2023 Edition

Background

Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military stronghold, soon became an important commercial center due to its natural harbor. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by Brazil 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 (MLN-T)), 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 restored in 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio (FA) Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control previously held by the Colorado and National (Blanco) parties. The left-of-center retained the presidency and control of both chambers of congress until 2019. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.

Area

land

175,015 sq km

total

176,215 sq km

water

1,200 sq km

Area - comparative

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

Climate

warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Coastline

660 km

Elevation

highest point

Cerro Catedral 514 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

109 m

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

2,380 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Argentina 541 km; Brazil 1,050 km

total

1,591 km

Land use

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.)

Location

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

Major aquifers

Guarani Aquifer System

Major lakes (area sq km)

salt water lake(s)

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

Major rivers (by length in 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

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or the edge of continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

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, fish

Population distribution

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

Terrain

mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Age structure

0-14 years

19.02% (male 330,536/female 319,132)

15-64 years

65.55% (male 1,110,881/female 1,128,546)

65 years and over

15.43% (2023 est.) (male 213,750/female 313,419)

Alcohol consumption per capita

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.)

Birth rate

12.7 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

1.8% (2018)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

79.6% (2015)

note

note: percent of women aged 15-44

Current health expenditure

9.2% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

55.4% (2023 est.)

Death rate

9.1 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

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.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

23.7

potential support ratio

4.2 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

53.6

youth dependency ratio

29.9

Drinking water source

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

Education expenditures

4.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.86 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

9.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

8.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Languages

Spanish (official) (many speak the Rioplatense 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.

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.9 years

male

75.6 years

total population

78.7 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99% (2019)

male

98.5%

total population

98.8%

Major urban areas - population

1.774 million MONTEVIDEO (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Median age

female

37.9 years

male

34.6 years

total

36.2 years (2023 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Uruguayan

noun

Uruguayan(s)

Net migration rate

-0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

27.9% (2016)

Physicians density

4.94 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

3,416,264 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

0.27% (2023 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 42%, Protestant 15%, other 6%, agnostic 3%, atheist 10%, unspecified 24% (2014 est.)

Sanitation facility access

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

20 years (2019)

male

17 years

total

19 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.98 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 (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

18.5% (2020 est.)

male

24.4% (2020 est.)

total

21.5% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.75 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

95.8% of total population (2023)

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

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

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

3-5 years

Constitution

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

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006

chief of mission

Ambassador Andres Augusto DURAN 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

Executive branch

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); Vice President Beatriz ARGIMON Cedeira (since 1 March 2020); the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

2019: Luis Alberto LACALLE POU elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Daniel MARTINEZ (FA) 40.7%, Luis Alberto LACALLE POU (Blanco) 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 (Blanco) 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 2019 with a runoff election on 24 November 2019 (next to be held in October 2024, and a runoff if needed in November 2024)

head of government

President Luis Alberto LACALLE POU (since 1 March 2020); Vice President Beatriz ARGIMON Cedeira (since 1 March 2020)

Flag description

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

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

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)

Legal system

civil law system based on the Spanish civil code

Legislative branch

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 coalition/party - NA; seats by coalition/party - Frente Amplio 13, National Party 10, Colorado Party 4, Open Cabildo 3; composition - men 21, women 10, percent of women 25.3%%Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by coalition/party - 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, percent of women 25.3%; note - total General Assembly percent of women 26.9%

elections

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

National anthem

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

National heritage

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)

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

National symbol(s)

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

Political parties and leaders

Broad Front or FA (Frente Amplio) [Fernando PEREIRA] - (a broad governing coalition that comprises 34 factions including Uruguay Assembly [Danilo ASTORI], Progressive Alliance [Rodolfo NIN NOVOA], New Space [Rafael MICHELINI], Socialist Party [Gonzalo CIVILA], Vertiente Artiguista [Enrique RUBIO], Christian Democratic Party [Jorge RODRIGUEZ], For the People’s Victory [Luis PUIG], Popular Participation Movement or MPP [Jose MUJICA], Big House [Constanza MOREIRA], Communist Party [Juan CASTILLO], The Federal League [Sergio LIER], Fuerza Renovadora [Mario BERGARA])Colorado Party (including Batllistas [Julio Maria SANGUINETTI] and Ciudadanos [Adrian PENA])Independent Party [Pablo MIERES]National Party or Blanco (including Todos (Everyone) [Luis LACALLE POU] and National Alliance [Carlos CAMY])Open Cabildo [Guido MANINI RIOS]Popular Unity [Gonzalo ABELLA]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agricultural products

soybeans, milk, rice, maize, wheat, barley, beef, sugar cane, sorghum, oranges

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

1.3% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

18.6% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$17.571 billion (2020 est.)

revenues

$14.991 billion (2020 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

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

Current account balance 2019

$980.513 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$448.402 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$1.073 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$42.861 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$43.705 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

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

Exchange rates

Currency

Uruguayan pesos (UYU) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

28.676 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

30.725 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

35.255 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

42.013 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

43.555 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$17.087 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$13.596 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$18.82 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

sulfate wood pulp, beef, soybeans, concentrated milk, rice (2019)

Exports - partners

China 29%, Brazil 12%, United States 5%, Netherlands 5%, Argentina 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

21.6% (2017 est.)

government consumption

14.3% (2017 est.)

household consumption

66.8% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-18.4% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

16.7% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

-1% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

6.2% (2017 est.)

industry

24.1% (2017 est.)

services

69.7% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$56.108 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020

40.2 (2020 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

30.8% (2014 est.)

lowest 10%

1.9%

Imports

Imports 2019

$13.336 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$11.212 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$15.051 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

crude petroleum, packaged medicines, cars, broadcasting equipment, delivery trucks (2019)

Imports - partners

Brazil 25%, China 15%, United States 11%, Argentina 11% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

5.87% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

7.88% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

9.76% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

7.75% (2021 est.)

Labor force

1.702 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

8.8% (2019 est.)

Public debt

note

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions.

Public debt 2018

47.95% of GDP (2018 est.)

Public debt 2019

50.94% of GDP (2019 est.)

Public debt 2020

60.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$79.733 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$74.852 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$78.121 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

0.35% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-6.12% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

4.37% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$23,300 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$21,800 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$22,800 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$14.504 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$16.25 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$16.963 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

18.55% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

8.88% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

10.35% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

10.45% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

38.7%

male

28.3%

total

32.9% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

190,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

6.259 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

6.45 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

11,461,960,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

1.148 billion kWh (2020 est.)

imports

515 million kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

5.348 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

1,329,700,000 kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

21.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

30.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

3.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

42.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

66.909 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

96.872 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

96.872 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

41,500 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

50,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

400 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

9,591 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

42,220 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

31 (2020 est.)

total

1,063,701 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

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)

Internet country code

.uy

Internet users

percent of population

90% (2021 est.)

total

3.06 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

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 about 77% of all fixed and fixed-wireless broadband connections as of June 2020; with investment projected to reach $800 million, the state-owned incumbent Antel is expected to provide national FttP coverage by early 2022; 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; Uruguay is one of the very few Latin American countries where the local fixed-line market is neither privatized nor liberalized; other segments of the telecom market have been opened to competition, including international long-distance telephony, mobile telephony, and fixed-wireless broadband; Uruguay is also one of the few countries in the world where broadband access via cable modem does not exist; although cable networks are well equipped technologically, and digital cable TV is widely available, telecom legislation prohibits data transmission over pay TV networks; the government announced in December 2020 that it intended to introduce changes to the law to permit pay TV providers to offer internet and telephony packages over their own 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; the regulator is working on a spectrum and connectivity policy that emphasizes 5G (2021)

international

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

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

36 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

1.2 million (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

140 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

4.7 million (2021 est.)

Airports

133 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

11

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

122

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

CX

Merchant marine

by type

container ship 1, general cargo 4, oil tanker 4, other 51

total

60 (2022)

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

5

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Pipelines

257 km gas, 160 km oil (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Montevideo

Railways

standard gauge

1,673 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge

total

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

Roadways

paved

7,743 km (2010)

total

77,732 km (2010)

unpaved

69,989 km (2010)

Waterways

1,600 km (2011)

Military - note

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; in 2020, the military deployed more than 1,000 troops to assist the National Police in securing the land border with Brazil and the riverine border with Argentina as part of a border control law passed in 2018; the military trains regularly, including in multinational exercises; it has traditionally held security ties with Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and the USthe Army has 4 regionally based divisions comprised of approximately 8 small brigades of infantry and mechanized cavalry; the Navy includes the Coast Guard, a naval aviation command, and a small naval infantry force; the Navy in recent years has undertaken a modest program to modernize its aging fleet, decommissioning several ships, including its only frigates, and acquiring secondhand patrol vessels from the US Coast Guard; it is also attempting to acquire larger and more modern offshore patrol vessels; the Air Force has a single squadron of light ground attack aircraft (2023)

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of Uruguay (Fuerzas Armadas 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 (2023)

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

Military and security service personnel strengths

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

Military deployments

825 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 210 Golan Heights (UNDOF) (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory includes a wide variety of older or second-hand equipment; in recent years, it has imported limited amounts of military hardware from a variety of countries with Spain as the leading supplier (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

2.1% of GDP (2018 est.)

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 service age and obligation

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 (2023)

note

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

Disputes - international

Uruguay-Argentina: in 2010, the ICJ ruled in favor of Uruguay's operation of two paper mills on the Uruguay River, which forms the border with Argentina; the two countries formed a joint pollution monitoring regime, which ended the dispute Uruguay-Brazil: uncontested boundary dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera/Brasiliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim River leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question; smuggling of firearms and narcotics continues to be an issue along the Uruguay-Brazil border

Illicit drugs

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 and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

27,500 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum or have received alternative legal stay) (2022)

stateless persons

5 (2022)

Space agency/agencies

drafted a bill to establish a space agency to be named the Uruguayan Space Agency, 2022  (2023)

Space program overview

nascent program; the bill to establish a space agency declared its purpose to be promoting the development of the space sector in Uruguay with emphasis on the economic and social development of its inhabitants (2023)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S

Air pollutants

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.)

Climate

warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

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

Land use

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.)

Major aquifers

Guarani Aquifer System

Major lakes (area sq km)

salt water lake(s)

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

Major rivers (by length in 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

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

1.56% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

172.2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

3.17 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

80 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

410 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

95.8% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

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.)