 The
vast majority of Uruguayans are of European origin. Of this the
two largest groups are of Spanish and Italian descent. What is
unique about Uruguay in comparison to other South American countries
is the fact that Uruguay does not have a native population. This
is not to say there never was one, but rather to say that the
original native population was displaced during the colonial era.
The official language of Uruguay is Spanish.
However due to the large amount of Italian immigrants you will
see some modifications. Along the shared border with Brazil some
of the locals speak a dialect called Portuñol, which is
a mix of Portuguese and Spanish.
The vast majority of Uruguayans are Roman Catholics
(3/4 of the population). As such the Church has played a prominent
role in the history of the country, its culture, and its society.
The Church however has no official capacity in politics.
From an education standpoint Uruguayans have
the highest literacy rate in South America. Their literacy rate
of approximately 98% is one of the highest in the world.
More than 80% of the population of Uruguay live
in urban settings, with close to half of all people living in
Montevideo. City life tends to be very modern with a full range
of amenities one would expect to find in places such as North
America and Europe. The population that lives outside the cities
tend to be involved in ranching, and today still are associated
with the gaucho (cowboy) culture.
During your stay in Uruguay you are sure to fall
in love with the people. They are a friendly, well educated group
of people.
Please note
that additional info (prices, activities, etc) are found to the
right of this pages. 
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