Uruguay

republicIndependence 25 August 1828 (from Brazil)

Uruguay as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 70 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalMontevideo

Area176,220 km2

Populationas each edition published it

3.04 million July 1990 · 3.45m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 0.75% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 31.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 73.74 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.4 children per woman 1990 · 1.27 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

22 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 6.9 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $3,100 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 8% in 1993

Geography

12 fields

Land useshare of 176,220 km2

arable land 8%meadows and pastures 78%forest and woodland 4%other 10%NEGL% permanent crops; includes 1% irrigated

Total area

176,220km2

land area: 173,620 km2Comparative area: slightly smaller than Washington State

Coastline

660km

Territorial sea: 200 nm (overflight and navigation permitted beyond 12 nm)

Land boundaries

1,564km total

Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km

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 area of the Rio Quarai and the islands at the confluence of the Rio Quarai and the Uruguay)

Climate

warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Terrain

mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Natural resources

soil, hydropower potential, minor minerals

Environment

subject to seasonally high winds, droughts, floods

People

14 fields

Population

3,036,660

(July 1990), growth rate 0.6% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

17Death

Ethnic divisions

white 88%mestizo 8%black 4%

Religion

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

Literacy

94%

Nationality

noun--Uruguayan(s); adjective--Uruguayan

Labor force

1,300,000; 25% government, 19% manufacturing, 11% agriculture, 12% commerce, 12% utilities, construction, transport, and communications, 21% other services (1988 est.)

Organized labor

Interunion Workers' Assembly/National Workers' Confederation (PIT/CNT) Labor Federation

Government

Republic

17 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

37%

Luis Lacalle (Blanco) 37%Jorge Batlle (Colorado) 29%Liber Seregni (Broad Front) 20%26 November 1989 (next to be held November 1994)

Senate, 30 seats, elected 26 November 1989one dot, one seat

Blanco 12Colorado 9Broad Front 7New Space 2

Percent of vote

Blanco 40%Colorado 30%Broad Front New Space 7% 23%

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

Constitution

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

Legal system

based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Executive branch

president, vice president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

bicameral Congress (Congreso) consists of an upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camera del Diputados)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court Chief of State and Head of Government--President Luis Alberto LACALLE (since 1 March 1990); Vice President Gonzalo AGUIRRE (since 1 March 1990)

Political parties and leaders

National (Blanco) Party, Roberto Rubio;
Colorado Party;
Broad Front Coalition, Liber Seregni includes Communist Party led by Jaime Perez and National Liberation Movement (MLN) or Tupamaros led by Eleuterio Fernandez Huidobro;
New Space Coalition consists of the Party of the Government of the People (PGP) led by Hugo Batalla, Christian Democratic Party (PDC), and Civic Union led by Humberto Ciganda

Suffrage

universal and compulsory at age 18 President--last held 26 November 1989 (next to be held November 1994);
results--Luis Lacalle (Blanco) 37%, Jorge Batlle (Colorado) 29%, Liber Seregni (Broad Front) 20%;
Senate--last held 26 November 1989 (next to be held 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;
Chamber of Deputies--last held NA November 1989 (next to be held November 1994);
results--Blanco 39%, Colorado 30%, Broad Front 22%, New Space 8%, others 1%;
seats--(99 total) number of seats by party NA

CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT, Group of Eight, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IRC, ITU, LAIA, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Juan Podesta PINON;
Chancery at 1918 F Street NW, Washington DC 20006;
telephone (202) 331-1313 through 1316;
there are Uruguayan Consulates General in Los Angeles, Miami, and New York, and a Consulate in New Orleans;
US--Ambassador Malcolm R. WILKEY;
Embassy at Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo (mailing address is APO Miami 34035);
telephone [598] (2) 40-90-51

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

Economy

The economy is slowly recovering from the deep recession of 1981-84.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$8.8billion

per capita $2,950; real growth rate 1% (1989 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

80%

(1989 est.)

Unemployment rate

9.0%

(1989 est.)

External debt

$6billion

(1988)

Exports $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.)commodities, where a share is given

hides and leather goods

17%beef

10%wool

9%fish

7%rice

; partners--Brazil 17%, US 15%, FRG 10%, Argentina 10% (1987)

Budget

Revenues

$1.2 billionExpenditures

$1.4 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $165 million (1988)

Overview

The economy is slowly recovering from the deep recession of 1981-84. In 1986 real GDP grew by 6.6% and in 1987 by 4.9%. The recovery was led by growth in the agriculture and fishing sectors, agriculture alone contributing 20% to GDP, employing about 11% of the labor force, and generating a large proportion of export earnings.

Raising livestock, particularly cattle and sheep, is the major agricultural activity. In 1988, despite healthy exports and an improved current account, domestic growth slowed because of government concentration on the external sector, adverse weather conditions, and prolonged strikes. High inflation rates of about 80%, a large domestic debt, and frequent strikes remain major economic problems for the government.

Imports

$1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
commodities--fuels and lubricants 15%, metals, machinery, transportation equipment, industrial chemicals;
partners--Brazil 24%, Argentina 14%, US 8%, FRG 8% (1987)

Industrial production

growth rate - 2.9% (1988 est.)

Electricity

1,950,000 kW capacity; 4,330 million kWh produced, 1,450 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

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

Agriculture

large areas devoted to extensive livestock grazing;
wheat, rice, corn, sorghum;
self-sufficient in most basic foodstuffs

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $105 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $263 million;
Communist countries (1970-88), $69 million

Currency

new Uruguayan peso (plural--pesos); 1 new Uruguayan peso (N$Ur) = 100 centesimos

Exchange rates

new Uruguayan pesos (N$Ur) per US$1--832.62 (January 1990), 605.62 (1989), 359.44 (1988), 226.67 (1987), 151.99 (1986), 101.43 (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Merchant marine, 4 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 2petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 1container 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 65,212 GRT/116,613 DWT

Airports, 92 total, 87 usable

permanent-surface runways

16runways over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

2runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Highways

49,900Railroads

3,000Inland waterways

1,600

Highways: ; 6,700 km paved, 3,000 km gravel, 40,200 km earth · Railroads: , all 1.435-meter standard gauge and government owned · Inland waterways: ; used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft