Uruguay

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Uruguay

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name República Oriental del Uruguay/Eastern Republic of Uruguay Area 176,200 sq km/68,030 sq mi Capital Montevideo Language Spanish (official), Brazilero (a mixture of Spanish and Portuguese) Religion mainly Roman Catholic Time difference GMT -3 Major holidays 1 January, 19 April, 1, 18 May, 19 June, 18 July, 25 August, 12 October, 2 November, 25 December; variable: Carnival (2 days), Good Friday, Holy Thursday, Mon–Wed of Holy Week


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Salto, Paysandú, Las Piedras, Rivera, Tacuarembó Physical features grassy plains (pampas) and low hills; rivers Negro, Uruguay, Río de la Plata Airports one international airport and seven domestic airports; total passengers carried: 464,000 (2003 est) Railways total length: 2,073 km/1,288 mi (passenger service withdrawn in 1988, partially resumed in 1993); total passenger journeys: 476,900 (1997) Roads total road network: 8,983 km/5,582 mi, of which 90% paved (1999 est); passenger cars: 147 per 1,000 people (1997 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state and government Tabaré Vázquez from 2005 Political system liberal democracy Political executive limited presidency Administrative divisions 19 departments Political parties Colorado Party (PC), progressive, left of centre; National (Blanco) Party (PN), traditionalist, right of centre; New Space (NE), moderate, left wing; Progressive Encounter (EP), left wing Death penalty abolished in 1907 Armed forces 24,000; plus paramilitary forces of 920 (2006 est) Conscription military service is voluntary Defence spend (% GDP) 1.4 (2005 est) Education spend (% GDP) 2.6 (2003 est) Health spend (% GDP) 2.7 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency Uruguayan peso GDP (US$) 16.8 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 4.6 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 15.1 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 9,810 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 5.9% (2006 est) Unemployment 12.2% (2005 est) Labour force 4.6% agriculture, 21.9% industry, 73.5% services (2005) Foreign debt (US$) 12.6 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners USA, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Mexico, Spain, China Resources small-scale extraction of building materials, industrial minerals, semi-precious stones; gold deposits are being developed Industries food processing, textiles and clothing, beverages, cement, chemicals, light engineering and transport equipment, leather products Exports meat (chiefly beef), live animals and by-products (mainly hides and leather products), processed rice, wool and products, food and beverages, mineral products. Principal market: USA 19.5% (2005) Imports petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and appliances, transport equipment, food and beverages, chemical products, agricultural products. Principal source: Argentina 19.2% (2005) Arable land 7.8% (2006 est) Agricultural products rice, sugar cane, sugar beet, wheat, potatoes, barley, maize, sorghum; livestock rearing (sheep and cattle) is traditionally country's major economic activity – exports of animals, meat, skins, and hides accounted for 42% of total export revenue in 2000


POPULATION

Population 3,486,500 (2006 est) Population growth rate 0.6% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 20 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 93 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 24%, 15–59 58%, 60+ 18% (2005 est) Ethnic groups predominantly of European descent: about 54% Spanish, 22% Italian, with minorities from other European countries; about 8% mestizo, 4% black Life expectancy 73 (men); 80 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 17 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 10 Literacy rate 97% (men); 98% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 36.5 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 1.9 (2003 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 0.5 (2005 est) AIDS deaths <500 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 98 (urban); 93 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 30.9 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 18.5 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 603 (2001 est) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 259 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 13.3 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 21.2 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

1516 Río de la Plata visited by Spanish navigator Juan Diaz de Solis, who was killed by native Charrua Amerindians. This discouraged European settlement for more than a century. 1680 Portuguese from Brazil founded Nova Colonia do Sacramento on Río de la Plata estuary. 1726 Spanish established fortress at Montevideo and wrested control over Uruguay from Portugal, with much of the Amerindian population being killed. 1776 Became part of Viceroyalty of La Plata, with capital at Buenos Aires. 1808 With Spanish monarchy overthrown by Napoleon Bonaparte, La Plata Viceroyalty became autonomous, but Montevideo remained loyal to Spanish Crown and rebelled against Buenos Aires control. 1815 Dictator José Gervasio Artigas overthrew Spanish and Buenos Aires control. 1820 Artigas ousted by Brazil, which disputed control of Uruguay with Argentina. 1825 Independence declared after fight led by Juan Antonio Lavalleja. 1828 Independence recognized by country's neighbours. 1836 Civil war between Reds and Whites, after which Colorado and Blanco parties were named. 1840 Merino sheep introduced by British traders, who later established meat processing factories for export trade. 1865–70 Fought successfully alongside Argentina and Brazil in war against Paraguay. 1903 After period of military rule, José Battle y Ordonez, a progressive from centre-left Colorado Party, became president. As president 1903–07 and 1911–15, he gave women the franchise and created an advanced welfare state as a successful ranching economy developed. 1930 First constitution adopted, but period of military dictatorship followed during Depression period. 1958 After 93 years out of power, the right-of-centre Blanco Party returned to power. 1967 Colorado Party were in power, with Jorge Pacheco Areco as president. Period of labour unrest and urban guerrilla activity by left-wing Tupamaros. 1972 Juan María Bordaberry Arocena of the Colorado Party became president. 1973 Parliament dissolved and Bordaberry shared power with military dictatorship, which crushed Tupamaros and banned left-wing groups. 1976 Bordaberry deposed by army; Dr Aparicio Méndez Manfredini became president. 1981 Gen Grigorio Alvárez Armellino became new military ruler. 1984 Violent antigovernment protests after ten years of repressive rule and deteriorating economy. 1985 Agreement reached between army and political leaders for return to constitutional government and freeing of political prisoners. 1986 Government of national accord established under President Sanguinetti. 1992 Vote against privatization in national referendum. 2000 Jorge Batlle Ibáñez, of Colorado Party, elected president. 2002 Uruguay broke diplomatic ties with Cuba. Attempting to counter side effects of Argentina's economic meltdown, Batlle announced emergency fiscal measures and shut banks temporarily to prevent mass savings withdrawals; economic crisis led to general strike. 2003 World Bank approved loans totalling about $250 million. Voters rejected plan to open state oil monopoly to foreign investment. 2005 Left-winger Tabare Vasquez became president. Making dramatic political shift, he restored relations with Cuba, signed energy agreement with Venezuela, and announced measures to tackle poverty. 2006 Former dictator Bordaderry and former foreign minister arrested over alleged involvement in killing of four political opponents in 1976. IMF loan repaid. 2007 Mercosur, South America's trading bloc, inaugurated new parliament in Montevideo.


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