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Uruguay is one of the leading countries
in South America. The country with
a small population of 3.5 million
has one of the lowest birth rates
in the whole of Latin America. Brazil
is located just on the northern part
of Uruguay while there is Uruguay
River on the west. The country is
the second smallest country under
South American continent, but larger
in size than Surinam. Montevideo is
the capital of Uruguay.
Uruguay is a country with a land
area of 67,035 square miles (1, 73,621
sq km) total area 68,039 square miles
(1, 76,220 square Kilometers) A substantial
section of Uruguay population comprises
of white European descent. Small population,
high literacy rate and state support
for promotion of art, culture and
festivities, have resulted in the
country emerging as one of the significant
culture hotspots in the South American
continent. One of the most important
festivals that are celebrated in Uruguay
with great enthusiasm and zeal is
Virgen de La Candelaria. This festival
of the Virgen de la Candelabra is
celebrated each year on February 2
in Uruguay. Apart from Uruguay, the
festival is also celebrated in other
Hispanic Catholic countries like Peru,
Bolivia, Chile and Venezuela.
Other popular festivals of Uruguay
are Huasos, Llaneros, Juradila Constitucion.
Saint Rose of Lima Feria del Orinoco
is also celebrated throughout Uruguay.
Apart from the festivals as stated,
Uruguay boasts of a number of musical
festivals. These are Candombe, an
Afro-Uruguyan percussion based form
and Murga which is a form of musical
theatre. Both such celebrations take
place during any carnival in Uruguay.
Apart from this, there is also Milonga,
a folk guitar and song sequence derived
from Spanish musical traditions. Uruguay
is also known for Tango that first
began at Tacuarembo. Rock and Jazz
music is also very popular in Uruguay.
Music festival of Candombe in Uruguay
is another joyous occasion of celebration
in the country.
The festivals of Uruguay are held
reflecting feelings of love, jealousy
and passion. In certain situations,
a feeling of animosity and envy is
also noticed. Broadly though, there
is universal participation in different
festivals of Uruguayans irrespective
of his/her social status. It reflects
feeling of universal brotherhood that
usually prevails among the Uruguayans.
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