@node Geography (Uruguay)
@section Geography (Uruguay)

@display

Location:
  Eastern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Argentina
  and Brazil
Map references:
  South America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  176,220 km2
 land area:
  173,620 km2  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 depth of exploitation
 territorial sea:
  200 nm; overflight and navigation permitted 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 Quarai and the islands at the confluence of the
  Rio Cuareim (Rio Quarai) and the Uruguay
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 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
  subject to seasonally high winds, droughts, floods



@end display

@node People (Uruguay)
@section People (Uruguay)

@display

Population:
  3,175,050 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  0.75% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  17.82 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  9.52 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  -0.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  18 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:   73.74 years
 male:
  70.52 years
 female:
  77.11 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  2.46 children born/woman (1993 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
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
 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.)



@end display

@node Government (Uruguay)
@section Government (Uruguay)

@display

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)
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
National holiday:
  Independence Day, 25 August (1828)
Political parties and leaders:
  National (Blanco) Party, Carlos CAT; Colorado Party, Secretary General
  (vacant); Broad Front Coalition, Liber SEREGNI Mosquera - includes PSU, PCU,
  MLN, MRO, PVP; Uruguayan Socialist Party (PSU), Jose Pedro CARDOSO, and;
  Communist Party (PCU), Marina ARISMENDI; National Liberation Movement (MLN)
  or Tupamaros, Eleuterio FERNANDEZ Huidobro; Oriental Rvolutionary Movement
  (MRO), Walter ARTOLA; Party for the Victory of the Poor (PVP), Hugo CORES;
  New Space Coalition consists of PGP, PDC, and Civic Union, Hugo BATALLA;
  People's Government Party (PGP), Hugo BATALLA, secretary general; Christian
  Democratic Party (PDC), Carlos VASSALLO, secretary general; Civic Union,
  Humberto CIGANDA
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Elections:
 President:
  last held 26 November 1989 (next to be held NA November 1994); results -
  Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera (Blanco) 37%, Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (Colorado)
  29%, Liber SEREGNI Mosquera (Broad Front) 20%
 Chamber of Senators:
  last held 26 November 1989 (next to be held NA November 1994); results -
  Blanco 40%, Colorado 30%, Broad Front 23% New Space 7%; seats - (30 total)
  Blanco 12, Colorado 9, Broad Front 7, New Space 2
 Chamber of Representatives:
  last held NA November 1989 (next to be held NA November 1994); results -
  Blanco 39%, Colorado 30%, Broad Front 22%, New Space 8%, other 1%; seats -
  (99 total) number of seats by party NA
Executive branch:
  president, vice president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)



@end display

@node Government (Uruguay 2. usage)
@section Government (Uruguay 2. usage)

@display

Legislative branch:
  bicameral General Assembly (Asamblea General) consists of an upper chamber
  or Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores) and a lower chamber or Chamber
  of Representatives (Camera de Representantes)
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court
Leaders:
 Chief of State and Head of Government:
  President Luis Alberto LACALLE (since 1 March 1990); Vice President Gonzalo
  AGUIRRE Ramirez (since 1 March 1990)
Member of:
  AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, MERCOSUR, NAM (observer), OAS,
  OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNOMOZ, UNTAC,
  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:
  telephone (202) 331-1313 through 1316
 consulates general:
  Los Angeles, Miami, and New York,
 consulate:
  New Orleans
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Richard C. BROWN
 embassy:
  Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo
 mailing address:
  APO AA 34035
 telephone:
  [598] (2) 23-60-61 or 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



@end display

@node Economy (Uruguay)
@section Economy (Uruguay)

@display

Overview:
  Uruguay is a small economy with favorable climate, good soils, and solid
  hydropower potential. Economic development has been held back by excessive
  government regulation of economic detail and 50% to 130% inflation. After
  several years of sluggish growth, real GDP jumped by about 8% in 1992. The
  rise is attributable mainly to an increase in Argentine demand for Uruguayan
  exports, particularly agricultural products and electricity. In a major step
  toward greater regional economic cooperation, Uruguay in 1991 had joined
  Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay in forming the Southern Cone Common Market
  (Mercosur). A referendum in December 1992 overturned key portions of
  landmark privatization legislation, dealing a serious blow to President
  LACALLE's broad economic reform plan.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $9.8 billion (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  8% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
  $3,100 (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  58% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
  9% (1992 est.)
Budget:
  revenues $2.9 billion; expenditures $3.0 billion, including capital
  expenditures of $388 million (1991)
Exports:
  $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
 commodities:
  hides and leather goods 17%, beef 10%, wool 9%, fish 7%, rice 4%
 partners:
  Argentina, Brazil, US, Germany
Imports:
  $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
 commodities:
  crude oil, fuels, and lubricants, metals, machinery, transportation
  equipment, industrial chemicals
 partners:
  Brazil 23%, Argentina 17%, US 10%, EC 27.1% (1990)
External debt:
  $4.1 billion (1991)
Industrial production:
  growth rate -1.4% (1990), accounts for almost 25% of GDP
Electricity:
  2,168,000 kW capacity; 5,960 million kWh produced, 1,900 kWh per capita
  (1992)
Industries:
  meat processing, wool and hides, sugar, textiles, footwear, leather apparel,
  tires, cement, fishing, petroleum refining, wine
Agriculture:
  large areas devoted to livestock grazing; wheat, rice, corn, sorghum;
  self-sufficient in most basic foodstuffs
Economic aid:
  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), $69 million
Currency:
  1 new Uruguayan peso (N$Ur) = 100 centesimos



@end display

@node Economy (Uruguay 2. usage)
@section Economy (Uruguay 2. usage)

@display

Exchange rates:
  new Uruguayan pesos (N$Ur) per US$1 - 3,457.5 (December 1992), 3,026.9
  (1992), 2,489 (1991), 1,594 (1990), 805 (1989), 451 (1988), 281 (1987)
Fiscal year:
  calendar year



@end display

@node Communications (Uruguay)
@section Communications (Uruguay)

@display

Railroads:
  3,000 km, all 1.435-meter (standard) gauge and government owned
Highways:
  49,900 km total; 6,700 km paved, 3,000 km gravel, 40,200 km earth
Inland waterways:
  1,600 km; used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft
Ports:
  Montevideo, Punta del Este, Colonia
Merchant marine:
  4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 84,797 GRT/132,296 DWT; includes 1
  cargo, 2 container, 1 oil tanker
Airports:
 total:
  88
 usable:
  81
 with permanent-surface runways:
  16
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  0
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  2
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  14
Telecommunications:
  most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave
  network; 337,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 99 AM, no FM, 26 TV, 9
  shortwave; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Uruguay)
@section Defense Forces (Uruguay)

@display

Branches:
  Army, Navy (including Naval Air Arm, Coast Guard, Marines), Air Force,
  Grenadier Guards, Police
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 755,667; fit for military service 613,585 (1993 est.); no
  conscription
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $216 million, 2.3% of GDP (1991 est.)



@end display