Known in Argentina simply as the provincia – Uruguay has the history of an oft-bullied little brother.
In the struggle against colonial rule, from 1811 onwards, it had to rely on Buenos Aires for military support; in 1816, to complicate matters, it was invaded by Brazil. Independence was declared on August 25 1825.
Top five attractions
- The Unesco-listed Colonia de Sacramento, founded by Portuguese settlers in 1680
- The north coast and beaches around Cabo Polonio
- Carmelo and its beautiful hotel on the River Plate
- Glitzy Punta del Este (the "Marbella of South America")
- The agricultural interior – in particular, Fray Bentos and the El Anglo meat extract plant.
Best city
Montevideo is laid-back, largely tourist-free, and culturally fascinating, having a claim to be the cradle of tango (just don't tell the Argentineans) and a powerful African musical culture in the candombe street-drumming scene.
Souvenir to buy
A mate and bombilla – this small gourd and metal straw for sipping the popular yerba mate green tea is a must-have accessory for would-be gauchos.
Quirky Uruguay
The first World Cup was staged in 1930 by Montevideo: 10 countries took part and Uruguay won, beating Argentina 4-2 in the final.
Read
‘The Purple Land’, a novel by William Henry Hudson, first published in 1885 under the title ‘The Purple Land that England Lost’. Set in 19th-century Uruguay, it's the story of a young Englishman who marries a teenage Argentinean girl without asking her father's permission – then everything goes wrong.
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