Uruguay is a state located in South America. Tourists appreciate and love it for its beautiful beaches, gaucho festivals, parks and botanical flowering gardens, the unique colonial architecture of the cities. The official language of Uruguay is Spanish.
Country history
The first name of the state is Banda Oriental, which in the Spanish version means "Eastern strip". At that time it was a colony of the Viceroyalty of Peru, and then - Rio de la Plata. In 1828, Uruguay gained independence and a modern name. Today, the vast majority of the country's population is Hispanic Christians. Italians still live in the country. This determined what official language is in Uruguay.
Political structure
Uruguay is a republic. The head of state is the president. He is elected by the population for five years. Moreover, re-election for a second term in accordance with the law of the country is unacceptable. Parliament of Uruguay - General Assembly. It consists of two chambers: the upper one is the Senate, the lower one is the House of Representatives. Each department of the country must have at least two representatives in the chamber. The term of office of members of the chamber is five years. There are currently five major political parties in the country.
Etymology
The etymology of the name of the country is quite simple. The state was named in the same way as the river that crosses it - Uruguay. Its name, in turn, comes from the Guarani language and is translated from it as "a river of colorful birds."
State Symbols
The coat of arms of Uruguay is a symbol of the country. It was officially adopted over a hundred years ago. The coat of arms of the capital of the 18th century became its prototype. It consists of an oval, divided into four parts, over which the sun rises. It is framed by two olive branches, fastened with a ribbon. In one quarter, gold scales are depicted, the other contains Mount Montevideo with a fortress at its top. In the lower quarters a horse is painted on a silver field and a golden bull. They are a symbol of freedom, wealth and affluence, respectively.
The most common stone in Uruguay is amethyst and agate. Among locals, the most prized mineral is a purple hue.
The Fingers architectural monument is another symbol of Uruguay. No matter how strange it may sound, but according to the creator's idea, this is a monument to the drowned man who drowned in the sand on the beach, as if in the ocean.
Key facts
The population of Uruguay as of 2010 is about 3.5 million people. Moreover, 92% are urban residents. The literacy rate is quite high - 98%. As for the racial and ethnic composition: 88% are white, 8% are mestizos, and 4% are mulattos. The average life expectancy in the country is also decent: 80 years for women and 73 years for men.
The official language of Uruguay is Spanish. On the northern border of the country, residents speak the Portunol dialect. It is a mixture of Spanish and Portuguese, and allows both Uruguayans and Brazilians to communicate freely with each other.
Before the colonization of Uruguay, Charroi tribes lived on its territory. They did not survive as a separate people, their language was lost. Today, only mestizos live in the country - their descendants.
Portunol
Of genuine interest to linguists is portunol. This dialect was invented by the inhabitants of Uruguay, who lived and live on the border with Brazil. The official language of Uruguay is Spanish, Brazil - Portuguese. Both of them belong to the romance group and have a similar vocabulary. Prolonged communication between residents of neighboring states led to the emergence of the Portunol dialect, which helps neighboring nations to trade and cooperate with each other. Portunol also exists on the border of Portugal and Spain. European residents often use combined languages to communicate with each other. Portunol has even written some works of fiction.
The language of communication
What language is official in Uruguay, and what language does a traveling person need to know in order to communicate? For tourists traveling around Uruguay, it is advisable to know the state language of the country. Although for justice it is worth noting that knowledge of the English language will help out in any situation. Information in international language is in the capital of Uruguay in all tourist areas. If a tourist knows a few welcome phrases in the official language of Uruguay, Spanish, then communication with the local population will be easier. Otherwise, it will have to be explained on the fingers in almost all stores and in other public institutions.
Economy
Uruguay is today recognized as one of the most developed countries in Latin America. Of course, first of all, this applies to the economy of the state. Uruguay ranks third in Latin America and ninety-fourth in the world in terms of GDP per capita.
The economy of the state is based on the export of livestock, agriculture and fisheries. The agricultural territories of Uruguay occupy almost the entire area of the country, of which pastures are about fourteen million hectares. Livestock breeding is rapidly developing in Uruguay. Most cattle are exported. The main crops grown in the country are wheat, rice, reed, and corn. Locals grow grapes and some citrus fruits.
About three quarters of all the country's companies are concentrated in the capital of Uruguay - Montevideo.
Uruguay has free education. At school, laptops are given to absolutely all children. In Uruguay, they love children very much and care for them. A maternity leave is only three months, which can be taken before or after his birth. In the nursery, children are taken from three months. At twelve o'clock, when the lessons are over, signs are displayed near each school to warn drivers about the movement of children. Police officers are on duty around each school. Almost the entire population of this smallest state in Latin America can read. The largest number of virtual network users in Latin America resides in Uruguay.
Foreign policy
The country is a member of the UN and its subsidiaries, as well as the LAI (Latin American Integration Association) and the OAS (Organization of American States). Uruguay works closely with neighboring countries, primarily with Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil.
The government is inclined to support a collective solution to international problems. This is due to the fact that the country is located between two larger states - Brazil and Argentina, which have repeatedly invaded its territory in the past.
