Uruguay

presidential republic

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 origin of the name is disputed but refers to a hill or mountain ( monte ); one theory combines the Spanish word monte (mountain) with the Latin video (I see)

chief of state: President Yamand ORSI Mart nez (since 1 March 2025) head of government: President Yamand ORSI Mart nez (since 1 March 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the General Assembly election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for nonconsecutive terms) most recent election date: 27 October 2024, with a runoff on 24 November 2024 election results: 2024: Yamand ORSI Mart nez elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Yamand ORSI Mart nez (FA) 46.2%, lvaro Luis DELGADO Ceretta (PN) 28.2%, Andr s OJEDA Ojeda Spitz (PC) 16.9%, other 8.7%; percent of vote in second round - Yamand ORSI Mart nez 52.1%, lvaro Luis DELGADO Ceretta 47.9% 2019: Luis Alberto LACALLE POU elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Daniel MARTINEZ (FA) 40.7%, Luis Alberto LACALLE POU (PN) 29.7%, Ernesto TALVI (Colorado Party) 12.8%, Guido MANINI RIOS (Open Cabildo) 11.3%, other 5.5%; percent of vote in second round - Luis Alberto LACALLE POU 50.6%, Daniel MARTINEZ 49.4% expected date of next election: 28 October 2029, with a runoff, if needed, on 25 November 2029 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

legislature name: General Assembly (Asamblea General) legislative structure: bicameral

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)

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

CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

2.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 2% of GDP (2023 est.) 2% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 2% of GDP (2020 est.)

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)

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)

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)

630 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 210 Golan Heights (UNDOF) (2025)

$108.502 billion (2024 est.) $105.231 billion (2023 est.) $104.456 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$32,000 (2024 est.) $31,100 (2023 est.) $30,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

3.1% (2024 est.) 0.7% (2023 est.) 4.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

4.8% (2024 est.) 5.9% (2023 est.) 9.1% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

62.4% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP

$23.329 billion (2024 est.) $21.946 billion (2023 est.) $23.56 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$19.117 billion (2024 est.) $19.259 billion (2023 est.) $19.639 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

8.5% (2024 est.) 8.4% (2023 est.) 7.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $27.781 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $17.808 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages

milk, rice, wheat, barley, soybeans, beef, rapeseed, sugarcane, maize, beef offal (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 3,449,444 (2025 est.) male: 1,678,419 female: 1,771,025

-0.06% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 18.9% (male 329,268/female 317,925) 15-64 years: 65.4% (male 1,112,622/female 1,128,418) 65 years and over: 15.7% (2024 est.) (male 218,242/female 318,855)

9.05 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

9.88 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

0.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 78.9 years (2024 est.) male: 75.8 years female: 82.1 years

urban population: 95.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

White 87.7%, Black 4.6%, Indigenous 2.4%, other 0.3%, none or unspecified 5% (2011 est.) note: data represent primary ethnic identity

Spanish (official, Rioplatense is the most widely spoken dialect) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de informaci n b sica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Roman Catholic 36.5%, Protestant 5% (Evangelical (non-specific) 4.6%, Adventist 0.2%, Protestant (non-specific) 0.3%), African American Cults/Umbanda 2.8%, Jehovah's Witness 0.6%, Church of Jesus Christ 0.2%, other 1%, Believer (not belonging to the church) 1.8%, agnostic 0.3%, atheist 1.3%, none 47.3%, unspecified 3.4% Roman Catholic 42%, Protestant 15%, other 6%, agnostic 3%, atheist 10%, unspecified 24% (2023 est.)

total population: 98.9% (2024 est.) male: 98.6% (2024 est.) female: 99.2% (2024 est.)

arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fish

refugees: 32,149 (2024 est.) IDPs: 33 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 5 (2024 est.)

65 (2025)

total: 1,673 km (2016) (operational; government claims overall length is 2,961 km) standard gauge: 1,673 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge

total: 58 (2023) by type: container ship 1, general cargo 4, oil tanker 3, other 50

total subscriptions: 4.93 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 146 (2024 est.)

percent of population: 90% (2023 est.)