The
República Oriental del Uruguay is
situated on South America’s Southern Cone, its eastern shore lies next
to the Atlantic Ocean between the 30th and 35th southern latitude
parallels and between the 53rd and 58th western longitude meridians. It
is the warmest zone within the southern region. Uruguay borders Brazil
on the north and northeast; Argentina on the west and south, the River
Plate to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The
climate is mild and mostly uniform in the whole country with distinct
seasons. The absence of mountains exposes the region to a wide spectrum
of cold and humid southeasterly winds. As its name indicates the wind
comes from the southeast, and the southerner or "pamperos"
which blows from the Patagonia Andes.
A number of rivers run through the
country, most of them tributaries of the river
Uruguay, natural border with Argentina. The river Uruguay is
1600 kilometers in length, it starts in Brazil and is navigable even by
vessels with deep drafts. Among its most important tributaries are the
rivers Cuareim, Arapey, Daymán, Queguay and the River Negro 600
kilometers in length which also begins in Brazil and divides the country
in half.
Uruguay
is a cosmopolitan society as a
result of many successive European migrations. As such it is an open
society, promoting tolerance, non discrimination towards foreigners be
them of different race, religion or political ideologies. The country is
divided into 19 Departments, Montevideo being
its capital and having a land surface of about 530 Km2.
Montevideo is a modern and safe metropolis erected next to the Rio de la
Plata bay. It has an exceptional natural port which operates freely
opposite the Atlantic coast.
Spanish
is the official language. English, Portuguese, French and Italian is
spoken in the main tourist centers. The teaching of languages is
obligatory in public secondary schools. As of 1996 after the education
reform was implemented, English must be taught in public schools.
Uruguay has given the world many writers,
poets, thinkers, painters, sculptors and musicians who achieved
world-wide fame. Among painters, Juan Manuel Blanes stands out for his
canvases depicting great national historic events. His contemporaries
include Jose Cuneo, Pedro Figari and Joaquín Torres García. Figari
painted 
national themes; the dynamism of his figures lies in an internal
rhythm and not in outward appearance, his art achieved a level of
excellence attained by few painters. Joaquín Torres García served as a
catalyst for many present-day artists, his paintings pose problems and
propose solutions and today are still a source of inspiration. Sculpture
was influenced by many foreign artists who worked in Uruguay in the
early years of the Republic. Juan Manuel Ferrari may be considered as
the leading Uruguayan sculptor. José Belloni, the best-known, was a
realistic, non-allegorical sculptor who brought to the public an
appreciation of the day-to-day life of the nation, its history and its
folklore. Juan Zorrilla de San Martin sought to transcend matter in the
name of emotion or thought, almost always monumental, as though the
stone was imbued with spirituality.
