@Uruguay
Introduction Uruguay
Background:
Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military
stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an
important commercial center. Annexed by Brazil as a separate
province in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later
and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The
administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century
established widespread political, social, and economic reforms. A
violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros,
launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to agree to
military control of his administration in 1973. By yearend, the
rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its
hold throughout the government. Civilian rule was not restored until
1985. In 2004, the left-of-center EP-FA Coalition won national
elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control
previously held by the Colorado and Blanco parties. Uruguay's
political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.
Geography Uruguay
Location:
Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
Argentina and Brazil
Geographic coordinates:
33 00 S, 56 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 176,220 sq km
land: 173,620 sq km
water: 2,600 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than the state of Washington
Land boundaries: total: 1,564 km border countries: Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km