Map of Uruguay | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Montevideo founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military stronghold soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an important commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by Brazil in 1821 Uruguay declared its independence four years later and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century established widespread political social and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros launched in the late 1960s led Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By yearend the rebels had been crushed but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. In 2004 the left-of-center Frente Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control previously held by the Colorado and Blanco parties. 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: 1,648 km
Border countries: (2) Argentina 580 km; , Brazil 1,068 km

Coastline: 660 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or edge of continental margin

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: 7.77%
Permanent crops: 0.24%
Other: 91.99% (2005)

Irrigated land: 2,100 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 139 km³ (2000)

Natural hazards: seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind that 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: 3,477,778 (July 2008 est.)
Growth rate: 0.486% (2008 est.)

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 47.1% non-Catholic Christians 11.1% nondenominational 23.2% Jewish 0.3% atheist or agnostic 17.2% other 1.1% (2006)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 22.7% (male 401,209/female 388,315)
15-64 years: 64% (male 1,105,891/female 1,120,858)
65 years and over: 13.3% (male 185,704/female 275,801) (2008 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 33.2 years
Male: 31.8 years
Female: 34.6 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.486% (2008 est.)

Birth rate: 14.17 births/1000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 9.12 deaths/1000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.18 migrant(s)/1000 population (2008 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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male/female
Total population: 0.95 male/female (2008 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 11.66 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 13.1 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 10.17 deaths/1000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.14 years
Male: 72.89 years
Female: 79.51 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.94 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 6,000 (2001 est.)
Deaths: fewer than 500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 2.9% of GDP (2006)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98%
Male: 97.6%
Female: 98.4% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 15 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 16 years (2006)

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
Former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province

Government type: constitutional republic

Capital
Name: Montevideo
Geographic coordinates: 34 53 S, 56 11 W
Time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in October; ends second Sunday in March

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 15 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 Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1 March 2005); Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1 March 2005); Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005)
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 (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009)
Election results: Tabare VAZQUEZ elected president; percent of vote - Tabare VAZQUEZ 50.5%, Jorge LARRANAGA 35.1%, Guillermo STIRLING 10.3%; other 4.1%

Legislative branch
Elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009)
Election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - EP-FA 16, Blanco 11, Colorado Party 3; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - EP-FA 52, Blanco 36, Colorado Party 10, Independent Party 1

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

Political parties and leaders: Broad Front (Frente Amplio) - formerly known as the Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or EP-FA [Jorge BROVETTO] (a broad governing coalition that includes Movement of the Popular Participation or MPP [Jose MUJICA] New Space Party (Nuevo Espacio) [Rafael MICHELINI] Progressive Alliance (Alianza Progresista) [Rodolfo NIN NOVOA] Socialist Party [Eduardo FERNANDEZ] the Communist Party [Marina ARISMENDI] Uruguayan Assembly (Asamblea Uruguay) [Danilo ASTORI] and Vertiente Artiguista [Mariano ARANA]); Colorado Party (Foro Batllista) [Julio Maria SANGUINETTI]; National Party or Blanco [Luis Alberto LACALLE and Jorge LARRANAGA]

International organization participation: CAN (associate) FAO G-77 IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU LAES LAIA Mercosur MIGA MINURSO MINUSTAH MONUC NAM (observer) OAS OPANAL OPCW PCA RG UN UNASUR UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO Union Latina UNMIS UNMOGIP UNOCI UNOMIG UNWTO UPU WCL WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Alberto GIANELLI Derois
In the us chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20,006
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316
In the us fax: [1] (202) 331-8,142
In the us consulates general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Washington, DC
In the us consulates: San Juan (Puerto Rico)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Frank E. BAXTER
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; a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May with 16 rays that alternate between 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 work force and high levels of social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually during 1996-98 in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major downturn stemming largely from the spillover effects of the economic problems of its large neighbors Argentina and Brazil. For instance in 2001-02 Argentina made massive withdrawals of dollars deposited in Uruguayan banks which led to a plunge in the Uruguayan peso and a massive rise in unemployment. Total GDP in these four years dropped by nearly 20% with 2002 the worst year due to the banking crisis. The unemployment rate rose to nearly 20% in 2002 inflation surged and the burden of external debt doubled. Cooperation with the IMF helped stem the damage. Uruguay in 2007 improved its debt profile by paying off $1.1 billion in IMF debt and continues to follow the orthodox economic plan set by the Fund in 2005. The construction of a pulp mill in Fray Bentos which represents the largest foreign direct investment in Uruguay's history at $1.2 billion came online in November 2007 and is expected to add 1.6% to GDP and boost already rising exports. The economy has grown strongly since 2004 as a result of high commodity prices for Uruguayan exports a strong peso growth in the region and low international interest rates.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $37.5 billion (2007 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 7.4% (2007 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $10,800 (2007 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 10.1%
Industry: 32%
Services: 57.9% (2007 est.)

Agriculture products: rice wheat soybeans barley; livestock beef; fish; forestry

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

Industrial production growth rate: 7.9% (2007 est.)

Labor force: 1.631 million (2007 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 9%
By occupation industry: 15%
By occupation services: 76% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate: 9.2% (2007 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1.9%
Highest 10: 34% (2003)

Distribution of family income gini index: 45.2 (2006)

Budget
Revenues: $6.701 billion
Expenditures: $6.807 billion (2007 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 64.8% of GDP (2007 est.)

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 8.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate: 10% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 8.94% (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit: $6.396 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares: $224 million (2007)

Current account balance: -$185.6 million (2007 est.)

Exports: $5.063 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: meat rice leather products wool fish dairy products
Partners: Brazil 15.5% US 9.4% Argentina 8.4% Mexico 6.6% China 6.1% Germany 4.8% (2007)

Imports: $5.554 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: crude petroleum and petroleum products machinery chemicals road vehicles paper plastics
Partners: Brazil 19.1% Argentina 17.9% US 9.5% China 9.1% Paraguay 7.7% Nigeria 4.7% (2007)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $4.121 billion (December 2007 est.)

Debt external: $11.42 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $4.19 billion (2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $156 million (2007)

Exchange rates: Uruguayan pesos (UYU) per US dollar - 23.947 (2007) 24.048 (2006) 24.479 (2005) 28.704 (2004) 28.209 (2003)


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Electricity
Production: 9.2 billion kWh (2007)
Consumption: 7.03 billion kWh (2007)
Exports: 995.4 million kWh (2007 est.)
Imports: 788.4 million kWh (2007 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Consumption: 102.8 million m³ (2007 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Imports: 116.9 million m³ (2007)
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2006 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 965,200 (2007)
Mobile cellular: 3.004 million (2007)

Telephone system
General assessment: fully digitalized
Domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network; overall fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is 115 telephones per 100 persons
International: country code - 598; the UNISOR submarine cable system provides direct connectivity to Brazil and Argentina; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .uy
Hosts: 480,593 (2008)
Users: 968,000 (2007)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1.6% of GDP (2006)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service; enlistment is voluntary in peacetime but the government has the authority to conscript in emergencies (2007)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 60 (2007)
With paved runways total: 9
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 51
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 19
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 29 (2007)

Heliports

Pipelines: gas 257 km; oil 160 km (2007)

Railways
Total: 2,073 km
Standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge
Note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in partial use (2006)

Roadways
Total: 77,732 km
Paved: 7,743 km
Unpaved: 69,989 km (2004)

Waterways: 1600 km (2005)

Merchant marine
Total: 17
By type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1
Foreign owned: 10 (Argentina 3, Greece 1, Spain 6)
Registered in other countries: 3 (Liberia 3) (2008)

Ports and terminals: Montevideo


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Disputes international: in Jan 2007 ICJ provisionally ruled Uruguay may begin construction of two paper mills on the Uruguay River which forms the border with Argentina while the court examines further whether Argentina has the legal right to stop such construction with potential environmental implications to both countries; uncontested dispute with Brazil over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada streams and the resulting tripoint with Argentina

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: small-scale transit country for drugs mainly bound for Europe often through sea-borne containers; law enforcement corruption; money laundering because of strict banking secrecy laws; weak border control along Brazilian frontier; increasing consumption of cocaine base and synthetic drugs