Editing Uruguay (section)

=== Religion ===
{{Main|Religion in Uruguay}}

[[File:Iglesia de San Carlos 1.jpg|thumb|upright|The [[San Carlos Borromeo, San Carlos|Church of Saint Charles Borromeo]] in [[San Carlos, Uruguay|San Carlos]] is one of the oldest churches in Uruguay.]]

[[Christianity]] is the largest religion in Uruguay. The country has no official religion; church and state are officially separated,<ref name="dept-state"/> and [[religious freedom]] is guaranteed. A 2008 survey by the INE of Uruguay showed Catholic Christianity as the main religion, with 45.7–81.4%<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://cdn.britannica.com/13/185113-050-AAF2D01C/World-Data-religious-affiliation-pie-chart-Uruguay.jpg |title=Religious Affiliation (2006) |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=21 July 2022 |archive-date=7 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107161452/https://cdn.britannica.com/13/185113-050-AAF2D01C/World-Data-religious-affiliation-pie-chart-Uruguay.jpg |url-status=live }}</ref> of the population; 9.0% are non-Catholic Christians, 0.6% are [[Animists]] or [[Umbanda|Umbandists]] (an [[Afro-Brazilian]] religion), and 0.4% are Jewish. 30.1% reported believing in a god, but not belonging to any religion, while 14% were [[atheist]]s or agnostics.<ref name="ine-rel">{{cite web|url=http://www.ine.gub.uy/anda/ddibrowser/?id=11&section=variable&varid=V157 |title=Encuesta Continua de Hogares 2008 – Religion |publisher=Instituto Nacional de Estadística |access-date=2 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101114015256/http://www.ine.gub.uy/anda/ddibrowser/?id=11&section=variable&varid=V157 |archive-date=14 November 2010}}</ref> Among the sizeable [[Armenians in Uruguay|Armenian]] community in Montevideo, the dominant religion is Christianity, specifically [[Armenian Apostolic]].<ref>{{cite web|first=David |last=Zenian |date= 1 January 1992 |url=http://www.agbu.org/publications/article.asp?A_ID=533 |title=The Airwaves of Montevideo: An Armenian Community Forum
|publisher=Armenian General Benevolent Union |access-date=2 December 2010 |url-status=dead  |website=AGBU News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101116205137/http://agbu.org/publications/article.asp?A_ID=533 |archive-date=16 November 2010}}</ref>

Political observers consider Uruguay the most secular country in the Americas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.morris.umn.edu/academic/laas/Uruguay.html|title=UMM &#124; Latin American Area Studies – Countries|publisher=Morris.umn.edu|date=27 August 2009|access-date=26 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100714153604/http://www.morris.umn.edu/academic/laas/Uruguay.html|archive-date=14 July 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> Uruguay's secularization began with the relatively minor role of the church in the colonial era, compared with other parts of the [[Spanish Empire]]. The small numbers of Uruguay's indigenous peoples and their resistance to proselytism reduced the influence of the ecclesiastical authorities.<ref name="rel-cs"/>

After independence, [[Anti-clericalism|anti-clerical]] ideas spread to Uruguay, particularly from France, further eroding the influence of the church.<ref name=government>{{cite web|title=Explore Uruguay – About Uruguay Government|url=http://www.explore-uruguay.com/uruguay-government.html|publisher=Explore Uruguay|access-date=23 March 2011|archive-date=14 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110314184032/http://www.explore-uruguay.com/uruguay-government.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1837, civil marriage was recognized, and in 1861, the state took over the running of public cemeteries. In 1907, divorce was legalized, and in 1909, all religious instruction was banned from state schools.<ref name="rel-cs"/> Under the influence of the [[Colorado Party (Uruguay)|Colorado]] politician [[José Batlle y Ordóñez]] (1903–1911), complete [[separation of church and state]] was introduced with the new [[Constitution of Uruguay|constitution of 1917]].<ref name="rel-cs">{{cite web|url=http://countrystudies.us/uruguay/43.htm|title=Religion – Uruguay|publisher=Library of Congress Country Studies|access-date=23 February 2011|archive-date=30 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430025445/http://countrystudies.us/uruguay/43.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Uruguay's capital has [[List of synagogues in Uruguay|12 synagogues]] and a community of 20,000 Jews as of 2011. With a peak of 50,000 during the mid-1960s, Uruguay has the world's highest rate of [[aliyah]] as a percentage of the Jewish population.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://forward.com/articles/135932/touring-montevideo-s-jewish-quarters/|title=Touring Montevideo's Jewish Quarters|date=8 March 2011 |publisher=Forward.com|access-date=13 November 2017|archive-date=26 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171126185534/http://forward.com/articles/135932/touring-montevideo-s-jewish-quarters/|url-status=live}}</ref>