Uruguayan people
Encyclopedia
Uruguayan people or Uruguayans (Uruguayos in Spanish) are the citizens of Uruguay
, or its descendants abroad. Uruguay is a multiethnic society
, which means that it is home to people of many different ethnical backgrounds. Therefore, Uruguayan people usually treat their nationality as a citizenship rather than an ethnicity.
Uruguay is, along with other areas of new settlement like Canada, Australia or the United States a melting pot of different peoples, with the difference that it has traditionally maintained a model that promotes cultural assimilation
, hence the different cultures have been absorbed by the mainstream.
Uruguay has one of the most homogeneous populations in South America with the most common ethnic backgrounds are Italian and Spaniard, especially Galicians, Castilians
and Basques.
background with its neighbour country Argentina
. Also, like Argentina, most Uruguayans are descended from colonial-era settlers and immigrants from Europe with almost 88% of the population being of European descent
.
The majority of these are Spaniards and Italians, followed by the French people
, Basques
, Germans
, Portuguese
, British (English or Scots
), Armenians, Irish, Swiss, Russians
, Poles
, Croats
, Bulgarians
, Hungarians, Ukrainians
, Lithuanians
, Estonians
, Latvians
, Scandinavians
, Dutch
, Austrians
, Greeks
, Turkish
, Arab mainly Lebanese people
and Syrians, and smaller number of Georgians
. There are also smaller numbers of Han Chinese
and Japanese people
. The majority of Poles, Russians, Germans and Austrians were and are Ashkenazi Jews
so they can be seen as a single ethnic group. Montevideo, like Buenos Aires
of nearby Argentina
and Rio de Janiero in Brazil, was a major seaport to dock ships coming from Europe and elsewhere, and European settlement greatly affected Uruguay to have a more western oriented culture.
Many colonies such as Nueva Helvecia-Colonia Suiza
a Swiss colony and Colonia Valdense a Piedmontese waldensian colony, are located in the department of Colonia
. Also, there are towns founded by early British settlers, like Conchillas
and Barker
. A Russian colony called San Javier
, is found in the department of Río Negro
. Also there are Mennonite
colonies in the department of Río Negro like Gartental and El Ombú, in Canelones Department
called Colonia Nicolich, and in San José Department
called Colonia Delta. El Ombú, is famous for its well-known Dulce de Leche
"Claldy", and is located near the city of Young.
Many of the European immigrants arrived in Uruguay in the late 19th century and have heavily influenced the architecture and culture of Montevideo and other major cities. For this reason, Montevideo and life within the city are very reminiscent of Western Europe.
during the colonial period prior to 1810. The majority of immigrants from Europe arrived in the great migratory wave during the late 19th century and early 20th century.
Although the category "white" is not officially recognized, and neither census data nor statistically significant studies exist, some international sources claim that they make up 88.0% of Uruguay's population.
The current most numerous immigrant European communities are: Spanish, Italian along with many other European nationalities.
(European-Amerindian) ancestry. People with amerindian ancestry can be founded in the north of Uruguay, primarily in Tacuarembó Department
, where the amerindian ancestry reaches 20% of the population.
, Rivera Department
, Artigas Department
, Salto Department
and Cerro Largo Department
.
Afro-Uruguayans were the slaves, peons, and artisans whose toils allowed for Uruguay’s economic development between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. Second, African Uruguayans were the soldiers whose blood and sacrifices forged an independent nation-state from a Spanish colony, and defended that independence from foreign invaders, first Great Britain and then Brazil
, during the first decades of the 19th century.
One of major afro-Uruguayan expressions is the Candombe
.
spoken by virtually all Uruguayans, Portuñol Riverense
or Bayano, Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier is spoken.
The audiovisual standard language is the Uruguayan Spanish
, the own variety of Rioplatense
, spoken in Uruguay.
are separate. Religious freedom is guaranteed. Most Uruguayans baptize their children and marry in catholic churches although it has been estimated that only about 4 percent of the population regularly attends to it. A 2006 survey had Catholicism as the main religion, with 47.1% of the population, 11.1% claim to be Non-Catholic christian and 0.3% Jewish. Approximately 40.4% of the population professes no religion.
The Jewish community is concentrated in Montevideo (about 1% of the city's population), as well as the Muslim and Orthodox
communities.
There are several Protestant and Pentecostal
denominations, together they represent the 11.1% of the population, these denominations are, the Methodist Church in Uruguay, the New Apostolic Church
, the Anglican Communion
, the Evangelical Baptist Convention of Uruguay, the Evangelical Church of the Río de la Plata, the Waldensian Evangelical Church
, the United Evangelical Lutheran Church
and the Seventh-day Adventist Church
. The Pentecostal denominations are, the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
, Dios es Amor, Pentecostal Naciente and Assemblies of God
.
Also exist the Bahá'í Faith
and Afro-Brazilian
religions such as Quimbanda
, Candomblé
and Umbanda
(collectively known—colloquially since the original term for the religion can be deemed as offensive in Rioplatense Spanish
as does in Brazilian Portuguese
, because of the taboo surrounding what people believed as black magic or witchcraft—as Macumba
, and neutrally called simply by the Spanish and Portuguese equivalents of African diasporic religions). Among the sizeable Armenian
community in Montevideo, the dominant religion is Christianity, specifically, Armenian Apostolic and Armenian Evangelical Church
.
Political observers consider Uruguay to be the most secular country in the Americas.
elements. Uruguay has centuries-old remains and fortresses of the colonial era. Its cities have a rich architectural heritage and an impressive number of writers, artists, and musicians. Carnival
and candombe
are the most important examples of African influence by slaves, as well as Umbanda
religious beliefs and practices. Guarani traditions can be seen in mate
, the national drink. The folk and popular music of Uruguay shares with Argentina
not only its gaucho
roots but also the tango.
, murga
, a form of musical theatre, and candombe
, an afro-Uruguayan type of music which occur yearly during the Carnival
period. There is also milonga
, a folk guitar and song form deriving from Spanish traditions and related to similar forms found in many Hispanic-American countries. The famed tango singer Carlos Gardel
is rumoured to have been from the Uruguayan city of Tacuarembó
.
The popular music of Uruguay, which focuses on rock
, jazz
and many other forms, frequently makes reference to the distinctly Uruguayan sounds mentioned above. The group 1960s imitators of The Beatles
, deserve a special mention as the band that kickstarted the Argentine rock
scene. Also, cumbia
, a music style popular throughout most of Central and South America is widely enjoyed by the Uruguayan people, around the whole country.
, in America to United States and Argentina
, and in Oceania to Australia.
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
, or its descendants abroad. Uruguay is a multiethnic society
Multiethnic society
A multiethnic society is one with members belonging to more than one ethnic group, in contrast to societies which are ethnically homogenous. In practice, virtually all contemporary national societies are multiethnic...
, which means that it is home to people of many different ethnical backgrounds. Therefore, Uruguayan people usually treat their nationality as a citizenship rather than an ethnicity.
Uruguay is, along with other areas of new settlement like Canada, Australia or the United States a melting pot of different peoples, with the difference that it has traditionally maintained a model that promotes cultural assimilation
Cultural assimilation
Cultural assimilation is a socio-political response to demographic multi-ethnicity that supports or promotes the assimilation of ethnic minorities into the dominant culture. The term assimilation is often used with regard to immigrants and various ethnic groups who have settled in a new land. New...
, hence the different cultures have been absorbed by the mainstream.
Uruguay has one of the most homogeneous populations in South America with the most common ethnic backgrounds are Italian and Spaniard, especially Galicians, Castilians
Castilian people
The Castilian people are the inhabitants of those regions in Spain where most people identify themselves as Castilian. They include Castile-La Mancha, Madrid, and the major part of Castile and León. However, not all regions of the medieval Kingdom of Castile think of themselves as Castilian...
and Basques.
Ethnic groups
Uruguayans share a Spanish linguistic and culturalCulture of Spain
The culture of Spain is based on a variety of influences.The Visigothic Kingdom left a sense of a united Christian Hispania that was going to be welded in the Reconquista. Muslim influences were strong during the period of 711 AD to the 15th century, especially linguistically...
background with its neighbour country Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. Also, like Argentina, most Uruguayans are descended from colonial-era settlers and immigrants from Europe with almost 88% of the population being of European descent
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
.
The majority of these are Spaniards and Italians, followed by the French people
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, Basques
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
, Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
, British (English or Scots
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
), Armenians, Irish, Swiss, Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
, Poles
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
, Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
, Bulgarians
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
, Hungarians, Ukrainians
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
, Lithuanians
Lithuanians
Lithuanians are the Baltic ethnic group native to Lithuania, where they number around 2,765,600 people. Another million or more make up the Lithuanian diaspora, largely found in countries such as the United States, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Russia, United Kingdom and Ireland. Their native language...
, Estonians
Estonians
Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns and inhabiting, primarily, the country of Estonia. They speak a Finnic language known as Estonian...
, Latvians
Latvians
Latvians or Letts are the indigenous Baltic people of Latvia.-History:Latvians occasionally refer to themselves by the ancient name of Latvji, which may have originated from the word Latve which is a name of the river that presumably flowed through what is now eastern Latvia...
, Scandinavians
Scandinavians
Scandinavians are a group of Germanic peoples, inhabiting Scandinavia and to a lesser extent countries associated with Scandinavia, and speaking Scandinavian languages. The group includes Danes, Norwegians and Swedes, and additionally the descendants of Scandinavian settlers such as the Icelandic...
, Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
, Austrians
Austrians
Austrians are a nation and ethnic group, consisting of the population of the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian descent....
, Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
, Turkish
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
, Arab mainly Lebanese people
Lebanese people
The Lebanese people are a nation and ethnic group of Levantine people originating in what is today the country of Lebanon, including those who had inhabited Mount Lebanon prior to the creation of the modern Lebanese state....
and Syrians, and smaller number of Georgians
Georgians
The Georgians are an ethnic group that have originated in Georgia, where they constitute a majority of the population. Large Georgian communities are also present throughout Russia, European Union, United States, and South America....
. There are also smaller numbers of Han Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
and Japanese people
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
. The majority of Poles, Russians, Germans and Austrians were and are Ashkenazi Jews
Ashkenazi Jews
Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim , are the Jews descended from the medieval Jewish communities along the Rhine in Germany from Alsace in the south to the Rhineland in the north. Ashkenaz is the medieval Hebrew name for this region and thus for Germany...
so they can be seen as a single ethnic group. Montevideo, like Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
of nearby Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Rio de Janiero in Brazil, was a major seaport to dock ships coming from Europe and elsewhere, and European settlement greatly affected Uruguay to have a more western oriented culture.
Many colonies such as Nueva Helvecia-Colonia Suiza
Nueva Helvecia
Nueva Helvecia is a city in the southeastern part of Colonia Department of Uruguay. It is located on the intersection of Routes 52 and 53, about west of Montevideo and north of Colonia Valdense. Its status was elevated to "City" category on 11 December 1952 by decree Ley No...
a Swiss colony and Colonia Valdense a Piedmontese waldensian colony, are located in the department of Colonia
Colonia Department
Colonia is a departamento in southwestern Uruguay. Its capital is Colonia del Sacramento, the country's second oldest city.-Economy:The region is the main producer of dairy products in Uruguay...
. Also, there are towns founded by early British settlers, like Conchillas
Conchillas
Conchillas is a small industrial town located within the Colonia Department, in southwestern Uruguay.- Geography :Conchillas is located in southwestern Colonia, near the Arroyo Conchillas. It has coasts over the Río de la Plata. Colonia del Sacramento, the capital city of the department and one of...
and Barker
Barker, Uruguay
Barker is a small village located in the Colonia Department of southwestern Uruguay.- Location and population :Barker is located along Route 54. Its nearest populated places are Rosario, to the southeast and Tarariras, to the west...
. A Russian colony called San Javier
San Javier, Uruguay
San Javier is a small town situated on the east bank of the river Río Uruguay in the Río Negro Department of Uruguay. It was founded by Russian settlers in 1913. It is located west of Route 24, north of the department capital Fray Bentos, west of Young and south of Paysandú, the capital of...
, is found in the department of Río Negro
Río Negro Department
The Río Negro Department is an administrative division of Uruguay located in the west of the country. It has 53,989 inhabitants and an area of 9,282 km² . Its capital is Fray Bentos.-Geography and climate:...
. Also there are Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
colonies in the department of Río Negro like Gartental and El Ombú, in Canelones Department
Canelones Department
The Canelones Department , with an area of and 485,240 inhabitants, is located to the south of Uruguay. Its capital is Canelones.-Geography and climate:...
called Colonia Nicolich, and in San José Department
San José Department
San José Department is a department of Uruguay. Its capital is San José de Mayo.-Population and Demographics:As of the census of 2004, there were 103,104 people and 33,063 households in the department. The average household size was 3.0...
called Colonia Delta. El Ombú, is famous for its well-known Dulce de Leche
Dulce de leche
Dulce de leche is a thick,creamy, caramel-like milk-based sauce or spread.Literally translated, dulce de leche means "sweet from milk". It is prepared by slowly heating sweetened milk to create a product that derives its taste from caramelised sugar. It is a popular sweet in Latin America, where...
"Claldy", and is located near the city of Young.
Many of the European immigrants arrived in Uruguay in the late 19th century and have heavily influenced the architecture and culture of Montevideo and other major cities. For this reason, Montevideo and life within the city are very reminiscent of Western Europe.
White
White people constitute the majority of Uruguay's population. They are the Uruguayan descendants of colonists from Spain and also from PortugalPortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
during the colonial period prior to 1810. The majority of immigrants from Europe arrived in the great migratory wave during the late 19th century and early 20th century.
Although the category "white" is not officially recognized, and neither census data nor statistically significant studies exist, some international sources claim that they make up 88.0% of Uruguay's population.
The current most numerous immigrant European communities are: Spanish, Italian along with many other European nationalities.
Mestizo
There are up to 8% of the population being of a MestizoMestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
(European-Amerindian) ancestry. People with amerindian ancestry can be founded in the north of Uruguay, primarily in Tacuarembó Department
Tacuarembó Department
Tacuarembó is the largest department of Uruguay. Its capital is Tacuarembó.-Population and Demographics:As of the census of 2004, there were 90,489 people and 28,054 households in the department. The average household size was 3.2...
, where the amerindian ancestry reaches 20% of the population.
Afro Uruguayan
Blacks and mulattos in Uruguay are more or less 209,662 and they are mostly found in MontevideoMontevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
, Rivera Department
Rivera Department
Rivera is a department of Uruguay. Its capital is Rivera.- History :The Battle of Masoller, a noteworthy event in Uruguayan history, was fought on September 1, 1904; Masoller is situated on the boundary between the departments of Artigas and Salto, close to the Brazilian border.-Population and...
, Artigas Department
Artigas Department
The Department of Artigas , with an area of and 78,019 inhabitants, it is the northernmost department of Uruguay. Its capital is Artigas.It is named after José Artigas , leader of the orientales during the wars of Independence.-Geography and climate:Neighbouring departments are Salto to the...
, Salto Department
Salto Department
Salto Department is a department of Uruguay. Its capital is Salto.-Population and Demographics:As of the census of 2004, there were 123,120 people and 34,441 households in the department. The average household size was 3.5...
and Cerro Largo Department
Cerro Largo Department
Cerro Largo Department is a department of Uruguay. Its capital is Melo.-History:During the 19th and early 20th centuries, when intermittent periods of civil war occurred in Uruguay, the department was a stronghold of the Blanco party...
.
Afro-Uruguayans were the slaves, peons, and artisans whose toils allowed for Uruguay’s economic development between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. Second, African Uruguayans were the soldiers whose blood and sacrifices forged an independent nation-state from a Spanish colony, and defended that independence from foreign invaders, first Great Britain and then Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, during the first decades of the 19th century.
One of major afro-Uruguayan expressions is the Candombe
Candombe
Candombe is a musical genre that has its roots in the African Bantu, and is proper of Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil .Uruguayan Candombe is the most practiced and spread internationally and has been recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity...
.
Languages
Although Spanish is dominant, being the national languageNational language
A national language is a language which has some connection—de facto or de jure—with a people and perhaps by extension the territory they occupy. The term is used variously. A national language may for instance represent the national identity of a nation or country...
spoken by virtually all Uruguayans, Portuñol Riverense
Riverense Portuñol language
The Riverense Portuñol/Portunhol, also known as Fronterizo/Fronteiriço or just Portuñol/Portunhol, is a mixed language formed from Portuguese and Spanish. It is spoken on the border between Uruguay and Brazil, and more specifically in the region of the twin cities of Rivera and Santana do...
or Bayano, Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier is spoken.
The audiovisual standard language is the Uruguayan Spanish
Uruguayan Spanish
Uruguayan Spanish or Uruguayan Castilian is Castilian as spoken in Uruguay and by the Uruguayan Diaspora. Uruguayan spanish is rioplatense spanish but it differ with the rioplatense spoken in Argentina in few words for example, "championes" instead of the argentine word "zapatillas"...
, the own variety of Rioplatense
Rioplatense Spanish
Rioplatense Spanish or River Plate Spanish is a dialectal variant of the Spanish language spoken mainly in the areas in and around the Río de la Plata basin of Argentina and Uruguay, and also in Rio Grande do Sul, although features of the dialect are shared with the varieties of Spanish spoken...
, spoken in Uruguay.
Religion
Uruguay has no official religion and church and stateSeparation of church and state
The concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
are separate. Religious freedom is guaranteed. Most Uruguayans baptize their children and marry in catholic churches although it has been estimated that only about 4 percent of the population regularly attends to it. A 2006 survey had Catholicism as the main religion, with 47.1% of the population, 11.1% claim to be Non-Catholic christian and 0.3% Jewish. Approximately 40.4% of the population professes no religion.
Greek Orthodox Church
The Greek Orthodox Church is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity sharing a common cultural tradition whose liturgy is also traditionally conducted in Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament...
communities.
There are several Protestant and Pentecostal
Pentecostalism
Pentecostalism is a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus, and is an experiential religion. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, the Greek...
denominations, together they represent the 11.1% of the population, these denominations are, the Methodist Church in Uruguay, the New Apostolic Church
New Apostolic Church
The New Apostolic Church is a chiliastic church, converted to Protestantism as a free church from the Catholic Apostolic Church. The church has existed since 1879 in Germany and since 1897 in the Netherlands...
, the Anglican Communion
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
, the Evangelical Baptist Convention of Uruguay, the Evangelical Church of the Río de la Plata, the Waldensian Evangelical Church
Waldensian Evangelical Church
The Waldensian Evangelical Church is an Italian historical Protestant denomination.After Protestant Reformation, the small church absorbed Calvinist theology and became the Italian branch of Reformed churches....
, the United Evangelical Lutheran Church
United Evangelical Lutheran Church
The United Evangelical Lutheran Church was one of the many denominations formed when Lutherans came to the United States from Europe...
and the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
. The Pentecostal denominations are, the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God is a Pentecostal Christian organisation established in Brazil on July 9, 1977, with a presence in many countries...
, Dios es Amor, Pentecostal Naciente and Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
.
Also exist the Bahá'í Faith
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
and Afro-Brazilian
Afro-Brazilian
In Brazil, the term "preto" is one of the five categories used by the Brazilian Census, along with "branco" , "pardo" , "amarelo" and "indígena"...
religions such as Quimbanda
Quimbanda
Quimbanda is an Afro-Brazilian religion practiced primarily in the urban city centers of Brazil. Quimbanda practices are typically associated with magic, rituals involving animal sacrifice and marginal locations, orishas, exus, and pomba gira spirits. Quimbanda was originally contained under the...
, Candomblé
Candomblé
Candomblé is an African-originated or Afro-Brazilian religion, practised chiefly in Brazil by the "povo de santo" . It originated in the cities of Salvador, the capital of Bahia and Cachoeira, at the time one of the main commercial crossroads for the distribution of products and slave trade to...
and Umbanda
Umbanda
Umbanda is an Afro-Brazilian religion that blends African religions with Catholicism, Spiritism and Kardecism, and considerable indigenous lore....
(collectively known—colloquially since the original term for the religion can be deemed as offensive in Rioplatense Spanish
Rioplatense Spanish
Rioplatense Spanish or River Plate Spanish is a dialectal variant of the Spanish language spoken mainly in the areas in and around the Río de la Plata basin of Argentina and Uruguay, and also in Rio Grande do Sul, although features of the dialect are shared with the varieties of Spanish spoken...
as does in Brazilian Portuguese
Brazilian Portuguese
Brazilian Portuguese is a group of Portuguese dialects written and spoken by most of the 190 million inhabitants of Brazil and by a few million Brazilian emigrants, mainly in the United States, United Kingdom, Portugal, Canada, Japan and Paraguay....
, because of the taboo surrounding what people believed as black magic or witchcraft—as Macumba
Macumba
Macumba is a word of African origins. Various explanations of its meaning include "a musical instrument", the name of a Central African deity, and simply "magic". It was the name used for all Bantu religious practices mainly in Bahia Afro-Brazilian in the 19th Century...
, and neutrally called simply by the Spanish and Portuguese equivalents of African diasporic religions). Among the sizeable Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
community in Montevideo, the dominant religion is Christianity, specifically, Armenian Apostolic and Armenian Evangelical Church
Armenian Evangelical Church
The Armenian Evangelical Church was established on July 1, 1846 by thirty-seven men and three women in Constantinople.-History:In the 19th century there was intellectual and spiritual awakening in Constantinople. This awakening and enlightenment pushed the reformists to study the Bible...
.
Political observers consider Uruguay to be the most secular country in the Americas.
Culture
Contemporary Uruguayan culture is diverse in its nature since the nation's population is one of multicultural origins. The country has an impressive legacy of artistic and literary traditions, especially for its small size. The contribution of its alternating conquerors, Spain and Portugal, and diverse immigrants – Italians, Germans, Swiss, Russians, Jews and Armenians, among others- has resulted in traditions that integrate this diversity with Native AmericanIndigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
elements. Uruguay has centuries-old remains and fortresses of the colonial era. Its cities have a rich architectural heritage and an impressive number of writers, artists, and musicians. Carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
and candombe
Candombe
Candombe is a musical genre that has its roots in the African Bantu, and is proper of Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil .Uruguayan Candombe is the most practiced and spread internationally and has been recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity...
are the most important examples of African influence by slaves, as well as Umbanda
Umbanda
Umbanda is an Afro-Brazilian religion that blends African religions with Catholicism, Spiritism and Kardecism, and considerable indigenous lore....
religious beliefs and practices. Guarani traditions can be seen in mate
Mate (beverage)
Mate , also known as chimarrão or cimarrón, is a traditional South American infused drink, particularly in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, southern states of Brazil, south of Chile, the Bolivian Chaco, and to some extent, Syria and Lebanon...
, the national drink. The folk and popular music of Uruguay shares with Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
not only its gaucho
Gaucho
Gaucho is a term commonly used to describe residents of the South American pampas, chacos, or Patagonian grasslands, found principally in parts of Argentina, Uruguay, Southern Chile, and Southern Brazil...
roots but also the tango.
Music and dance
Music of Uruguay includes a number of local musical forms. The most distinctive ones are tangoUruguayan tango
Uruguayan tango is a form of dance that originated in the neighborhoods of Montevideo, Uruguay towards the beginnings of the 20th century a few years later than Argentine tango...
, murga
Murga
Murga is a form of popular musical theatre performed in Uruguay and in Argentina during the Carnival season. Murga groups operate in Montevideo and at the Buenos Aires Carnival, though to a lesser extent than in Montevideo; the Argentine murga is more centred on dancing and less on vocals than the...
, a form of musical theatre, and candombe
Candombe
Candombe is a musical genre that has its roots in the African Bantu, and is proper of Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil .Uruguayan Candombe is the most practiced and spread internationally and has been recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity...
, an afro-Uruguayan type of music which occur yearly during the Carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
period. There is also milonga
Milonga
Milonga can refer to an Argentine, Uruguayan, and Southern Brazilian form of music which preceded the tango and the dance form which accompanies it, or to the term for places or events where the tango or Milonga are danced...
, a folk guitar and song form deriving from Spanish traditions and related to similar forms found in many Hispanic-American countries. The famed tango singer Carlos Gardel
Carlos Gardel
Carlos Gardel was a singer, songwriter and actor, and is perhaps the most prominent figure in the history of tango. He was born in Toulouse, France, although he never acknowledged his birthplace publicly, and there are still claims of his birth in Uruguay. He lived in Argentina from the age of two...
is rumoured to have been from the Uruguayan city of Tacuarembó
Tacuarembó
Tacuarembó is the capital city of the Tacuarembó Department in north-central Uruguay. It is located on Km. 390 of Route 5, south-southwest of Rivera, the capital city of the Rivera Department. Routes 26 and 31 also meet Route 5 within the city limits...
.
The popular music of Uruguay, which focuses on rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and many other forms, frequently makes reference to the distinctly Uruguayan sounds mentioned above. The group 1960s imitators of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, deserve a special mention as the band that kickstarted the Argentine rock
Argentine rock
Argentine rock , is composed or made by Argentine bands or artists, in the Spanish language. For nearly half a century it has been a major popular genre, and it is considered part of the popular music tradition of Argentina alongside Argentine Tango, and Argentine folk music.The moment when...
scene. Also, cumbia
Cumbia
Cumbia is a music genre popular across Latin America. The cumbia originated in the Caribbean coast of Colombia, where it is associated with an eponymous dance and has since spread as far as Mexico and Argentina...
, a music style popular throughout most of Central and South America is widely enjoyed by the Uruguayan people, around the whole country.
Emigration
The rate of Uruguayan emigration to Europe is especially to Spain and ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, in America to United States and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, and in Oceania to Australia.
See also
- List of Uruguayans
- Demographics of UruguayDemographics of UruguayThis article is about the demographic features of the population of Uruguay, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.- Origins and Ethnicity :...
- Latin AmericansLatin AmericansLatin Americans are the citizens of the Latin American countries and dependencies. Latin American countries are multi-ethnic, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds. As a result, some Latin Americans don't take their nationality as an ethnicity, but identify themselves with...
- Indigenous peoples in the Americas