2) Un país pequeño (una cuestión de comparación)
Most people think of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay as a small country. Which is true, considering it is 176,000 km2 (68,000 sq mi). However, if we compare Uruguay's land area to other Latin American countries, Uruguay is 16 times smaller than Argentina, 48 times smaller than Brazil, and 11 times smaller than
Mexico. Compared to other regions, the difference is even greater; Uruguay is 52 times smaller than the United States and 97 times smaller than Russia.
However, many countries are even smaller than Uruguay: The Netherlands is 4.2 times smaller, San Marino, 2,889 times, Liechtenstein, 1,101 times, and Malta, 558 times. So, when we talk about Uruguay being such a tiny country, it’s all a matter of comparison.
3) The longest-lasting carnival of the world
Uruguay's 40-day-long carnival is the longest in the world. The Uruguayan people celebrate this festivity with joy, turning out in crowds to watch parades and performances. More tickets are sold every year to Uruguay's carnival events than total soccer ticket sales for the entire year (which is remarkable, considering it's the country’s biggest sport and has won 38 international titles, including two World Cup Tournaments).
Uruguay is a country of immigrants, which is reflected in its carnival. Candombe, a style of music and dance that originated in Uruguay among the descendants of liberated African slaves, makes carnival culturally unique. In 2009, candombe made it to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Uruguayan murgas, a form of popular musical theatre performed in Montevideo city, are also well attended throughout the carnival season.
4) First eco-school in Latin America
Uruguay is home to the first ecologically sustainable school in Latin America. Located on the coastal region of Jaureguiberry, Cannelloni, the 270m2 building (2,900 sq. feet) was completed in just seven weeks using the Earthship method, a passive type solar earth shelter made of natural and upcycled materials. Designed by the American architect Michael Reynolds and built in 2016, it comprises approximately 60% recycled materials: 2,000 tires, 5,000 glass bottles, 2,000 square meters of cardboard, and 8,000 tin cans. The school gets its electricity from solar panels and windmills.
5) Pioneers in world soccer
Uruguay was the first venue to host the World Cup in 1930.
Thirteen countries participated and Uruguay won the world cup.
The Centennial Stadium in Montevideo was specially built for this event. The stadium is home to the Museum of Soccer, whose mission is to preserve Uruguay's soccer patrimony and world soccer history.
Uruguay may have been the first World Cup champion, but it is also the only two-time World Cup champion to have played and won a final match featuring two South American teams. The first was in 1930 against Argentina. The second was in 1950. Uruguay beat Brazil in what is known as one of the biggest upsets in soccer history: the “Maracanazo,” named for the stadium where the match took place.
Uruguay has also won 15 Copa America championships, the most of any other country.
6) Founders of the Victory Lap
The Uruguayan national soccer team can also be attributed with inventing the soccer victory lap. At the 1924 Paris Olympics, as soon as the national anthem finished playing, the athletes began walking around the track, waving to the fans. The Uruguayans ran a full lap around the stadium and have since been replicated in different sports and competitions worldwide.
7) Grill Masters
Uruguay has a long history of cattle-raising, which is why it's not surprising that one of its typical dishes is grilled beef. The country holds the world record for grilling 10,360 kilos of meat, surpassing the 9,160 grilled in Argentina, the neighboring country that contests the title for the best beef in the region.
8) National Anthem: A War Cry
The Uruguayan national anthem is one of the longest in the world. Although it has eleven stanzas, only one of them —lasting about six minutes—is regularly sung at school events, national holidays, and sporting events.
The Uruguayan anthem is also regarded as a war cry and strong patriotic commitment, which is reflected in its different verses. Its composition dates back to 1840 and is attributed to the Hungarian musician Francisco José Debali (Transylvania, 1791–Montevideo, 1859), the lead conductor at the Sala de Comedias Theater in Montevideo between 1841 and 1848.
9) Prairie Land
While driving Uruguay roadways, the most characteristic landscape is the large expanse of farmlands and prairies, low pastures, bushes and areas with scattered trees. This is known as the Uruguayan prairie, which covers 75% of the country.
También alberga una gran variedad de animales y plantas. Entre la fauna autóctona de este ecosistema se encuentran la comadreja, el venado, la liebre, el tatú, la mulita, la perdiz y el zorro.
10) El presidente más pobre del mundo
José "Pepe" Mujica se desempeñó como presidente de Uruguay de 2010 a 2015. Pepe es un personaje muy querido, celebrado por su personalidad, estilo de vida y discursos sinceros y francos durante y después de su presidencia. Su austeridad, fiel reflejo de la idiosincrasia uruguaya, combinada con su estilo de vida modesto, eligió seguir viviendo en una granja y donar alrededor del 90% de su salario a la caridad, le valió el título de “el presidente más pobre del mundo”.
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