Uruguay

Internet country code

.uy

Internet hosts

87,630 (2003)

Internet users

400,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 91, FM 149, shortwave 7 (2001)

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

946,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

652,000 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

23 (2002)

Agriculture - products

rice, wheat, corn, barley; livestock; fish

Budget

revenues: $3.332 billion expenditures: $3.787 billion, including capital expenditures of $193 million (2004 est.)

Currency (code)

Uruguayan peso (UYU)

Current account balance

$181.8 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external

$12.8 billion (March 2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

44.8 (1999)

Economic aid - recipient

NA

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.

Electricity - consumption

5.878 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports

954 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports

434.2 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - production

8.536 billion kWh (2003)

Exchange rates

Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 28.704 (2004), 28.209 (2003), 21.257 (2002), 13.319 (2001), 12.1 (2000)

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)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$49.27 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 7.9% industry: 27.4% services: 64.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $14,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

10.2% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 25.8% (1997)

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)

Industrial production growth rate

22% (2004 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7.6% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

9.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Labor force

1.56 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 14%, industry 16%, services 70%

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.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

41,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA

Oil - imports

NA

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

21% of households (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.362 billion (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate

13% (2004 est.)

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

Climate

warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Coastline

660 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m

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

Geographic coordinates

33 00 S, 56 00 W

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

Irrigated land

1,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 1,564 km border countries: Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km

Land use

arable land: 7.43% permanent crops: 0.23% other: 92.34% (2001)

Location

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

Map references

South America

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

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

Natural resources

arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

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

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

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

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

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)

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%

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

Government type

constitutional republic

Independence

25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)

Legal system

based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

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.

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 branches

Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Marines, Maritime Prefecture in wartime), Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$257.5 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2% (2004)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2001)

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.)

Birth rate

14.09 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate

9.06 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ethnic groups

white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian (practically nonexistent)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

6,000 (2001 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.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.13 years male: 72.92 years female: 79.45 years (2005 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 97.6% female: 98.4% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 32.46 years male: 31.02 years female: 33.95 years (2005 est.)

Nationality

noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan

Net migration rate

-0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Population

3,415,920 (July 2005 est.)

Population growth rate

0.47% (2005 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing or other 31%

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.)

Total fertility rate

1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Disputes - international

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

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.)

Highways

total: 8,983 km paved: 8,081 km unpaved: 902 km (1999 est.)

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)

Pipelines

gas 192 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

Montevideo

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)

Waterways

1,600 km (2002)