I did not abandon you

I'm going to do a post about Tasmania soon.
And by the time you finish reading it you'll know what this is:And you'll have a new respect for these:

You're in Uruguay!

Hola! And welcome to my first full fledged country post on this blog. I chose the South American country of Uruguay for my first country profile because I didn't know much about it and because it's also the country that produced this stunning woman:

Actress Barbara Mori

Surely any country where someone as beautiful as this comes from must be a cool place. Right?

Well, of course it is. Uruguay sits on the southern end of the Atlantic ocean side of South America. It borders Brazil and Argentina, it was also annexed by both countries at one time but it has since gotten it's independence. Uruguayans celebrate their Independence Day on August 25th.

Despite being annexed by both Argentina and Brazil, Uruguay owes more culturally and linguistically to Paraguay than to either of it's neighbors. The Guarani Indians lived in the lowlands of what would one day become Paraguay and Uruguay long before any Europeans set foot on the continent. And despite European eradication efforts, Guarani is still spoken in Paraguay. In fact the names of both countries are derivations of Guarani words.

Uruguay, whose official name is the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is roughly the same size as Oklahoma. Thankfully unlike Oklahoma there has been no Broadway musical named Uruguay! and the Uruguayan country side is not infested with bingo parlors and casinos.

The Uruguayan population, which as of 2006 was estimated to be at 3.5 million, has always been a smart, hard working, diverse, and well taken care of. This country was one of the first in the world to pioneer the concept of "the welfare state." What that means is the people decided that it was better for their government to spend it resources on health, education, and the welfare of it citizens than on guns and tanks and useless wars over natural resources. And that philosophy has paid dividends time and time again. For example the literacy rate in Uruguay is 98%, male citizens can expect to live to age 76 and female citizens can expect to live to be 80, and infant mortality is low, 11.6 per thousand.
Most of Uruguay's citizens are white, usually of Spanish or Italian descent, but there are still some mestizo's, which are descendants of the Guarani, and there are also blacks in Uruguay. The most common language spoken in Uruguay is Spanish, however there is also a Portuguese/Spanish mix language spoken called Brazilero. Unfortunately the Guarani language is not spoken much in Uruguay any more, however is still is spoken widely in Paraguay.

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

As one would expect in a South American country the population is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, 66% percent of the population claim to be Catholics. Jews make up 1% of Uruguay's religious folks and Protestants don't fare much better, they claim only 2% of the population. Unlike the Jews however, the Protestants have not given up on forcing the locals to turn to Jesus, so they keep sending in missionaries. Missionaries like this one:

I swear I found her picture on a Uruguayan missionary website. I am not making this up. I guess they may find a receptive audience among the 31% of Uruguayans who claim no religious affiliation, but I seriously doubt it.

What do folks in Uruguay do for a living?

I'm glad you asked. The work in wide ranging industries such as agriculture, electrical equipment manufacturing, textiles, chemical manufacturing, fishing, petroleum production (watch out Uruguay don't let a certain someone in Washington DC you have oil or he may attack you!), and transportation equipment manufacturing. The mountains to the north of Uruguay give way to the rolling low lands in the middle of the country and eventually the low lands give way to the mighty Atlantic ocean. With the run off from the mountains and what with all the rivers and lakes in the interior, most of the country side is ideal for farming. And farm Uruguayans do, in 2005 alone they grew and exported over 3.5 billion dollars worth of beef, rice, wool, dairy, fish, and leather products. Not bad for the second smallest country in South America huh.

But all work and no play would make Uruguay a dull place now wouldn't it? Of course it would. And so Uruguayans enjoy their leisure time and they love their sports too. For a small country Uruguay boasts over 20 TV stations, a slew of daily and weekly newspapers, and a sports reputation that is unmatched by any other country it's size. Uruguay stunned the world in 1930 when they won the first FIFA World Cup tournament and as if that was not enough they won it all again in 1950. When they won the futbol crown in 1950 they did it in what was then the largest futbol stadium in the world in Brazil.Uruguayans also enjoy rugby and basketball as well. And they've been known to throw down on the odd game of tiddlywinks from time to time, but when you stop and think about it, aren't all games of tiddlywinks odd?

Ah well, who knows? Since Uruguay is in the Southern hemisphere it's seasons are the opposite from ours. Summer down there is our winter and our winter is their summer. In fact the hottest month in Uruguay is January and it's coldest month is June. The country has cold winters and warm sticky summers. Snow is not unheard of in their winter but it is not a huge problem because when it does snow, it does not accumulate much, aside from on the mountains to the north that is. All in all the climate is temperate and ideal for all the farming that they do down there.



Uruguay is a democracy and while it usually elects right wing candidates, though in the last elections they finally elected leftist leaders, the people have never been afraid to speak out or to demonstrate in the streets when they felt like it. It's so free and open down there that it should be the model democracy for all nations to aspire to, unlike our twisted version of democracy where capitalism is allowed to run wild and unchecked.

I'm not sure what this gal is protesting but I like the way she does it.

Most of the population, almost half the country, lives in and around the capital Montevideo which sits on the southern coast of Uruguay.

As you can see it's a bustling city that is constantly under construction and revision. It does have it scenic delights as well though.

It is truly a modern city that is brimming with people and places to see. The lovely Ms. Mori was born in Montevideo, so that's enough for me, I'm ready to declare it a world treasure based on her birth alone. Well, to be honest, also because of these yummy looking deserts made in the capital too:

Mmmmmm, cake.

Mmmmm, dulce de leche over something sweet, mmmm.

But for me the thing that truly sets Montevideo above the pack when it comes to capital cities is the beach. I love the beach and I love a big capital city on a beach. Heck, I'm gonna admit it, I love Montevideo.

And I love Uruguay too. How could you not love a country that has this flag:

Someday I'd love to visit Uruguay even though I don't speak Spanish. Maybe if I got lucky I'd get Ms. Mori to be my guide and she and I could speak the international language of love.

Ahhh, Uruguay, how grateful I am that you're in the Americas.

Coming soon...

...more Uruguay than you can handle. And it's brought to you by Dr. Monkey. Try to stay calm and enjoy the ride. And Missy, thanks for making me your collaborator on this great blog.

I have not abandoned my quest!

I have just been busy at work and life (as I am sure have been too!)!

The world keeps turning though and I am almost done with Iceland and narrowing down the next subject.

If anyone out there would like to post about a country that would be awesome!

Let me know.

Oh tell me what is next!

Bjork and I are so excited to tell you that next I will be research her homeland of:





I will try to get this post up faster than the last once, and if you complain once more you'll meet an army of me!

Moldova: A struggling country in Europe.

Moldova: Another wine country trying to make it.

The Republic of Moldova (Republica Moldova) is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east and south.

Originally Moldova was part of the greater region of Moldavia, but it has spent much of its history being the skinny kid pushed around by the bigger bullies.

Moldova is landlocked, but is still very close to the Black Sea.

Capitol: Chisinau, located on Byk River in the central part of the country.

The country's other important cities are Tiraspol, Tighina (also known as Bender) and Balti.

Population: 4,320,490 (July 2007 est.).

Despite being the most densely populated (132 person per sq km) of the former Soviet Republics it has very few large cities.

Landscape: Most of Moldova's territory covers a hilly plain cut deeply by many streams and rivers.

Climate: Moldova enjoys a favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, Moldovan wine, and tobacco.

(Brief) History: Moldovans are descended from the Dacians who were conquered by the Romans in 100 AD. This was followed by a millennium of instability and change, as the region was invaded by neighboring countries and made a focal point for the diaspora of Magyars, Slavs and Bulgarians spreading across Eastern Europe. It was also a port of call for Byzantine, Italian and Greek merchants.

By the beginning of the Middle Ages, when the flow of people had died down to a trickle and an organized state had begun to emerge, Moldavia (as part of Romania) was already a potpourri of different races and cultures. The Principality of Moldavia, it was annexed by the Russian Empire in 1812. At the dissolution of the latter, it united with other Romanian lands in Romania in 1918.

After being occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940, and changing hands in 1941 and 1944 during World War II, it was known as the Moldavian SSR from then until 1991. Moldova declared its independence from the Soviet Union on August of 1991.

Although Moldova has been independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Dniester River despite signing international obligations to withdraw.....

Government: Moldova is a parliamentary democracy. It has a President as its head of state and a Prime Minister as its head of government.

(The Presidential Palace)

The country is a member state of the United Nations, WTO, OSCE, GUAM, CIS, BSEC and other international organizations. Moldova has officially been a neutral country since its independence, and an early member of the NATO Partnership for Peace.

Moldova aspires to join the European Union and is implementing its first three-year Action Plan within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) of the EU.

Culture:

Ethnic groups: Moldovan/Romanian 78.2%, Ukrainian 8.4%, Russian 5.8%, Gagauz 4.4%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 1.3% (2004 census)

Religion: Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5%

Languages: Moldovan (official), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

The Moldovan language is virtually the same as Romainian, but as a feat of nationalism the Moldovan government made it the officia language after the country gained independence. You've got to respect that.

Food:

Moldovan cuisine has had a great influence on the traditional food of the other nationalities that live on this territory. The ingredients used in the traditional meals are: a variety of vegetables like tomatoes, green peppers, aubergines, white cabbage, beans, onions, garlic, etc. The vegetables are used for salads and sauces; they are baked, pickled, salted, and canned thus becoming a real food art.

The maize and maize flour give a specific color to the traditional meals, like soups, biscuits, flakes, alcohol free drinks, etc. The most common is “mamaliga” – a maize porridge or polenta with a fine and delicious taste. "Mamaliga" is served together with diced meat, cheese, fried meat, cream, etc.

Dancing is a big part of Moldovan cultural tradition. The traditional dances have also been influenced by the various other countries that have controlled Moldova throughout history.

Exports:

Moldova is best known for vineyards and wine-making. The famous Moldovan wines are well known and appreciated at home and far beyond the country borders. The wines can be dry, sweet and strong, they have a varied bouquet of flavours and colours. Strong drinks such as plum brandy, are produced using traditional methods.

Per capita wine consumption is among the highest in the world.

Other exports include: Exports: sugar, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles

All of the energy supplies for Moldova must be imported (gas, coal, etc), this leaves Moldova at a great economic disadvantage.

Currency: Moldovan Leu (Lei) The name means "lion". 1 US Dollar = 11.93700 Moldovan Leu.

Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe despite recent progress from its small economic base.

Around 25% of the working population in Moldova work in countries outside of Moldova.

Rogue Moldovans:

Moldova has a break away sect known as Transnistria.

Transnistria is a de jure part of Moldova, as its independence is not recognized by any country, although de facto it is not controlled by the Moldovan government.

Transnistria operates its own government and seeks independence from Moldova and re-unification with the Soviet Union. It has its own currency, constitution, parliament, flag and anthem. Russian troops still have a presence in Transnistria

This region hosts most of Moldova's industrial infrastructure, but its economic potential is limited by its international isolation. Troubles with Transnistria may prohibit Moldova from entering the European Union.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moldova
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/md.html
http://www.rferl.org/
http://www.turism.md/eng/
http://www.worldofmoldova.com/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3243679.stm
http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/Moldova.html
http://www.abetterlifemoldova.com/
http://countrystudies.us/moldova/18.htm