Uruguay :: History

UruguayUruguay republic, in east central South America, is the second smallest country on the continent. This country is bounded on the north by Brazil, on the east by Brazil and the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Atlantic Ocean and the Ro de la Plata, and on the west by Argentina. The Uruguay River forms Uruguays western boundary in full. Uruguays land mass in whole is a small 176,215 sq km. Uruguays capital city is capital of Uruguay which is the main port, and economic center of the country. The currency of Uruguay is the peso uruguayos (7.97 peso uruguayos equal U.S.$1). This countrys main sport entertainment is soccer. In 1516 Uruguay was discovered by the Spanish explorer Juan Daz de Sols. He was killed that same year by the Charrua, a local native tribe. Future attempts to colonize the territory during the 16th coulomb were discouraged by this native tribe as well as. In 1624 the first permanent settlement was made by the Spanish on the Ro lightlessness at Soriano. Be tween 1680 and 1683, Portuguese colonists in Brazil established several settlements along the Ro de la Plata opposite Buenos Aires. However, the Spanish didnt make all attempts to remove the Portuguese until the year of 1723, when the latter began fortifying the heights around the Bay of Montevideo. A Spanish expedition forced the Portuguese to abandon this site, and there the Spanish founded the city of Montevideo in 1726. In present times, Uruguay has 660 km of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean and its bay, the Ro de la Plata. The country also has an extra 813 km of frontage along its boundary rivers, including the Uruguay River. Uruguays terrain varies for the different areas of the small country. In the southern areas of Uruguay the land consists of grassy plains, and the marshlands along the countrys Atlantic coast. In the northern areas of Uruguay, non to mention the northwest area, there is a low plateau called the Cuchilla de Haedo. Uruguays climate is a very temperate o ne. The average temperature for the warmest months 71 F, and for the coldest month, June, 50 F. Rainfall is also very well distributed along the year, and averages about 35 in a year. During the winter months cold storms blow from the southwest, yet frost is almost unknown in most parts of this country. This country has some resources that contribute to their money intake.