1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 176,220 sq km land area: 173,620 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Washington State
Climate
warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
Coastline
660 km
Environment
current issues: substantial pollution from Brazilian industry along border; one-fifth of country affected by acid rain generated by Brazil; water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal 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 international agreements: party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
International disputes
short section of boundary with Argentina is in dispute; 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
Irrigated land
1,100 sq km (1989 est.)
Land boundaries
total 1,564 km, Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km
Land use
arable land: 8% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 78% forest and woodland: 4% other: 10%
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 resources
soil, hydropower potential, minor minerals
Terrain
mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 25% (female 392,262; male 409,580) 15-64 years: 63% (female 1,026,314; male 995,492) 65 years and over: 12% (female 233,377; male 165,691) (July 1995 est.)
Birth rate
17.57 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
9.27 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%
Infant mortality rate
16.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Labor force
1.355 million (1991 est.) by occupation: government 25%, manufacturing 19%, agriculture 11%, commerce 12%, utilities, construction, transport, and communications 12%, other services 21% (1988 est.)
Languages
Spanish, Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 74.46 years male: 71.24 years female: 77.83 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 96% male: 97% female: 96%
Nationality
noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan
Net migration rate
-0.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
3,222,716 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
0.74% (1995 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 66% (less than half adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, nonprofessing or other 30%
Total fertility rate
2.41 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
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
Chamber of Representatives (Camera de Representantes)
elections last held 27 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1999); results - Colorado 32%, Blanco 31%, Encuentro Progresista 31%, New Sector 5%; seats - (99 total) Colorado 32, Blanco 31, Encuentro Progresista 31, New Sector 5
Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores)
elections last held 27 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1999); results - Colorado 36%, Blanco 34 %, Encuentro Progresista 27%, New Sector 3%; seats - (30 total) Colorado 11, Blanco 10, Encuentro Progresista 8, New Sector 1
Constitution
27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980
Digraph
UY
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo MACGILLYCUDDY chancery: 1918 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, and New York consulate(s): New Orleans
Executive branch
chief of state and head of government: President Julio Maria SANGUINETTI (since 1 March 1995); Vice President Hugo BATALLA (since 1 March 1995); election last held 27 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
FAX
[598] (2) 48 86 11
Flag
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
Independence
25 August 1828 (from Brazil)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Legal system
based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
bicameral General Assembly (Asamblea General)
Member of
AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, MERCOSUR, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNOMIL, UNOMOZ, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Names
conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay conventional short form: Uruguay local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay local short form: Uruguay
National holiday
Independence Day, 25 August (1828)
Political parties and leaders
National (Blanco) Party; Colorado Party, Jorge BATLLE; Broad Front Coalition, Gen. Liber SEREGNI Mosquera; New Sector Coalition, Hugo BATALLA; Encuentro Progresista
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Type
republic
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas J. DODD embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo mailing address: APO AA 34035 telephone: [598] (2) 23 60 61, 48 77 77
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for 12% of GDP; large areas devoted to livestock grazing; wheat, rice, corn, sorghum; fishing; self-sufficient in most basic foodstuffs
Budget
revenues: $2.9 billion expenditures: $3 billion, including capital expenditures of $388 million (1991 est.)
Currency
1 Uruguayan peso ($Ur) = 100 centesimos
Economic aid
recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $105 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $420 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $69 million
Electricity
capacity: 2,070,000 kW production: 9 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,575 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
Uruguayan pesos ($Ur) per US$1 - 5.6 (January 1995), 4.4710 (January 1994), 3.9484 (1993), 3.0270 (1992), 2.0188 (1991), 1.1710 (1990) note: on 1 March 1993 the former New Peso (N$Ur) was replaced as Uruguay's unit of currency by the Peso which is equal to 1,000 of the New Pesos
Exports
$1.78 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: wool and textile manufactures, beef and other animal products, leather, rice partners: Brazil, Argentina, US, China, Italy
External debt
$4.2 billion (1993)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
$2.461 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, minerals, plastics partners: Brazil, Argentina, US, Nigeria
Industrial production
growth rate 3.9% (1992); accounts for 28% of GDP
Industries
meat processing, wool and hides, sugar, textiles, footwear, leather apparel, tires, cement, petroleum refining, wine
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
44% (1994 est.)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $23 billion (1994 est.)
National product per capita
$7,200 (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate
4% (1994 est.)
Overview
Uruguay's economy is a small one with favorable climate, good soils, and substantial hydropower potential. Economic development has been restrained in recent years by excessive government regulation of economic detail and 40% to 130% inflation. Although the GDP growth rate slowed in 1993 to 1.7%, following a healthy expansion to 7.5% in 1992, it rebounded in 1994 to an estimated 4%, spurred mostly by increasing agricultural and other exports and a surprise reversal of the downward trend in industrial production. In a major step toward regional economic cooperation, Uruguay confirmed its commitment to the Southern Cone Common Market (MERCOSUR) customs union by implementing MERCOSUR's common external tariff on most tradables on 1 January 1995. Inflation in 1994 declined for the third consecutive year, yet, at 44%, it remains the highest in the region; analysts predict that the expanding fiscal deficit and wage indexation will force the inflation rate back toward the 50% mark in 1995.
Unemployment rate
9% (1994 est.)
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 99, FM 0, shortwave 9 radios: NA
Telephone system
337,000 telephones; telephone density 10/100 persons; some modern facilities local: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo intercity: new nationwide microwave network international: 2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth stations
Television
broadcast stations: 26 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 85 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 8 with paved runways under 914 m: 54 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 2 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 14
Highways
total: 49,900 km paved: 6,700 km unpaved: gravel 3,000 km; earth 40,200 km
Inland waterways
1,600 km; used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft
Merchant marine
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 71,405 GRT/110,939 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, container 1, oil tanker 1
Ports
Fray Bentos, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Punta del Este
Railroads
total: 3,000 km standard gauge: 3,000 km 1.435-m gauge
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Coast Guard, Marines), Air Force, Grenadier Guards, Coracero Guard, Police
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $216 million, 2.3% of GDP (1991 est.) ________________________________________________________________________ UZBEKISTAN
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 775,060; males fit for military service 629,385 (1995 est.)