Uruguay
Top Sights & Landmarks
Background
The Spanish founded the city of Montevideo in modern-day Uruguay in 1726 as a military stronghold, and it soon became an important commercial center due to its natural harbor. Argentina initially claimed Uruguay, but Brazil annexed the country in 1821. Uruguay declared its independence in 1825 and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century launched widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros (or Movimiento de Liberación Nacional-Tupamaros) launched in the late 1960s and pushed Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By year-end, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was restored in 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio (FA) Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control by the Colorado and National (Blanco) parties. The left-of-center coalition retained the presidency and control of both chambers of congress until 2019. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the South American continent.
Location
Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil
Area
Elevation
Detailed Geography Information
Coastline
660 km
Geography - note
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
Irrigated land
2,230 sq km (2018)
Major aquifers
Guarani Aquifer System
Major lakes (area sq km)
salt water lake(s): Lagoa Mirim (shared with Brazil) - 2,970 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km)
Rio de la Plata/Parana river mouth (shared with Brazil [s], Argentina, Paraguay) - 4,880 km; Uruguay river mouth (shared with Brazil [s] and Argentina) - 1,610 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of continental margin
Natural hazards
seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind that 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
Natural resources
Terrain
mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
Population & Growth
Age Distribution
Demographic Longevity
Vital Dynamics
Detailed People & Society Information
Alcohol consumption per capita
5.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
1.8% (2018 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
55.4% (2023 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 48.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 26.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 22.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.4 (2025 est.)
Education expenditure
4.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 15.6% national budget (2023 est.)
Ethnic groups
Gross reproduction rate
0.62 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure
9.4% of GDP (2021) 20.9% of national budget (2022 est.)
Hospital bed density
2.5 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 9.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
Literacy
total population: 98.9% (2024 est.) male: 98.6% (2024 est.) female: 99.2% (2024 est.)
Major urban areas - population
1.774 million MONTEVIDEO (capital) (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
15 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Nationality
noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
27.9% (2016)
Physician density
4.67 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Population distribution
most of the country's population resides in the southern half of the country; approximately 80% of the populace is urban; nearly half of the population lives in and around the capital of Montevideo
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Religions
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 18 years (2022 est.) male: 16 years (2022 est.) female: 19 years (2022 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use
total: 18% (2025 est.) male: 21.3% (2025 est.) female: 14.9% (2025 est.)
Climate & Issues
warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
Land Cover
Air & Carbon Emissions
Water Resources & Use
Detailed Environmental Information
Geoparks
total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Grutas del Palacio (2023)
International environmental agreements
Urbanization
urban population: 95.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.26 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 24.8% (2022 est.)
Capital & State Profile
Executive Branch
Legislative Branch
National Identity & Symbols
nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; a white square in the upper-left corner has a yellow sun with a human face (outlined in black) known as the Sun of May, with 16 rays that alternate between triangular and wavy
Detailed Government Information
Administrative divisions
19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandú, Rio Negro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San José, Soriano, Tacuarembó, Treinta y Tres
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 3-5 years
Constitution
history: several previous; latest approved by plebiscite 27 November 1966, effective 15 February 1967, reinstated in 1985 at the conclusion of military rule amendment process: initiated by public petition of at least 10% of qualified voters, proposed by agreement of at least two fifths of the General Assembly membership, or by existing "constitutional laws" sanctioned by at least two thirds of the membership in both houses of the Assembly; proposals can also be submitted by senators, representatives, or by the executive power and require the formation of and approval in a national constituent convention; final passage by either method requires approval by absolute majority of votes cast in a referendum
Country name
conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay conventional short form: Uruguay local long form: República Oriental del Uruguay local short form: Uruguay former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province etymology: name derives from the Uruguay River, which makes up the western border of the country; the river's name comes from the Guarani words uru (bird) and guay (tail)
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of 5 judges) judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the president and appointed by two-thirds vote in joint conference of the General Assembly; judges serve 10-year terms, with reelection possible after a lapse of 5 years following the previous term subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; District Courts (Juzgados Letrados); Peace Courts (Juzgados de Paz); Rural Courts (Juzgados Rurales)
Legal system
civil law system based on the Spanish civil code
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 3 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic City of Colonia del Sacramento; Fray Bentos Industrial Landscape; The work of engineer Eladio Dieste: Church of Atlántida
Political parties
Broad Front or FA (Frente Amplio) - (a broad governing coalition that comprises 34 factions including Popular Participation Movement or MPP, Uruguay Assembly, Progressive Alliance, Broad Social Democratic Space, Socialist Party, Vertiente Artiguista, Christian Democratic Party, Big House, Communist Party, The Federal League, Fuerza Renovadora) Colorado Party or PC (including Batllistas and Ciudadanos) Intransigent Radical Ecologist Party (Partido Ecologista Radical Intransigente) or PERI Independent Party National Party or PN (including Todos (Everyone) and National Alliance) Open Cabildo Popular Unity
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Economic Overview
high-income, export-oriented South American economy; South America’s largest middle class; low socioeconomic inequality; growing homicide rates; growing Chinese and EU relations; 2019 Argentine recession hurt; key milk, beef, rice, and wool exporter
Size & Performance
GDP Sector Breakdown
Trade Balance
Budget Balance
Export Profile
Top Export Partners
Major Export Commodities
Labor & Employment
Income Inequality
Family Income / Consumption Share
Detailed Economic Data
Agricultural products
Current account balance
-$821.38 million (2024 est.) -$2.64 billion (2023 est.) -$2.675 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exchange rates
Uruguayan pesos (UYU) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 40.213 (2024 est.) 38.824 (2023 est.) 41.171 (2022 est.) 43.555 (2021 est.) 42.013 (2020 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
Industrial production growth rate
4.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.8% (2024 est.) 5.9% (2023 est.) 9.1% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Public debt
62.4% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Remittances
0.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$17.378 billion (2024 est.) $16.257 billion (2023 est.) $15.127 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Taxes and other revenues
18.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Grid Infrastructure
Generation Mix
Fossil Fuels Production
Intensity & Nuclear
Digital Access
Active internet users as a percentage of the total population.
Fixed Broadband
Mobile Cellular
Broadcast Media
Aviation
Railways
Ports & Harbors
Merchant Marine
Military Expenditures
Active Duty Strengths
approximately 23,000 active-duty Armed Forces (15,000 Army; 5,000 Navy; 3,000 Air Force) (2025)
Service & Defense Details
Armed Forces of Uruguay (Fuerzas Armadas del Uruguay or FF.AA. del Uruguay): National Army, National Navy (includes Coast Guard (Prefectura Nacional Naval or PRENA)), Uruguayan Air Force Ministry of Interior: National Police (2025) note: the National Police includes the paramilitary National Republican Guard (Guardia Nacional Republicana)
630 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 210 Golan Heights (UNDOF) (2025)
the military's inventory includes a variety of mostly older or secondhand equipment originating from a range of suppliers, including Brazil, Germany, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Korea, and the US (2025)
the armed forces are responsible for defense of the country’s independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity, as well as protecting strategic resources; it has some domestic responsibilities, including perimeter security for a number of prisons, border security, and providing humanitarian/disaster assistance; it also assists the Ministry of Interior in combating narcotics trafficking; the military participates in UN peacekeeping missions and multinational exercises with foreign partners; Uruguay traditionally has held security ties with Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and the US; since 2018, it has also signed defense cooperation agreements with China and Russia (2025)
generally 18-30 years of age (up to 22 for the Navy and up to 40 for some specialist positions) for voluntary military service for men and women; initial 24-month service obligation (2025)