Statistical information Uruguay 1993

Uruguay in the World
top of pageBackground: A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement the Tupamaros launched in the late 1960s led Uruguay's president to agree to military control of his administration in 1973. By the end of the year the rebels had been crushed but the military continued to expand its hold throughout the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. Uruguay has long had one of South America's highest standards of living; its political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.
top of pageLocation: Eastern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Argentina and Brazil
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
South America, Standard Time Zones of the WorldAreaTotal: 176,220 km²
Land: 173,620 km²
Land boundaries: total 1,564 km, Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km
Coastline: 660 km
Continental shelf: 200 m depth or to depth of exploitation
Territorial sea: 200 nm; overflight and navigation permitted beyond 12 nm
Maritime claimsClimate: warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
Terrain: mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
ElevationNatural resources: soil, hydropower potential, minor minerals
Land useArable land: 8%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 78%
Forest and woodland: 4%
Other: 10%
Irrigated land: 1,100 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 3,175,050 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 0.75% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: Uruguayan(s)
Adjective: Uruguayan
Ethnic groups: white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%
Languages: Spanish
Religions: Roman Catholic 66% (less than half adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, nonprofessing or other 30%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0.75% (1993 est.)
Birth rateDeath rate: 9.52 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.79 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: subject to seasonally high winds, droughts, floods
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 18 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 73.74 years
Male: 70.52 years
Female: 77.11 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.46 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
Total population: 96%
Male: 97%
Female: 96%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
Conventional short form: Uruguay
Local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay
Local short form: Uruguay
Government type: republic
CapitalAdministrative divisions:
19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores,
Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera, Rocha,
Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres
Dependent areasIndependence: 25 August 1828 (from Brazil)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 August (1828)
Constitution: 27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980
Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: president, vice president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: bicameral General Assembly (Asamblea General) consists of an upper chamber or Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Representatives (Camera de Representantes)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo MACGILLYCUDDY
In the us chancery: 1918 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20,006
In the us telephone: telephone (202) 331-1313 through 1316
In the us consulates general: Los Angeles, Miami, and New York,
In the us consulate: New Orleans
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Richard C. BROWN
From the us embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo
From the us mailing address: APO AA 34,035
From the us telephone: 598 (2) 23-60-61 or 48-77-77
From the us fax: 598 (2) 48-86-11
Flag description
: nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May and 16 rays alternately triangular and wavy
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Uruguay is a small economy with favorable climate, good soils, and solid hydropower potential. Economic development has been held back by excessive government regulation of economic detail and 50% to 130% inflation. After several years of sluggish growth, real GDP jumped by about 8% in 1992. The rise is attributable mainly to an increase in Argentine demand for Uruguayan exports, particularly agricultural products and electricity. In a major step toward greater regional economic cooperation, Uruguay in 1991 had joined Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay in forming the Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur). A referendum in December 1992 overturned key portions of landmark privatization legislation, dealing a serious blow to President LACALLE's broad economic reform plan.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 8% (1992 est.)
Real gdp per capita: $3,100 (1992 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: large areas devoted to livestock grazing; wheat, rice, corn, sorghum; self-sufficient in most basic foodstuffs
Industries: meat processing, wool and hides, sugar, textiles, footwear, leather apparel, tires, cement, fishing, petroleum refining, wine
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate -1.4% (1990), accounts for almost 25% of GDP
Labor force: 1.355 million (1991 est.)
By occupation government: 25%
By occupation manufacturing: 19%
By occupation agriculture: 11%
By occupation commerce: 12%
By occupation utilities construction transport and communications: 12%
By occupation other services: 21% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate: 9% (1992 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $2.9 billion; expenditures $3.0 billion, including capital expenditures of $388 million (1991)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.) 4%
Partners: Argentina, Brazil, US, Germany
Commodoties: crude oil, fuels, and lubricants, metals, machinery, transportation equipment, industrial chemicals
Imports: $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
Partners: Brazil 23%, Argentina 17%, US 10%, EC 27.1% (1990)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: new Uruguayan pesos (N$Ur) per US$1 - 3,457.5 (December 1992), 3,026.9 (1992), 2,489 (1991), 1,594 (1990), 805 (1989), 451 (1988), 281 (1987)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 2,168,000 kW capacity; 5,960 million kWh produced, 1,900 kWh per capita (1992)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $216 million, 2.3% of GDP (1991 est.)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 88
Usable: 81
With permanentsurface runways: 16
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 1220-2439 m: 14
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: 1,600 km; used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft
Merchant marine:
4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 84,797 GRT/132,296
DWT; includes 1 cargo, 2 container, 1 oil tanker
Ports and terminalsUruguay - Transnational issues 1993
top of pageDisputes international:
short section of boundary with Argentina is in dispute; two short sections of the boundary with Brazil are in dispute -
Arroyo de la Invernada (Arroio Invernada) area of the Rio Quarai and the islands at the confluence of the Rio Cuareim (Rio Quarai) and the Uruguay
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs