Uruguay

Oriental Republic of Uruguay conventional short form: Uruguay local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay local short form: Uruguay former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province

constitutional republicIndependence 25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

Uruguay as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 112 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

Position33 00 S, 56 00 W

Area176,220 sq km land: 173,620 sq km water: 2,600 sq km

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

Populationas each edition published it

3.36 million July 2001 est. · 3.04m in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.78% 2001 est. · 0.75% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 31.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

75.44 years 2001 est. · 73.74 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.36 children per woman 2001 est. · 2.4 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

14.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 2001 est. · 22 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$9,300 2000 est. · $3,100 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-1.1% 2000 est. · 8% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

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 the end of the year 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.

Geography

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

17 fields

Coastline

660km

contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Irrigated land

7,700sq km

(1997 est.)

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

33 00 S, 56 00 W

Map references

South America

Area

total: 176,220 sq km land: 173,620 sq km water: 2,600 sq km

Land boundaries

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

Climate

warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Terrain

mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Elevation extremes

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

Natural resources

arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Land use

arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 77% forests and woodland: 6% other: 10% (1997 est.)

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 in weather fronts

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, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban

People

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Population

3,360,105

(July 2001 est.)growth rate: 0.78% (2001 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2001 est.)

Birth

17.36Death

9.03Net migration

-0.51

Religions

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.33%

(1999 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 24.39% (male 419,932; female 399,605) 15-64 years: 62.61% (male 1,038,785; female 1,064,891) 65 years and over: 13% (male 180,130; female 256,762) (2001 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

14.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.44 years male: 72.11 years female: 78.96 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.36 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

6,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

150 (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan

Ethnic groups

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

Languages

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

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.3% male: 96.9% female: 97.7% (1995 est.)

Government

Constitutional republic; President Jorge BATLLE (since 1 March 2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000)

20 fields

Legislature, 99 seatsone dot, one seat

Encuentro Progresista 40Colorado Party 33Blanco 22New Sector/Space Coalition 4

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

Government type

constitutional republic

Capital

Montevideo

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

Independence

25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

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

Legal system

based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Jorge BATLLE (since 1 March 2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Jorge BATLLE (since 1 March 2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000);
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 1999 with run-off election on 28 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Jorge BATLLE elected president;
percent of vote - Jorge BATLLE 52% in a runoff against Tabare VAZQUEZ 44%

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 1999 (next to be held NA 2004);
Chamber of Representatives - last held 31 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - Encuentro Progresista 12, Colorado Party 10, Blanco 7, New Sector/Space Coalition 1;
Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - Encuentro Progresista 40, Colorado Party 33, Blanco 22, New Sector/Space Coalition 4

Judicial branch

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

Political parties and leaders

Colorado Party [Jorge BATLLE];
National Party or Blanco [Alberto VOLONTE];
New Sector/Space Coalition or Nuevo Espacio [Rafael MICHELINI];
Progressive Encounter in the Broad Front or Encuentro Progresista [Tabare VAZQUEZ]

Political pressure groups and leaders

International organization participation

CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo FERNANDEZ Faingold chancery: 2715 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316

FAX

[1] (202) 331-8142 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher C. ASHBY embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11100 mailing address: APO AA 34035 telephone: [598] (2) 408-777, 203-6061

FAX

[598] (2) 48 86 11

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

Economy

Uruguay's economy is characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, relatively even income distribution, and high levels of social spending.

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Real growth rate

-1.1%

(2000 est.)industrial production growth: -2.1% (2000 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

4.8%

(2000 est.)

Unemployment rate

14%

(2000 est.)

Labor force

1.5million

(1999 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

45%

MERCOSUR partners

43%

20%

11%

Exports $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)Imports $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)(1999 est.)

Electricity

Electricity production

5.704 billion (1999)Electricity consumption

5.89 billion (1999)Electricity exports

215 million (1999)Electricity imports

800 million (1999)

Economy - overview

Uruguay's economy is characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, relatively even income distribution, and high levels of social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually in 1996-98, in 1999-2000 the economy suffered from lower demand in Argentina and Brazil, which together account for about half of Uruguay's exports.

Despite the severity of the trade shocks, Uruguay's financial indicators remained more stable than those of its neighbors, a reflection of its solid reputation among investors and its investment-grade sovereign bond rating - one of only two in Latin America. Challenges for the government of President Jorge BATLLE include expanding Uruguay's trade ties beyond its MERCOSUR trade partners and reducing the costs of public services. GDP fell by 1.1% in 2000 and will grow by perhaps 1.5% in 2001.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $31 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $9,300 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 10% industry: 28% services: 62% (1999)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Budget

revenues: $4 billion expenditures: $4.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $500 million (2000 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 3.86% hydro: 95.44% nuclear: 0% other: 0.7% (1999)

Agriculture - products

wheat, rice, barley, corn, sorghum;
livestock;
fish

Exports

$2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities

meat, rice, leather products, vehicles, dairy products, wool, electricity

Imports

$3.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities

road vehicles, electrical machinery, metal manufactures, heavy industrial machinery, crude petroleum

Debt - external

$8 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

Currency

Uruguayan peso (UYU)

Currency code

UYU

Exchange rates

Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 12.5610 (January 2001), 12.0996 (2000), 11.3393 (1999), 10.4719 (1998), 9.4418 (1997), 7.9718 (1996)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

10 fields

Mobile cellular

300,000

(2000)

Internet users

(2000)

Fixed lines

850,000

(2000) · country code .uy

Telephone system

general assessment:: some modern facilities domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo;
new nationwide microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)