Map of Uruguay | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: 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.


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Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 S, 56 00 W

Map reference: South America

Area
Total: 176,220 km²
Land: 173,620 km²
Water: 2,600 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Washington State

Land boundaries
Total: 1,564 km
Border countries: (2) Argentina 579 km; , Brazil 985 km

Coastline: 660 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Territorial sea: 200 nm; overflight and navigation guaranteed beyond 12 nm

Climate: warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Terrain: mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m

Natural resources: fertile soil, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Land use
Arable land: 7%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 77%
Forests and woodland: 6%
Other: 10% (1997 est.)

Irrigated land: 7,700 km² (1997 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in weather fronts

Geography


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Population: 3,284,841 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 0.71% (1998 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Uruguayan(s)
Adjective: Uruguayan

Ethnic groups: white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian, practically nonexistent

Languages: Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)

Religions: Roman Catholic 66% (less than one-half of the adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, nonprofessing or other 30%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 24% (male 405,894; female 386,479)
15-64 years: 63% (male 1,019,682; female 1,048,844)
65 years and over: 13% (male 176,467; female 247,475) (July 1998 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.71% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 16.92 births/1000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 8.89 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.91 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: substantial pollution from Brazilian industry along border; one-fifth of country affected by acid rain generated by Brazil; water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal
International agreements party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 14.11 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.53 years
Male: 72.39 years
Female: 78.84 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.29 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97.3%
Male: 96.9%
Female: 97.7% (1995 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
Conventional short form: Uruguay
Local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay
Local short form: Uruguay

Government type: republic

Capital: Montevideo

Administrative 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 areas

Independence: 25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

Constitution: 27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7 January 1997

Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Julio Maria SANGUINETTI (since 1 March 1995) and Vice President Hugo BATALLA (since 1 March 1995); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government; the vice-president is also the Senate president: ead of
Government: President Julio Maria SANGUINETTI (since 1 March 1995) and Vice President Hugo BATALLA (since 1 March 1995); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government; the vice-president is also the Senate president
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with parliamentary approval
Elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 27 November 1994 (next to be held 31 October 1999 with run-off election if necessary on 28 November 1999)
Election results: Julio Maria SANGUINETTI elected president; percent of vote_23%

Legislative branch: bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: Chamber of Senators_last held 27 November 1994 (next to be held 31 October 1999); Chamber of Representatives_last held 27 November 1994 (next to be held 31 October 1999)
Election results: Chamber of Senators_percent of vote by party_Colorado 36%, Blanco 34%, Encuentro Progresista 27%, New Sector 3%; seats by party_Colorado 11, Blanco 10, Encuentro Progresista 8, New Sector 1; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party_Colorado 32%, Blanco 31%, Encuentro Progresista 31%, New Sector 5%; seats by party_Colorado 32, Blanco 31, Encuentro Progresista 31, New Sector 5

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are nominated by the president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MINUGUA, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Alvaro DIEZ DE MEDINA SUAREZ
In the us chancery: 2,715 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20,007
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316
In the us fax: [1] (202) 331-8,142
In the us consulates general: Los Angeles, Miami, and New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher A. ASHBY
From the us embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo
From the us mailing address: APO AA 34,035
From the us telephone: [598] (2) 203 60 61, 408 77 77
From the us fax: [598] (2) 408 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 symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Uruguay's small economy benefits from a favorable climate for agriculture and substantial hydropower potential. Economic development has been restrained in recent years by high_though declining_inflation and extensive government regulation. The SANGUINETTI government's conservative monetary and fiscal policies are aimed at continuing to reduce inflation; other priorities include extensive reform of the social security system and increased investment in education. Economic performance remains sensitive to conditions in Argentina and Brazil, largely because more than half of Uruguay's trade is conducted with its partners in Mercosur (the Southern Cone Common Market).

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 5.1% (1997)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $8,900 (1997 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 10.8%
Industry: 27.4%
Services: 61.8% (1995)

Agriculture products: wheat, rice, corn, sorghum; livestock; fishing

Industries: meat processing, wool and hides, sugar, textiles, footwear, leather apparel, tires, cement, petroleum refining, wine

Industrial production growth rate: 5.6% (1997)

Labor force
Total: 1.38 million (1997 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: 10.3% (December 1997)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $4 billion
Expenditures: $4.3 billion, with capital expenditures of $385 million (1997 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: total value:$2.7 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Commodoties: wool and textile manufactures, beef and other animal products, rice, fish and shellfish, chemicals
Partners: Brazil, Argentina, US, Germany, Italy

Imports: total value:$3.7 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Commodoties: machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, minerals, plastics, oil
Partners: Brazil, Argentina, US, Italy, Germany

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $4.6 billion (1996 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Uruguayan pesos ($Ur) per US$1_9.98 (January 1998), 9.4448 (1997), 7.9718 (1996), 6.3491 (1995), 5.0529 (1994), 3.9484 (1993)


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Electricity
Capacity: 2.055 million kW (1995)
Production: 7.6 billion kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 1,852 kWh (1995)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones: 767,333 (1997)

Telephone system: some modern facilities
Domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network
International: satellite earth stations_2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $172 million (1996)
Percent of gdp: 0.9% (1996)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 64 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 15
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 8
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 49
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 14
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 33 (1997 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 2,998 km (918 km closed) (1997)
Standard gauge: 2,075 km 1.435-m gauge

Roadways

Waterways: 1,600 km; used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft

Merchant marine: total:2 oil tanker ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 44,042 GRT/83,684 DWT (1997 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: two short sections of the boundary with Brazil are in dispute_Arroyo de la Invernada (Arroio Invernada) area of the Rio Cuareim (Rio Quarai) and the islands at the confluence of the Rio Cuareim (Rio Quarai) and the Uruguay River

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs