Uruguay

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

5 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 94, FM 115, shortwave 14 (seven are inactive) (1998)

Radios

1.97 million (1997)

Telephone system

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

Telephones - main lines in use

622,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

40,000 (1995)

Television broadcast stations

26 (plus ten low-power repeaters for the Montevideo station) (1997)

Televisions

782,000 (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $4.4 billion expenditures: $4.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $500 million (1998 est.)

Currency

1 Uruguayan peso ($Ur) = 100 centesimos

Debt - external

$8 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

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 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 and ensuing recession, 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 incoming President Jorge BATLLE include expanding Uruguay's trade ties beyond its Mercosur trade partners and bolstering Uruguay's competitiveness by increasing labor market flexibility and reducing the costs of public services. Growth should recover in 2000, to perhaps 3%.

Electricity - consumption

6.526 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

2.363 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

78 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

9.474 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 3.91% hydro: 95.62% nuclear: 0% other: 0.47% (1998)

Exchange rates

Uruguayan pesos ($Ur) per US$1 - 11.3393 (1999), 10.4719 (1998), 9.4418 (1997), 7.9718 (1996), 6.3490 (1995), 5.0439 (1994)

Exports

$2.1 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Mercosur partners 45%, EU 20%, US 7% (1999 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $28 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $8,500 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-2.5% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$3.4 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

MERCOSUR partners 43%, EU 20%, US 11% (1999 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

-4% (1999 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4% (1999 est.)

Labor force

1.38 million (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

12% (1999)

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than the state of Washington

Climate

warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Coastline

660 km

Elevation extremes

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

Environment - current issues

water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal

Environment - international agreements

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Geographic coordinates

33 00 S, 56 00 W

Irrigated land

7,700 sq km (1997 est.)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

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

Location

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

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 200 nm; overflight and navigation guaranteed beyond 12 nm

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

Natural resources

arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Terrain

mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

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

Capital

Montevideo

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

Country name

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

Data code

UY

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher C. ASHBY embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo mailing address: APO AA 34035 telephone: [598] (2) 23 60 61, 48 77 77 FAX: [598] (2) 48 86 11

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Alvaro DIEZ DE MEDINA Suarez 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

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 - 52% in a runoff against Tabare VAZQUEZ

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

Government type

republic

Independence

25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

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, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

Political parties and leaders

Batlleist faction of the Colorado Party [Julio M. SANGUINETTI]; Broad Front Coalition [Tabare VAZQUEZ]; Colorado Party [Jorge BATLLE]; Herrerista faction of the National Party [Luis A. LACALLE]; Herrero Wilsonista faction of the National Party [Alaberto VOLONTE]; National Party or Blanco [Luis A. LACALLE]; New Sector/Space Coalition or Nuevo Espacio [Rafael MICHELINI]; Progressive Encounter in the Broad Front or Encuentro Progresista [Tabare VAZQUEZ]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

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 has long had one of South America's highest standards of living; its political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.

Military branches

Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Coast Guard, Marines), Air Force, Police (Coracero Guard, Grenadier Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$172 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.9% (FY98)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 810,490 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 656,492 (2000 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 24% (male 417,288; female 397,125) 15-64 years: 63% (male 1,030,201; female 1,057,968) 65 years and over: 13% (male 178,393; female 253,099) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

17.42 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

9.06 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

15.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.24 years male: 71.9 years female: 78.75 years (2000 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan

Net migration rate

-0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

3,334,074 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

0.77% (2000 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.37 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

two short sections of the boundary with Brazil are in dispute - Arroyo de la Invernada (Arroio Invernada) area of the Rio Cuareim (Rio Quarai) and the islands at the confluence of the Rio Cuareim (Rio Quarai) and the Uruguay River [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Airports

65 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 50 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 33 (1999 est.)

Highways

total: 8,983 km paved: 8,085 km unpaved: 898 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,807 GRT/2,405 DWT ships by type: petroleum tanker 1 (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Fray Bentos, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Punta del Este, Colonia, Piriapolis

Railways

total: 2,073 km standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge (1997)

Waterways

1,600 km; used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft