Uruguay was inhabited by local Indians but almost all are now extinct. It is one of the two buffer states between Brazil and Argentina.

It was disputed between Spain and Portugal but Spain founded Montevideo in 1726 and the colony was then ruled from Buenos Aires. Independent from 1828 after an occupation by Brazil. There was a Civil war 1839-51, a war with Paraguay 1865-70. Military dictatorships until 1903 and again in the 1930s.

A Welfare State was legislated by Ordonez elected in 1903 until his death in 1929. Democracy again 1951-1973 when a military coup inaugurated a nasty military government. The economy was based on meat sold to Europe. As with Argentina there was a boom following world war two and a slump from the 1960s.

Following the slump there was a guerrilla or urban terrorist campaign by a group who called themselves Tupamaros (probably after an Inca ruler). They provoked a moderately liberal state down on its luck into turning into a ferocious military dictatorship like that of contemporary Argentina but even worse. During the 1970s and 1980s there was an agreement with the military governments of Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Paraguay to capture and return dissidents from the other countries. Thus there was a tacit alliance between these regimes.

Democracy was restored from 1984.

Spanish

Amerindian langs.

The re-established democratic system seems likely to be stable.

The meat trade made the country very prosperous, especially in the 1940s and 50s. The decline of this export wealth accounts for the decline of the state.

Much improved since democracy was restored in 1984. Uruguay was a member of the informal alliance of military dictatorships in southern South America.