Uruguay

§1. Uruguay Introduction

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. 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 named 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. In 2004, the
  left-of-center EP- FA 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.

§2. Uruguay Geography

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 km²
  land: 173,620 km²
  water: 2,600 km²

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: 7.77%
  permanent crops: 0.24%
  other: 91.99% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  1,800 km² (1998 est.)

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

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

§3. Uruguay People

Population:
  3,431,932 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 22.9% (male 399,409/female 386,136)
  15-64 years: 63.9% (male 1,087,180/female 1,104,465)
  65 years and over: 13.3% (male 185,251/female 269,491) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 32.7 years
  male: 31.3 years
  female: 34.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.46% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  13.91 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  9.05 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 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 (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 11.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 12.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 10.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.33 years
  male: 73.12 years
  female: 79.65 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.89 children born/woman (2006 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.)

§4. Uruguay Government

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 Rosas (since 1 March 2005) and
    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) and
    Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (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%;
    other 4.1%

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; vice president has one vote in the Senate)
  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 [Julio Maria SANGUINETTI]; Independent Party (Partido
  Independiente) [Pablo MIERES]; Movement of Popular Participation or MPP
  [Jose MUJICA]; National Party or Blanco [Jorge LARRANAGA]; New Sector/Space
  Coalition (Nuevo Espacio) [Rafael MICHELINI]; Progressive Encounter/Broad
  Front Coalition (Encuentro Progresista/Frente Amplio) or EP-FA [Tabare
  VAZQUEZ]; Socialist Party of Uruguay or Socialists [Reinaldo GARGANO];
  Uruguayan Assembly or Asamblea Uruguay [Danilo ASTORI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Architect's Society of Uruguay (professional organization); Catholic
  Church; Chamber of Uruguayan Industries (manufacturer's association);
  Chemist and Pharmaceutical Association (professional organization); PIT-CNT
  (powerful federation of Uruguayan unions); Rural Association of Uruguay
  (rancher's association); students; Uruguayan Construction League

International organization participation:
  CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, 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, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Alberto 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, New York
  consulate(s): San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires James D. NEALON
  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 with 16 rays that
  alternate between triangular and wavy

§5. Uruguay Economy

Economy - overview:
  Uruguay's well-to-do 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. A debt swap with private-sector creditors in 2003
  extended the maturity dates on nearly half of Uruguay's then $11.3 billion
  of public debt and helped restore public confidence. The economy grew about
  10% in 2004 as a result of high commodity prices for Uruguayan exports, a
  competitive peso, growth in the region, and low international interest
  rates, but slowed to 6.1% in 2005.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $54.58 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $17.03 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.1% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $16,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 7.1%
  industry: 27.7%
  services: 65.2% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
  1.52 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 14%, industry 16%, services 70%

Unemployment rate:
  12.5% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  22% of households (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 3.7%
  highest 10%: 25.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  44.6 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.9% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  12.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $4.468 billion
  expenditures: $4.845 billion; including capital expenditures of $193
    million (2005 est.)

Public debt:
  793.4% of GDP (June 2005 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:
  5.1% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
  8.611 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  7.762 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  900 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  654 million kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  435 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  38,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  60 million m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  65 million m³ (2003 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-19 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $3.55 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  meat, rice, leather products, wool, fish, dairy products

Exports - partners:
  US 17.4%, Brazil 16.1%, Germany 6.3%, Argentina 6.2%, Mexico 4.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $3.54 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, crude petroleum

Imports - partners:
  Argentina 19.4%, Brazil 19%, Paraguay 12.9%, US 9.2%, China 6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $2.654 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
  $11.22 billion (June 2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency (code):
  Uruguayan peso (UYU)

Exchange rates:
  Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 24.479 (2005), 28.704 (2004), 28.209
  (2003), 21.257 (2002), 13.319 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Uruguay Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1 million (2004)

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 93, FM 191, shortwave 7 (2005)

Television broadcast stations:
  62 (2005)

Internet country code:
  .uy

Internet hosts:
  112,968 (2005)

Internet users:
  680,000 (2005)

§7. Uruguay Transportation

Airports:
  64 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 9
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 55
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 21
  under 914 m: 31 (2005)

Pipelines:
  gas 192 km (2004)

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)

Roadways:
  total: 77,732 km
  paved: 7,743 km
  unpaved: 69,989 km (2004)

Waterways:
  1,600 km (2005)

Merchant marine:
  total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 37,683 GRT/19,725 DWT
  by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 2,
    roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 4 (Argentina 3, Greece 1)
  registered in other countries: 7 (Argentina 1, The Bahamas 2, Liberia 3,
    Spain 1) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Fray Bentos, Colonia, Juan Lacaze

§8. Uruguay Military

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:
  $371.2 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.1% (2005 est.)

§9. Uruguay Transnational Issues

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


<Factbook 2006>
