Country of the Week: Uruguay
Uruguay is a small country located between Argentina and Brazil.
Uruguay is one of the smallest
countries in South America.
It looks even smaller next to its large
neighbors. What large countries are next
to Uruguay? (Brazil, the biggest country in
South America, and Argentina, the second
biggest.) But Uruguay has great farmland
for raising cattle, rice, and soybeans. South
American cowboys still work on some big
cattle farms in Uruguay. These cowboys,
like the one you see here, are called gauchos
— GOW-chohs. Have you ever heard of
gauchos? About 3.4 million people live in
Uruguay. More than 1.9 million of these
people live in or near the country’s largest
GENERAL Uruguay is a small country
tucked in between the two
largest countries in South America. What
countries does Uruguay border? (Brazil
and Argentina.) Both these countries once
controlled the land now known as Uruguay,
as did Spain and Portugal. All these
nations wanted this tiny country’s rich
natural resources. Much of the country’s
cattle are raised on Uruguay’s interior
lowlands. What are lowlands? (Flat, lowlying plains.) Some large cattle ranches are
still worked by cowboys called gauchos,
like the one you see here. These ranches
have helped Uruguay to become a major
exporter of beef and wool. The country’s
farmers also grow soybeans, rice, wheat,
and other crops in the lowlands.
Uruguay’s population is slightly more
than 3.4 million people. About 1.9 million
city, Montevideo
—
mon-tayv i h - D AY - o h .
This beautiful
city is located
close to where
an important river, the Rio de la Plata,
empties into the ocean. From the map,
which ocean is this? (The Atlantic Ocean.)
Montevideo is also the country’s capital.
President Tabaré Vazquez — tah-bah-REY
VAHS-kehz — was elected in 2014. Uruguay
is number one in Latin America for peace,
democracy, and a good quality of life. Does
it seem like a good place to live? NEXT
of them live in or near Montevideo — montay-vih-DAY-oh. Montevideo’s position
where the Río de la Plata empties into the
Atlantic Ocean makes it an important port.
This city regularly ranks near the top of
international lists for cleanliness, beauty,
and safety. Would you like to visit this
city? Montevideo is also the nation’s
capital, where President Tabaré Vazquez
— tah-bah-REY VAHS-kez — heads the
government. He became president in
2015 and also served as president from
2005 to 2010. He has worked hard to
lower poverty and improve education.
Today, Uruguay ranks number one in
Latin America for democracy, lack of
corruption, prosperity, and quality of life.
Do you think the president deserves a
lot of credit for these successes? NEXT
Tucked in between Brazil
and Argentina is Uruguay,
the second-smallest country in South
America. Can you guess the smallest?
(Suriname.) Although Uruguay only has
about 3.4 million people, it is very important
to South America — so much so that
Spain, Portugal, Brazil, and Argentina have
all tried to control it in the last 200 years.
From the map, can you guess one reason
Uruguay is so important? (Access to the
Atlantic Ocean.) The country’s lowlands
are ideal for raising livestock, making it
one of the top beef-exporting countries
in the region. Gauchos, like the one you
see here, still work the large ranches in
Uruguay’s interior. What are gauchos?
(South American cowboys.) Uruguay also
shares several important rivers, such as
the Uruguay River and the Rio de la
Plata, with Argentina. These rivers are
vital for transporting goods to ports on the
Atlantic, including the country’s largest
city and capital, Montevideo. Uruguay’s
major crops include soybeans, wheat, and
rice. These exports, and the country’s
thriving plastics industry, give Uruguay
the best GDP in South America. What
does GDP mean? (Gross domestic product.)
Uruguay also ranks first in Latin America
for literacy, safety, democracy, lack of
corruption, and income equality. President
Tabaré Vazquez — tah-bah-REY VAHS-kez
— became president for the second time in
2015. He is a leftist who has worked hard
to lower poverty and improve education
and working standards in Uruguay. Do
you think his policies are responsible for
Uruguay’s comparatively high quality of
life? Why or why not? NEXT
BASIC
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12 NewsCurrents Week of February 22, 2016
Copyright 2016 Knowledge Unlimited
Country of the Week: Uruguay (cont'd)
Uruguay was the “River of Painted Birds” to the Guarani Indians.
The word “Uruguay” comes
from an Indian language called
Guarani — gwah-rah-NEE. The name
means “river of the painted birds.” This is
a beautiful name for a beautiful country.
Beaches like the one in the big picture are
very important for the people of Uruguay.
Why would this be so? (Tourists come for
beaches like this; many Uruguayans work
in tourist hotels and resorts.)
Uruguay’s national hero is José Gervasio
Artigas — hoh-ZAY hare-vah-SEE-oh arrTEE-gahs. He was a soldier who helped
free Montevideo from the Spanish in 1811.
Troops from Brazil invaded Montevideo
BASIC
just a few
years
later,
so Uruguay
had to win
its
freedom
again. Do you
think this is a source of pride for
Uruguayans? They are also proud of their
country’s soccer team. Uruguay is the
smallest nation to ever win the world’s
biggest soccer tournament. What is this
tournament? (The World Cup, held every
four years.) Uruguay won the World Cup in
1930, and again in 1950. END
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GENERAL
Uruguay has a thriving tourist industry.
Why? People are drawn to lovely beaches
like the one in the large picture. Tourists
also come to Montevideo to learn about the
country’s history. This city features many
statues of Uruguay’s national hero, José
Gervasio Artigas — hoh-ZAY hare-vahSEE-oh arr-TEE-gahs. In 1811, he led the
fight to free Uruguay from the Spanish.
Troops from Brazil invaded Montevideo
just a few years later, so Uruguay had
to win its freedom again, becoming fully
independent in 1828. Today, one of the
country’s greatest sources of pride is its
soccer team. What is soccer called in
South America? (Futbol.) Uruguay is
the smallest country to ever win soccer’s
World Cup, which it won in 1930 and
again in 1950. What do you find most
interesting about Uruguay? END
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historical features. One of the most famous
landmarks in Montevideo is the “Puerta de
la Ciudadela,” or “Door of the Old City.”
This monument portrays José Gervasio
Artigas — the father of Uruguayan
independence. In 1811, he led the fight
to free Uruguay from Spain. Troops from
Brazil invaded Montevideo just a few years
later, so Uruguay had to win its freedom
again, becoming fully independent in 1828.
Uruguay is the smallest nation to ever win
soccer’s World Cup, triumphing in 1930
and 1950. The team is nicknamed “La
Celeste,” the Spanish word for the color
of their uniforms. What color is this?
(Sky blue.) This color, which symbolizes
freedom and independence, can also be
seen on the country’s flag. Why do you
think this is such important symbolism
for the country? END
Uruguay’s official name is
“La República Oriental del
Uruguay.” The word “oriental” here means
“eastern.” This is because there is another
South American country with a similar
name and a similar background, which
lies to the west. What nation is this?
(Paraguay.) The Guarani — gwah-rah-NEE
— Indians settled much of this part of
South America. In the Guarani language,
“Uruguay” means “river of the painted
birds,” and “Paraguay” means “large river.”
What do you think the syllable “guay”
means in the Guarani language? (“River.”)
The only inhabitants of Uruguay before the
Europeans colonized the area were people
from a small tribe called the Charrua. But
today very few Uruguayans are of native
descent. Most Uruguayans are descended
from Spanish and Italian settlers.
Uruguay’s name comes
from an Indian language
called Guarani — gwah-rah-NEE. It
translates to “river of the painted birds.”
What other nation in South America has
a similar-sounding name? (Paraguay’s
name means “Large River” in Guaraní.) The
only inhabitants of Uruguay before the
arrival of the Europeans were the Charrua
people, a small tribe driven south by the
Guaraní. Today, only about 6 percent of
the people are partly Native American.
More than 90 percent of the people are of
European descent, mostly Spanish and
Italian. About 4 percent are African.
Uruguay’s reputation as one of the
safest countries in the world has helped
its tourism industry. People are drawn
to its miles of white sand beaches, as
you see here, as well as the country’s
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NewsCurrents Week of February 22, 2016
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