Map of Uruguay | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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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 launched 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

Area
Rank: 91
Land: 175,015 km²
Water: 1200 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than the state of Washington

Land boundaries
Border countries: (2) Argentina 580 km; Brazil 1068 km

Coastline: 660 km

Maritime claims
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 highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m

Natural resources: arable land: hydropower minor minerals fish

Land use
Permanent crops: 0.22%
Other: 89.52% (2011)

Irrigated land: 1810 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 139 km³ (2011)

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: 3,324,460 (July 2013 est.)
Rank: 135
Growth rate: 0.25% (2013 est.)
Growth rate rank: 173
Below poverty line: 18.6% (2010 est.)

Nationality
Adjective: Uruguayan

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

Languages: Spanish (official) Portunol 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
15-24 years: 16% (male 269,649/female 262,582)
25-54 years: 38.8% (male 635,252/female 655,518)
55-64 years: 9.9% (male 155,192/female 174,976)
65 years and over: 13.9% (male 183,450/female 276,995) (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 34.1 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 22 %
Potential support ratio: 4.5 (2013)

Median age
Male: 32.4 years
Female: 35.7 years (2013 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.25% (2013 est.)
Rank: 173

Birth rate: 13.28 births/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 151

Death rate: 9.52 deaths/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 58

Net migration rate: -1.26 migrant(s)/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 154

Population distribution

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: MONTEVIDEO (capital) 1.633 million (2009)

Environment
Current issues: water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal
International agreements signed but not ratified: Marine Dumping Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 149
Male: 10.2 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 8.17 deaths/1000 live births (2013 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 73
Male: 73.47 years
Female: 79.86 years (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.86 children born/woman (2013 est.)
Rank: 145

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 77%

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 3.74 physicians/1000 population (2008)

Hospital bed density: 3 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.5% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 67
People living with hivaids: 9,900 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 96
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 24.8% (2008)
Rank: 64

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 6% (2004)
Rank: 82

Education expenditures: 2.9% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 144

Literacy
Total population: 98.1%
Male: 97.6%
Female: 98.5% (2010 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 14 years
Female: 17 years (2010)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
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
Geographic coordinates: 34 51 S 56 10 W
Time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins first 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: several previous; latest approved by plebiscite 27 November 1966 effective 15 February 1967; amended several times last in 2004 (2013)

Legal system: civil law system based on the Spanish civil code

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
Head of government: President Jose 'Pepe' MUJICA Cordano (since 1 March 2010); Vice President Danilo ASTORI Saragoza (since 1 March 2010)
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 on 29 November 2009 (next to be held in October 2014)
Election results: Jose 'Pepe' MUJICA Cordano elected president; percent of vote - Jose 'Pepe' MUJICA Cordano 54.8% Luis Alberto LACALLE 45.2%

Legislative branch: bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; vice president has one vote in the Senate) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: Chamber of Senators - last held on 25 October 2009 (next to be held in October 2014); Chamber of Representatives - last held on 25 October 2009 (next to be held in October 2014)
Election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Frente Amplio 16 Blanco 9 Colorado Party 5; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Frente Amplio 50 Blanco 30 Colorado Party 17 Independent Party 2

Judicial branch
Judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the president and appointed in joint conference of the General Assembly; judges appointed for 10-year terms with re-election after a lapse of 5 years following the previous term
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; District Courts (Juzagados Letrados); Peace Courts (Juzagados de Paz); Rural Courts (Juzgados Rurales)

Political parties and leaders:

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

Diplomatic representation
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 consulate general: Chicago Los Angeles Miami New York
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) 1770-2000
From the us FAX: [598] (2) 1770-2,128

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; the stripes represent the nine original departments of Uruguay; the sun symbol evokes the legend of the sun breaking through the clouds on 25 May 1810 as independence was first declared from Spain (Uruguay subsequently won its independence from Brazil)

National symbols: Sun of May (a sun-with-face symbol)

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Francisco Esteban ACUNA de Figueroa/Francisco Jose DEBALI

National heritage


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Economy overview: Uruguay has a free market economy characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector a well-educated work force and high levels of social spending. Following financial difficulties in the late 1990s and early 2000s economic growth for Uruguay averaged 8% annually during the period 2004-08. The 2008-09 global financial crisis put a brake on Uruguay's vigorous growth which decelerated to 2.6% in 2009. Nevertheless the country managed to avoid a recession and keep positive growth rates mainly through higher public expenditure and investment and GDP growth reached 8.9% in 2010 but fell to about 3.5% in 2012 the result of a renewed slowdown in the global economy and in Uruguay's main trade partners and Common Market of the South (Mercosur) counterparts Argentina and Brazil. Uruguay has sought to expand trade within Mercosur and with non-Mercosur members. Uruguay''s total merchandise trade with Mercosur since 2006 has increased by nearly 70% to more than $5 billion while its total trade with the world has almost doubled to roughly $20 billion.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 94

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 91

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 82

Gross national saving:
Rank: 100

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 13.6%
Investment in fixed capital: 22.1%
Investment in inventories: -0.9%
Exports of goods and services: 26.3%
Imports of goods and services: -29.7%: (2012 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 20.9%
Services: 71.8% (2012 est.)

Agriculture products: soybeans rice wheat; beef dairy products; fish; lumber cellulose

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% (2012 est.)
Rank: 81

Labor force: 1.691 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 127
By occupation industry: 14%
By occupation services: 73% (2010 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6% (2011 est.)
Rank: 61

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 18.6% (2010 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: 34.4% (2010 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index: 44.8 (1999)
Rank: 40

Budget
Expenditures: $15.63 billion (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -2.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 112

Taxes and other revenues: 28.9% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 102

Public debt: 60% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 45

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 8.1% (2011 est.)
Rank: 185

Central bank discount rate: 8.75% (31 December 2011)
Rank: 29

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 9.78% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 91

Stock of narrow money: $4.749 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 98

Stock of broad money: $14.22 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 92

Stock of domestic credit: $13.67 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 87

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 112

Current account balance: $-1.372 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 148

Exports: $9.274 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 95
Commodities: beef soybeans cellulose rice wheat wood dairy products; wool
Partners: Brazil 18.6% China 17.9% Argentina 6.2% Germany 4.3% (2012)

Imports: $10.7 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 90
Commodities: refined oil crude oil passenger and other transportation vehicles vehicle parts cellular phones
Partners: China 16.4% Brazil 14.9% Argentina 14.6% US 9.1% Paraguay 7.3% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $10.3 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 70

Debt external: $14.35 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 85

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $15.19 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 72

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $354 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 83

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 9.5 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 94
Consumption: 7.96 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 95
Exports: 19 million kWh (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 87
Imports: 477 million kWh (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 79
Installed generating capacity: 2.588 million kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 94
Generation sources fossil fuels: 39.8% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 169
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 195
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 59.4% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 34
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 81

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 1183 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 108
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 199
Crude oil imports: 38,680 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 58
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2009 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 198

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 43,440 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 85
Products consumption: 51,100 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 98
Products exports: 4,656 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 92
Products imports: 16,420 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 111

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 203
Consumption: 80 million m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 110
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 199
Imports: 80 million m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 75
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2013 es)
Proven reserves rank: 201

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 8.326 million Mt (2011 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 107

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.01 million (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 76
Mobile cellular: 5 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 111

Telephone system
Domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; nationwide microwave radio relay network; overall fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity has reached 170 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) (2011)

Broadcast media: mixture of privately owned and state-run broadcast media; more than 100 commercial radio stations and about 20 TV channels; cable TV is available; many community radio and TV stations; adopted the hybrid Japanese/Brazilian HDTV standard (ISDB-T) in December 2010 (2010)

Internet
Country code: .uy
Hosts: 1.036 million (2012)
Hosts rank: 45
Users: 1.405 million (2009)
Users rank: 86

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 0.9% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 137

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age (18-22 years of age for navy) for male or female voluntary military service; up to 40 years of age for specialists; enlistment is voluntary in peacetime but the government has the authority to conscript in emergencies; minimum 6-year education (2013)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 133 (2013)
Rank: 43
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 40
With unpaved runways: 79 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines: gas 257 km; oil 160 km (2013)

Railways
Rank: 77
Standard gauge: 1641 km 1.435-m gauge (1200 km operational) (2010)

Roadways
Rank: 63
Paved: 7,743 km
Unpaved: 69,989 km (2010)

Waterways: 1600 km (2011)
Rank: 50

Merchant marine
Rank: 100
By type: bulk carrier 1 cargo 2 chemical tanker 3 passenger/cargo 6 petroleum tanker 3 roll on/roll off 1
Foreign owned: 8 (Argentina 1 Denmark 1 Greece 1 Spain 5)
Registered in other countries: 1 (Liberia 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Montevideo


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Disputes international: in 2010 the ICJ ruled in favor of Uruguay's operation of two paper mills on the Uruguay River which forms the border with Argentina; the two countries formed a joint pollution monitoring regime; uncontested boundary dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera/Brasiliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim River leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question; smuggling of firearms and narcotics continues to be an issue along the Uruguay-Brazil border

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