Uruguay

Airports

total: 87 usable: 80 with permanent-surface runways: 16 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 14

Highways

total: 49,900 km paved: 6,700 km unpaved: gravel 3,000 km; earth 40,200 km

Inland waterways

1,600 km; used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft

Merchant marine

4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 84,797 GRT/132,296 DWT, cargo 1, container 2, oil tanker 1

Ports

Montevideo, Punta del Este, Colonia

Railroads

3,000 km, all 1.435-meter (standard) gauge and government owned

Telecommunications

most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave network; 337,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 99 AM, no FM, 26 TV, 9 shortwave; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

Branches

Army, Navy (including Naval Air Arm, Coast Guard, Marines), Air Force, Grenadier Guards, Police

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $216 million, 2.3% of GDP (1991 est.)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 765,490; fit for military service 621,629

Agriculture

accounts for 12% of GDP; large areas devoted to livestock grazing; wheat, rice, corn, sorghum; self-sufficient in most basic foodstuffs

Budget

revenues: $2.9 billion expenditures: $3 billion, including capital expenditures of $388 million (1991 est.)

Currency

1 Uruguayan peso ($Ur) = 100 centesimos

Economic aid

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $105 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $420 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $69 million

Electricity

capacity: 2,168,000 kW production: 5.96 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,900 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates

Uruguayan pesos ($Ur) per US$1 - 4.4710 (January 1994), 3.9484 (1993); new Uruguayan pesos (N$Ur) per US$1 - 3,457.5 (December 1992), 3,026.9 (1992), 2,489 (1991), 1,594 (1990), 805 (1989) note: on 1 March 1993 the former New Peso (N$Ur) was replaced as Uruguay's unit of currency by the Peso which is equal to 1,000 of the New Pesos; consequently there is a major change in the peso/dollar exchange rate

Exports

$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: wool and textile manufactures, beef and other animal products, leather, rice partners: Brazil, Argentina, US, China, Italy

External debt

$4.2 billion (1993)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Imports

$2 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, minerals, plastics partners: Brazil, Argentina, US, Nigeria

Industrial production

growth rate 4.2% (1992 est.), accounts for almost 25% of GDP

Industries

meat processing, wool and hides, sugar, textiles, footwear, leather apparel, tires, cement, fishing, petroleum refining, wine

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

50% (1993 est.)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $19 billion (1993 est.)

National product per capita

$6,000 (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

2% (1993 est.)

Overview

Uruguay is a small economy with favorable climate, good soils, and solid hydropower potential. Economic development has been held back by excessive government regulation of economic detail and 50% to 130% inflation. After several years of sluggish growth, real GDP jumped by about 7.5% in 1992. The rise is attributable mainly to an increase in Argentine demand for Uruguayan exports, particularly agricultural products and electricity. In a major step toward greater regional economic cooperation, Uruguay in 1991 had joined Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay in forming the Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur). A referendum in December 1992 overturned key portions of landmark privatization legislation, dealing a serious blow to President LACALLE's broad economic reform plan. Hampered by a slowdown in the agricultural sector, the economy grew at only 2% in 1993 compared with 7.5% in 1992. Although inflation declined for the second consecutive year, a surge in the money supply, rising food prices, a record trade deficit, and an increase in the government deficit toward the end of the year foreshadowed troubles ahead in 1994.

Unemployment rate

8.8% (1993 est.)

Area

total area: 176,220 sq km land area: 173,620 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Washington State

Climate

warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Coastline

660 km

Environment

current issues: NA natural hazards: subject to seasonally high winds, droughts, floods international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

International disputes

short section of boundary with Argentina is in dispute; two short sections of the boundary with Brazil are in dispute - Arroyo de la Invernada (Arroio Invernada) area of the Rio Quarai and the islands at the confluence of the Rio Cuareim (Rio Quarai) and the Uruguay River

Irrigated land

1,100 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

total 1,564 km, Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km

Land use

arable land: 8% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 78% forest and woodland: 4% other: 10%

Location

Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Argentina and Brazil

Map references

South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation territorial sea: 200 nm; overflight and navigation permitted beyond 12 nm

Natural resources

soil, hydropower potential, minor minerals

Terrain

mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

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

Capital

Montevideo

Chamber of Representatives (Camera de Representantes)

elections last held NA November 1989 (next to be held NA November 1994); results - Blanco 39%, Colorado 30%, Broad Front 22%, New Space 8%, other 1%; seats - (99 total) number of seats by party NA

Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores)

elections last held 26 November 1989 (next to be held NA November 1994); results - Blanco 40%, Colorado 30%, Broad Front 23% New Space 7%; seats - (30 total) Blanco 12, Colorado 9, Broad Front 7, New Space 2

Constitution

27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980

Digraph

UY

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo MACGILLYCUDDY chancery: 1918 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: telephone (202) 331-1313 through 1316 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, and New York consulate(s): New Orleans

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: President Luis Alberto LACALLE (since 1 March 1990); Vice President Gonzalo AGUIRRE Ramirez (since 1 March 1990); election last held 26 November 1989 (next to be held NA November 1994); results - Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera (Blanco) 37%, Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (Colorado) 29%, Liber SEREGNI Mosquera (Broad Front) 20% cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

FAX

[598] (2) 48-86-11

Flag

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

Independence

25 August 1828 (from Brazil)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral General Assembly (Asamblea General)

Member of

AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, MERCOSUR, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNOMOZ, UNTAC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Names

conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay conventional short form: Uruguay local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay local short form: Uruguay

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 August (1828)

Political parties and leaders

National (Blanco) Party; Colorado Party, Jorge BATLLE; Broad Front Coalition, Gen. Liber SEREGNI Mosquera; New Space Coalition, Hugo BATALLA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Type

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas DODD embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo mailing address: APO AA 34035 telephone: [598] (2) 23-60-61 or 48-77-77

Birth rate

17.7 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate

9.39 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic divisions

white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%

Infant mortality rate

17.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force

1.355 million (1991 est.) by occupation: government 25%, manufacturing 19%, agriculture 11%, commerce 12%, utilities, construction, transport, and communications 12%, other services 21% (1988 est.)

Languages

Spanish, Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.09 years male: 70.88 years female: 77.47 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 96% male: 97% female: 96%

Nationality

noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan

Net migration rate

-0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population

3,198,910 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

0.75% (1994 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 66% (less than half adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, nonprofessing or other 30%

Total fertility rate

2.44 children born/woman (1994 est.)