Uruguay

Oriental Republic of UruguayRepublica Oriental del Uruguay

republicIndependence 25 August 1828 (from Brazil)

Uruguay as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 75 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

LocationEastern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Argentina

Populationas each edition published it

3.18 million July 1993 est. · 3.04m in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.75% 1993 est. · -0.06% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 31.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

73.74 years 1993 est. · 78.9 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.46 children per woman 1993 est. · 2.4 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

18 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 22 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$3,100 1992 est. · $32,000 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

8% 1992 est. · 3.1% in 2025

Geography

Eastern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Argentina | and Brazil

13 fields

Land useshare of 176,220 km2

arable land 8%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 78%forest and woodland 4%other 10%irrigated 1,100 km2 (1989 est.)

Area

176,220km2

land area: 173,620 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Washington State

Coastline

660km

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

Land boundaries

1,564km

total · Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km

Location

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

Map references

South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

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

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

3,175,050

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 0.75% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

17.82Death

9.52Net migration

-0.79

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years73.74

70.52 · 77.11

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy96%

97% · 96%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Ethnic divisions

white 88%mestizo 8%black 4%

Religions

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

Labor force

1.355million

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

Nationality

noun:: Uruguayan(s)
adjective:: Uruguayan

Government

Republic

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

37%

Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera (Blanco) 37%Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (Colorado) 29%Liber SEREGNI Mosquera (Broad Front) 20%

Names

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

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

Political parties and leaders

National (Blanco) Party, Carlos CAT;
Colorado Party, Secretary General (vacant);
Broad Front Coalition, Liber SEREGNI Mosquera - includes
- PSU,
- PCU,
- MLN,
- MRO,
- PVP
;
Uruguayan Socialist Party (PSU), Jose Pedro CARDOSO, and;
Communist Party (PCU), Marina ARISMENDI;
National Liberation Movement (MLN) or Tupamaros, Eleuterio FERNANDEZ Huidobro;
Oriental Rvolutionary Movement (MRO), Walter ARTOLA;
Party for the Victory of the Poor (PVP), Hugo CORES;
New Space Coalition consists of PGP, PDC, and Civic Union, Hugo BATALLA;
People's Government Party (PGP), Hugo BATALLA, secretary general;
Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Carlos VASSALLO, secretary general;
Civic Union, Humberto CIGANDA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Elections

President:: 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%
Chamber of Senators:: 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
Chamber of Representatives:: 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

Executive branch

president, vice president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

bicameral General Assembly (Asamblea General) consists of an upper chamber or Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Representatives (Camera de Representantes)

Leaders

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

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 (correspondent), 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

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
consulates general:: Los Angeles, Miami, and New York,
consulate:: New Orleans

US diplomatic representation

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

Economy

Uruguay is a small economy with favorable climate, good soils, and solid | hydropower potential.

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$3,100

(1992 est.)

Real growth rate

(1992 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -1.4% (1990), accounts for almost 25% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

58%

(1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

(1992 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$2.9 billionExpenditures

$3.0 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $388 million (1991)

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 8% 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.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $9.8 billion (1992 est.)

Exports

$1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities:: hides and leather goods 17%, beef 10%, wool 9%, fish 7%, rice 4%
partners:: Argentina, Brazil, US, Germany

Imports

$1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities:: crude oil, fuels, and lubricants, metals, machinery, transportation equipment, industrial chemicals
partners:: Brazil 23%, Argentina 17%, US 10%, EC 27.1% (1990)

External debt

$4.1 billion (1991)

Electricity

2,168,000 kW capacity; 5,960 million kWh produced, 1,900 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

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

Agriculture

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

Economic aid

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

Currency

1 new Uruguayan peso (N$Ur) = 100 centesimos

Exchange rates

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), 451 (1988), 281 (1987)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

7 fields

Merchant marine, 4 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 1container 2oil tanker 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 84,797 GRT/132,296 DWT

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