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 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 restored in 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 National (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: 176,215 km²
Land: 175,015 km²
Water: 1200 km²
Rank: 92
Comparative: about the size of Virginia and West Virginia combined; slightly smaller than the state of Washington

Land boundaries
Total: 1591 km
Border countries: (2) Argentina 541 km; , Brazil 1050 km

Coastline: 660 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate: warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

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

Elevation
Mean elevation: 109 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m

Natural resources: arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fish

Land use
Agricultural land: 87.2% (2011 est.)
Forest: 10.2% (2011 est.)
Other: 2.6% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 2,380 km² (2012)

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 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
Distribution: most of the country's population resides in the southern half of the country; approximately 80% of the populace is urban, living in towns or cities; nearly half of the population lives in and around the capital of Montevideo: 3,369,299 (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 133
Growth rate: 0.27% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 175
Below poverty line: 9.7% (2015 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Uruguayan(s)
Adjective: Uruguayan

Ethnic groups:

Languages: Spanish (official)

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 est.)

Demographic profile: Uruguay rates high for most development indicators and is known for its secularism, liberal social laws, and well-developed social security, health, and educational systems. It is one of the few countries in Latin America and the Caribbean where the entire population has access to clean water. Uruguay's provision of free primary through university education has contributed to the country's high levels of literacy and educational attainment. However, the emigration of human capital has diminished the state's return on its investment in education. Remittances from the roughly 18% of Uruguayans abroad amount to less than 1 percent of national GDP. The emigration of young adults and a low birth rate are causing Uruguay's population to age rapidly.In the 1960s, Uruguayans for the first time emigrated en masse - primarily to Argentina and Brazil - because of economic decline and the onset of more than a decade of military dictatorship. Economic crises in the early 1980s and 2002 also triggered waves of emigration, but since 2002 more than 70% of Uruguayan emigrants have selected the US and Spain as destinations because of better job prospects. Uruguay had a tiny population upon its independence in 1828 and welcomed thousands of predominantly Italian and Spanish immigrants, but the country has not experienced large influxes of new arrivals since the aftermath of World War II. More recent immigrants include Peruvians and Arabs.

Age structure
0-14 years: 19.91% (male 341,402 /female 329,474)
15-24 years: 15.56% (male 265,486 /female 258,611)
25-54 years: 39.48% (male 658,871 /female 671,172)
55-64 years: 10.68% (male 169,385 /female 190,392)
65 years and over: 14.38% (male 194,269 /female 290,237) (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 55.9 (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 33.4 (2015 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 22.5 (2015 est.)
Potential support ratio: 4.4 (2015 est.)

Median age
Total: 35.1 years (2018 est.)
Male: 33.3 years
Female: 36.9 years
Rank: 82

Population growth rate: 0.27% (2018 est.)
Rank: 175

Birth rate: 13 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 150

Death rate: 9.4 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 54

Net migration rate: -0.9 migrant(s)/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 139

Population distribution: most of the country's population resides in the southern half of the country; approximately 80% of the populace is urban, living in towns or cities; nearly half of the population lives in and around the capital of Montevideo

Urbanization
Urban population: 95.4% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 0.46% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 1.745 million MONTEVIDEO (capital) (2019)

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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 8.1 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 9 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 7.2 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 151

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.6 years (2018 est.)
Male: 74.4 years
Female: 80.8 years
Rank: 69

Total fertility rate: 1.79 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 149

Contraceptive prevalence rate:

Drinking water source
Urban: 0% of population
Rural: 6.1% of population
Total: 0.3% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure: 9.1% (2016)

Physicians density: 5.05 physicians/1000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density: 2.8 beds/1000 population (2014)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 3.4% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 7.4% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 3.6% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.6% (2018 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 64
People living with hivaids: 14,000 (2018 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 93
Deaths note: <200 (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 27.9% (2016)
Rank: 34

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 4% (2011)
Rank: 90

Education expenditures: 4.9% of GDP (2017)
Rank: 69

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98.6%
Male: 98.2%
Female: 99% (2017)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education: 16 years

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
Etymology: name derives from the Spanish pronunciation of the Guarani Indian designation of the Uruguay River, which makes up the western border of the country and whose name later came to be applied to the entire country

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Montevideo
Geographic coordinates: 34 51 S, 56 10 W
Time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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
History: several previous; latest approved by plebiscite 27 November 1966, effective 15 February 1967
Amendments: initiated by public petition of at least 10% of qualified voters, proposed by agreement of at least two fifths of the General Assembly membership, or by existing constitutional laws sanctioned by at least two thirds of the membership in both houses of the Assembly; proposals can also be submitted by senators, representatives, or by the executive power and require the formation of and approval in a national constituent convention; final passage by either method requires approval by absolute majority of votes cast in a referendum; amended many times, last in 2004 (2018)

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

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

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: yes
Citizenship by descent only: yes
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 3-5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Tabare VAZQUEZ (since 1 March 2015); Vice President Lucia TOPOLANSKY (since 13 September 2017); note - Vice President Raul Fernando SENDIC Rodriguez (since 1 March 2015) stepped down on 9 September 2017 amid accusations of misuse of public funds; the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Tabare VAZQUEZ (since 1 March 2015); Vice President Lucia TOPOLANSKY (since 13 September 2017)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the General Assembly
Electionsappointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for nonconsecutive terms); election last held on 27 October 2019 with a runoff election on 24 November 2019 (next to be held in October 2024, and a runoff if needed in November 2024)
Election results: Luis Alberto LACALLE POU elected president - results of the first round of presidential elections: percent of vote - Daniel MARTINEZ (FA) 40.7%, Luis Alberto LACALLE POU (Blanco) 29.7%, Ernesto TALVI (Colorado Party) 12.8%, and Guido MANINI RIOS (Open Cabildo) 11.3%, other 5.5%; results of the second round: percent of vote - Luis Alberto LACALLE POU (Blanco) 50.6%, Daniel MARTINEZ (FA) 49.4%, note - LACALLE POU will take office 1 March 2020

Legislative branch
Description:
Elections:
Election results:

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice (consists of 5 judges)
Judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the president and appointed in joint conference of the General Assembly; judges serve 10-year terms, with reelection possible after a lapse of 5 years following the previous term
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; District Courts (Juzgados Letrados); Peace Courts (Juzgados de Paz); Rural Courts (Juzgados Rurales)

Political parties and leaders: Broad Front or FA (Frente Amplio) [Javier MIRANDA] - (a broad governing coalition that includes Uruguay Assembly [Danilo ASTORI], Progressive Alliance [Rodolfo NIN NOVOA], New Space [Rafael MICHELINI], Socialist Party [Monica XAVIER], Vertiente Artiguista [Enrique RUBIO], Christian Democratic Party [Jorge RODRIGUEZ], For the People’s Victory [Luis PUIG], Popular Participation Movement (MPP) [Jose MUJICA], Broad Front Commitment [Raul SENDIC], Big House [Constanza MOREIRA], Communist Party [Marcos CARAMBULA], The Federal League [Dario PEREZ]Colorado Party (including Vamos Uruguay (or Let's Go Uruguay), Open Space [Tabare VIERA], and Open Batllism [Ope PASQUET])Independent Party [Pablo MIERES]National Party or Blanco (including Everyone [Luis LACALLE POU] and National Alliance [Jorge LARRANAGA])Popular Unity [Gonzalo ABELLA]Open Cabildo [Guido MANINI RIOS]

International organization participation: CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), 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
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 331-8,142
In the us consulate: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge dAffaires Jennifer SAVAGE (since 6 August 2019)
From the us telephone: [598] (2) 1770-2000
From the us embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11,200
From the us mailing address: APO AA 34,035
From the us FAX: [598] (2) 1770-2,128

Flag description:

National symbols: Sun of May (a sun-with-face symbol); national colors: blue, white, yellow

National anthem
Name: Himno Nacional (National Anthem of Uruguay)
Lyricsmusic: Francisco Esteban ACUNA de Figueroa/Francisco Jose DEBALI: note: adopted 1848; the anthem is also known as 'Orientales, la Patria o la tumba!' ('Uruguayans, the Fatherland or Death!'); it is the world's longest national anthem in terms of music (105 bars; almost five minutes); generally only the first verse and chorus are sung

National heritage


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Economy overview: Uruguay has a free market economy characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, and high levels of social spending. Uruguay has sought to expand trade within the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) and with non-Mercosur members, and President VAZQUEZ has maintained his predecessor's mix of pro-market policies and a strong social safety net. 

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 96

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 127

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 85

Gross national saving:
Rank: 119

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 66.8% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 14.3% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 16.7% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: -1% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 21.6% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -18.4% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 6.2% (2017 est.)
Industry: 24.1% (2017 est.)
Services: 69.7% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: Cellulose, beef, soybeans, rice, wheat; dairy products; fish; lumber, tobacco, wine

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

Industrial production growth rate: -3.6% (2017 est.)
Rank: 190

Labor force: 1.748 million (2017 est.)
Rank: 127
By occupation agriculture: 13%
By occupation industry: 14%
By occupation services: 73% (2010 est.)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 112

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 9.7% (2015 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1.9%
Highest 10: 30.8% (2014 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 55

Budget
Revenues: 17.66 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 19.72 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -3.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 149

Taxes and other revenues: 29.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 79

Public debt:
Rank: 57

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 189

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 35

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 51

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 104

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 107

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 91

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 119

Current account balance:
Rank: 51

Exports:
Rank: 87
Partners: China 19%, Brazil 16.1%, US 5.7%, Argentina 5.4% (2017)
Commodities: beef, soybeans, cellulose, rice, wheat, wood, dairy products, wool

Imports:
Rank: 107
Commodities: refined oil, crude oil, passenger and other transportation vehicles, vehicle parts, cellular phones
Partners: China 20%, Brazil 19.5%, Argentina 12.6%, US 10.9% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 66

Debt external:
Rank: 84

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 60

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 54

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2016)
Production: 13.13 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 92
Consumption: 10.77 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 93
Exports: 1.321 billion kWh (2015 est.)
Exports rank: 53
Imports: 24 million kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 111
Installed generating capacity: 4.808 million kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 81
Generation sources fossil fuels: 29% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 185
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 205
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 29% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 72
Generation sources other renewable sources: 42% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 5

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 213
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 212
Crude oil imports: 40,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 57
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 209

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 42,220 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 81
Products consumption: 53,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 101
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 214
Products imports: 9,591 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 150

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 211
Consumption: 70.79 million m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 110
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 207
Imports: 70.79 million m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 75
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 204

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 7.554 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 122

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 1,136,977
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 74
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 5,097,569
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 152 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 119

Telephone system
General assessment: fully digitalized; one of the highest broadband penetrations in Latin America; high fixed-line and mobile penetrations as well; FttP coverage by 2022; nationwide 3G coverage (2018)
Domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; nationwide microwave radio relay network; overall fixed-line 34 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity 152 per 100 persons (2018)
International: country code - 598; the UNISOR submarine cable system provides direct connectivity to Brazil and Argentina; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Bicentenario 2012 and Tannat 2017 cables helped end-users with Internet bandwidth

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 (2019)

Internet
Country code: .uy
Users total: 2,225,075
Users percent of population: 66.4% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 107

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 949,974
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2017 est.)
Rank: 70


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 54

Military and security forces: Armed Forces of Uruguay (Fuerzas Armadas del Uruguay): National Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Maritime National Prefecture (Coast Guard)), Uruguayan Air Force (Fuerza Aerea) (2019)

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 (2013)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 2 (2015)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 3 (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: CX (2016)

Airports: 133 (2013)
Rank: 43
With paved runways total: 11 (2013)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1 (2013)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4 (2013)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4 (2013)
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (2013)
With unpaved runways total: 122 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 40 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 79 (2013)

Heliports

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

Railways
Total: 1673 km
Note: 1.435-m gauge (2016)
Standard gauge: 1673 km
Rank: 80

Roadways
Total: 77,732 km (2010)
Paved: 7,743 km (2010)
Unpaved: 69,989 km (2010)
Rank: 63

Waterways: 1600 km (2011)
Rank: 50

Merchant marine
Total: 57
By type: container ship 1, general cargo 6, oil tanker 3, other 47 (2018)
Rank: 109

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: 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
Refugees: 13,694 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum or have received alternative legal stay) (2019)

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