Short answers, pulled from the story.
Human presence in the region now known as Uruguay dates back approximately 13,000 years. Archaeological evidence shows hunter-gatherer communities lived there long before any European ships arrived on the coast.
The first European explorer to reach this land was Juan Díaz de Solís in 1516. He claimed the territory for Spain but did not establish a permanent settlement at that time.
Independence Day celebrates the event annually on the 25th of August. The Treaty of Montevideo fostered by Viscount John Ponsonby gave birth to Uruguay as an independent state in 1828.
José Mujica emerged as president in 2009 having spent almost 15 years in prison during the country's military rule. The law passed via Senate vote on the 11th of December 2013 with 16 votes approving it against 13 opposing votes.
Cattle herds reached 12 million head in 2007 making it the country with highest number per capita at 3.8 animals each. Distribution showed inequality with 54% held by just 11% of farmers owning minimum 500 head while 38% exploited small lots averaging below one hundred head.