Uruguay

• Rio de la Plata/Parana river mouth (shared with Brazil [s], Argentina, Paraguay) - 4,880 km;
• Uruguay river mouth (shared with Brazil [s] and Argentina) - 1,610 km

note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

• most of the country's population resides in the southern half of the country;
• approximately 80% of the populace is urban;
• nearly half of the population lives in and around the capital of Montevideo

• 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

• 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

noun:

Uruguayan(s)

adjective:

Uruguayan

total:

37.4 years (2025 est.)

male:

34.9 years

female:

38.2 years

• most of the country's population resides in the southern half of the country;
• approximately 80% of the populace is urban;
• nearly half of the population lives in and around the capital of Montevideo

at birth:

1.04 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.68 male(s)/female

total population:

0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

9.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

6.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

78.9 years (2024 est.)

male:

75.8 years

female:

82.1 years

total:

5.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

1.86 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

2.86 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.71 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

18% (2025 est.)

male:

21.3% (2025 est.)

female:

14.9% (2025 est.)

• water pollution from meat-packing, tannery industries;
• heavy metal pollution;
• inadequate solid and hazardous waste disposal;
• deforestation

urban population:

95.8% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

0.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

energy:

18.1 kt (2022-2024 est.)

agriculture:

730.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste:

115.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

other:

2.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

1.26 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

24.8% (2022 est.)

municipal:

424.428 million cubic meters (2022)

industrial:

603.701 million cubic meters (2022)

agricultural:

3.479 billion cubic meters (2022)

total global geoparks and regional networks:

1

global geoparks and regional networks:

Grutas del Palacio (2023)

conventional long form:

Oriental Republic of Uruguay

conventional short form:

Uruguay

local long form:

República Oriental del Uruguay

local short form:

Uruguay

former:

Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province

etymology:

name derives from the Uruguay River, which makes up the western border of the country; the river's name comes from the Guarani words uru (bird) and guay (tail)

name:

Montevideo

geographic coordinates:

34 51 S, 56 10 W

time difference:

UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology:

• the origin of the name is disputed but refers to a hill or mountain ( monte );
• one theory combines the Spanish word monte (mountain) with the Latin video (I see)

• 19 departments ( departamentos , singular - departamento );
• Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandú, Rio Negro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San José, Soriano, Tacuarembó, Treinta y Tres

history:

several previous; latest approved by plebiscite 27 November 1966, effective 15 February 1967, reinstated in 1985 at the conclusion of military rule

amendment process:

• 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

citizenship by birth:

yes

citizenship by descent only:

yes

dual citizenship recognized:

yes

residency requirement for naturalization:

3-5 years

legislature name:

General Assembly (Asamblea General)

legislative structure:

bicameral

chamber name:

House of Representatives (Cámara de Representantes)

number of seats:

99 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

proportional representation

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

5 years

most recent election date:

10/27/2024

parties elected and seats per party:

• Broad Front (FA) (48);
• National Party (PN) (29);
• Colorado Party (PC) (17);
• Other (5)

percentage of women in chamber:

31.3%

expected date of next election:

October 2029

chamber name:

Senate (Cámara de Senadores)

number of seats:

31 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

proportional representation

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

5 years

most recent election date:

10/27/2024

parties elected and seats per party:

• Broad Front (FA) (16);
• National Party (PN) (9);
• Colorado Party (PC) (5)

percentage of women in chamber:

32.3%

expected date of next election:

October 2029

highest court(s):

Supreme Court of Justice (consists of 5 judges)

judge selection and term of office:

• judges nominated by the president and appointed by two-thirds vote 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)

chief of mission:

Ambassador Daniel CASTILLOS Gómez (since 5 September 2025)

chancery:

1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006

telephone:

[1] (202) 331-1313

FAX:

[1] (202) 331-8142

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://embassyofuruguay.us/

consulate(s) general:

Miami, New York, San Francisco

chief of mission:

Ambassador Lou RINALDI (since 30 September 2025)

embassy:

Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200

mailing address:

3360 Montevideo Place, Washington DC 20521-3360

telephone:

(+598) 1770-2000

FAX:

[+598] 1770-2128

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://uy.usembassy.gov/

description:

• nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue;
• a white square in the upper-left corner has a yellow sun with a human face (outlined in black) known as the Sun of May, with 16 rays that alternate between triangular and wavy

meaning:

• the stripes represent the country's nine original departments;
• the sun refers to the legend of the sun breaking through the clouds on 25 May 1810 as independence was declared from Spain;
• the sun is said to be Inti, the Inca god of the sun

note: the banner was inspired by the national colors of Argentina and the design of the US flag

title:

"Himno Nacional" (National Anthem of Uruguay)

lyrics/music:

Francisco Esteban ACUNA de Figueroa/Francisco Jose DEBALI

history:

• 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);
• usually only the first verse and chorus are sung

total World Heritage Sites:

3 (all cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

• Historic City of Colonia del Sacramento;
• Fray Bentos Industrial Landscape;
• The work of engineer Eladio Dieste: Church of Atlántida

• high-income, export-oriented South American economy;
• South America’s largest middle class;
• low socioeconomic inequality;
• growing homicide rates;
• growing Chinese and EU relations;
• 2019 Argentine recession hurt;
• key milk, beef, rice, and wool exporter

agriculture:

6.4% (2024 est.)

industry:

16.8% (2024 est.)

services:

65.3% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

total:

26.4% (2024 est.)

male:

23.5% (2024 est.)

female:

29.8% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

on food:

18.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco:

1.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

lowest 10%:

2.1% (2023 est.)

highest 10%:

30.8% (2023 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

consumption:

8,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

13,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

total petroleum production:

400 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption:

50,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

consumption:

90.018 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports:

90.871 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

• mix of privately owned and state-run broadcast media;
• over 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 2010 (2019)

total:

1,673 km (2016) (operational; government claims overall length is 2,961 km)

standard gauge:

1,673 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge

total ports:

8 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

1

small:

1

very small:

6

ports with oil terminals:

2

key ports:

Colonia, Fray Bentos, Jose Ignacio, La Paloma, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Puerto Sauce

• generally 18-30 years of age (up to 22 for the Navy and up to 40 for some specialist positions) for voluntary military service for men and women;
• initial 24-month service obligation (2025)

• the armed forces are responsible for defense of the country’s independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity, as well as protecting strategic resources;
• it has some domestic responsibilities, including perimeter security for a number of prisons, border security, and providing humanitarian/disaster assistance;
• it also assists the Ministry of Interior in combating narcotics trafficking;
• the military participates in UN peacekeeping missions and multinational exercises with foreign partners;
• Uruguay traditionally has held security ties with Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and the US;
• since 2018, it has also signed defense cooperation agreements with China and Russia (2025)

refugees:

32,149 (2024 est.)

IDPs:

33 (2024 est.)

stateless persons:

5 (2024 est.)