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Uruguay - General Country Information

Introduction
Geography
People
Government
Economy
Communications
Military
Transnational Issues

Introduction

General Information: Uruguay

Country in the South America, on Atlantic, Uruguay is formed of plains and low plateaus, having a tempered climate which explains the presence of a population of European origin (mainly Spanish).

The capital of Uruguay is Montevideo.

Major cities of Uruguay are:
Montevideo, Punta Del Este.

Geography

Location:	Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil
Coordinates:	33 00 S, 56 00 W
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: 1,564 km border countries: Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km
Coastline:	660 km
Maritime Claims:	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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: 7.43% permanent crops: 0.23% other: 92.34% (2001)
Irrigated Land:	1,800 sq km (1998 est.)
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 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
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

People

Population:	3,399,237 (July 2004 est.)
Age Structure:	total: 32.2 years male: 30.7 years female: 33.7 years (2004 est.)
Population Growth Rate:	0.51% (2004 est.)
Birth Rate:	14.44 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death Rate:	9.07 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Migration Rate:	-0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex Ratio:	at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate:	total: 12.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Expectancy Birth:	total population: 75.92 years male: 72.71 years female: 79.24 years (2004 est.)
Fertility Rate:	1.96 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV Adult Prevalence Rate:	0.3% (2001 est.)
People Living HIV:	6,300 (2001 est.)
HIV 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.)

Gouvernment

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:	Montevideo
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 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 Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (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 Ibanez (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 2004 (next to be held October 2009) election results: Tabare VAZQUEZ elected president; percent of vote - Tabare VAZQUEZ 50.7%, Jorge LARRANAGA 34.1%, Guillermo STIRLING 10.3%; note - VAZQUEZ will take office on 1 March 2005
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 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 - 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
Judicial Branch:	Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)
Political Parties Leaders:	Colorado Party [Jorge BATLLE Ibanez]; National Party or Blanco [Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera]; New Sector/Space Coalition or Nuevo Espacio [Rafael MICHELINI]; Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or Encuentro Progresista/Frente Amplio [Tabare VAZQUEZ]
Political Pressure Groups Leaders:	Agrupacion UTE (powerful state worker's union), Rural Association of Uruguay (rancher's association), Uruguayan Construction League, Chamber of Uruguayan Industries (manufacturer's association), Chemist and Pharmaceutical Association (professional organization), Architect's Society of Uruguay (professional organization), the Catholic Church, students
International Organization Participation:	FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic in US:	chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo FERNANDEZ-FAINGOLD 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, and New York
Diplomatic from US:	chief of mission: Ambassador Martin J. SILVERSTEIN embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200 mailing address: APO AA 34035 telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777 FAX: [598] (2) 418-8611
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

Economy

Economy Overview:	Uruguay's well-to-do economy is characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, 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 massive withdrawals by Argentina of dollars deposited in Uruguayan banks led to a plunge in the Uruguyan 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 serious banking crisis. Unemployment rose to nearly 20% in 2002, inflation surged, and the burden of external debt doubled. Cooperation with the IMF and the US has limited the damage. The debt swap with private creditors carried out in 2003, which extended the maturity dates on nearly half of Uruguay's $11.3 billion in public debt, substantially alleviated the country's amortization burden in the coming years and restored public confidence. The economy is expected to resume growth in 2004 (perhaps 4% or more) as a result of high commodity prices for Uruguayan exports, the weakness of the dollar against the euro, growth in the region, low international interest rates, and greater export competitiveness. On the negative side, in December 2003 the electorate voted to repeal the law permitting a cautious liberalization of the energy industry.
GDP:	purchasing power parity - $43.67 billion (2003 est.)
GDP Growth Rate:	2.5% (2003 est.)
GDP Capital:	purchasing power parity - $12,800 (2003 est.)
GDP Composition:	agriculture: 7.4% industry: 26.6% services: 66% (2003)
Investment:	9.7% of GDP (2003)
Population Below Poverty Line:	23.7% (2002)
Household Income:	lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 25.8% (1997)
Gini Index:	44.8 (1999)
Inflation Rate:	19.4% (2003 est.)
Labor Force:	1.56 million (2003)
Labor Force Occupation:	agriculture 14%, industry 16%, services 70%
Unemployment Rate:	16% (2003)
Budget:	revenues: $2.934 billion expenditures: $3.425 billion, including capital expenditures of $193 million (2003)
Agriculture Products:	rice, wheat, corn, barley; livestock; fish
Industries:	food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages
Industry Production Growth Rate:	0.7% (2003 est.)
Electricity Production:	7.963 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity Consumption:	6.152 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity Exports:	1.377 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity Imports:	123 million kWh (2001)
Oil Production:	0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil Consumption:	41,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil Exports:	NA (2001)
Oil Imports:	NA (2001)
Natural Gas Production:	0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural Gas Consumption:	40 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural Gas Exports:	0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural Gas Imports:	40 million cu m (2001 est.)
Current Account Balance:	$76 million (2003)
Exports:	$2.164 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports Commodities:	meat, rice, leather products, wool, fish, dairy products
Exports Partners:	Brazil 21.4%, US 11.4%, Argentina 7.1%, Germany 6.6%, China 4.3%, Mexico 4.1%, Italy 4.1%, Canada 4% (2003)
Imports:	$1.989 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports Commodities:	machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, crude petroleum
Imports Partners:	Argentina 26.1%, Brazil 21%, Russia 11.7%, US 7.6% (2003)
Reserves:	$2.087 billion (2003)
Debt External:	$10.73 billion (2003)
Currency:	Uruguayan peso (UYU)
Currency Code:	UYU
Exchange Rates:	Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 28.2091 (2003), 21.257 (2002), 13.3191 (2001), 12.0996 (2000), 11.3393 (1999)
Fiscal Year:	calendar year

Communications

Telephones Lines Use:	946,500 (2002)
Mobile Cellular:	652,000 (2002)
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)
Radio Stations:	AM 91, FM 149, shortwave 7 (2001)
Television Stations:	23 (2002)
Internet Code:	.uy
Internet Hosts:	87,630 (2003)
Internet Users:	400,000 (2002)

Military

Military Branches:	Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Marines, Maritime Prefecture in wartime), Air Force
Military Age Obligation:	18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2001)
Military Availability:	males age 15-49: 838,195 (2004 est.)
Fit Military Service:	males age 15-49: 677,315 (2004 est.)
Military Expenditures Dollar Figure:	$217.9 million (2003)
Military Expenditures Percent GDP:	2% (2003)