Wordnet 3.0
NOUN (1)
1.
a South American republic on the southeast coast of South America;
achieved independence from Brazil in 1825;
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Uruguay
n 1: a South American republic on the southeast coast of South
America; achieved independence from Brazil in 1825
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Uruguay
Introduction Uruguay
--------------------
Background: A violent Marxist urban guerrilla
movement, the Tupamaros, launched in
the late 1960s, led Uruguay's
president to agree to military
control of his administration in
1973. By the end of the year the
rebels had been crushed, but the
military continued to expand its
hold throughout the government.
Civilian rule was not restored until
1985. Uruguay's political and labor
conditions are among the freest on
the continent.
Geography Uruguay
-----------------
Location: Southern South America, bordering
the South Atlantic Ocean, between
Argentina and Brazil
Geographic coordinates: 33 00 S, 56 00 W
Map references: South America
Area: total: 176,220 sq km
land: 173,620 sq km
water: 2,600 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than the state of
Washington
Land boundaries: total: 1,564 km
border countries: Argentina 579 km,
Brazil 985 km
Coastline: 660 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to
the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate: warm temperate; freezing
temperatures almost unknown
Terrain: mostly rolling plains and low hills;
fertile coastal lowland
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m
Natural resources: arable land, hydropower, minor
minerals, fisheries
Land use: arable land: 7.21%
permanent crops: 0.27%
other: 92.52% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,800 sq km (1998 est.)
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 from
weather fronts
Environment - current issues: water pollution from meat packing/
tannery industry; inadequate solid/
hazardous waste disposal
Environment - international party to: Antarctic-Environmental
agreements: 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,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine
Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban
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 raising
People Uruguay
--------------
Population: 3,386,575 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 24.4% (male 422,826;
female 402,324)
15-64 years: 62.6% (male 1,047,740;
female 1,072,032)
65 years and over: 13% (male
181,522; female 260,131) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.79% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 17.28 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: -0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/
female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 14.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.66 years
female: 79.17 years (2002 est.)
male: 72.32 years
Total fertility rate: 2.35 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.33% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 6,000 (1999 est.)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 150 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Uruguayan(s)
adjective: Uruguayan
Ethnic groups: white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%,
Amerindian, practically nonexistent
Religions: Roman Catholic 66% (less than half
of the adult population attends
church regularly), Protestant 2%,
Jewish 1%, nonprofessing or other
31%
Languages: Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero
(Portuguese-Spanish mix on the
Brazilian frontier)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 97.3%
male: 96.9%
female: 97.7% (1995 est.)
Government Uruguay
------------------
Country name: conventional long form: Oriental
Republic of Uruguay
conventional short form: Uruguay
local short form: Uruguay
former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine
Province
local long form: Republica Oriental
del Uruguay
Government type: constitutional 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 1825 (from Brazil)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 August (1825)
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
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: President Jorge
BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March 2000)
and Vice President Luis HIERRO
(since 1 March 2000); note - the
president is both the chief of state
and head of government
head of government: President Jorge
BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March 2000)
and Vice President Luis HIERRO
(since 1 March 2000); note - the
president is both the chief of state
and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers
appointed by the president with
parliamentary approval
elections: president and vice
president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms;
election last held 31 October 1999,
with runoff election on 28 November
1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: Jorge BATLLE
Ibanez elected president; percent of
vote - Jorge BATLLE Ibanez 52% in a
runoff against Tabare VAZQUEZ 44%
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)
elections: Chamber of Senators -
last held 31 October 1999 (next to
be held NA 2004); Chamber of
Representatives - last held 31
October 1999 (next to be held NA
2004)
election results: Chamber of
Senators - percent of vote by party
- NA%; seats by party - Encuentro
Progresista 12, Colorado Party 10,
Blanco 7, New Sector/Space Coalition
1; Chamber of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - Encuentro
Progresista 40, Colorado Party 33,
Blanco 22, New Sector/Space
Coalition 4
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are nominated
by the president and elected for 10-
year terms by the General Assembly)
Political parties and leaders: Colorado Party [Jorge BATLLE
Ibanez]; National Party or Blanco
[Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera]; New
Sector/Space Coalition or Nuevo
Espacio [Rafael MICHELINI];
Progressive Encounter/Broad Front
Coalition or Encuentro Progresista/
Frente Amplio [Tabare VAZQUEZ]
Political pressure groups and NA
leaders:
International organization CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA,
participation: IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA,
Mercosur, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM
(observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMOGIP,
UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo
FERNANDEZ-FAINGOLD
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los
Angeles, Miami, and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142
telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313
through 1316
chancery: 1913 I Street NW,
Washington, DC 20006
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Martin
US: J. SILVERSTEIN
embassy: Lauro Muller 1776,
Montevideo 11200
mailing address: APO AA 34035
telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777
FAX: [598] (2) 410-0022
Flag description: 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 Uruguay
---------------
Economy - overview: Uruguay's economy is characterized
by an export-oriented agricultural
sector, a well-educated workforce,
and high levels of social spending.
After averaging growth of 5%
annually in 1996-98, in 1999-2001
the economy suffered from lower
demand in Argentina and Brazil,
which together account for nearly
half of Uruguay's exports. Despite
the severity of the trade shocks,
Uruguay's financial indicators
remained more stable than those of
its neighbors, a reflection of its
solid reputation among investors and
its investment-grade sovereign bond
rating - one of only two in South
America. Challenges for the
government of President Jorge BATLLE
include reducing the budget deficit,
expanding Uruguay's trade ties
beyond its Mercosur trade partners,
and reducing the costs of public
services. GDP fell by 1.3% in 2000
and by 1.5% in 2001.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $31
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -1.5% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,200
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6%
industry: 29%
services: 65% (2001)
Population below poverty line: 6% (1997)
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 3.7%
percentage share: highest 10%: 25.8% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini 42.3 (1989)
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.6% (2001)
Labor force: 1.2 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 14%, industry 16%,
services 70%
Unemployment rate: 15.2% (2001)
Budget: revenues: $3.7 billion
expenditures: $4.6 billion,
including capital expenditures of
$500 million (2000)
Industries: food processing, electrical
machinery, transportation equipment,
petroleum products, textiles,
chemicals, beverages
Industrial production growth rate: -2.4% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 7.527 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 6.64%
hydro: 92.83%
other: 0.53% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 7.35 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 950 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 1.3 billion kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: rice, wheat, corn, barley;
livestock; fish
Exports: $2.24 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: meat, rice, leather products, wool,
vehicles, dairy products
Exports - partners: Mercosur partners 40%, EU 20%, US 8%
(2001 est.)
Imports: $2.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery, chemicals, road vehicles,
crude petroleum
Imports - partners: Mercosur partners 44%, EU 18%, US 9%
(2001 est.)
Debt - external: $7.7 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: Uruguayan peso (UYU)
Currency code: UYU
Exchange rates: Uruguayan pesos per US dollar -
14.3325 (January 2002), 13.3191
(2001), 12.0996 (2000), 11.3393
(1999), 10.4719 (1998), 9.4418
(1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Uruguay
----------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 929,141 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 350,000 (2001)
Telephone system: general assessment: fully
digitalized
domestic: most modern facilities
concentrated in Montevideo; new
nationwide microwave radio relay
network
international: satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean) (2002)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 91, FM 149, shortwave 7 (2001)
Radios: 1.97 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 20 (2001)
Televisions: 782,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .uy
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 14 (2001)
Internet users: 370,000 (2001)
Transportation Uruguay
----------------------
Railways: total: 2,993 km
standard gauge: 2,993 km 1.435-
m gauge
note: of the total route length, 461
km have been taken out of service
and 460 km are in only partial use;
moreover, not all lines offer
passenger service (2001)
Highways: total: 8,764 km
paved: 7,800 km
unpaved: 964 km (2001)
Waterways: 1,600 km (used by coastal and
shallow-draft river craft)
Ports and harbors: Colonia, Fray Bentos, Juan La Caze,
La Paloma, Montevideo, Nueva
Palmira, Paysandu, Punta del Este,
Piriapolis
Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 7,752 GRT/5,228 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Argentina 4, Greece 1
(2002 est.)
ships by type: petroleum tanker 1,
roll on/roll off 1
Airports: 64 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 15
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 2 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 49
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 31 (2001)
Military Uruguay
----------------
Military branches: Army, Navy (including Naval Air Arm,
Coast Guard, Marines), Air Force,
Police (Coracero Guard, Grenadier
Guard)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 824,395 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 666,880 (2002 est.)
service:
Military expenditures - dollar $250 million (1999)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 1.1% (2000)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Uruguay
----------------------------
Disputes - international: uncontested dispute with Brazil over
islands in the Rio Quarai (Rio
Cuareim) and the Arroio Invernada
(Arroyo de la Invernada)