Uruguay: official language, etymology, state symbols, history, political system, economy and foreign policy

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:40

Uruguay is a state located in South America. It is appreciated and loved by tourists for its beautiful beaches, gaucho festivals, parks and botanical flowering gardens, the unique colonial architecture of cities. The official language of Uruguay is Spanish.

History of the country

The first name of the state is Banda Oriental, which in Spanish means "Eastern Strip". At that time it was a colony of the Viceroy alty of Peru, and then - Rio de la Plata. In 1828, Uruguay gained its independence and its modern name. Today, the majority of the country's population are Hispanic Christians. There are also Italians living in the country. This determined what the official language is in Uruguay.

Political structure

Uruguay is a republic. The head of state is the president. He is elected by the people for five years. Moreover, re-election for a second term is unacceptable under the law of the country. Parliament of Uruguay - General Assembly. It consists oftwo chambers: the upper - the Senate, the lower - the House of Representatives. Each department of the country must have at least two representatives in the House. The term of office of members of the House is five years. There are currently five main political parties in the country.

Etymology

The etymology of the name of the country is quite simple. The state was named after 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. Its prototype was the emblem of the capital of the XVIII century. 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. One quarter depicts a golden scale, the other contains Mount Montevideo with a fortress on its top. The lower quarters depict a horse on a silver field and a golden bull. They are a symbol of freedom, we alth and prosperity, respectively.

The most common stone in Uruguay is amethyst and agate. Among the locals, the purple-colored mineral is most appreciated.

The architectural monument "Fingers" is another symbol of Uruguay. No matter how strange it may sound, but according to the creator's idea, this is a monument to a 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 city dwellers. Pretty highliteracy rate - 98%. As for the racial and ethnic composition: 88% are white, 8% are mestizos and 4% are mulattoes. 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, the inhabitants speak the portuñol dialect. It is a mixture of Spanish and Portuguese, allowing both Uruguayans and Brazilians to communicate freely with each other.

Before the colonization of Uruguay, the tribes of the Charrua Indians 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.

Portuñol

Portuñol is of genuine interest to linguists. 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. Long-term communication between the inhabitants of neighboring states led to the emergence of the portuñol dialect, which helps neighboring peoples to trade and cooperate with each other. Portuñol also exists on the border between Portugal and Spain. European residents often use combined languages to communicate among themselves. Some works of fiction are even written in portuñol.

Communication language

What is the official language in Uruguay, and what language does a traveler need to know to communicate? Tourist to travel around Uruguayit is desirable to know the state language of the country. Although, to be fair, it should be noted that knowledge of English will help out in any situation. Information in the international language is available in the capital of Uruguay in all tourist areas. If a tourist knows a few greeting phrases in the official language of Uruguay, Spanish, then communication with the local population will be easier. Otherwise, you will have to explain yourself in almost all shops and other public institutions.

Economy

Uruguay is today recognized as one of the most developed countries in Latin America. Of course, first of all, this concerns the economy of the state. In terms of GDP per capita, Uruguay ranks third in Latin America and 94th in the world.

The state's economy is based on the export of livestock products, agriculture and fisheries. The agricultural territories of Uruguay occupy almost the entire area of the country, of which pastures - about fourteen million hectares. In Uruguay, animal husbandry is rapidly developing. Most of the cattle is exported. The main crops grown in the country are wheat, rice, cane, and corn. Locals grow grapes and some citrus fruits.

Approximately three quarters of all companies in the country are concentrated in the capital of Uruguay - Montevideo.

Education is free in Uruguay. At school, absolutely all children are given laptops. In Uruguay, they love children very much, they take great care of them. Parental leave is only threemonths, 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 end, signs are put up near each school warning drivers about the movement of children. Near each educational institution police officers are on duty. Almost the entire population of this smallest state in Latin America can read. The largest number of virtual network users in Latin America live 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 cooperates closely with neighboring countries, primarily with Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil.

The government tends to support the collective solution of problems at the international level. 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.

Results

Uruguay is a country suitable for holidays at any time of the year. Here are mild and warm winters, sunny summers, and there is no dank rainy season. The official language of Uruguay is Spanish. On the border with Brazil, the locals of Uruguay speak a special dialect that is a mixture of Spanish and Brazilian.

By the way, here are a couple of interesting facts about Uruguay for tourists. Here is the most famous nudist beach on the mainland and a hotel with forty rooms. Four years ago inUruguay was the only country in the world to legalize the cultivation and use of marijuana.