At one point, early in the last-round Group A match between Uruguay and Russia, a small box descended from the scoreline chyron in the upper left corner of the screen.



Fox was displaying population figures, Russia’s 144 million practically glowering down at Uruguay’s paltry 3.3 million. The message, as it always is, was as obvious as it was overbearing: Uruguay could fit into Russia 98 times! And yet a nation the size of a commemorative stamp is somehow competing with the imperial might of a global power. What pluck from these Uruguayans.



It’s always difficult, especially when Uruguay is involved, to avoid the population game. Which states could Uruguay geographically fit into? (There are four: Alaska, Montana, California, and Texas). How many states have a population larger than Uruguay’s? (There are 29; it is slightly less populated than Connecticut). There isn’t yet a “things Uruguay can fit into” Wikipedia page, but give...