Some Basic Information

Uruguay is the second smallest country is South America sandwiched between the large countries of Brazil and Argentina on the Atlantic coast. Uruguay has a relatively small population of 3.5 million with over a third of it's population living in the capital city of Montevideo (the countries only large city). 92% of the population is urban, but most of the country is grassland and agricultural. Uruguay is known for its a high literacy rate and a prominent middle class. The vast majority of the population is of Spanish and Italian descent, with a smaller percentage of mestizos and those of African descent. Spanish, which is the official language of Uruguay, has been greatly influenced by Italian immigrants. Portunal is another language spoken in the Northern part of Uruguay which makes sense, since it is a mixture of spanish and portuguese, also known as Brazilero. Like most countries in Latin America, catholicism is the primary religion, although protestantism is also prominent.