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, 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

• 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

total:

36.5 years (2024 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, 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

15-64 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:

8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 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:

21.5% (2020 est.)

male:

24.4% (2020 est.)

female:

18.5% (2020 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.)

particulate matter emissions:

8.48 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions:

6.77 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions:

25.59 megatons (2020 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

1,260,140 tons (2012 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually:

100,811 tons (2011 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

8% (2011 est.)

• 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

municipal:

410 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial:

80 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural:

3.17 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

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 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, 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

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)

head of government:

President Luis Alberto LACALLE POU (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 2024 with a runoff on 24 November 2024 (next to be held on 28 October 2029 and a runoff, if needed, on 25 November 2029)

election results:

• 2024: Yamandú ORSI Martínez elected president in second round;
• percent of vote in first round - Yamandú ORSI Martínez (FA) 46.2%, Álvaro Luis DELGADO Ceretta (PN) 28.2%, Andrés OJEDA Ojeda Spitz (PC) 16.9%, other 8.7%;
• percent of vote in second round - Yamandú ORSI Martínez 52.1%, Álvaro Luis DELGADO Ceretta 47.9%;
• note - ORSI will take office 1 March 2025

;

• 2019: Luis Alberto LACALLE POU elected president in second round;
• percent of vote in first round - Daniel MARTINEZ (FA) 40.7%, Luis Alberto LACALLE POU (PN) 29.7%, Ernesto TALVI (Colorado Party) 12.8%, Guido MANINI RIOS (Open Cabildo) 11.3%, other 5.5%;
• percent of vote in second round - Luis Alberto LACALLE POU 50.6%, Daniel MARTINEZ 49.4%

; 2014: Tabare VAZQUEZ elected president in second round; percent of vote - Tabare VAZQUEZ (Socialist Party) 56.5%, Luis Alberto LACALLE Pou (PN) 43.4%

note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

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 Andrés Augusto DURÁN Hareau (since 23 December 2020)

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 Heide B. FULTON (since 22 March 2023)

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/

• 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

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

Fitch rating:

BBB- (2013)

Moody's rating:

Baa2 (2014)

Standard & Poors rating: BBB (2015)

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

agriculture:

5.6% (2023 est.)

industry:

16.4% (2023 est.)

services:

66.3% (2023 est.)

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

total:

26.2% (2023 est.)

male:

24.4% (2023 est.)

female:

28.3% (2023 est.)

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

on food:

18.6% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco:

1.3% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

lowest 10%:

2.2% (2022 est.)

highest 10%:

30.5% (2022 est.)

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

consumption:

18,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports:

18,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

total petroleum production:

400 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption:

52,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

consumption:

86.037 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports:

86.89 million cubic meters (2022 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 (2016) (operational; government claims overall length is 2,961 km)

standard gauge:

1,673 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge

total:

77,732 km

paved:

7,743 km

unpaved:

69,989 km (2010)

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