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.
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
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than the state of Washington
Land boundaries
total
1,648 km
border countries
Argentina 580 km, Brazil 1,068 km
Coastline
660 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
contiguous zone
24 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
continental shelf
200 nm or edge of continental margin
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
7.77%
permanent crops
0.24%
other
91.99% (2005)
Irrigated land
2,100 sq km (2003)
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
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
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
Population
3,460,607 (July 2007 est.)
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.)
Median age
total
32.9 years
male
31.5 years
female
34.4 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
0.504% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
14.41 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
9.16 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
-0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
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.)
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.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
75.93 years
male
72.68 years
female
79.3 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.97 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.3% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
6,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
less than 500 (2003 est.)
Nationality
noun
Uruguayan(s)
adjective
Uruguayan
Ethnic groups
white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian (practically nonexistent)
Religions
Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing or other 31%
Languages
Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
98%
male
97.6%
female
98.4% (2003 est.)
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
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
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 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
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 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%
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
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)
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]; Broad Front Coalition (Frente Amplio) [Jorge BROVETTO] (formerly known as the Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or EP-FA); 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
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
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.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$37.54 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$14.5 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
7% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$10,900 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
9.3%
industry
33.7%
services
57% (2006 est.)
Labor force
1.27 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
14%
industry
16%
services
70%
Unemployment rate
10.8% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
27.37% of households (2006)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
3.7%
highest 10%
25.8% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
45.2 (2006)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
6.5% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
13.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$5.203 billion
expenditures
$5.449 billion; including capital expenditures of $193 million (2006 est.)
Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Fray Bentos, Colonia, Juan Lacaze
Military branches
Army, Navy (includes naval air arm, Marines, Maritime Prefecture in wartime), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Uruguaya, FAU) (2006)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2001)
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 expenditures - percent of GDP
1.6% (2006)
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
