Uruguay is a country in southeastern South America, along the Atlantic Ocean, bordered by Argentina and Brazil. In terms of population they have just over 3,500,000 inhabitants. Uruguay has been colonized by both Spain and Portugal, but it has been a recognized independent country since 1828 (although declared in 1825). Perhaps you have plans to travel to South America and experience new culture? And maybe it’s Uruguay that attracts you? Then you should know these ten fun and exciting facts and curiosities about the country in question!
An Odd Law Recently Abolished in Uruguay…
If you managed to catch your spouse in bed with someone else, you had the right to beat, or even kill, one of them. However, the law was changed in 2017, so you no longer have the right to resort to physical violence if you discover your spouse is unfaithful. [source]
“The World’s Poorest President”…
Uruguay’s former president, José Mujica, was considered the “poorest president in the world” and donated 90% of his monthly salary, about $12,000, to charitable organizations. When Mr. Mujica became ill and needed medical care, he chose to go to public hospitals and patiently waited his turn. A picture of José Mujica can be found below. [source]
A Non-Religious Country…
In 1919, after becoming an officially secular country, Uruguay renamed Christmas Day to “Family Day,” Holy Week to “Tourism Week,” and Epiphany to “Child’s Day.” Uruguay remains a secular country today, meaning the Uruguayan constitution establishes the principle of religious freedom and a clear separation between church and state. The state also does not recognize any official religion. [source]
The 1950 World Cup Final is One of Football’s Greatest Surprises…
In the 1950 FIFA World Cup final held in Brazil, a congratulatory speech for Brazil’s victory, 22 gold medals with the names of Brazilian players, and even a song about Brazil’s triumph were prepared before the final. The only problem was that Uruguay won 2-1. [source]
A Technologically Revolutionary Cemetery…
In 2014, a Jewish cemetery in La Paz, Uruguay, began incorporating QR codes on gravestones. These QR codes were linked to obituaries for the deceased individuals in the local newspaper. [source]
The Micronation with Peculiar Rules…
There’s a 135-year-old micronation in Uruguay, Parva Domus Magna Quies, that doesn’t allow discussions about politics, religion, and sports. Perhaps most notably, this micronation does not grant citizenship to women. [source]
Treinta y Tres and the Number 33 Go Hand in Hand…
A Uruguayan city named Treinta y Tres, or “33” in Spanish, is named after the militant group that founded Uruguay. Coincidentally, it lies almost exactly on the 33rd parallel south. Additionally, its postal code is 33000, and together with two other cities, it forms a population center of around 33,000 people. [source]
San Javier Founded by Russian Settlers…
There’s also a city named San Javier in Uruguay, founded by Russian settlers in 1913. Russian is the second official language after Spanish. [source]
Leading in Progressive Drug Reforms…
Uruguay is one of the leading countries in progressive drug reforms and happens to have some of the strictest tobacco regulations in the world. [source]
Known as the “Land of Meat” for a Reason…
Uruguay is known to have a very high ratio of cattle per capita, which is why the country is sometimes referred to as “El país de la carne” (the land of meat). It’s not uncommon for the number of cattle to exceed the population of Uruguay. [source]
