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This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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| Introduction | Uruguay | Top of Page

Background: | Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to became an important commercial center. Annexed by Brazil as a separate province in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President BATLLE in the early 20th century established widespread political, social, and economic reforms. 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 yearend, 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.

| Geography | Uruguay | Top of Page

Location: | Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil
Geographic coordinates: | 33 00 S, 56 00 W
Map references: | South America
Area: | total: 176,220 sq km land: 173,620 sq km water: 2,600 sq km
Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than the state of Washington
Land boundaries: | total: 1,564 km border countries: Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km
Coastline: | 660 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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 highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m
Natural resources: | arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries
Land use: | arable land: 7.43% permanent crops: 0.23% other: 92.34% (2001)
Irrigated land: | 1,800 sq km (1998 est.)
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
Environment - current issues: | water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal
Environment - 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 signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
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

| People | Uruguay | Top of Page

Population: | 3,415,920 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 23.2% (male 403,041/female 389,427) 15-64 years: 63.6% (male 1,076,960/female 1,095,833) 65 years and over: 13.2% (male 183,877/female 266,782) (2005 est.)
Median age: | total: 32.46 years male: 31.02 years female: 33.95 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: | 0.47% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: | 14.09 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: | 9.06 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: | -0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 11.95 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 76.13 years male: 72.92 years female: 79.45 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.3% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 6,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 500 (2003 est.)
Nationality: | noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan
Ethnic groups: | white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian (practically nonexistent)
Religions: | Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing or other 31%
Languages: | Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 97.6% female: 98.4% (2003 est.)

| Government | Uruguay | Top of Page

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: | 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
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
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: | chief of state: President Tabare VAZQUEZ (since 1 March 2005) and Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVA (since 1 March 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Tabare VAZQUEZ (since 1 March 2005) and Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVA (since 1 March 2005); 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 2004 (next to be held October 2009) election results: Tabare VAZQUEZ elected president; percent of vote - Tabare VAZQUEZ 50.5%, Jorge LARRANAGA 35.1%, Guillermo STIRLING 10.3%
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 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: | Colorado Party [Jorge BATLLE Ibanez]; National Party or Blanco [Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera]; New Sector/Space Coalition (Nuevo Espacio) [Rafael MICHELINI]; Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition (Encuentro Progresista/Frente Amplio) or EP-FA [Tabare VAZQUEZ]; Independent Party (Partido Independiente) [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | Agrupacion UTE (powerful state worker's union), Rural Association of Uruguay (rancher's association), Uruguayan Construction League, Chamber of Uruguayan Industries (manufacturer's association), Chemist and Pharmaceutical Association (professional organization), Architect's Society of Uruguay (professional organization), the Catholic Church, students
International organization participation: | CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos GIANELLI Derois chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316 FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York consulate(s): San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Martin J. SILVERSTEIN embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200 mailing address: APO AA 34035 telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777 FAX: [598] (2) 418-8611
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

| Economy | Uruguay | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | Uruguay's well-to-do 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 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 massive withdrawals by Argentina of dollars deposited in Uruguayan banks led to a plunge in the Uruguyan 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 serious banking crisis. Unemployment rose to nearly 20% in 2002, inflation surged, and the burden of external debt doubled. Cooperation with the IMF limited the damage. The debt swap with private creditors carried out in 2003, which extended the maturity dates on nearly half of Uruguay's $11.3 billion in public debt, substantially alleviated the country's amortization burden in the coming years and restored public confidence. The economy grew about 10% in 2004 as a result of high commodity prices for Uruguayan exports, the weakness of the dollar against the euro, growth in the region, low international interest rates, and greater export competitiveness.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $49.27 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 10.2% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $14,500 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 7.9% industry: 27.4% services: 64.8% (2004 est.)
Labor force: | 1.56 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture 14%, industry 16%, services 70%
Unemployment rate: | 13% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line: | 21% of households (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 25.8% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 44.8 (1999)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 7.6% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 9.6% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $3.332 billion expenditures: $3.787 billion, including capital expenditures of $193 million (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products: | rice, wheat, corn, barley; livestock; fish
Industries: | food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages
Industrial production growth rate: | 22% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production: | 8.536 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - consumption: | 5.878 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports: | 954 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports: | 434.2 million kWh (2003)
Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 41,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: | NA
Oil - imports: | NA
Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 64.5 million cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 65 million cu m (2003 est.)
Current account balance: | $181.8 million (2004 est.)
Exports: | $2.2 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities: | meat, rice, leather products, wool, fish, dairy products
Exports - partners: | US 17.3%, Brazil 16%, Germany 6.3%, Argentina 6.2%, Mexico 4.2% (2004)
Imports: | $2.071 billion f.o.b. (2003)
Imports - commodities: | machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, crude petroleum
Imports - partners: | Argentina 19.5%, Brazil 19%, Paraguay 12.9%, US 9.2%, China 6% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $2.362 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external: | $12.8 billion (March 2004)
Economic aid - recipient: | NA
Currency (code): | Uruguayan peso (UYU)
Exchange rates: | Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 28.704 (2004), 28.209 (2003), 21.257 (2002), 13.319 (2001), 12.1 (2000)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

| Communications | Uruguay | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 946,500 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 652,000 (2002)
Telephone system: | general assessment: fully digitalized domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network international: country code - 598; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 91, FM 149, shortwave 7 (2001)
Television broadcast stations: | 23 (2002)
Internet country code: | .uy
Internet hosts: | 87,630 (2003)
Internet users: | 400,000 (2002)

| Transportation | Uruguay | Top of Page

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 (2004)
Highways: | total: 8,983 km paved: 8,081 km unpaved: 902 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: | 1,600 km (2002)
Pipelines: | gas 192 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: | Montevideo
Merchant marine: | total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 10,918 GRT/10,342 DWT by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 4 (Argentina 3, Greece 1) registered in other countries: 8 (2005)
Airports: | 64 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 50 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 31 (2004 est.)

| Military | Uruguay | Top of Page

Military branches: | Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Marines, Maritime Prefecture in wartime), Air Force
Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service: | males age 18-49: 764,408 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 18-49: 637,445 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $257.5 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 2% (2004)

| Transnational Issues | Uruguay | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | uncontested dispute with Brazil over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada streams and the resulting tripoint with Argentina

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005