Uruguay

Official name: ORIENTAL REPUBLIC OF URUGUAY

Date of membership: 16 March 1977

Short name: Uruguay

Capital: Montevideo

Geography

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

Area: 176,220 sq km

Land boundaries: 1,564 km

Border countries: Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km

Coastline: 660 km

Natural resources: Arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Environment - international agreements: 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.

Economic indicators  

Total at current prices   53 629 Millions USD 2020
Per capita at current prices 15438 USD 2020
Growth rate per capita at constant prices -6.2 % 2020
Imports of goods and services 
(GDP at current prices)
21.0 % 2020
Exports of goods and services
(GDP at current prices)
16.2 % 2020

Source: Uruguay: Economic National Profile. CEPALSTAT. Databases and
Statistical Publications. ECLAC. Inquiry: February 24, 2022

Socio-demographic indicators  

Total population   3 473.7 (000) 2020
Life expectancy 78 Years 2020_2025
Women 82 Years 2020_2025
Men 75 Years 2020_2025
Public health expenditure as a percentage of GDP 9.2 % 2018
Literacy rate for persons between
 the ages of 15 to 24
99.0 % 2019
Net rate of enrolment in 
primary education
99.4 % 2019
Net rate of enrolment in 
secondary education
89.3 % 2019
Public expenditure on education 
as a percentage of GDP
4.7 % 2019
Gini Coefficient 0.40 % 2020
Unemployment 10.1 % 2020
Migration -0.8 % 2020_2025

Source: Uruguay: National Socio-Demographic Profile. CEPALSTAT. Data Bases and Statistical Publications. ECLAC. Inquiry: February 24, 2022

Languages: Spanish (official)

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.

Independence: 25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

Constitution: 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.

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: Chief of state: President Presidente  Luis La Calle Pou (since 1 March 2020). Vice President: Beatriz Argimón (since 1 March 2020) Note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch: 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).

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly).

Internet code: .uy

Official Web Portal: http://www.presidencia.gub.uy