Introduction
Uruguay borders the South Atlantic Ocean, nestled in between Argentina and Brazil. In the early 1800s, it gained independence from both of these neighbors.
Although its surrounding countries are two of the largest in South America, Uruguay is roughly the size of Washington, making it South America's second smallest country. Its fertile coast land and rolling plains provide an ideal landscape for cattle-raising and agriculture with 87.2 percent of the land agricultural, an attractive asset for Uruguay's role in exports. Outside of the agricultural land, 80 percent of the 3,360,148 Uruguayans live in urban areas. Almost half of the population lives near or in the capital of Montevideo, the central area for the growth of English. Additionally, 88 percent of the population identify as white, 8 percent as mestizo, 4 percent as black, and less than 1 percent as Amerindian. The religious diversity is a little greater with 47.1 percent of the population practicing as Roman Catholic, 11.1 percent Christian, 23.2 percent non-denominational, 0.3 percent Jewish, and 18.3 percent atheist, agnostic, or other. Spanish is the official language in Uruguay, though various blends of Portuguese and Spanish (Portunol and Brazilero) are also recognized as languages within the country. Currently, English is taught as a foreign language. As of 2012, it has been required in at least three years of education. |
Politics
The political landscape of Uruguay sets it apart from the rest of Latin America, with the political and labor conditions among the freest on the continent. Additionally, it is recognized as one of the only countries in Latin America where the entire population can access clean water.
This video exemplifies the country's progressiveness. While the liberal former president, José Mujica (in office from 2010 to 2015), has befallen major criticism by many, the economical and social landscape of the country have benefited greatly from the "World's Poorest President." During his presidency, he legalized Marijuana to minimize the violent effects of drug trafficking and had left the Uruguayan economy better than it has been in decades. The structure of a more socialist economy has landed Uruguay the nickname of "The Spanish Switzerland" (Davies, 2015). |
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The current President, Tabaré Vàzquez, has maintained "pro-market policies and a strong social safety net" (The World Factbook). The emphasis of free trade and the legalization of Marijuana has made Uruguay a major trade outpost for countries within and outside of South America. The U.S. Embassy and Uruguay maintain a strong relationship due to these similar economic and social goals. For this reason, the spread of English has recently become a prevailing priority.