Uruguay
Brief History:
Before the Europeans moved to Uruguay, it was inhabited by the Charruas, people who were actually born there. Spain and Portugal fought over the country for a long time. In 1516, a spaniard, Juan Diaz de Solis, visited Uruguay, but in 1680, the Portuguese were the first to settle in Uruguay when they found the town of Colonia del Sacramento. In 1778, Spain stole Uruguay from Portugal, which was also the same time when most of the people originally from there were already gone. Uruguay started fight Spain in 1811, but then the Portuguese stole the country back from Brazil. Argentina helped Uruguay get its independence in 1825. And Uruguay's republic was set up by 1828.
From 1865 to 1870, there was a war against Uruguay and Paraguay, which caused Argentina and Brazil to intervene. Uruguay got rich with meat and wool exports. In the 1950s, Uruguay's government had a hard time maintaining a large bureaucracy and costly social benefits.
Current News:
-May 2, 2014: Uruguay legalized marijuana to be sold, consumed, and grown in the country.
-May 14, 2014: President Obama had a meeting with Uruguay's president, Jose Mujica in Washington. They discussed trade and existing educational exchanges. President Mujica said that America had to get ready for some demographic changes and become a bilingual country.
National Leadership:
Before the Europeans moved to Uruguay, it was inhabited by the Charruas, people who were actually born there. Spain and Portugal fought over the country for a long time. In 1516, a spaniard, Juan Diaz de Solis, visited Uruguay, but in 1680, the Portuguese were the first to settle in Uruguay when they found the town of Colonia del Sacramento. In 1778, Spain stole Uruguay from Portugal, which was also the same time when most of the people originally from there were already gone. Uruguay started fight Spain in 1811, but then the Portuguese stole the country back from Brazil. Argentina helped Uruguay get its independence in 1825. And Uruguay's republic was set up by 1828.
From 1865 to 1870, there was a war against Uruguay and Paraguay, which caused Argentina and Brazil to intervene. Uruguay got rich with meat and wool exports. In the 1950s, Uruguay's government had a hard time maintaining a large bureaucracy and costly social benefits.
Current News:
-May 2, 2014: Uruguay legalized marijuana to be sold, consumed, and grown in the country.
-May 14, 2014: President Obama had a meeting with Uruguay's president, Jose Mujica in Washington. They discussed trade and existing educational exchanges. President Mujica said that America had to get ready for some demographic changes and become a bilingual country.
National Leadership:
![Picture](/uploads/2/6/3/3/26337483/567208.jpg)
President Jose Mujica was elected in 2010.
Demographic Information:
-Population of 2014: 3,332,972 people
- Median Age:
total: 34.3 years
male: 32.6 years
female: 35.9 years
- Education Levels:
Primary to Tertiary Education:
total: 16 years
male: 14 years
female: 17 years (2010)
- Life Expectancy:
total population: 76.81 years
country comparison to the world: 71
male: 73.67 years
female: 80.06 years (2014 est.)
- Racial Make-up:
White 88%,
Mestizo 8%,
Black 4%,
Amerindian (practically nonexistent)
- Principal Religions:
Roman Catholic 47.1%,
Non-Catholic Christians 11.1%,
Nondenominational 23.2%,
Jewish 0.3%,
Atheist or agnostic 17.2%,
Other 1.1% (2006)
Current GDP: $57.11 billion (2013 est.)
Per Capita GDP:
$16,600 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
$16,100 (2012 est.)
$15,500 (2011 est.)
note: data are in 2013 US dollars
Average Income:
Household Income or Consumption by Percentage Share
lowest: 10%: 1.9%
highest: 10%: 34.4% (2010 est.)
Source of their Wealth:
Export Commondities-
-beef,
-soybeans,
-cellulose,
-rice,
-wheat,
-wood,
-dairy products;
-wool
Import Commodities-
-refined oil,
-crude oil,
-passenger and other transportation vehicles,
-vehicle parts,
-cellular phones
Level of Exports and Imports:
Exports-
$10.5 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
$9.89 billion (2012 est.)
Export Partners-
Brazil 18.6%, China 17.9%, Argentina 6.2%, Germany 4.3% (2012)
Imports-
$12.5 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
$12.26 billion (2012 est.)
Import Partners-
China 16.4%, Brazil 14.9%, Argentina 14.6%, US 9.1%, Paraguay 7.3% (2012)
Trade Agreements:
The Uruguay Round Agreements Act-
(1) The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994.
(2) The Agreement on Agriculture.
(3) The Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures.
(4) The Agreement on Textiles and Clothing.
(5) The Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade.
(6) The Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures.
(7) The Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994.
(8) The Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994.
(9) The Agreement on Preshipment Inspection.
(10) The Agreement on Rules of Origin.
(11) The Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures.
(12) The Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures.
(13) The Agreement on Safeguards.
(14) The General Agreement on Trade in Services.
(15) The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual
Property Rights.
(16) The Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes.
(17) The Agreement on Government Procurement.
(18) The International Bovine Meat Agreement.
Sources:
- www.infoplease.com/country/uruguay.html
- www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uy.html
- www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-27383896
-Population of 2014: 3,332,972 people
- Median Age:
total: 34.3 years
male: 32.6 years
female: 35.9 years
- Education Levels:
Primary to Tertiary Education:
total: 16 years
male: 14 years
female: 17 years (2010)
- Life Expectancy:
total population: 76.81 years
country comparison to the world: 71
male: 73.67 years
female: 80.06 years (2014 est.)
- Racial Make-up:
White 88%,
Mestizo 8%,
Black 4%,
Amerindian (practically nonexistent)
- Principal Religions:
Roman Catholic 47.1%,
Non-Catholic Christians 11.1%,
Nondenominational 23.2%,
Jewish 0.3%,
Atheist or agnostic 17.2%,
Other 1.1% (2006)
Current GDP: $57.11 billion (2013 est.)
Per Capita GDP:
$16,600 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
$16,100 (2012 est.)
$15,500 (2011 est.)
note: data are in 2013 US dollars
Average Income:
Household Income or Consumption by Percentage Share
lowest: 10%: 1.9%
highest: 10%: 34.4% (2010 est.)
Source of their Wealth:
Export Commondities-
-beef,
-soybeans,
-cellulose,
-rice,
-wheat,
-wood,
-dairy products;
-wool
Import Commodities-
-refined oil,
-crude oil,
-passenger and other transportation vehicles,
-vehicle parts,
-cellular phones
Level of Exports and Imports:
Exports-
$10.5 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
$9.89 billion (2012 est.)
Export Partners-
Brazil 18.6%, China 17.9%, Argentina 6.2%, Germany 4.3% (2012)
Imports-
$12.5 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
$12.26 billion (2012 est.)
Import Partners-
China 16.4%, Brazil 14.9%, Argentina 14.6%, US 9.1%, Paraguay 7.3% (2012)
Trade Agreements:
The Uruguay Round Agreements Act-
(1) The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994.
(2) The Agreement on Agriculture.
(3) The Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures.
(4) The Agreement on Textiles and Clothing.
(5) The Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade.
(6) The Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures.
(7) The Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994.
(8) The Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994.
(9) The Agreement on Preshipment Inspection.
(10) The Agreement on Rules of Origin.
(11) The Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures.
(12) The Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures.
(13) The Agreement on Safeguards.
(14) The General Agreement on Trade in Services.
(15) The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual
Property Rights.
(16) The Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes.
(17) The Agreement on Government Procurement.
(18) The International Bovine Meat Agreement.
Sources:
- www.infoplease.com/country/uruguay.html
- www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uy.html
- www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-27383896