Capital

Uruguay

name: Montevideo

geographic coordinates: 34 51 S, 56 10 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: the name "Montevidi" was originally applied to the hill that overlooked the bay upon which the city of Montevideo was founded; the earliest meaning may have been "[the place where we] saw the hill"

Citizenship

Uruguay

citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 3-5 years

Legal system

Uruguay

civil law system based on the Spanish civil code

Suffrage

Uruguay

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Area

Uruguay

total: 176,215 sq km

land: 175,015 sq km

water: 1,200 sq km

Land use

Uruguay

agricultural land: 87.2% (2018 est.)

arable land: 10.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 76.9% (2018 est.)

forest: 10.2% (2018 est.)

other: 2.6% (2018 est.)

Location

Uruguay

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

Age structure

Uruguay

0-14 years: 19.02% (male 330,536/female 319,132)

15-64 years: 65.55% (male 1,110,881/female 1,128,546)

65 years and over: 15.43% (2023 est.) (male 213,750/female 313,419)

Birth rate

Uruguay

12.7 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Uruguay

9.1 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Uruguay

Spanish (official) (many speak the Rioplatense dialect)

major-language sample(s):
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

Uruguay

total population: 78.7 years (2023 est.)

male: 75.6 years

female: 81.9 years

Major urban areas - population

Uruguay

1.774 million MONTEVIDEO (capital) (2023)

Median age

Uruguay

total: 36.2 years (2023 est.)

male: 34.6 years

female: 37.9 years

Net migration rate

Uruguay

-0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Uruguay

most of the country's population resides in the southern half of the country; approximately 80% of the populace is urban, living in towns or cities; nearly half of the population lives in and around the capital of Montevideo

Population growth rate

Uruguay

0.27% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Uruguay

1.75 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Uruguay

urban population: 95.8% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Uruguay

4.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Uruguay

total: 19 years

male: 17 years

female: 20 years (2019)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Uruguay

-3.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Uruguay

5.87% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Uruguay

1.702 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Uruguay

8.8% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate

Uruguay

10.45% (2021 est.)

10.35% (2020 est.)

8.88% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Uruguay

60.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

50.94% of GDP (2019 est.)

47.95% of GDP (2018 est.)

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions.

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Uruguay

7.75% (2021 est.)

9.76% (2020 est.)

7.88% (2019 est.)

Exports

Uruguay

$18.82 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$13.596 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$17.087 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - partners

Uruguay

China 29%, Brazil 12%, United States 5%, Netherlands 5%, Argentina 5% (2019)

Imports

Uruguay

$15.051 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$11.212 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$13.336 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - partners

Uruguay

Brazil 25%, China 15%, United States 11%, Argentina 11% (2019)

Airports

Uruguay

133 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Uruguay

total: 1,063,701 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Uruguay

total: 3.06 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 90% (2021 est.)

Railways

Uruguay

total: 1,673 km (2016) (operational; government claims overall length is 2,961 km)

standard gauge: 1,673 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge

Roadways

Uruguay

total: 77,732 km (2010)

paved: 7,743 km (2010)

unpaved: 69,989 km (2010)

Telephones - fixed lines

Uruguay

total subscriptions: 1.2 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Uruguay

total subscriptions: 4.7 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 140 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Uruguay

1,600 km (2011)

Disputes - international

Uruguay

Uruguay-Argentina: in 2010, the ICJ ruled in favor of Uruguay's operation of two paper mills on the Uruguay River, which forms the border with Argentina; the two countries formed a joint pollution monitoring regime, which ended the dispute

Uruguay-Brazil: uncontested boundary dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera/Brasiliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim River leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question; smuggling of firearms and narcotics continues to be an issue along the Uruguay-Brazil border