Statistical information Uruguay 1999

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: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil
Geographic coordinates: 33 00 S, 56 00 W
Map reference:
South AmericaAreaTotal: 176,220 km²
Land: 173,620 km²
Water: 2,600 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than the state of Washington
Land boundariesTotal: 1,564 km
Border countries: (2) Argentina 579 km;
, Brazil 985 kmCoastline: 660 km
Maritime claimsContinental 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
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m
Natural resources: fertile soil, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries
Land useArable land: 7%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 77%
Forests and woodland: 6%
Other: 10% (1997 est.)
Irrigated land: 7,700 km² (1997 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural 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
Geographytop of pagePopulation: 3,308,523 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 0.73% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%
NationalityNoun: 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 profileAge structure0-14 years: 24% (male 407,990; female 388,293)
15-64 years: 63% (male 1,026,554; female 1,054,513)
65 years and over: 13% (male 179,331; female 251,842) (1999 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0.73% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 16.84 births/1000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 8.81 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.78 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: working with Brazil to monitor and minimize transboundary pollution caused by Brazilian power plant near border; water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal
International agreements party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt 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
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 13.49 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 75.83 years
Male: 72.69 years
Female: 79.15 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.27 children born/woman (1999 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 expendituresLiteracyDefinition: 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 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
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 areasIndependence: 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 participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branchChief of state: President Julio Maria SANGUINETTI (since 1 March 1995) and Vice President Hugo FERNANDEZ Faingold (since 5 October 1998); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Julio Maria SANGUINETTI (since 1 March 1995) and Vice President Hugo FERNANDEZ Faingold (since 5 October 1998); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government
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/Space 3%; seats by party_Colorado 11, Blanco 10, Encuentro Progresista 8, New Sector/Space 1; Chamber of Representatives_percent of vote by party_Colorado 32%, Blanco 31%, Encuentro Progresista 31%, New Sector/Space 5%; seats by party_Colorado 32, Blanco 31, Encuentro Progresista 31, New Sector/Space 5
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are nominated by the president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: 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, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representationIn 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 C. ASHBY
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, 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's small economy benefits from a favorable climate for agriculture and substantial hydropower production. The SANGUINETTI government's conservative monetary and fiscal policies are aimed at reducing inflation; other priorities include moving toward a more market-oriented economy, completing reform of the social security system, and increasing 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 parityReal gdp growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $8,600 (1998 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 8%
Industry: 26%
Services: 66% (1997)
Agriculture products: wheat, rice, corn, sorghum; livestock; fish
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: 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: 10.5% (November 1998)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: NA%
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $4 billion
Expenditures: $4.3 billion, with capital expenditures of $385 million (1997 est.)
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: $2.7 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Commodities: wool and textile manufactures, beef and other animal products, rice, fish and shellfish, chemicals
Partners: Brazil, Argentina, US, Germany, Italy, UK
Imports: $3.7 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, minerals, plastics, oil
Partners: Brazil, Argentina, US, Italy, Germany, France, Spain
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $4.6 billion (1996 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Uruguayan pesos ($Ur) per US$1_11.08 (January 1999), 9.98 (January 1998), 9.4418 (1997), 7.9718 (1996), 6.3491 (1995), 5.0529 (1994)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 8.35 billion kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 10.18%
Production by source hydro: 89.82%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1996)
Consumption: 8.223 billion kWh (1996)
Exports: 437 million kWh (1996)
Imports: 310 million kWh (1996)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 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 mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $172 million (1998)
Percent of gdp: 0.9% (1998)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 65 (1998 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 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 50
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 15
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 33 (1998 est.)
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysTotal: 2,994 km
Standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge (921 km closed) (1997)
RoadwaysWaterways: 1,600 km; used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft
Merchant marine: total:2 oil tankers (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 44,042 GRT/83,684 DWT (1998 est.)
Ports and terminalsUruguay - Transnational issues 1999
top of pageDisputes 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 personsIllicit drugs