Uruguay is a small country that is located in South America. It known for its scenic vistas and must be visited for its beaches. The long coastline of Uruguay ensures that it has a steady stretch of fine beaches, providing some of the most exquisite scenes to visitors. The country shares its borders with Argentina and Brazil. The capital of Uruguay is Montevideo and is an important trading and commercial center. People here love finer aspects of life and often indulge in theatre, ballet and symphonic concerts. Check out some really interesting and fun facts about Uruguay.
Fun Facts About Uruguay
- The full name of Uruguay is Republica Oriental del Uruguay, which means Oriental Republic of Uruguay when translated. The name of the country has been derived from a Guarani word, which when translated means “river of painted birds”.
- According to folklore, this country was named due to the fact that it is located to the west of the Uruguay River and this was the reason why it was named República Oriental del Uruguay.
- A staggering 88% of the Uruguayans are European descendants, which is very high as compared to quite a number of other Latin-American countries. This is due to the fact that Uruguay received a number of European immigrants from Spain and Italy during the 19th and 20th century.
- Uruguay has a coastline of about 500 kilometers that offers some of the most beautiful and scenic beaches. Most of the good beaches are located towards the north of the coast, on the Atlantic Ocean.
- The capital of Uruguay is Montevideo, which is the most populated area of this country. It is also a natural port and is an important business and commercial center.
- The people of Uruguay life a healthy lifestyle. The infant mortality rate is around 13.9/1000, which is very low and life expectancy at birth is 75.2 years. This is the highest in South America.
- Uruguay also has one of the highest grades of literacy in Latin America. The official figures state that the rate of literacy in Uruguay is around 97%.
