (Frente Amplio in Spanish, also known as Encuentro Progresista) is a Uruguayan political party. ...

Agriculture

Main article: Agriculture of Uruguay

Agriculture played such an important part in Uruguayan history and national identity until the middle of the 20th century that the entire country was then sometimes likened to a single huge estancia (agricultural estate) with Montevideo, where the wealth generated in the hinterland was spent, as its casco or administrative head. As another saying went, "Uruguay es la vaca y el puerto" ("Uruguay is the cow and the port"). When world market prices for Uruguay’s main export commodities like beef and wool fell drastically in the 1950s, the country's prosperous golden era came to an end.

A heartland of historic estancias : Estancia San Eugenio, Casupá, southern department of Florida

Today, agriculture still contributes roughly 10% to the country’s GDP and is the main foreign exchange earner, putting Uruguay in line with other agricultural exporters like Brazil, Canada and New Zealand. Uruguay is a member of the Cairns Group of exporters of agricultural products. Uruguay’s agriculture has relatively low inputs of labour, technology and capital in comparison with other such countries, which results in comparatively lower yields per hectare but also open the door for Uruguay to market its products as "natural" or "ecological." Image File history File links Estanciahistorica-florida-uruguay. ... Image File history File links Estanciahistorica-florida-uruguay. ... The Cairns Group is an interest group of 18 agricultural exporting countries, composed of Argentina, Australia , Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, and Uruguay. ...

Campaigns like “Uruguayan grass-fed beef” and “Uruguay Natural” aim to establish Uruguay as a premium brand in beef, wine and other food products.

Recently, an industry has arisen around estancia tourism that capitalizes on the traditional or folkloristic connotations associated with gaucho culture and the remaining resources of the historic estancias of Uruguay's golden era. Agritourism is a style of vacation in which hospitality is offered on farms. ...

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Uruguay Uruguayans share a Spanish linguistic and cultural background, even though about one-quarter of the population is of Italian origin. ...

As a Spanish-speaking country of Latin America, most Uruguayans share a Spanish cultural background, though about a half of the population is of Italian origin^{[citation needed]}. Some 88% of the population is of European descent, with mestizos (8%) and Afro-Uruguayans (4%) forming the only significant ethnic minorities. Church and state are officially separated. Most Uruguayans adhere to the Roman Catholic faith (66%), with smaller Protestant (2%) and Jewish and Armenian (1%) communities, as well as a large nonprofessing group (31%). This article is about the international language known as Spanish. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... Mestizo (Portuguese, Mestiço; French, Métis: from Late Latin mixticius, from Latin mixtus, past participle of miscere, to mix) is a term of Spanish origin used to designate the people of mixed European and indigenous non-European ancestry. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people with around 15 million followers as of 2006 [1]. It is one of the first recorded monotheistic faiths and one of the oldest religious traditions still practiced today. ...

Uruguay is distinguished by its high literacy rate (98%), 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. World literacy rates by country The traditional definition of Literacy is the ability to read, write, listen, and speak. ... World map showing Human Life expectancy Life expectancy is the average number of years remaining for a living being (or the average for a class of living beings) of a given age to live. ...

Culture

Main article: Culture of Uruguay Candombe, a drum-based musical form of Uruguay. ...

• Music of Uruguay
• List of Uruguayans

Uruguay has a number of local musical forms. ... // Politics and military Gregorio Álvarez Juan José de Amézaga Mariano Arana Rodney Arismendi José Gervasio Artigas Danilo Astori Alfredo Baldomir Hugo Batalla Jorge Batlle José Batlle y Ordóñez Lorenzo Batlle Luis Batlle Berres Eduardo Blanco Acevedo Juan María Bordaberry Baltasar Brum Lorenzo Carnelli Juan Lindolfo Cuestas Jos...

Uruguayan writers

• Eduardo Galeano, writer and social commentator renowned throughout Latin America
• Mario Benedetti, Uruguay's best-known novelist
• Jorge Majfud
• Juan Carlos Onetti
• Horacio Quiroga
• Juana de Ibarbourou
• Maria Eugenia Vaz Ferreira
• Delmira Agustini
• Isidore Lucien Ducasse, born in Montevideo though French by nationality
• José Enrique Rodó

Eduardo Hughes Galeano (born September 3, 1940) is a radical Uruguayan journalist whose books have been translated into many languages. ... One of Latin Americas best known writers Mario Benedetti (born September 14, 1920) is an Uruguayan journalist, novelist, and poet. ... Jorge Majfud was born in Tacuarembó, Uruguay, in 1969. ... Juan Carlos Onetti, born July 1, 1909 in Montevideo, Uruguay - died May 30, 1994 in Madrid, Spain, was a novelist and short-story writer. ... Horacio Quiroga (1878-1937) was a Uruguayan short story writer. ... Juana de Ibarbourou (1895-1979), was an Uruguayan poet and also known as Juana de America. ... Maria Eugenia Vaz Ferreira (1875-1924) was a teacher and poet from Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay. ... Delmira Agustini was born in Uruguay in 1886 and considered one of the greatest female Latin poets of the early 20th century. ... Comte de Lautréamont is a pseudonym for Isidore Lucien Ducasse (Montevideo, Uruguay, April 4, 1846 - Paris, November 24, 1870), an Uruguayan poet and writer. ...

Sports

Main article: Sports in Uruguay Soccer (fútbol in Spanish) is the most important sport in Uruguay. ...

The most popular sport in Uruguay is football/soccer (called fútbol in Spanish), and the country has earned many honours in that sport, including gold medals at the 1924 and 1928 Olympic Games and two World Cups in 1930, when the first football world championship was celebrated in Montevideo; and in 1950 in Brazil. The Games of the VIII Olympiad were held in 1924 in Paris, France. ... The Games of the IX Olympiad were held in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. ... For months before the Olympic Games, runners relay the Olympic Flame from Olympia to the opening ceremony. ... The Football World Cup (official name: FIFA World Cup) is the most important competition in international football (soccer). ...

Rugby, basketball and diving are also popular. General phase play in rugby union. ... Sara Giauro shoots a three-point shot, FIBA Europe Cup for Women Finals 2005 For other uses, see Basketball (disambiguation). ... Diving refers to the sport acrobatically jumping or falling into water. ...

Miscellaneous topics

• Communications in Uruguay
• Foreign relations of Uruguay
• Military of Uruguay
• Movimiento Scout del Uruguay
• Reporters without borders World-wide press freedom index 2002: Rank 21 out of 139 countries (3 way tie)
• Transportation in Uruguay
• Wikipedia:WikiProject Uruguay

Telephones - main lines in use: 622,000 (1995) Telephones - mobile cellular: 40,000 (1995) Telephone system: some modern facilities domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 94, FM 115, shortwave 14 (seven... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require rewriting and/or reformatting. ... The armed forces of Uruguay are constitutionally subordinate to the president through the Minister of Defense. ... The Movimiento Scout del Uruguay (MSU) is the national Scouting organization of Uruguay. ... Reporters Without Borders, or RWB (French: Reporters sans frontières, Spanish: Reporteros Sin Fronteras, or RSF) is an international non-governmental organization interested in issues relating to freedom of the press. ... Railways: total: 2835. ...

External links

Government resources

• INE - National Statistics Institute (in Spanish)
• MEF - Official site of the Uruguayan Ministry of Finance (in Spanish)
• Poder Judicial - Official site of the Uruguayan Judiciary (in Spanish)
• Poder Legislativo - Official site of the Uruguayan Parliament (in Spanish)
• Portal del Estado Uruguayo - Uruguayan State portal (in Spanish)
• Presidencia de la República Oriental del Uruguay - Official presidential site (in Spanish)

General information

• Uruguay Total - Uruguayan portal (in Spanish)
• Portal Paysandu - Los inocentes de Siempre - Uruguayan portal (in Spanish)
• Uruguay.com - Uruguayan portal (in Spanish, with English links)
• Open Directory Project - Uruguay directory category (multiple languages)
• From Uruguay - Uruguayan blog (in English)
• Love,ani xo travel blog and information on Uruguay (in English)
• Sociedad Alemana-Uruguaya - German Uruguayan society (in Spanish and German)
• Wine Uruguay - Uruguayan Wine Guide (in English, Spanish, German)
• Studio Stonek - Uruguayan photography studio and image bank (in Spanish and English)
• Estancias - historic colonial architecture estates and cattle ranches in the Pampa
• The Uruguay Page - a Uruguay metadirectory (in English)

Media

• El País - Montevideo daily newspaper
• La República - Montevideo daily newspaper
• El Observador - Montevideo daily newspaper
• El Espectador - Montevideo radio station
• Radio Sarandí - Montevideo radio station
• Montevideo.com - Montevideo news web site.

Travel and commerce

• Ministerio de Turismo del Uruguay - Government tourism information site (in Spanish, Portuguese and English)
• Uruguay travel guide from Wikitravel
• Uruguay XXI - Investment and Export Promotion (in Spanish and English)
• Traveltouruguay.com - Touristic information and promotion
• PuntaOnline.com Real Estate Portal for Punta del Este in Spanish and German.
• Farm land and historic Estancias for sale in Uruguay.

Wikitravel is a project to create an open content, complete, up-to-date, and reliable world-wide travel guide. ...

Sports

• Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol - Uruguayan Football Association (in Spanish)
• Federación Uruguaya de Basketball - Uruguayan Basketball Federation (in Spanish)
• Unión de Rugby del Uruguay - Uruguayan Rugby Union (in Spanish)
• Asociación Uruguaya de Golf - Uruguayan Golf Association (in Spanish)