Uruguay

Internet country code

.uy

Internet hosts

279,114 (2007)

Internet users

756,000 (2006)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 93, FM 191, shortwave 7 (2005)

Telephone system

general assessment: fully digitalized domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network international: country code - 598; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002)

Telephones - main lines in use

987,000 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.333 million (2006)

Television broadcast stations

62 (2005)

Agriculture - products

rice, wheat, corn, barley; livestock; fish

Budget

revenues: $5.56 billion expenditures: $5.67 billion (2006 est.)

Currency (code)

Uruguayan peso (UYU)

Current account balance

$-434.5 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$11.74 billion (2006 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

45.2 (2006)

Economic aid - recipient

$NA (2005)

Economy - overview

Uruguay's well-to-do economy is characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated work force, and high levels of social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually during 1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major downturn, stemming largely from the spillover effects of the economic problems of its large neighbors, Argentina and Brazil. For instance, in 2001-02 Argentina made massive withdrawals of dollars deposited in Uruguayan banks, which led to a plunge in the Uruguayan peso and a massive rise in unemployment. Total GDP in these four years dropped by nearly 20%, with 2002 the worst year due to the banking crisis. The unemployment rate rose to nearly 20% in 2002, inflation surged, and the burden of external debt doubled. Cooperation with the IMF helped stem the damage. A debt swap with private-sector creditors in 2003 extended the maturity dates on nearly half of Uruguay's then $11.3 billion of public debt and helped restore public confidence. The economy grew about 12% in 2004 as a result of high commodity prices for Uruguayan exports, a competitive peso, growth in the region, and low international interest rates, and it continued to grow nearly 7% annually in 2005 and 2006.

Electricity - consumption

6.509 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports

841 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports

1.585 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production

7.558 billion kWh (2005)

Exchange rates

Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 24.048 (2006), 24.479 (2005), 28.704 (2004), 28.209 (2003), 21.257 (2002)

Exports

$4.387 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

meat, rice, leather products, wool, fish, dairy products

Exports - partners

Brazil 15.1%, US 12.1%, Argentina 6.8%, Mexico 6.4%, China 6%, Germany 5%, Russia 4.9% (2006)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$14.5 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$37.54 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 9.3% industry: 31.6% services: 59.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$10,900 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

7% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 34% (2003)

Imports

$4.859 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, crude petroleum

Imports - partners

Argentina 20.4%, Brazil 17.1%, US 8.2%, Paraguay 7.1%, China 6.9%, Venezuela 4.8%, Nigeria 4.4% (2006)

Industrial production growth rate

12.6% (2006 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

16% of GDP (2006 est.)

Labor force

1.27 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 14% industry: 16% services: 70% (2003)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$354 million (2005)

Natural gas - consumption

86.32 million cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports

86.32 million cu m (2005)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

38,100 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

513.5 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006)

Population below poverty line

27.37% of households (2006)

Public debt

72.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$3.091 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Unemployment rate

10.8% (2006 est.)

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-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, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Geographic coordinates

33 00 S, 56 00 W

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

2,100 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 1,648 km border countries: Argentina 580 km, Brazil 1,068 km

Land use

arable land: 7.77% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 91.99% (2005)

Location

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

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or edge of continental margin

Natural hazards

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

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

name: Montevideo geographic coordinates: 34 53 S, 56 11 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in October; ends second Sunday in March

Constitution

27 November 1966, effective 15 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 former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Frank BAXTER embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200 mailing address: APO AA 34035 telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777 FAX: [598] (2) 418-8611

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Alberto GIANELLI Derois chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316 FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York consulate(s): San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1 March 2005); Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1 March 2005); Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005) 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 (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009) election results: Tabare VAZQUEZ elected president; percent of vote - Tabare VAZQUEZ 50.5%, Jorge LARRANAGA 35.1%, Guillermo STIRLING 10.3%; other 4.1%

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 with 16 rays that alternate between triangular and wavy

Government type

constitutional republic

Independence

25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

International organization participation

CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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; vice president has one vote in the Senate) 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 2004 (next to be held October 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - EP-FA 16, Blanco 11, Colorado Party 3; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - EP-FA 52, Blanco 36, Colorado Party 10, Independent Party 1

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

Political parties and leaders

Broad Front Coalition (Frente Amplio) [Jorge BROVETTO] (formerly known as the Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or EP-FA); Colorado Party [Julio Maria SANGUINETTI]; Independent Party (Partido Independiente) [Pablo MIERES]; Movement of Popular Participation or MPP [Jose MUJICA]; National Party or Blanco [Jorge LARRANAGA]; New Sector/Space Coalition (Nuevo Espacio) [Rafael MICHELINI]; Uruguayan Assembly or Asamblea Uruguay [Danilo ASTORI]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Architect's Society of Uruguay (professional organization); Catholic Church; Chamber of Uruguayan Industries (manufacturer's association); Chemist and Pharmaceutical Association (professional organization); PIT-CNT (powerful federation of Uruguayan unions); Rural Association of Uruguay (rancher's association); students; Uruguayan Construction League

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Background

Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an important commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by Brazil in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century established widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control previously held by the Colorado and Blanco parties. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 764,408 females age 18-49: 760,341 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 637,445 females age 18-49: 631,046 (2005 est.)

Military branches

Army, Navy (includes naval air arm, Marines, Maritime Prefecture in wartime), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Uruguaya, FAU) (2006)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.6% (2006)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service; enlistment is voluntary in peacetime, but the government has the authority to conscript in emergencies (2007)

Age structure

0-14 years: 23% (male 403,745/female 390,623) 15-64 years: 63.8% (male 1,096,225/female 1,112,568) 65 years and over: 13.2% (male 184,303/female 273,143) (2007 est.)

Birth rate

14.41 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate

9.16 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

6,000 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 12.02 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.49 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.93 years male: 72.68 years female: 79.3 years (2007 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 97.6% female: 98.4% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 32.9 years male: 31.5 years female: 34.4 years (2007 est.)

Nationality

noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan

Net migration rate

-0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Population

3,460,607 (July 2007 est.)

Population growth rate

0.504% (2007 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.034 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.985 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.675 male(s)/female total population: 0.948 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.97 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Disputes - international

in Jan 2007, ICJ provisionally ruled Uruguay may begin construction of two paper mills on the Uruguay River, which forms the border with Argentina, while the court examines further whether Argentina has the legal right to stop such construction with potential environmental implications to both countries; uncontested dispute with Brazil over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada streams and the resulting tripoint with Argentina

Airports

60 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 29 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 14 ships (1000 GRT or over) 36,041 GRT/22,274 DWT by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 4 (Argentina 3, Greece 1) registered in other countries: 7 (Argentina 1, Bahamas 1, Liberia 3, Spain 2) (2007)

Pipelines

gas 257 km; oil 160 km (2006)

Ports and terminals

Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Fray Bentos, Colonia, Juan Lacaze

Railways

total: 2,073 km standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in partial use (2006)

Roadways

total: 77,732 km paved: 7,743 km unpaved: 69,989 km (2004)

Waterways

1,600 km (2005)