Dispatch from Islamabad
Agha Iqrar Haroon
Uruguay is a country in the South Eastern region of South America. It is bordered by Argentina to its west and Brazil to its north and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to the south and southeast. Uruguay is home to 3.3 million people of whom 1.8 million live in the metropolitan area of its capital and largest city.
It experienced a major economic and financial crisis between 1999 and 2002, principally a spillover effect from the economic problems of Argentina. The economy contracted by 11%, and unemployment climbed to 21%. Despite the severity of the trade shocks, Uruguay’s financial indicators remained more stable than those of its neighbours, a reflection of its solid reputation among investors and its investment-grade sovereign bond rating, one of only two in South America.
Its GDP $16,334 comparing to Pakistan’s GDP $1,410. Comparing to Pakistan this is a rich country but its President is the poorest President of Pakistan as he contributes 90 percent of his $12,000 monthly salary to charities to benefit poor people and small entrepreneurs. José Alberto “Pepe” Mujica Cordano is President of Uruguay since 2010.
A former guerrilla fighter and a member of the Broad Front coalition of left-wing parties, Mujica was Minister of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries from 2005 to 2008 and a Senator afterwards. As the candidate of the Broad Front, he won the 2009 presidential election and took office as President on 1 March 2010. He has been described as “the world’s ‘poorest’ president”. Look how countries flourish when politicians are honest to nation.
