Match 251 DB Rec# - 7,703 Dataset-WOFACT
Title :Uruguay
Text :
Uruguay
Geography
Location:
Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
Argentina and Brazil
Map references:
South America
Area:
total area:
176,220 sq km
land area:
173,620 sq km
comparative area:
slightly smaller than Washington State
Land boundaries:
total 1,564 km, Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km
Coastline:
660 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea:
200 nm; overflight and navigation guaranteed beyond 12 nm
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
Climate:
warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
Terrain:
mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
Natural resources:
soil, hydropower potential, minor minerals
Land use:
arable land:
8%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
78%
forest and woodland:
4%
other:
10%
Irrigated land:
1,100 sq km (1989 est.)
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
Geography
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
People
Population:
3,222,716 (July 1995 est.)
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.)
Population growth rate:
0.74% (1995 est.)
Birth rate:
17.57 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate:
9.27 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
16.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
74.46 years
male:
71.24 years
female:
77.83 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.41 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Uruguayan(s)
adjective:
Uruguayan
Ethnic divisions:
white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 66% (less than half adult population attends church
regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, nonprofessing or other 30%
Languages:
Spanish, Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
96%
male:
97%
female:
96%
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.)
Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Oriental Republic of Uruguay
conventional short form:
Uruguay
local long form:
Republica Oriental del Uruguay
local short form:
Uruguay
Digraph:
UY
Type:
republic
Capital:
Montevideo
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 1828 (from Brazil)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 August (1828)
Constitution:
27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973, new
constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980
Legal system:
based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
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
Legislative branch:
bicameral General Assembly (Asamblea General)
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
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
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
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
Government
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
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
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
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
Economy
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.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power parity - $23 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate:
4% (1994 est.)
National product per capita:
$7,200 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
44% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate:
9% (1994 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$2.9 billion
expenditures:
$3 billion, including capital expenditures of $388 million (1991 est.)
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
Imports:
$2.461 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, minerals, plastics
partners:
Brazil, Argentina, US, Nigeria
External debt:
$4.2 billion (1993)
Industrial production:
growth rate 3.9% (1992); accounts for 28% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
2,070,000 kW
production:
9 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
1,575 kWh (1993)
Industries:
meat processing, wool and hides, sugar, textiles, footwear, leather apparel,
tires, cement, petroleum refining, wine
Agriculture:
accounts for 12% of GDP; large areas devoted to livestock grazing; wheat,
rice, corn, sorghum; fishing; self-sufficient in most basic foodstuffs
Economy
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), $69 million
Currency:
1 Uruguayan peso ($Ur) = 100 centesimos
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
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Transportation
Railroads:
total:
3,000 km
standard gauge:
3,000 km 1.435-m gauge
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
Ports:
Fray Bentos, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Punta del Este
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
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
Communications
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
Radio:
broadcast stations:
AM 99, FM 0, shortwave 9
radios:
NA
Television:
broadcast stations:
26
televisions:
NA
Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Coast Guard, Marines), Air Force,
Grenadier Guards, Coracero Guard, Police
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 775,060; males fit for military service 629,385 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $216 million, 2.3% of GDP (1991 est.)
| Index to 1995 World Factbook... | UMSL Govt. Docs... | UMSL Libraries... | UMSL Home... |
This publication is also available online from the CIA (http://www.odci.gov/cia) as 1995 World Factbook (http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/index.html).
The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995
Select this link for contact information about the UM-St. Louis Librarians maintaining this site. Updated: March 12, 1996