Uruguay, is a South American country that truly has the whole package. An interesting history, some breathtaking geography, and, of course, its own unique culture. There are many facts about this country that are unknown. About its political struggle for independence, its inhabitants, and other aspects of the nation, which are truly fascinating. In this article, we have attempted to throw light on some of these facts about Uruguay, which will be a sound addition to your knowledge bank about it. Read on.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT URUGUAY
In this section, we have compiled a lot of Uruguay facts that are interesting and intriguing. They will give you a glimpse of this nation's history, geography, and culture. So, if you're thinking about visiting the country, you'll have an idea about what to expect, and what to look around for.
GEOGRAPHY
First, let us begin with some basic information about Uruguay, which will help you to understand the fundamentals of the country better. So, here are some geography related facts about Uruguay, that you might like to know.
- Area-wise, Uruguay is one of the smallest countries in South America, bigger than only Suriname.
- Its area is around 176,220 sq. km.
- This is even smaller than Washington state.
- The capital city of Uruguay is Montevideo. Almost 85% of the population of Uruguay resides in its capital city.
- The Uruguayan Peso is the currency here.
- The topography of Uruguay includes land forms like plains, and low hills. High mountains are not found much.
- Uruguay enjoys a temperate climate.
- A majority of the population thrives on agriculture.
- The type of government operational in Uruguay, is a Constitutional Republic.
- Major exports of Uruguay include wool, rice, leather and meat.
- Industries of petroleum, transport equipment and food processing etc, flourish here.
- It has a coastline of just 193 km on the Atlantic ocean.
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HISTORY
After geography, let's move on to the next logical information that you would like to know. Namely, the history of Uruguay. Uruguay has a history filled with violent struggles for freedom. Let's read a little about this history in the following history facts about Uruguay.
- First inhabited by people from different races, Portugal conquered Uruguay in 1680.
- Spain defeated Portugal, and took over Uruguay in 1778.
- Uruguay began an uprising against the Spanish colonists, but were defeated by Portuguese, who came from Brazil.
- Finally, after a prolonged struggle, Uruguay achieved its freedom in 1825, with aid from Argentina.
- Uruguay became a republic in 1828.
- Even after gaining independence there was a lot of internal conflict in the country.
- From violent militia, to left-wing terrorist rule, Uruguay has seen it all, in the years succeeding 1973.
- Then, in 1985, after 12 years of struggle, and revolts, finally a civilian government was elected, and it now is a Constitutional Republic.
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CULTURE
It is the culture of a country that makes it distinct from the others. It is the culture that binds citizens of the same country, even if they happen to meet somewhere far away from home. Let us now see some interesting facts about Uruguay's culture that make it stand apart from the other nations of the world.
- Even though Uruguay is a small country, it is rich in arts, literature, and traditions.
- People in Uruguay absolutely love theater, and dance.
- Though the roots may be European, the people have successfully embedded their own local flavor to them.
- The gaucho attire, that is, cowboy attire is quite popular among men.
- Women wear colorful dresses here.
- Since it is a small country, simple things like owning a car, and being passionate about something as simple as football, are seen as a symbol of high social stature.
- Sports like rugby, basketball, horse racing etc. are very popular here.
- Uruguay's flag has 9 blue and white stripes, with a sun on the top left corner. The 9 stripes represent the 9 regions into which Uruguay is politically divided into. The sun with its 16 wavy and straight rays, stand for Uruguay's freedom. The colors and pattern are very similar to the flag of Argentina.
- Most houses in Uruguay have names.
- People from all over the world visit Punta del Este, an upper class resort, along with their dogs. Many people leave their dogs behind while returning. This is the reason for the large number of stray dogs roaming around in the country.
- If you harm any dog that roams about, you can be criminally charged for it.
- Buseca, a rich stew, is one of the most popular foods in Uruguay.
- Also, an Italian influence, pasta, is served quite often with a sauce called Caruso Sauce, which has cream, mushrooms, onions, and meat in it.
- One of the majorly popular drinks in Uruguay is a drink called mate. Other drinks are clerico (fresh fruit juice in white wine), medio y medio, tea, etc.
- Jams, meat sandwiches (chivito plato), and empanadas (meat wrapped in bread) are the other typical food items in the cuisine of Uruguay.
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Those were some facts relating to Uruguay's geography, history and culture. Hope they have helped you to get an idea about what this little country is all about. So plan a visit soon and explore its beauty and culture.
