Uruguay

The Eastern Republic of Uruguay takes its name from its geographic position on the east side of the Uruguay River. Despite its name, Uruguay is a nation of the Western Hemisphere. It shares borders with the republics of Argentina and Brazil. Its population is 3.4 million people, a majority of which is concentrated in the capital city of Montevideo. The national life expectancy is 72 years. Uruguay has one of the lowest birth rates and, according to some experts, the highest overall quality of life among South American nations.

The ethnic composition of the population has been shaped by waves of European immigration, mainly Spanish and Italian. There is also an Afro-diasporic community that descends from enslaved Africans brought by the Spanish colonizers. Uruguay has no ...