Map of Uruguay | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | 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's 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 the state of Washington

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

Coastline: 660 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 NM
Territorial sea: 12 NM
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Exclusive economic zone: 200 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: arable land: hydropower minor minerals fisheries

Land use
Arable land: 7.21%
Permanent crops: 0.27%
Other: 92.52% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1800 km² (1998 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 from weather fronts

Geography
Note: second-smallest South American country (after Suriname); most of the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) is grassland ideal for cattle and sheep raising


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Population: 3,386,575 (July 2002 est.)
Growth rate: 0.79% (2002 est.)
Below poverty line: 6% (1997)

Nationality
Noun: Uruguayan
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 half of the adult population attends church regularly) Protestant 2% Jewish 1% nonprofessing or other 31%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 24.4% (male 422,826; female 402,324)
15-64 years: 62.6% (male 1,047,740; female 1,072,032)
65 years and over: 13% (male 181,522; female 260,131) (2002 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.79% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 17.28 births/1000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9 deaths/1000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.41 migrant(s)/1000 population (2002 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal
International agreements party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male/female
Total population: 0.95 male/female (2002 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 14.25 deaths/1000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.66 years
Female: 79.17 years (2002 est.)
Male: 72.32 years

Total fertility rate: 2.35 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.33% (1999 est.)
People living with hivaids: 6,000 (1999 est.)
Deaths: 150 (1999 est.)

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 short form: Uruguay
Former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province
Local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay

Government type: constitutional 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 Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March 2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March 2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); 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 31 October 1999, with runoff election on 28 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
Election results: Jorge BATLLE Ibanez elected president; percent of vote - Jorge BATLLE Ibanez 52% in a runoff against Tabare VAZQUEZ 44%

Legislative branch
Elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
Election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Encuentro Progresista 12, Colorado Party 10, Blanco 7, New Sector/Space Coalition 1; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Encuentro Progresista 40, Colorado Party 33, Blanco 22, New Sector/Space Coalition 4

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

Political parties and leaders: Colorado Party [Jorge BATLLE Ibanez]; National Party or Blanco [Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera]; New Sector/Space Coalition or Nuevo Espacio [Rafael MICHELINI]; Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or Encuentro Progresista/Frente Amplio [Tabare VAZQUEZ]

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo FERNANDEZ-FAINGOLD
In the us consulates general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York
In the us fax: [1] (202) 331-8,142
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316
In the us chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20,006
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Martin J. SILVERSTEIN
From the us embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11,200
From the us mailing address: APO AA 34,035
From the us telephone: [598] (2) 418-7,777
From the us fax: [598] (2) 418-8,611

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 economy is characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector a well-educated workforce and high levels of social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually in 1996-98 in 1999-2001 the economy suffered from lower demand in Argentina and Brazil which together account for nearly half of Uruguay's exports. Despite the severity of the trade shocks Uruguay's financial indicators remained more stable than those of its neighbors a reflection of its solid reputation among investors and its investment-grade sovereign bond rating - one of only two in South America. Challenges for the government of President Jorge BATLLE include reducing the budget deficit expanding Uruguay's trade ties beyond its Mercosur trade partners and reducing the costs of public services. GDP fell by 1.3% in 2000 and by 1.5% in 2001.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: -1.5% (2001 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,200 (2001 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 6%
Industry: 29%
Services: 65% (2001) (2001)

Agriculture products: rice wheat corn barley; livestock; fish

Industries: food processing electrical machinery transportation equipment petroleum products textiles chemicals beverages

Industrial production growth rate: -2.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 1.2 million (2001) (2001)
By occupation agriculture: 14%
By occupation industry: 16%
By occupation services: 70%

Unemployment rate: 15.2% (2001) (2001)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 6% (1997)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 4%
Highest 10: 26% (1997)

Distribution of family income gini index: 42 (1989)

Budget
Revenues: $3.7 billion
Expenditures: $4.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $500 million (2000) (2000)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.6% (2001) (2001)

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: $2.24 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Commodities: meat rice leather products wool vehicles dairy products
Partners: Mercosur partners 40% EU 20% US 8% (2001 est.)

Imports: $2.9 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Commodities: machinery chemicals road vehicles crude petroleum
Partners: Mercosur partners 44% EU 18% US 9% (2001 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $7.7 billion (2001 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 14.3325 (January 2002) 13.3191 (2001) 12.0996 (2000) 11.3393 (1999) 10.4719 (1998) 9.4418 (1997)


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Electricity
Production: 7.527 billion kWh (2000)
Production by source fossil fuel: 7%
Production by source hydro: 93%
Production by source other: 1% (2000)
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Consumption: 7.35 billion kWh (2000)
Exports: 950 million kWh (2000)
Imports: 1.3 billion kWh (2000)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 929,141 (2001)
Mobile cellular: 350,000 (2001)

Telephone system
General assessment: fully digitalized
Domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network
International: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .uy
Service providers isps: 14 (2001)
Users: 400,000 (2002)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $250 million (1999)
Percent of gdp: 1.1% (2000)

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 (2001)
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: 7
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (2002)
With unpaved runways total: 49
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 16
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 31 (2002)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 2,993 km
Standard gauge: 2,993 km 1.435-m gauge
Note: of the total route length, 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in only partial use; moreover, not all lines offer passenger service (2001)

Roadways

Waterways: 1600 km (used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft)

Merchant marine
Total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,752 GRT/5,228 DWT
Note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Argentina 4, Greece 1 (2002 est.)
Ships by type: petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: uncontested dispute with Brazil over islands in the Rio Quarai (Rio Cuareim) and the Arroio Invernada (Arroyo de la Invernada)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs