About Uruguay
Our country
República Oriental del Uruguay, takes its name from its location, east or “oriental side” of the Rio Uruguay (Uruguay River).
This geographic and other historical factors gave the country its name and as a result, Uruguayans are still called “Orientals”, though it is obvious that Uruguay belongs to the occidental hemisphere. The name Uruguay comes from the idiom “Guarani” and means “birds river”.
Información general
Name of the country: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
Common name: Uruguay
President: Dr Tabare Vazquez
Country code: UY
Capital: Montevideo
Political division: 19 departments
Type of government: Republican-Democratic
Presidential system Electoral system: Universal and compulsory for over 18
National holidays: January 1st, May 1st, July 18th, August 25th, December 25th
Religion: There is no official religion (56% Catholics, 38% non religious, 2% Protestants, 2% Jews)
Language: Spanish
Languages widely spoken in business: English and Portuguese; Italian and French in a lesser degree.
Población
Population: 3.241.003 (2005)
Annual Rate of Demographic Growth: 0.6%
Population Density (pp/km2): 18
Life expectancy at birth: 75.4 years
Infant death rate: 15.02/1000
Literacy rate: 97% (2004)
Economía
GDP (2004): 13.216 millions of dollars (US Dollar)
GDP Per Capita (2004): 4.078 dollars (US Dollar)
Inflation: 4,42 % (July 2005 mobile year)
Economically active population: 1.256.600 (Dec. 2004)
Unemployment rate 12.3% (Period April – June 2005)
Good exports 2973,3 (millions of U$S) (2004)
Main exported products: Meat, rice and other grains; dairy products and honey; leather, furs and leather products; food, beverage and tobacco; wool and textiles; plastics and rubber.
Main exporting partners: USA (19,8%), Brazil (16,3%), Argentina (7,6%), European Union (19,9%), Asia excl. Middle East (8,1%), Middle East (3,9%)
Good imports: 3,113.6 (millions of U$S) (2004) – excluding petroleum
Main imported products: Machinery and equipment, electric goods, chemicals, petroleum and its derivatives, transport materials
Main importing partners: Argentina (22,0%), Brazil (21,7%), European Union (11,6%), USA (7,1%), Asia excl. Middle East (10,7%), Middle East (4,1%)
Net Foreign Debt: 7,178 (millions of U$S) (2004)
Digital Telephone Network: 100%
Land telephone line/100 pp: 28 (2003)
Internet Density: 16% (2004)
Hosts Density/1000 pp.: 260 (January 2004)