Uruguay

• most of the country's population resides in the southern half of the country;
• approximately 80% of the populace is urban, living in towns or cities;
• 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

• water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry;
• heavy metal pollution;
• inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal;
• deforestation

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, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

• 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

noun:

Uruguayan(s)

adjective:

Uruguayan

• most of the country's population resides in the southern half of the country;
• approximately 80% of the populace is urban, living in towns or cities;
• 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

15-24 years:

1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years:

0.99 male(s)/female

55-64 years:

0.89 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.67 male(s)/female

total population:

0.94 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

total:

17 years

male:

NA

female:

NA (2017)

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

etymology:

name derives from the Spanish pronunciation of the Guarani Indian designation of the Uruguay River, which makes up the western border of the country and whose name later came to be applied to the entire country

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 name "Montevidi" was originally applied to the hill that overlooked the bay upon which the city of Montevideo was founded;
• the earliest meaning may have been "[the place where we] saw the hill"

• 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

history:

several previous; latest approved by plebiscite 27 November 1966, effective 15 February 1967

amendments:

• 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;
• amended many times, last in 2004

citizenship by birth:

yes

citizenship by descent only:

yes

dual citizenship recognized:

yes

residency requirement for naturalization:

3-5 years

chief of state:

• President Luis Alberto LACALLE POU (since 1 March 2020);
• Vice President Beatriz ARGIMON Cedeira (since 1 March 2020);
• the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government:

President Luis Alberto LACALLE POU (since 1 March 2020); Vice President Beatriz ARGIMON Cedeira (since 1 March 2020)

cabinet:

Council of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the General Assembly

elections/appointments:

• president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for nonconsecutive terms);
• election last held on 27 October 2019 with a runoff election on 24 November 2019 (next to be held in October 2024, and a runoff if needed in November 2024)

election results:

• Luis Alberto LACALLE POU elected president - results of the first round of presidential elections: percent of vote - Daniel MARTINEZ (FA) 40.7%, Luis Alberto LACALLE POU (Blanco) 29.7%, Ernesto TALVI (Colorado Party) 12.8%, and Guido MANINI RIOS (Open Cabildo) 11.3%, other 5.5%;
• results of the second round: percent of vote - Luis Alberto LACALLE POU (Blanco) 50.6%, Daniel MARTINEZ (FA) 49.4%

highest courts:

Supreme Court of Justice (consists of 5 judges)

judge selection and term of office:

• judges nominated by the president and appointed 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:

Charge d'Affaires Alejandro Ramon RODRIGUEZ COTRO (since 15 July 2020)

chancery:

1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006

telephone:

[1] (202) 331-1313

FAX:

[1] (202) 331-8142

consulate(s) general:

Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador Kenneth S. GEORGE (since 2 September 2019)

telephone:

(+598) 1770-2000

embassy:

Laura Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200

mailing address:

APO AA 34035

FAX:

[598] (2) 1770-2128

• nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue;
• a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face (delineated in black) known as the Sun of May with 16 rays that alternate between triangular and wavy;
• the stripes represent the nine original departments of Uruguay;
• the sun symbol evokes the legend of the sun breaking through the clouds on 25 May 1810 as independence was first declared from Spain (Uruguay subsequently won its independence from Brazil);
• the sun features are said to represent those of Inti, the Inca god of the sun

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

name:

"Himno Nacional" (National Anthem of Uruguay)

lyrics/music:

Francisco Esteban ACUNA de Figueroa/Francisco Jose DEBALI

note: 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); generally only the first verse and chorus are sung

Fitch rating:

BBB- (2013)

Moody's rating:

Baa2 (2014)

Standard & Poors rating: BBB (2015)

• Cellulose, beef, soybeans, rice, wheat;
• dairy products;
• fish;
• lumber, tobacco, wine

agriculture:

13%

industry:

14%

services:

73% (2010 est.)

lowest 10%:

1.9%

highest 10%:

30.8% (2014 est.)

• mixture of privately owned and state-run broadcast media;
• more than 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 December 2010 (2019)

total:

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

standard gauge:

1,673 km 1.435-m gauge (2016)

total:

77,732 km (2010)

paved:

7,743 km (2010)

unpaved:

69,989 km (2010)

total:

60

by type:

bulk carrier 1, general cargo 5, oil tanker 3, other 51 (2019)

• Armed Forces of Uruguay (Fuerzas Armadas del Uruguay): National Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Maritime National Prefecture (Coast Guard)), Uruguayan Air Force (Fuerza Aerea);
• Guardia Nacional Republicana (paramilitary regiment of the National Police) (2020)

• 18-30 years of age (18-22 years of age for Navy) for male or female voluntary military service;
• up to 40 years of age for specialists;
• enlistment is voluntary in peacetime, but the government has the authority to conscript in emergencies (2013)

• in 2010, the ICJ ruled in favor of Uruguay's operation of two paper mills on the Uruguay River, which forms the border with Argentina;
• the two countries formed a joint pollution monitoring regime;
• uncontested boundary dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera/Brasiliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim River leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question;
• smuggling of firearms and narcotics continues to be an issue along the Uruguay-Brazil border

• small-scale transit country for drugs mainly bound for Europe, often through sea-borne containers;
• law enforcement corruption;
• money laundering because of strict banking secrecy laws;
• weak border control along Brazilian frontier;
• increasing consumption of cocaine base and synthetic drugs