Uruguay (1983: Doomsday)

Oriental Republic of Uruguay
República Oriental del Uruguay
Timeline: 1983: Doomsday
OTL equivalent: Uruguay

Flag Coat of Arms Uruguay in South America (Pre-Doomsday) Motto Libertad o muerte (Spanish) ("Liberty or Death")
Anthem	"National Anthem of Uruguay"
Capital	Montevideo
Largest city	Montevideo
Other cities	Canelones, Maldonado, Salto
Language	Spanish
Religion	Catholic
Demonym	Uruguayan
Government	Presidential Republic
President	Hugo Medina (1984)
Area	176,215 km
Population	3,494,382 (2009)
Independence	from Empire of Brazil
declared	August 25, 1825
recognized	August 28, 1828
Annexation	to United American Republic
date	March 20, 1984
Currency	Peso

Uruguay was a independent country located in the south eastern part of South America. In 1984, along with Argentina and the Falkland Islands, formed the United American Republic (República Unida Americana), considered as the first union of nations post-Doomsday. Today, Uruguay is a autonomous province of the UAR, and Montevideo the capital of the federation.

History

Pre-Doomsday

In 1814, Uruguay gained their independence from Spain by a revolution with Jose Gervasio Artigas, who became a national hero. He formed the Liga Federal (Federal League), of which he was declared the Protector, or dictator. In August 1816, due to the rising star of Uruguay, Portugal, with Brazilian approval, invaded Uruguay, finally defeated Artigas at the Battle of Tacuarembo, and Uruguay was annexed into Brazil.

The Brazilian Empire became independent from Portugal in 1822. In response to the previous annexation the Thirty-Three Orientals, led by Juan Antonio Lavalleja, declared independence on August 25, 1825 supported by the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata (Argentina).

This led to the 500 day-long Argentina-Brazil War. Neither side gained the upper hand and in 1828 the Treaty of Montevideo, fostered by the United Kingdom, gave birth to Uruguay as an independent state. The nation's first constitution was adopted on July 18, 1830.

Doomsday

When the Doomsday occurs in 1983, Uruguay was ruled by a Civic-Military Dictatorship, which began in June 27th 1973 with the President Bordaberry's Coup d'état. By 1983, the Uruguayan president was the General Gregorio Álvarez (assumed in 1981), who proved to be reluctant to return the Democracy to the country, and continues with the repression against the sectors opponents. However, as other countries of the continent, the economy began to experience the effects of the cataclysm, which led to more protests in a couple of months.

Post-Doomsday

Gral. Medina and others Uruguayan Militaries.

By December of 1983, despite of the Alvarez's attempts for sustaining his regime, finally the massive civil protests organized and the loss of the support of the armed forces, forced it to resign, yielding the power to Rafael Addiego Bruno (President of the Supreme Court of Justice), who assumed the presidency provisionally. Addiego was succeceded by the pro-democratic General Hugo Medina later in January, 1984.

Creation and Integration to the UAR

During January 1984, the Government of Uruguay began a series of meetings with authorities from Argentina and the Falkland Islands (British Dependence), in the city of Buenos Aires, in which they analyzed the geopolitical scene after the Doomsday, the resources which they were having, and the measures to raise his economies. Soon, the idea of a union between the three in one state emerge as a possible solution against the crisis, but initially this suggestion had some reticences from all sides. However, the benefits that such an agreement might mean (considering besides the needs that territories like Uruguay and Falklands was demanding), as well as also the premise of forming a federation where each country would preserve a reasonable autonomy, led to political and military sectores from Uruguay and the other states to accept the union.

The Treaty of the Union was signed by representatives from Argentina, Uruguay and the Falkland, on March 20, 1984 in the city of La Plata. The agreement establish the organization of free general elections in May 25 for elect the members of the new Union Congress and the first president of the United American Republic, name of the new nation, and the uruguayan capital of Montevideo was chosen as the capital of the Federation.

Autonomous Province of Uruguay

President Vasquez, the first Head of State of the UAR born in Uruguay.

Since the formation of the UAR, Uruguay has consolidated as one of the provinces with the major commercial and industrial growth of the whole country, followed by Buenos Aires, Cordoba and Santa Fe. In the political area, besides the fact that in his territory is located the capital of the country, several Uruguayans reached important positions in the UAR governments by the beginning of the 1990 years. However, just in 1997 a Uruguayan managed to reach the presidency of the federation: Tabare Vasquez (Born in Montevideo on 1940). His administration proved to be very successful, and due to this, he turned into the first President of the United American Republic to be reelected, on 2001.

Today, the current Governor of the Province of Uruguay is Julio María Sanguinetti (CP).

Provincial Government

At Federation level, Uruguay is represented in the United American Republic Senate by three senators, and in the Chamber of Deputies by 30 deputies, elected through a universal suffrage system by the people.

Geography

Uruguay have a land area of 173,620 km² and a water area of 2,600 km².

A dense fluvial network covers the country, consisting of four river basins or deltas; the Río de la Plata, the Uruguay River, the Laguna Merín and the Río Negro. The major internal river is the Río Negro. Several lagoons are found along the Atlantic coast.

The highest point in the country is the Cerro Catedral whose peak reaches to 514 metres (1,686 ft) AMSL in the Sierra Carapé hill range. To the southwest is the Río de Plata, the estuary of the Uruguay River which forms the western border, and the Paraná River.

Economy

Uruguay's economy is characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, relatively even income distribution, and high levels of social spending. Official statistics indicate that meat and sheep farming is Uruguay occupies 59.6% of the land, and the agriculture produces 70% of Uruguayan exports.

The Poverty in the province was reduced from 33% in 2002 to 21.7% in July 2008, while extreme poverty dropped from 3.3% to 1.7%, respectively.

The Port of Montevideo, handling over 1.1 million containers annually, is the most advanced container terminal in South America, and the port of Nueva Palmira is a major regional merchandise transfer point, and houses both private and government-run terminals.