46 Facts About Uruguay

Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America's southeastern region.

In Uruguay, there are more sheep than people! Uruguay, which is well suited for sheep and cattle production, had 9,712,000 sheep in 2005, ranking second in South America only to Brazil. Uruguay's livestock production costs are low, but the quality of production is high.

Uruguay was prosperous in the early twentieth century due to meat and wool exports.

In 2000, Uruguay exported $1 billion in livestock.

Uruguay is the only country that tracks all of its cattle. Every person in the country has three cows.

The industrial economy of Uruguay is primarily based on petroleum products, transportation equipment, electrical machinery, and food processing.

Uruguay's main trading partners are Brazil and Argentina.

Uruguay was ruled by a military dictatorship until 1985.

It is one of the few South American countries where everyone has access to clean water.

In the mid-nineteenth century, Uruguayans played test cricket. They played Argentina 29 times between 1868 and the Second World War.

Uruguay's only Olympic gold medals came in 1924 and 1928. They won these football medals (soccer).

In 1930, Uruguay hosted the first FIFA World Cup. Uruguay defeated Argentina 4-2 and went on to win the FIFA World Cup the following year.

Uruguay is roughly the size of Oklahoma.

Gregorio Alvarez, Uruguay's military ruler, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the murder of 37 people and numerous human rights violations.

Transparency International ranks Uruguay as one of the least corrupt countries, ranking 21 out of 176. Brazil is ranked 79th, while Argentina is ranked 95th (2016 stats.)

Uruguay is the second-least corrupt country in South America, after Chile.

Uruguay's president, Juan Maria Bordaberry, was sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2010 for murder and his role in the 1973 military coup.

In 2012, its Senate passed legislation legalising abortions during the first trimester of pregnancy. This bill drew a lot of attention from other Latin American countries. Cuba is the only other Latin American country where abortion is legal.

In 2013, Uruguay became the 20th country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage. This was even before the United Kingdom did so.

Following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Uruguay in 1999, several countries suspended imports of beef and lamb from the country. Efforts were then made to successfully eradicate the disease.

Uruguay caught more than 930 tonnes of swordfish in 1998, exceeding its quota under international fishing regulations.

Uruguay is one of Latin America's most electrified countries, with more than 95% of its territory covered by a reliable power supply.

In South America, the country has the lowest rates of poverty and population growth. Surprisingly, they also have the highest rates of urbanisation and literacy in the region.

Uruguayans have free access to education, which explains why they have the highest literacy rate in South America. In Uruguay, education is compulsory.

The country is the first in the world to provide its schoolchildren with a free laptop and Wi-Fi connection.

Uruguay has scenic, beautiful beaches that stretch for 500 kilometres along its coastline.

Grassland encompasses nearly three-quarters of Uruguay.

Cerro Catedral, at 1684 feet (514 metres) above sea level, is Uruguay's highest point.

Since December 2013, the sale of marijuana has been legal in the country. The price per gramme is approximately one dollar.

Uruguayans love to name their homes, which is why every single house in the country has a unique name. Their houses are not numbered as in other countries. They also name their cities after a collection of names used for other cities. As a result, if you are travelling from one city to another, you may become confused!

It is the only country whose name has the same letter repeated three times in the first five letters in English.

Uruguay is South America's second-smallest country, after Suriname.

Uruguay is the Americas' least religious country. So much so that many of their traditional holidays have been renamed. Christmas is now known as Family Day, and Holy Week is known as Tourism Week.

Uruguayans go to bars to socialise as well as to get drunk.

Uruguay has the world's longest national anthem in terms of musical duration (105 bars; almost six minutes.)

In Uruguay, smoking is prohibited in enclosed public places. Because nearly one-third of its population smokes, strict measures were put in place to discourage this deadly habit. The president launched a campaign called "A Million Thanks" to refer to the number of smokers. Surprisingly, the legislation was supported by nearly 70% of the country's smokers.

The national flag of Uruguay consists of nine stripes and a sun with a human face in the upper left-hand corner. The line "No one insults the image of the sun!" is also in their national anthem.

The capital city, Montevideo, is home to more than half of the country's population.

Large speakers installed on the tops of vans driving around the city are used for advertising. Microphones are used by van drivers to deliver advertisements.

When translated, the name Uruguay means "river of painted birds."

Surprisingly, Uruguay has the poorest politician in the world. Yes, their president lives simply, donating 90% of his salary to charitable organisations. He has a one-bedroom apartment and a three-legged dog.

During the colonial period, Montevideo, Uruguay's capital, was a hub for the South American slave trade. As a result, at least 10% of the country's population is descended from slaves.

Uruguay had a divorce law in effect in 1913 that allowed Uruguayan women to seek divorce solely on their own request. Chile, on the other hand, made divorce legal in 2004.

In 2015, Uruguay generated nearly 95% of its electricity from renewable sources.

A court in Uruguay recently barred a woman from aborting her child. Actually, her boyfriend filed a lawsuit in court, claiming that he is willing to raise the child on his own even if the child's mother is uninterested. The court ruled in favour of the boyfriend, which is contrary to the country's law, which allows abortions until the 12th week of pregnancy. The woman, on the other hand, has decided to appeal the decision because she does not want to give birth to the child.

The court ordered Philip Morris, a major tobacco company, to pay a $7 million fine to Uruguay for a disputed cigarette advertisement.