Home to three and a half million people, Uruguay is one of the smallest nations in South America, bordering Argentina and Brazil. Its capital, Montevideo, houses about a third of the total population and was founded by the Spanish as a military stronghold in the 18th century.
Uruguay is a relatively stable and progressive country in the region, ranking high on indexes for democracy and low corruption. It is regarded as a high-income country by the United Nations and is one of the regional leaders in use of renewable energy. It is also considered a socially advanced country with its tolerance of personal rights, as well as cannabis use.
Its climate is fairly mild and uniform and its export-oriented agricultural sector contributes almost 10% towards GDP, employing 13% of the workforce. Tourism is also a significant part of Uruguay’s economy with one of its main cultural attractions being the Punta del Este, with beaches situated on a small peninsula off its southeastern coast.
Its people are primarily of European origin, Spanish speaking, with the majority of the population considering themselves as Catholics.