Uruguay

Discover Uruguay

Fun Foods

Chivito, Asado, Milanesa, Pizza a la Parrilla, Dulce de Leche, Alfajores, Chajá

In 1930, a country of barely three million people hosted the very first soccer World Cup. Then it beat everyone and won the whole thing. That country was Uruguay.

To this day, Uruguay is one of the smallest countries ever to win the World Cup. It won again in 1950, which for such a small nation is astonishing.

Uruguay sits squeezed between two giants, Argentina and Brazil. For a long time, Spain and Portugal fought over this land, and later Argentina and Brazil did too.

In the end, with some help from Britain, Uruguay became its own country in 1828, on purpose, as a small buffer to keep the two big neighbors apart.

The land's first people were the Charrúa, who lived here long before Europeans arrived. Sadly, in 1831, soon after independence, the new government attacked and nearly wiped them out, a tragic chapter the country still remembers.

For most of the 1900s, Uruguay was one of the most peaceful and stable democracies in South America. But from 1973 to 1985, the military seized power and ruled harshly, jailing people who spoke against it.

When that ended, Uruguayans rebuilt their democracy and have kept it strong ever since.

Here's a fun fact: cows outnumber people about four to one. With roughly 12 million cattle and only 3 million people, it's no wonder Uruguayans eat more beef per person than anyone else on Earth.

Out in the countryside, you'll still see gauchos, the local cowboys, herding cattle across grassy plains.

For sights, wander the cobblestone streets of Colonia del Sacramento, a town more than 300 years old, full of colorful buildings by the river. In Montevideo, the capital, stroll the Rambla, a walkway that runs for miles along the water.

At the beach in Punta del Este, you'll find La Mano, a giant sculpture of a hand reaching up out of the sand, as if a buried giant were waving hello.

For food, the star is the chivito, a towering sandwich stacked with steak, ham, cheese, and a fried egg. Then there's asado, a big barbecue of grilled meats.

And for dessert, nothing beats an alfajor, two soft cookies glued together with sweet, gooey dulce de leche.