Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Religion
Uruguay has more self-professed atheists per capita than any other Latin American coun-
try. According to a 2008 American Religious Identification Survey, only slightly more
than half of Uruguayans consider themselves religious. Forty-seven percent identify
themseles as Roman Catholic, with 11% claiming affiliation with other Christian denom-
inations. There's a small Jewish minority, numbering around 18,000.
Sports
Uruguayans, like just about all Latin Americans, are crazy about
fútbol
(soccer). -
Uruguay has won the World Cup twice, including the first tournament played in Mon-
tevideo in 1930. The national team (known commonly as La Celeste) continues to excel
at the international level, winning the 2011 Copa America and qualifying for the 2014
World Cup in Brazil.
The most notable
fútbol
teams are the Montevideo-based Nacional and Peñarol. If you
go to a match between these two, make sure you sit on the sidelines, not behind the goal,
unless you're up for some serious rowdiness.
Montevideo has information on matches and venues.
Arts
Despite its small population, Uruguay has an impressive literary and artistic tradition.
The country's most famous philosopher and essayist is José Enrique Rodó, whose 1900
essay
Ariel,
contrasting North American and Latin American civilizations, is a classic of
the country's literature. Major contemporary writers include Juan Carlos Onetti, Mario
Benedetti and Eduardo Galeano.
The most famous Uruguay-related film is Costa-Gavras' engrossing
State of Siege
(1973), filmed in Allende's Chile, which deals with the Tupamaro guerrillas' kidnapping
and execution of suspected American CIA officer Dan Mitrione. Among the best movies
to come out of Uruguay recently are César Charlone's award-winning
El Baño del Papa
(2007), based on Pope John Paul II's 1988 visit to Uruguay, and
3 Millones
(2011)
,
in
which father-son team Jaime and Yamandú Roos document their experiences accompa-
nying Uruguay's
fútbol
team to the 2010 South Africa World Cup.
