{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "
Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an important commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by Brazil in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century launched widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was restored in 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control previously held by the Colorado and National (Blanco) parties. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.
" } }, "Geography": { "Location": { "text": "Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "33 00 S, 56 00 W" }, "Map references": { "text": "South America" }, "Area": { "total": { "text": "176,215 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "175,015 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "1,200 sq km" } }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "about the size of Virginia and West Virginia combined; slightly smaller than the state of Washington" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "1,591 km" }, "border countries": { "text": "Argentina 541 km, Brazil 1050 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "660 km" }, "Maritime claims": { "territorial sea": { "text": "12 nm" }, "contiguous zone": { "text": "24 nm" }, "exclusive economic zone": { "text": "200 nm" }, "continental shelf": { "text": "200 nm or the edge of continental margin" } }, "Climate": { "text": "warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown" }, "Terrain": { "text": "mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland" }, "Elevation": { "mean elevation": { "text": "109 m" }, "lowest point": { "text": "Atlantic Ocean 0 m" }, "highest point": { "text": "Cerro Catedral 514 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fish" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "87.2% (2011 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 10.1% (2011 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 0.2% (2011 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 76.9% (2011 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "10.2% (2011 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "2.6% (2011 est.)" } }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "2,380 sq km (2012)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "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" }, "Natural hazards": { "text": "seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind that blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; heavy metal pollution; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal; deforestation" }, "Environment - international agreements": { "party to": { "text": "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, Wetlands" }, "signed, but not ratified": { "text": "Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation" } }, "Geography - note": { "text": "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 and Society": { "Population": { "text": "3,398,239 (July 2021 est.)" }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Uruguayan(s)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Uruguayan" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "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
" }, "Languages": { "text": "Spanish (official)" }, "Religions": { "text": "Roman Catholic 47.1%, non-Catholic Christians 11.1%, nondenominational 23.2%, Jewish 0.3%, atheist or agnostic 17.2%, other 1.1% (2006 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { "text": "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.
" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { "text": "19.51% (male 336,336/female 324,563)" }, "15-24 years": { "text": "15.14% (male 259,904/female 252,945)" }, "25-54 years": { "text": "39.86% (male 670,295/female 679,850)" }, "55-64 years": { "text": "10.79% (male 172,313/female 193,045)" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "14.71% (male 200,516/female 297,838) (2020 est.)" } }, "Dependency ratios": { "total dependency ratio": { "text": "54.9" }, "youth dependency ratio": { "text": "31.5" }, "elderly dependency ratio": { "text": "23.4" }, "potential support ratio": { "text": "4.3 (2020 est.)" } }, "Median age": { "total": { "text": "35.5 years" }, "male": { "text": "33.8 years" }, "female": { "text": "37.3 years (2020 est.)" } }, "Population growth rate": { "text": "0.26% (2021 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "12.75 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "9.24 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)" }, "Net migration rate": { "text": "-0.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "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" }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "95.5% of total population (2020)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "0.46% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)" } }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "1.752 million MONTEVIDEO (capital) (2020)" }, "Sex ratio": { "at birth": { "text": "1.04 male(s)/female" }, "0-14 years": { "text": "1.04 male(s)/female" }, "15-24 years": { "text": "1.03 male(s)/female" }, "25-54 years": { "text": "0.99 male(s)/female" }, "55-64 years": { "text": "0.89 male(s)/female" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "0.67 male(s)/female" }, "total population": { "text": "0.94 male(s)/female (2020 est.)" } }, "Maternal mortality rate": { "text": "17 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)" }, "Infant mortality rate": { "total": { "text": "8.48 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "male": { "text": "9.65 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "female": { "text": "7.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)" } }, "Life expectancy at birth": { "total population": { "text": "78.19 years" }, "male": { "text": "75.06 years" }, "female": { "text": "81.42 years (2021 est.)" } }, "Total fertility rate": { "text": "1.76 children born/woman (2021 est.)" }, "Contraceptive prevalence rate": { "text": "79.6% (2015)", "note": "note: percent of women aged 15-44
" }, "Drinking water source": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 100% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 93.9% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 99.7% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 100% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 95% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 100% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { "text": "9.3% (2017)" }, "Physicians density": { "text": "5.08 physicians/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Hospital bed density": { "text": "2.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 99% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 98.3% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 98.9% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 1% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 1.7% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 2.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "0.6% (2018 est.)" }, "HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS": { "text": "14,000 (2018 est.)" }, "HIV/AIDS - deaths": { "text": "<200 (2018 est.)" }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "27.9% (2016)" }, "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": { "text": "4% (2011)" }, "Education expenditures": { "text": "5% of GDP (2018)" }, "Literacy": { "definition": { "text": "age 15 and over can read and write" }, "total population": { "text": "98.7%" }, "male": { "text": "98.4%" }, "female": { "text": "99% (2018)" } }, "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": { "total": { "text": "17 years" }, "male": { "text": "NA" }, "female": { "text": "NA (2017)" } }, "Unemployment, youth ages 15-24": { "total": { "text": "25.9%" }, "male": { "text": "22.4%" }, "female": { "text": "30.7% (2018 est.)" } } }, "Government": { "Country name": { "conventional long form": { "text": "Oriental Republic of Uruguay" }, "conventional short form": { "text": "Uruguay" }, "local long form": { "text": "Republica Oriental del Uruguay" }, "local short form": { "text": "Uruguay" }, "former": { "text": "Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province" }, "etymology": { "text": "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" } }, "Government type": { "text": "presidential republic" }, "Capital": { "name": { "text": "Montevideo" }, "geographic coordinates": { "text": "34 51 S, 56 10 W" }, "time difference": { "text": "UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "note": "note: the banner was inspired by the national colors of Argentina and by the design of the US flag
" }, "National symbol(s)": { "text": "Sun of May (a sun-with-face symbol); national colors: blue, white, yellow" }, "National anthem": { "name": { "text": "\"Himno Nacional\" (National Anthem of Uruguay)" }, "lyrics/music": { "text": "Francisco Esteban ACUNA de Figueroa/Francisco Jose DEBALI" }, "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
" } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "Uruguay has a free market economy characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, and high levels of social spending. Uruguay has sought to expand trade within the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) and with non-Mercosur members, and President VAZQUEZ has maintained his predecessor's mix of pro-market policies and a strong social safety net.
note: data are in 2017 dollars
" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$56.108 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2019": { "text": "$21,561 (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2018": { "text": "$21,591 (2018 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2017": { "text": "$21,325 (2017 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars
" }, "Gross national saving": { "Gross national saving 2017": { "text": "17.2% of GDP (2017 est.)" }, "Gross national saving 2016": { "text": "18.6% of GDP (2016 est.)" }, "Gross national saving 2015": { "text": "18.7% of GDP (2015 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "6.2% (2017 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "24.1% (2017 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "69.7% (2017 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "66.8% (2017 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "14.3% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "16.7% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "-1% (2017 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "21.6% (2017 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-18.4% (2017 est.)" } }, "Ease of Doing Business Index scores": { "Overall Ease of Doing Business score 2020": { "text": "58.4 (2020)" } }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "soybeans, milk, rice, maize, wheat, barley, beef, sugar cane, sorghum, oranges" }, "Industries": { "text": "food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "-3.6% (2017 est.)" }, "Labor force": { "text": "1.748 million (2017 est.)" }, "Labor force - by occupation": { "agriculture": { "text": "13%" }, "industry": { "text": "14%" }, "services": { "text": "73% (2010 est.)" } }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2017": { "text": "7.6% (2017 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2016": { "text": "7.9% (2016 est.)" } }, "Population below poverty line": { "text": "9.7% (2015 est.)" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018": { "text": "39.7 (2018 est.)" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2013": { "text": "41.9 (2013)" } }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "1.9%" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "30.8% (2014 est.)" } }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "17.66 billion (2017 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "19.72 billion (2017 est.)" } }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "29.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": { "text": "-3.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2017": { "text": "65.7% of GDP (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt 2016": { "text": "61.6% of GDP (2016 est.)" }, "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.
" }, "Fiscal year": { "text": "calendar year" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2017": { "text": "$879 million (2017 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2016": { "text": "$410 million (2016 est.)" } }, "Exports": { "Exports 2017": { "text": "$11.41 billion (2017 est.)" }, "Exports 2016": { "text": "$8.387 billion (2016 est.)" } }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "China 19%, Brazil 16.1%, US 5.7%, Argentina 5.4% (2017)" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "beef, soybeans, cellulose, rice, wheat, wood, dairy products, wool" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2017": { "text": "$8.607 billion (2017 est.)" }, "Imports 2016": { "text": "$8.463 billion (2016 est.)" } }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "China 20%, Brazil 19.5%, Argentina 12.6%, US 10.9% (2017)" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "refined oil, crude oil, passenger and other transportation vehicles, vehicle parts, cellular phones" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017": { "text": "$15.96 billion (31 December 2017 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016": { "text": "$13.47 billion (31 December 2016 est.)" } }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 31 December 2017": { "text": "$28.37 billion (31 December 2017 est.)" }, "Debt - external 31 December 2016": { "text": "$27.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)" } }, "Exchange rates": { "currency": { "text": "Uruguayan pesos (UYU) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2020": { "text": "42.645 (2020 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2019": { "text": "37.735 (2019 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2018": { "text": "32.2 (2018 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2014": { "text": "27.52 (2014 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2013": { "text": "23.25 (2013 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "100% (2020)" } }, "Electricity - production": { "text": "13.13 billion kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - consumption": { "text": "10.77 billion kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - exports": { "text": "1.321 billion kWh (2015 est.)" }, "Electricity - imports": { "text": "24 million kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - installed generating capacity": { "text": "4.808 million kW (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - from fossil fuels": { "text": "29% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - from nuclear fuels": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Electricity - from hydroelectric plants": { "text": "29% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Electricity - from other renewable sources": { "text": "42% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Crude oil - production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)" }, "Crude oil - exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Crude oil - imports": { "text": "40,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Crude oil - proved reserves": { "text": "0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - production": { "text": "42,220 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - consumption": { "text": "53,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - imports": { "text": "9,591 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Natural gas - production": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - consumption": { "text": "70.79 million cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - exports": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - imports": { "text": "70.79 million cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - proved reserves": { "text": "0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)" }, "Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy": { "text": "7.554 million Mt (2017 est.)" } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "1,137,193" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "33.66 (2019 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "4,664,993" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "138.08 (2019 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "fully digitalized; one of the highest broadband penetrations in Latin America; high fixed-line and mobile penetrations as well; FttP coverage by 2022; nationwide 3G coverage and LTE networks; limited 5G commercial reach; strong focus on fiber infrastructure with 70% residential fixed-broadband connections and all business connections (2020)" }, "domestic": { "text": "most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; nationwide microwave radio relay network; overall fixed-line 34 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity 138 per 100 persons (2019)" }, "international": { "text": "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)" }, "note": "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; 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
" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { "text": "19,713 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum or have received alternative legal stay) (2020)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "small-scale transit country for drugs mainly bound for Europe, often through sea-borne containers; law enforcement corruption; money laundering because of strict banking secrecy laws; weak border control along Brazilian frontier; increasing consumption of cocaine base and synthetic drugs" } } }