Geography

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

total area: 176,220 sq km
land area: 173,620 sq km
Coastline:
660 km
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.)



People

Population:
3,222,716 (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.)
Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.46 years
male: 71.24 years
female: 77.83 years (1995 est.)
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.)



Goverment

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)
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):seats - (30 total)
Chamber of Representatives (Camera de Representantes): ; seats -
Judicial branch
Supreme Court



Economy

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:
$4.2 billion (1993)
Currency:
1 Uruguayan peso ($Ur) = 100 centesimos
Exchange rates:
Uruguayan pesos ($Ur) per US$1 - 5.6 (January 1995)
£1=....... pesos