Uruguay

Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay^[5][6] (Spanish: República Oriental del Uruguay, pronounced [reˈpuβlika oɾjenˈtal del uɾuˈɣwai]), is a country located in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to 3.46 million people,^[2] of whom 1.7 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area. An estimated 94.6% of the population are of mostly European descent.^[7]

Uruguay's only land border is with Brazil to the north. To the west lies the Uruguay River, to the southwest lies the estuary of Río de la Plata, with Argentina only a short commute across the banks of either of these bodies of water, while to the southeast lies the South Atlantic Ocean. Uruguay is the second smallest country in South America, larger only than Suriname.

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay's oldest European settlement, was founded by the Portuguese in 1680. Montevideo was founded by the Spanish in the early 18th century as a military stronghold. Uruguay won its independence in 1825-1828 following a three-way struggle between Spain, Argentina and Brazil. It is a constitutional democracy, where the president fulfills the roles of both head of state and head of government.

The economy is largely based on agriculture (making up 10% of GDP and the most substantial export) and the state sector. According to Transparency International, Uruguay is the least corrupt country in Latin America (along with Chile),^[8] with its political and labor conditions being among the freest on the continent.^[2]

Uruguay is one of the most economically developed countries in Latin America, with a high per capita Gross Domestic Product and the 45th highest quality of life in the world. It was the first Latin American country, and the second in the American Continent, to legalize same and different sex civil unions at a national level in the year 2007.

Contents

• 1 Etymology
• 2 History
  • 2.1 Pre-Columbian times and colonization
  • 2.2 Struggle for independence
  • 2.3 The "Guerra Grande" 1839-1852
  • 2.4 The War of the Triple Alliance
  • 2.5 Social and economic developments up to 1890
  • 2.6 20th century
  • 2.7 Modern Uruguay
• 3 Geography and climate
  • 3.1 Geography
  • 3.2 Climate
  • 3.3 Departments
• 4 Economy
  • 4.1 Agriculture
• 5 Politics
• 6 Demographics
  • 6.1 Ethnicity
  • 6.2 Demographic distribution
• 7 Transportation
  • 7.1 Road
  • 7.2 Rail
  • 7.3 Water
  • 7.4 Air
• 8 Telecommunications
• 9 Culture
  • 9.1 Arts
  • 9.2 Literature
  • 9.3 Religion
  • 9.4 Food
    • 9.4.1 Traditional dishes
    • 9.4.2 Desserts
  • 9.5 Sport
• 10 International rankings
• 11 See also
• 12 References
• 13 External links

Oriental Republic of Uruguay República Oriental del Uruguay
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Libertad o muerte (Spanish) "Freedom or Death"
Anthem: Himno Nacional Uruguayo (Spanish)
Capital (and largest city)		Montevideo 34°53′S 56°10′W / 34.883°S 56.167°W / -34.883; -56.167
Official languages		Spanish
Ethnic groups		88% European, (Spanish, Italian, others), 6% Mestizo, 4% West African, 2% Asian, (Lebanese, Armenians, Turkish, Georgian)[1]
Demonym		Uruguayan
Government		Presidential republic
-	President	Tabaré Vázquez Rosas
-	Vice President	Rodolfo Nin Novoa
Independence		from Empire of Brazil
-	Declaration	August 25, 1825
-	Constitution Jury	18 July 1830
Area
-	Total	176,215 km2 (90th) 68,037 sq mi
-	Water (%)	1.5%
Population
-	July 2008[2] estimate	3,477,780 (132)
-	2002 census	3,399,236
-	Density	19/km2 (196) 50/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2008 estimate
-	Total	$42.543 billion[3]
-	Per capita	$13,294[3]
GDP (nominal)		2008 estimate
-	Total	$32.262 billion[3]
-	Per capita	$10,082[3]
Gini (2006)		45.2[4] (high)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0.859 (high) (47th)
Currency		Uruguayan peso ($, UYU) (UYU)
Time zone		UYT (UTC-3)
-	Summer (DST)	UYST (UTC-2)
Drives on the		right
Internet TLD		.uy
Calling code		598

United States

The United States of America (commonly referred to as the United States, the U.S., the USA, or America) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to its east and Russia to the west across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories, or insular areas, in the Caribbean and Pacific.

At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km²) and with about 306 million people, the United States is the third or fourth largest country by total area, and third largest by land area and by population. The United States has one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural populations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries.^[8] The U.S. economy is the largest national economy in the world, with an estimated 2008 gross domestic product (GDP) of US $14.3 trillion (23% of the world total based on nominal GDP and almost 21% at purchasing power parity).^[4][9]

The nation was founded by thirteen colonies of Great Britain located along the Atlantic seaboard. On July 4, 1776, they issued the Declaration of Independence, which proclaimed their independence from Great Britain and their formation of a cooperative union. The rebellious states defeated Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War, the first successful colonial war of independence.^[10] The Philadelphia Convention adopted the current United States Constitution on September 17, 1787; its ratification the following year made the states part of a single republic with a strong central government. The Bill of Rights, comprising ten constitutional amendments guaranteeing many fundamental civil rights and freedoms, was ratified in 1791.

In the 19th century, the United States acquired land from France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Russia, and annexed the Republic of Texas and the Republic of Hawaii. Disputes between the agrarian South and industrial North over states' rights and the expansion of the institution of slavery provoked the American Civil War of the 1860s. The North's victory prevented a permanent split of the country and led to the end of legal slavery in the United States. By the 1870s, the national economy was the world's largest.^[11] The Spanish–American War and World War I confirmed the country's status as a military power. In 1945, the United States emerged from World War II as the first country with nuclear weapons, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, and a founding member of NATO. The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union left the United States as the sole superpower. The country accounts for approximately 50% of global military spending and is a leading economic, political, and cultural force in the world.

Contents

• 1 Etymology
• 2 Geography and environment
• 3 History
  • 3.1 Native Americans and European settlers
  • 3.2 Independence and expansion
  • 3.3 Civil War and industrialization
  • 3.4 World War I, Great Depression, and World War II
  • 3.5 Cold War and protest politics
  • 3.6 Contemporary era
• 4 Government and elections
  • 4.1 Parties, ideology, and politics
• 5 Political divisions
• 6 Foreign relations and military
• 7 Economy
  • 7.1 Income and human development
  • 7.2 Science and technology
  • 7.3 Transportation
  • 7.4 Energy
• 8 Demographics
  • 8.1 Language
  • 8.2 Religion
  • 8.3 Education
  • 8.4 Health
  • 8.5 Crime and law enforcement
• 9 Culture
  • 9.1 Popular media
  • 9.2 Literature, philosophy, and the arts
  • 9.3 Food
  • 9.4 Sports
• 10 See also
• 11 References
• 12 External links

United States of America
Flag Great Seal
Motto: In God We Trust (official) E Pluribus Unum (Latin; traditional) (Out of Many, One)
Anthem: "The Star-Spangled Banner"
Capital		Washington, D.C. 38°53′N 77°01′W / 38.883°N 77.017°W / 38.883; -77.017
Largest city		New York City
Official languages		None at federal level1
National language		English (de facto)2
Demonym		American
Government		Federal constitutional republic
-	President	Barack Obama (D)
-	Vice President	Joe Biden (D)
-	Speaker of the House	Nancy Pelosi (D)
-	Chief Justice	John Roberts
Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain
-	Declared	July 4, 1776
-	Recognized	September 3, 1783
-	Current constitution	June 21, 1788
Area
-	Total	9,826,630 km2 [1](3rd/4th3) 3,794,066 sq mi
-	Water (%)	6.76
Population
-	2009 estimate	306,924,000[2] (3rd4)
-	2000 census	281,421,906[3]
-	Density	31/km2 (180th) 80/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2008 estimate
-	Total	$14.264 trillion[4] (1st)
-	Per capita	$46,859[4] (6th)
GDP (nominal)		2008 estimate
-	Total	$14.264 trillion[4] (1st)
-	Per capita	$46,859[4] (17th)
Gini (2007)		46.3[5]
HDI (2006)		▬ 0.950[6] (high) (15th)
Currency		United States dollar ($) (USD)
Time zone		(UTC-5 to -10)
-	Summer (DST)	(UTC-4 to -10)
Drives on the		Right
Internet TLD		.us .gov .mil .edu
Calling code		+1

The United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland^[12] (commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK, or Britain)^[13] is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country,^[14][15] spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK with a land border, sharing it with the Republic of Ireland.^[16][17] Apart from this land border, the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea. The largest island, Great Britain, is linked to France by the Channel Tunnel.

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and unitary state consisting of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.^[18] It is governed by a parliamentary system with its seat of government in London, the capital, but with three devolved national administrations in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh, the capitals of Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland respectively. The Channel Island bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey, and the Isle of Man are Crown Dependencies and not part of the UK.^[19] The UK has fourteen overseas territories,^[20] all remnants of the British Empire, which at its height in 1922 encompassed almost a quarter of the world's land surface, the largest empire in history. British influence can continue to be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies.

The UK is a developed country, with the world's sixth largest economy by nominal GDP and the seventh largest by purchasing power parity.^[7] It was the world's first industrialised country^[21] and the world's foremost power during the 19th and early 20th centuries,^[22] but the economic cost of two world wars and the decline of its empire in the latter half of the 20th century diminished its leading role in global affairs. The UK nevertheless remains a major power with strong economic, cultural, military, scientific and political influence. It is a nuclear power and has the fourth highest defence spending in the world. It is a Member State of the European Union, holds a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, and is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, G8, OECD, NATO, and the World Trade Organization.

Contents

• 1 History
• 2 Government and politics
  • 2.1 Devolved national administrations
  • 2.2 Local government
• 3 Foreign relations and armed forces
• 4 Law and criminal justice
  • 4.1 England, Wales and Northern Ireland
  • 4.2 Scotland
• 5 Geography
  • 5.1 Cities and conurbations
• 6 Demography
  • 6.1 Population
  • 6.2 Immigration
  • 6.3 Ethnic groups
  • 6.4 Languages
  • 6.5 Religion
    • 6.5.1 Christianity
    • 6.5.2 Other religions
• 7 Economy
• 8 Education
• 9 Healthcare
• 10 Transport
• 11 Sport
  • 11.1 Cricket
  • 11.2 Football
  • 11.3 Rugby league
  • 11.4 Rugby union
  • 11.5 Other sports
• 12 Culture
  • 12.1 Cinema
  • 12.2 Literature
  • 12.3 Media
    • 12.3.1 Broadcasting
    • 12.3.2 Internet
    • 12.3.3 Print
  • 12.4 Music
  • 12.5 Philosophy
  • 12.6 Science, engineering and innovation
  • 12.7 Visual art
• 13 Symbols
  • 13.1 Within the United Kingdom
• 14 See also
• 15 Notes and references
• 16 External links

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Flag Royal coat of arms
Anthem: "God Save the Queen"[1]
The United Kingdom (dark green) shown in relation to the European Union (light green) and other areas of Europe (dark grey)
Capital (and largest city)		London 51°30′N 0°7′W / 51.5°N 0.117°W / 51.5; -0.117
Official languages		English (de facto)[2]
Recognised regional languages		Irish, Ulster Scots, Scottish Gaelic , Scots, Welsh, Cornish[3]
Ethnic groups (2001 See: UK Ethnic groups list[4])		92.1% White 4.0% South Asian 2.0% Black 1.2% Mixed 0.4% Chinese 0.4% Other
Demonym		British, Briton
Government		Parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy
-	Monarch	Queen Elizabeth II
-	Prime Minister	Gordon Brown MP
Legislature		Parliament
-	Upper House	House of Lords
-	Lower House	House of Commons
Formation
-	Acts of Union 1707	1 May 1707
-	Act of Union 1800	1 January 1801
-	Anglo-Irish Treaty	12 April 1922
EU accession		1 January 1973
Area
-	Total	244,820 km2 (79th) 94,526 sq mi
-	Water (%)	1.34
Population
-	2009 estimate	61,612,300[5] (22nd)
-	2001 census	58,789,194[6]
-	Density	246/km2 (48th) 637/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2008 estimate
-	Total	$2.230 trillion[7] (7th)
-	Per capita	$35,286[7] (18th)
GDP (nominal)		2009 estimate
-	Total	$2.674 trillion[7] (6th)
-	Per capita	$32,797[7] (20th)
Gini (2005)		34[8]
HDI (2008)		0.947 (high) (21st)
Currency		Pound sterling[9] (GBP)
Time zone		GMT (UTC+0)
-	Summer (DST)	BST (UTC+1)
Drives on the		left[10]
Internet TLD		.uk[11]
Calling code		44

Ukraine

Ukraine /juːˈkreɪn/ (help·info) (Ukrainian: Україна, transliterated: Ukrayina, [ukrɑˈjinɑ]) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south. The city of Kiev (Kyiv) is both the capital and the largest city of Ukraine.

Ukraine's modern history began with the East Slavs. From at least the 9th century, Ukraine was a center of the medieval living area of the East Slavs. This state, known as Kievan Rus' became the largest and most powerful nation in Europe, but disintegrated in the 12th century. Ukraine was the home of the first modern democracy, which exhibited republican form, during the Khmelnytsky uprising in the 17th century.^[5] After the Great Northern War, Ukraine was divided among a number of regional powers, and by the 19th century, the largest part of Ukraine was integrated into the Russian Empire, with the rest under Austro-Hungarian control. After a chaotic period of incessant warfare and several attempts at independence (1917–21) following World War I and the Russian Civil War, Ukraine emerged in 1922 as one of the founding republics of the Soviet Union. The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic's territory was enlarged westward shortly before and after World War II, and again in 1954 with the Crimea transfer. In 1945, the Ukrainian SSR became one of the co-founding members of the United Nations.^[6] Ukraine became independent again after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. This began a period of transition to a market economy, in which Ukraine was stricken with an eight year recession.^[7] But since then, the economy has been experiencing a stable increase with GDP growth averaging 24 percent annually.

Ukraine is a unitary state composed of 24 oblasts (provinces), one autonomous republic (Crimea), and two cities with special status: Kiev, its capital, and Sevastopol, which houses the Russian Black Sea Fleet under a leasing agreement. Ukraine is a republic under a semi-presidential system with separate legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Since the collapse of the USSR, Ukraine continues to maintain the second largest military in Europe, after that of Russia. The country is home to 46.2 million people, 77.8 percent of whom are ethnic Ukrainians, with sizable minorities of Russians, Belarusians and Romanians. The Ukrainian language is the only official language in Ukraine, while Russian is also widely spoken. The dominant religion in the country is Eastern Orthodox Christianity, which has heavily influenced Ukrainian architecture, literature and music.

Contents

• 1 History
  • 1.1 Early history
  • 1.2 Golden Age of Kiev
  • 1.3 Foreign domination
  • 1.4 World War I and revolution
  • 1.5 Inter-war Soviet Ukraine
  • 1.6 World War II
  • 1.7 Post-World War II
  • 1.8 Independence
• 2 Government and politics
  • 2.1 Military
• 3 Administrative divisions
• 4 Geography
• 5 Economy
• 6 Tourism
• 7 Culture
  • 7.1 Language
  • 7.2 Literature
  • 7.3 Sport
• 8 Demographics
• 9 Religion
• 10 Education
• 11 Infrastructure
• 12 See also
• 13 References
• 14 Notes
• 15 Print sources
• 16 External links

Ukraine Україна
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: Ще не вмерла України і слава, і воля (Ukrainian) Shche ne vmerla Ukrayiny i slava i volya (transliteration) Ukraine's glory has not perished, nor her freedom
Location of Ukraine (green) on the European continent (dark grey) — [Legend]
Capital (and largest city)		Kiev (Kyiv) 50°27′N 30°30′E / 50.45°N 30.5°E / 50.45; 30.5
Official languages		Ukrainian
Demonym		Ukrainian
Government		Unitary semi-presidential republic
-	President	Viktor Yushchenko (NUNS)
-	Prime Minister	Yulia Tymoshenko (BYuT)
-	Speaker of the Parliament	Volodymyr Lytvyn (BL)
Legislature		Verkhovna Rada
Formation
-	Kievan Rus	8821
-	Cossack Republics	1550
-	Ukrainian People's Republic	March 17, 1917
-	Ukrainian SSR	December 30, 1922
-	Independence from the Soviet Union	August 24, 19912
Area
-	Total	603,628 km2 (44th) 233,090 sq mi
-	Water (%)	7%
Population
-	2008 estimate	46,179,226[1] (27th)
-	2001 census	48,457,102
-	Density	77/km2 (115th) 199/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2008 estimate
-	Total	$336.851 billion[2]
-	Per capita	$7,347[2]
GDP (nominal)		2008 estimate
-	Total	$179.725 billion[2]
-	Per capita	$3,920[2]
Gini (2006)		31[3] (medium)
HDI (2005)		▲ 0.788 (medium) (76th)
Currency		Hryvnia (UAH)
Time zone		EET (UTC+2)
-	Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Drives on the		right
Internet TLD		.ua
Calling code		380