Uruguay

The Spanish founded the city of Montevideo in modern-day Uruguay in 1726 as a military stronghold, and it soon became an important commercial center due to its natural harbor. Argentina initially claimed Uruguay, but Brazil annexed the country in 1821. Uruguay declared its independence in 1825 and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century launched widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros (or Movimiento de Liberación Nacional-Tupamaros) launched in the late 1960s and pushed Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By year-end, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was restored in 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio (FA) Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control by the Colorado and National (Blanco) parties. The left-of-center coalition retained the presidency and control of both chambers of congress until 2019. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the South American continent.

land

175,015 sq km

total

176,215 sq km

water

1,200 sq km

about the size of Virginia and West Virginia combined; slightly smaller than the state of Washington

warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

660 km

highest point

Cerro Catedral 514 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

109 m

33 00 S, 56 00 W

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

2,380 sq km (2012)

border countries

Argentina 541 km; Brazil 1,050 km

total

1,591 km

agricultural land

87.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 10.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 76.9% (2018 est.)

forest

10.2% (2018 est.)

other

2.6% (2018 est.)

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

Guarani Aquifer System

salt water lake(s)

Lagoa Mirim (shared with Brazil) - 2,970 sq km

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 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

South America

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or the edge of continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

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

arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fish

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

mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

0-14 years

18.9% (male 329,268/female 317,925)

15-64 years

65.4% (male 1,112,622/female 1,128,418)

65 years and over

15.7% (2024 est.) (male 218,242/female 318,855)

beer

1.86 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.71 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

5.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

2.86 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

12.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

1.8% (2018)

79.6% (2015)

note

note: percent of women aged 15-44

9.2% of GDP (2020)

55.4% (2023 est.)

9.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Uruguay rates high for most development indicators and is known for its secularism, liberal social laws, and well-developed social security, health, and educational systems. It is one of the few countries in Latin America and the Caribbean where the entire population has access to clean water. Uruguay's provision of free primary through university education has contributed to the country's high levels of literacy and educational attainment. However, the emigration of human capital has diminished the state's return on its investment in education. Remittances from the roughly 18% of Uruguayans abroad amount to less than 1 percent of national GDP. The emigration of young adults and a low birth rate are causing Uruguay's population to age rapidly.In the 1960s, Uruguayans for the first time emigrated en masse - primarily to Argentina and Brazil - because of economic decline and the onset of more than a decade of military dictatorship. Economic crises in the early 1980s and 2002 also triggered waves of emigration, but since 2002 more than 70% of Uruguayan emigrants have selected the US and Spain as destinations because of better job prospects. Uruguay had a tiny population upon its independence in 1828 and welcomed thousands of predominantly Italian and Spanish immigrants, but the country has not experienced large influxes of new arrivals since the aftermath of World War II. More recent immigrants include Peruvians and Arabs.

elderly dependency ratio

23.7

potential support ratio

4.2 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

53.6

youth dependency ratio

29.9

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

4.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

White 87.7%, Black 4.6%, Indigenous 2.4%, other 0.3%, none or unspecified 5% (2011 est.)

note

note: data represent primary ethnic identity

0.86 (2024 est.)

2.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)

female

6.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male

9.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total

8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official, Rioplatense is the most widely spoken dialect)

major-language sample(s)

La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

female

82.1 years

male

75.8 years

total population

78.9 years (2024 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99% (2019)

male

98.5%

total population

98.8%

1.774 million MONTEVIDEO (capital) (2023)

19 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

female

38.2 years

male

34.9 years

total

36.5 years (2024 est.)

adjective

Uruguayan

noun

Uruguayan(s)

-0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

27.9% (2016)

4.94 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

female

1,765,198 (2024 est.)

male

1,660,132

total

3,425,330

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

0.26% (2024 est.)

Roman Catholic 36.5%, Protestant 5% (Evangelical (non-specific) 4.6%, Adventist 0.2%, Protestant (non-specific) 0.3%), African American Cults/Umbanda 2.8%, Jehovah's Witness 0.6%, Church of Jesus Christ 0.2%, other 1%, Believer (not belonging to the church) 1.8%, agnostic 0.3%, atheist 1.3%, none 47.3%, unspecified 3.4%Roman Catholic 42%, Protestant 15%, other 6%, agnostic 3%, atheist 10%, unspecified 24% (2023 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 99.6% of population

improved: total

total: 99.2% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.2% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.4% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.8% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.8% of population

female

20 years (2019)

male

17 years

total

19 years

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

at birth

1.04 male(s)/female

total population

0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

female

18.5% (2020 est.)

male

24.4% (2020 est.)

total

21.5% (2020 est.)

1.75 children born/woman (2024 est.)

rate of urbanization

0.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

95.8% of total population (2023)

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

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"

geographic coordinates

34 51 S, 56 10 W

name

Montevideo

time difference

UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

3-5 years

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

history

several previous; latest approved by plebiscite 27 November 1966, effective 15 February 1967, reinstated in 1985 at the conclusion of military rule

conventional long form

Oriental Republic of Uruguay

conventional short form

Uruguay

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

former

Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province

local long form

República Oriental del Uruguay

local short form

Uruguay

chief of mission

Ambassador Heide B. FULTON (since 22 March 2023)

email address and website

MontevideoACS@state.govhttps://uy.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200

FAX

[+598] 1770-2128

mailing address

3360 Montevideo Place, Washington DC  20521-3360

telephone

(+598) 1770-2000

chancery

1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006

chief of mission

Ambassador Andrés Augusto DURÁN Hareau (since 23 December 2020)

consulate(s) general

Miami, New York, San Francisco

email address and website

urueeuu@mrree.gub.uyhttps://embassyofuruguay.us/

FAX

[1] (202) 331-8142

telephone

[1] (202) 331-1313

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the General Assembly

chief of state

President Luis Alberto LACALLE POU (since 1 March 2020)

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 20252019: 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%

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)

head of government

President Luis Alberto LACALLE POU (since 1 March 2020)

note

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

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

note: the banner was inspired by the national colors of Argentina and by the design of the US flag

presidential republic

25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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)

civil law system based on the Spanish civil code

description

bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of:Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; the vice-president serves as the presiding ex-officio member; elected members serve 5-year terms)Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - Frente Amplio 13, National Party 10, Colorado Party 4, Open Cabildo 3; composition - men 21, women 10, percentage women 32.3%Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by coalition/party - Frente Amplio 42, National Party 30, Colorado Party 13, Open Cabildo 11, Independent Party 1, other 2; composition - men 74, women 25, percentage women 25.3%; note - total General Assembly percentage women 26.9%

elections

Chamber of Senators - last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held on 27 October 2024) Chamber of Representatives - last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held on 27 October 2024)

lyrics/music

Francisco Esteban ACUNA de Figueroa/Francisco Jose DEBALI

name

"Himno Nacional" (National Anthem of Uruguay)

note

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

selected World Heritage Site locales

Historic City of Colonia del Sacramento; Fray Bentos Industrial Landscape; The work of engineer Eladio Dieste: Church of Atlántida

total World Heritage Sites

3 (all cultural)

Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

Sun of May (a sun-with-face symbol); national colors: blue, white, yellow

Broad Front or FA (Frente Amplio) - (a broad governing coalition that comprises 34 factions including Popular Participation Movement or MPP, Uruguay Assembly, Progressive Alliance, Broad Social Democratic Space, Socialist Party, Vertiente Artiguista, Christian Democratic Party, Big House, Communist Party, The Federal League, Fuerza Renovadora)Colorado Party or PC (including Batllistas and Ciudadanos)Intransigent Radical Ecologist Party (Partido Ecologista Radical Intransigente) or PERIIndependent PartyNational Party or PN (including Todos (Everyone) and National Alliance)Open CabildoPopular Unity

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

milk, rice, wheat, barley, soybeans, beef, rapeseed, sugarcane, maize, oranges (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

on alcohol and tobacco

1.3% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

18.6% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

expenditures

$18.58 billion (2020 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$16.522 billion (2020 est.)

Fitch rating

BBB- (2013)

Moody's rating

Baa2 (2014)

note

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

Standard & Poors rating

BBB (2015)

Current account balance 2021

-$1.472 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$2.725 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$2.797 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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

Currency

Uruguayan pesos (UYU) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

35.255 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

42.013 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

43.555 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

41.171 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

38.824 (2023 est.)

Exports 2021

$19.639 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$22.611 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$21.286 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

beef, wood pulp, soybeans, milk, rice (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

China 24%, Brazil 14%, Argentina 8%, US 7%, Netherlands 5% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

exports of goods and services

27.5% (2023 est.)

government consumption

13.8% (2015 est.)

household consumption

66.8% (2015 est.)

imports of goods and services

-24.2% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

17.4% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.1% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture

5.6% (2023 est.)

industry

16.4% (2023 est.)

note

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

services

66.3% (2023 est.)

$77.241 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

40.6 (2022 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

highest 10%

30.5% (2022 est.)

lowest 10%

2.2% (2022 est.)

note

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

Imports 2021

$15.134 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$18.993 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$18.865 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

crude petroleum, fertilizers, cars, packaged medicine, broadcasting equipment (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Brazil 20%, China 18%, US 15%, Argentina 11%, Germany 3% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

-3.83% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

7.75% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

9.1% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

5.87% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

1.775 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

9.9% (2022 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2020

60.28% of GDP (2020 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$100.004 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$104.711 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$105.096 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

5.56% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

4.71% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0.37% (2023 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$29,200 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$30,600 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$30,700 (2023 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

0.21% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.18% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.16% of GDP (2023 est.)

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$16.963 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$15.127 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$16.257 billion (2023 est.)

18.51% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

9.3% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

7.88% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

8.35% (2023 est.)

female

28.3% (2023 est.)

male

24.4% (2023 est.)

note

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

total

26.2% (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke

45,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

169,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

6.87 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

7.084 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

consumption

18,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

18,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

consumption

11.811 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

2.152 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

55 million kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

5.36 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

1.281 billion kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

biomass and waste

18.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

9.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

37.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

3.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

31.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

47.237 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

consumption

86.037 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

86.89 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

52,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

400 bbl/day (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

31 (2020 est.)

total

1,063,701 (2020 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)

.uy

percent of population

90% (2021 est.)

total

3.06 million (2021 est.)

domestic

fixed-line is 36 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity 140 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

Uruguay has an advanced telecom market, with excellent infrastructure and one of the highest broadband penetration rates in Latin America; fixed-line teledensity is also particularly high for the region, while mobile penetration is the second highest after Panama; in terms of computer penetration, Uruguay tops all other countries in the region by a considerable margin, and this has facilitated growth in fixed-line broadband adoption; the government and telecom regulator have introduced a range of measures to help develop the deployment of fiber infrastructure, partly in a bid to encourage economic growth and stimulate e-commerce; fiber accounted for over 95% of all fixed and fixed-wireless broadband connections as of December 2023; with investment projected to reach $800 million, the state-owned incumbent Antel is expected to provide national Fiber to the premises (FttP) coverage by 2023; together with the FttP network, the opening of the submarine cable system in early 2012 and August 2017 have helped boost Uruguay’s internet bandwidth, and increase the data rate available to end-users; changes in legislation in 2020 allowed cable companies to provide home internet service for the first time, ending the state monopoly; Uruguay's regulator authorized five cable companies to provide broadband service; while the country's broadband network is state owned, other segments of the telecom market have been opened to competition, including international long-distance telephony, mobile telephony, and fixed-wireless broadband; cable networks are well equipped technologically, and digital cable TV is widely available, telecom legislation prohibits data transmission over pay TV networks; all three operators offer mobile broadband through 3G and LTE networks; operators have achieved nationwide 3G coverage and the number of mobile broadband subscribers continues to grow; at the end of 2019, spectrum in the 5G-suitable range was auctioned, enabling operators to launch 5G services; Uruguay's regulators held a 5G spectrum auction in June 2023; the three incumbent operators each acquired 100 Ghz in the 3.5 GHz midband; in 2023, Uruguay's state telecom has deployed hundreds of 5G radio bases, covering all regional capitals (2021)

international

country code - 598; landing points for the Unisor, Tannat, and Bicentenario submarine cable system providing direct connectivity to Brazil and Argentina; the Firmina cable, which landed in 2023, allowed for direct connectivity to the United States; Bicentenario 2012 and Tannat 2017 cables helped end-users with Internet bandwidth; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2020)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

37 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

1.259 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

139 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

4.741 million (2022 est.)

64 (2024)

CX

3 (2024)

by type

container ship 1, general cargo 4, oil tanker 3, other 50

total

58 (2023)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

5

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

257 km gas, 160 km oil (2013)

key ports

Colonia, Fray Bentos, Jose Ignacio, La Paloma, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Puerto Sauce

medium

1

ports with oil terminals

2

small

1

total ports

8 (2024)

very small

6

standard gauge

1,673 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge

total

1,673 km (2016) (operational; government claims overall length is 2,961 km)

paved

7,743 km

total

77,732 km

unpaved

69,989 km (2010)

1,600 km (2011)

the armed forces are responsible for defense of the country’s independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity, as well as protecting strategic resources; it has some domestic responsibilities, including perimeter security for a number of prisons and border security and providing humanitarian/disaster assistance; since 2020, the military has deployed additional troops to the frontiers with Argentina and Brazil to assist the National Police in securing the border; it also assists the Ministry of Interior in combating narcotics trafficking; the military participates in UN peacekeeping missions and multinational exercises with foreign partners; Uruguay has traditionally held security ties with Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and the US; since 2018, it has also signed defense cooperation agreements with China and Russia (2024)

Armed Forces of Uruguay (Fuerzas Armadas del Uruguay or FF.AA. del Uruguay): National Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Coast Guard (Prefectura Nacional Naval or PRENA)), Uruguayan Air Force (Fuerza Aerea)Ministry of Interior: National Police (2024)

note

note: the National Police includes the paramilitary National Republican Guard (Guardia Nacional Republicana); the National Police maintains internal security, while the National Directorate for Migration is responsible for migration and border enforcement

approximately 23,000 active-duty personnel (15,000 Army; 5,000 Navy; 3,000 Air Force) (2023)

600 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 200 Golan Heights (UNDOF) (2024)

the military's inventory includes a variety of mostly older or second-hand equipment originating from a wide range of suppliers, including Brazil, Canada, the former Czechoslovakia, Germany, Portugal, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Korea, Spain, and the US (2024)

Military Expenditures 2019

2.1% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

2.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1% of GDP (2023 est.)

18-30 years of age (18-22 years of age for Navy) for voluntary military service for men and women; up to 40 years of age for specialists; enlistment is voluntary in peacetime, but the government has the authority to conscript in emergencies (2024)

note

note: as of 2023, women comprised nearly 20% of the active military

transit country for drugs mainly bound for Europe, often through sea-borne containers; limited law enforcement corruption; money laundering; weak border control along Brazilian frontier; increasing consumption of cocaine base and synthetic drugs

refugees (country of origin)

32,939 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum or have received alternative legal stay) (2023)

stateless persons

5 (2022)

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Uruguay was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/uruguay/

carbon dioxide emissions

6.77 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

25.59 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

8.48 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

water pollution from meat packing, tannery industries; heavy metal pollution; inadequate solid and hazardous waste disposal; deforestation

party to

Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation

global geoparks and regional networks

Grutas del Palacio (2023)

total global geoparks and regional networks

1

agricultural land

87.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 10.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 76.9% (2018 est.)

forest

10.2% (2018 est.)

other

2.6% (2018 est.)

Guarani Aquifer System

salt water lake(s)

Lagoa Mirim (shared with Brazil) - 2,970 sq km

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 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

1.56% of GDP (2018 est.)

172.2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural

3.17 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

80 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

410 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

rate of urbanization

0.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

95.8% of total population (2023)

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.)