CIA World Fact Book, 2004/Uruguay


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!| Background:
 * A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement, the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to agree to military control of his administration in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold throughout the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.
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!| Location: !| Geographic coordinates: !| Map references: !| Area: land: 173,620 sq km water: 2,600 sq km !| Area - comparative: !| Land boundaries: border countries: Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km !| Coastline: !| Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm !| Climate: !| Terrain: !| Elevation extremes: highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m !| Natural resources: !| Land use: permanent crops: 0.23% other: 92.34% (2001) !| Irrigated land: !| Natural hazards: !| Environment - current issues: !| Environment - international agreements: signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation !| Geography - note:
 * Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil
 * 33 00 S, 56 00 W
 * South America
 * total: 176,220 sq km
 * slightly smaller than the state of Washington
 * total: 1,564 km
 * 660 km
 * territorial sea: 12 nm
 * warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
 * mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
 * lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
 * arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries
 * arable land: 7.43%
 * 1,800 sq km (1998 est.)
 * seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts
 * water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal
 * party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
 * 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
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!| Population: !| Age structure: 15-64 years: 63.4% (male 1,066,464; female 1,087,100) 65 years and over: 13.1% (male 182,654; female 264,022) (2004 est.) !| Median age: male: 30.7 years female: 33.7 years (2004 est.) !| Population growth rate: !| Birth rate: !| Death rate: !| Net migration rate: !| Sex ratio: under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.) !| Infant mortality rate: female: 10.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 13.67 deaths/1,000 live births !| Life expectancy at birth: male: 72.71 years female: 79.24 years (2004 est.) !| Total fertility rate: !| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: !| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: !| HIV/AIDS - deaths: !| Nationality: adjective: Uruguayan !| Ethnic groups: !| Religions: !| Languages: !| Literacy: total population: 98% male: 97.6% female: 98.4% (2003 est.)
 * 3,399,237 (July 2004 est.)
 * 0-14 years: 23.5% (male 406,500; female 392,497)
 * total: 32.2 years
 * 0.51% (2004 est.)
 * 14.44 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 9.07 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * -0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
 * total: 12.31 deaths/1,000 live births
 * total population: 75.92 years
 * 1.96 children born/woman (2004 est.)
 * 0.3% (2001 est.)
 * 6,300 (2001 est.)
 * less than 500 (2003 est.)
 * noun: Uruguayan(s)
 * white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian, practically nonexistent
 * Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing or other 31%
 * Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)
 * definition: age 15 and over can read and write
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!| Country name: conventional short form: Uruguay local short form: Uruguay former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay !| Government type: !| Capital: !| Administrative divisions: !| Independence: !| National holiday: !| Constitution: !| Legal system: !| Suffrage: !| Executive branch: head of government: President Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March 2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with parliamentary approval elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009) election results: Tabare VAZQUEZ elected president; percent of vote - Tabare VAZQUEZ 50.7%, Jorge LARRANAGA 34.1%, Guillermo STIRLING 10.3%; note - VAZQUEZ will take office on 1 March 2005 !| Legislative branch: elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Encuentro Progresista 12, Colorado Party 10, Blanco 7, New Sector/Space Coalition 1; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Encuentro Progresista 40, Colorado Party 33, Blanco 22, New Sector/Space Coalition 4 !| Judicial branch: !| Political parties and leaders: !| Political pressure groups and leaders: !| International organization participation: !| Diplomatic representation in the US: consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142 telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316 chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 !| Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200 mailing address: APO AA 34035 telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777 FAX: [598] (2) 418-8611 !| Flag description:
 * conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
 * constitutional republic
 * Montevideo
 * 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
 * 25 August 1825 (from Brazil)
 * Independence Day, 25 August (1825)
 * 27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7 January 1997
 * based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
 * 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
 * chief of state: President Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March 2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
 * bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
 * Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)
 * Colorado Party [Jorge BATLLE Ibanez]; National Party or Blanco [Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera]; New Sector/Space Coalition or Nuevo Espacio [Rafael MICHELINI]; Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or Encuentro Progresista/Frente Amplio [Tabare VAZQUEZ]
 * Agrupacion UTE (powerful state worker's union), Rural Association of Uruguay (rancher's association), Uruguayan Construction League, Chamber of Uruguayan Industries (manufacturer's association), Chemist and Pharmaceutical Association (professional organization), Architect's Society of Uruguay (professional organization), the Catholic Church, students
 * FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo FERNANDEZ-FAINGOLD
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Martin J. SILVERSTEIN
 * 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
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!| Economy - overview: !| GDP: !| GDP - real growth rate: !| GDP - per capita: !| GDP - composition by sector: industry: 26.6% services: 66% (2003) !| Investment (gross fixed): !| Population below poverty line: !| Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%: 25.8% (1997) !| Distribution of family income - Gini index: !| Inflation rate (consumer prices): !| Labor force: !| Labor force - by occupation: !| Unemployment rate: !| Budget: expenditures: $3.425 billion, including capital expenditures of $193 million (2003) !| Agriculture - products: !| Industries: !| Industrial production growth rate: !| Electricity - production: !| Electricity - consumption: !| Electricity - exports: !| Electricity - imports: !| Oil - production: !| Oil - consumption: !| Oil - exports: !| Oil - imports: !| Natural gas - production: !| Natural gas - consumption: !| Natural gas - exports: !| Natural gas - imports: !| Current account balance: !| Exports: !| Exports - commodities: !| Exports - partners: !| Imports: !| Imports - commodities: !| Imports - partners: !| Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: !| Debt - external: !| Economic aid - recipient: !| Currency: !| Currency code: !| Exchange rates: !| Fiscal year:
 * Uruguay's well-to-do economy is characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, and high levels of social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually during 1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major downturn, stemming largely from the spillover effects of the economic problems of its large neighbors, Argentina and Brazil. For instance, in 2001-02 massive withdrawals by Argentina of dollars deposited in Uruguayan banks led to a plunge in the Uruguyan peso and a massive rise in unemployment. Total GDP in these four years dropped by nearly 20%, with 2002 the worst year due to the serious banking crisis. Unemployment rose to nearly 20% in 2002, inflation surged, and the burden of external debt doubled. Cooperation with the IMF and the US has limited the damage. The debt swap with private creditors carried out in 2003, which extended the maturity dates on nearly half of Uruguay's $11.3 billion in public debt, substantially alleviated the country's amortization burden in the coming years and restored public confidence. The economy is expected to resume growth in 2004 (perhaps 4% or more) as a result of high commodity prices for Uruguayan exports, the weakness of the dollar against the euro, growth in the region, low international interest rates, and greater export competitiveness. On the negative side, in December 2003 the electorate voted to repeal the law permitting a cautious liberalization of the energy industry.
 * purchasing power parity - $43.67 billion (2003 est.)
 * 2.5% (2003 est.)
 * purchasing power parity - $12,800 (2003 est.)
 * agriculture: 7.4%
 * 9.7% of GDP (2003)
 * 23.7% (2002)
 * lowest 10%: 3.7%
 * 44.8 (1999)
 * 19.4% (2003 est.)
 * 1.56 million (2003)
 * agriculture 14%, industry 16%, services 70%
 * 16% (2003)
 * revenues: $2.934 billion
 * rice, wheat, corn, barley; livestock; fish
 * food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages
 * 0.7% (2003 est.)
 * 7.963 billion kWh (2001)
 * 6.152 billion kWh (2001)
 * 1.377 billion kWh (2001)
 * 123 million kWh (2001)
 * 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 41,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * NA (2001)
 * NA (2001)
 * 0 cu m (2001 est.)
 * 40 million cu m (2001 est.)
 * 0 cu m (2001 est.)
 * 40 million cu m (2001 est.)
 * $76 million (2003)
 * $2.164 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * meat, rice, leather products, wool, fish, dairy products
 * Brazil 21.4%, US 11.4%, Argentina 7.1%, Germany 6.6%, China 4.3%, Mexico 4.1%, Italy 4.1%, Canada 4% (2003)
 * $1.989 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, crude petroleum
 * Argentina 26.1%, Brazil 21%, Russia 11.7%, US 7.6% (2003)
 * $2.087 billion (2003)
 * $10.73 billion (2003)
 * NA
 * Uruguayan peso (UYU)
 * UYU
 * Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 28.2091 (2003), 21.257 (2002), 13.3191 (2001), 12.0996 (2000), 11.3393 (1999)
 * calendar year
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!| Telephones - main lines in use: !| Telephones - mobile cellular: !| Telephone system: domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network international: country code - 598; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002) !| Radio broadcast stations: !| Radios: !| Television broadcast stations: !| Televisions: !| Internet country code: !| Internet hosts: !| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): !| Internet users:
 * 946,500 (2002)
 * 652,000 (2002)
 * general assessment: fully digitalized
 * AM 91, FM 149, shortwave 7 (2001)
 * 1.97 million (1997)
 * 23 (2002)
 * 782,000 (1997)
 * .uy
 * 87,630 (2003)
 * 14 (2001)
 * 400,000 (2002)
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!| Railways: standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in partial use (2003) !| Highways: paved: 8,081 km unpaved: 902 km (1999 est.) !| Waterways: !| Pipelines: !| Ports and harbors: !| Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 6 (2004 est.) foreign-owned: Argentina 4, Greece 1 by type: chemical tanker 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 !| Airports: !| Airports - with paved runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) !| Airports - with unpaved runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 31 (2004 est.)
 * total: 2,073 km
 * total: 8,983 km
 * 1,600 km (2002)
 * gas 192 km (2004)
 * Colonia, Fray Bentos, Juan La Caze, La Paloma, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Punta del Este, Piriapolis
 * total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 10,918 GRT/10,342 DWT
 * 64 (2003 est.)
 * total: 14
 * total: 50
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!| Military branches: !| Military manpower - military age and obligation: !| Military manpower - availability: !| Military manpower - fit for military service: !| Military expenditures - dollar figure: !| Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
 * Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Marines, Maritime Prefecture in wartime), Air Force
 * 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2001)
 * males age 15-49: 838,195 (2004 est.)
 * males age 15-49: 677,315 (2004 est.)
 * $217.9 million (2003)
 * 2% (2003)
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