THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

Background: The Spanish founded the city of Montevideo in modern-day Uruguay in 1726 as a military stronghold, and it soon became an important commercial center due to its natural harbor. Argentina initially claimed Uruguay, but Brazil annexed the country in 1821. Uruguay declared its independence in 1825 and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century launched widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros (or Movimiento de Liberación Nacional-Tupamaros) launched in the late 1960s and pushed Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By year-end, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was restored in 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio (FA) Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control by the Colorado and National (Blanco) parties. The left-of-center coalition retained the presidency and control of both chambers of congress until 2019. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the South American continent.

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: 176,215 sq km
land: 175,015 sq km
water: 1,200 sq km
Area - comparative: about the size of Virginia and West Virginia combined; slightly smaller than the state of Washington
Land boundaries: total: 1,591 km
border countries: Argentina 541 km; Brazil 1,050 km
Coastline: 660 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of continental margin
Climate: warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
Terrain: mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
Elevation: highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 109 m
Natural resources: arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fish
Land use: agricultural land: 81.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 12.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 68.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 11.4% (2023 est.)
other: 7.3% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,230 sq km (2018)
Major lakes (area sq km): salt water lake(s): Lagoa Mirim (shared with Brazil) - 2,970 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km): Rio de la Plata/Parana river mouth (shared with Brazil [s], Argentina, Paraguay) - 4,880 km; Uruguay river mouth (shared with Brazil [s] and Argentina) - 1,610 kmnote: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major aquifers: Guarani Aquifer System
Population distribution: most of the country's population resides in the southern half of the country; approximately 80% of the populace is urban; nearly half of the population lives in and around the capital of Montevideo
Natural hazards: seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind that 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
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

Population: total: 3,449,444 (2025 est.)
male: 1,678,419
female: 1,771,025
Nationality: noun: Uruguayan(s)
adjective: Uruguayan
Ethnic groups: White 87.7%, Black 4.6%, Indigenous 2.4%, other 0.3%, none or unspecified 5% (2011 est.)
Languages: Languages: Spanish (official, Rioplatense is the most widely spoken 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.
Religions: 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.)
Age structure: 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)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 48.7 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 26.2 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 22.5 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 4.4 (2025 est.)
Median age: total: 37.4 years (2025 est.)
male: 34.9 years
female: 38.2 years
Population growth rate: -0.06% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 9.05 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 9.88 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: most of the country's population resides in the southern half of the country; approximately 80% of the populace is urban; nearly half of the population lives in and around the capital of Montevideo
Urbanization: urban population: 95.8% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.774 million MONTEVIDEO (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 15 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 9.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.9 years (2024 est.)
male: 75.8 years
female: 82.1 years
Total fertility rate: 1.27 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.62 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 95.3% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 4.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 9.4% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 20.9% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 4.67 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Hospital bed density: 2.5 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 99.3% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 99.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 27.9% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 5.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 1.86 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 2.86 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.71 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 18% (2025 est.)
male: 21.3% (2025 est.)
female: 14.9% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 1.8% (2018 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 55.4% (2023 est.)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 4.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 15.6% national budget (2023 est.)
Literacy: total population: 98.9% (2024 est.)
male: 98.6% (2024 est.)
female: 99.2% (2024 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 18 years (2022 est.)
male: 16 years (2022 est.)
female: 19 years (2022 est.)

Environmental issues: water pollution from meat-packing, tannery industries; heavy metal pollution; inadequate solid and hazardous waste disposal; deforestation
International environmental agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation
Climate: warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
Land use: agricultural land: 81.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 12.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 68.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 11.4% (2023 est.)
other: 7.3% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 95.8% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 6.896 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 39,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 6.681 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 177,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 8.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Methane emissions: energy: 18.1 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 730.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 115.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 2.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.26 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 24.8% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 424.428 million cubic meters (2022)
industrial: 603.701 million cubic meters (2022)
agricultural: 3.479 billion cubic meters (2022)
Total renewable water resources: 172.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Geoparks: total global geoparks and regional networks: 1
global geoparks and regional networks: Grutas del Palacio (2023)

Country name: conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
conventional short form: Uruguay
local long form: República Oriental del Uruguay
local short form: Uruguay
former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province
etymology: name derives from the Uruguay River, which makes up the western border of the country; the river's name comes from the Guarani words uru (bird) and guay (tail)
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: 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)
Administrative divisions: 19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandú, Rio Negro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San José, Soriano, Tacuarembó, Treinta y Tres
Legal system: civil law system based on the Spanish civil code
Constitution: 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
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 3-5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: President Yamandú ORSI Martínez (since 1 March 2025)
head of government: President Yamandú ORSI Martínez (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: Yamandú ORSI Martínez elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Yamandú ORSI Martínez (FA) 46.2%, Álvaro Luis DELGADO Ceretta (PN) 28.2%, Andrés OJEDA Ojeda Spitz (PC) 16.9%, other 8.7%; percent of vote in second round - Yamandú ORSI Martínez 52.1%, Álvaro 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
Legislative branch: legislature name: General Assembly (Asamblea General)
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name: House of Representatives (Cámara de Representantes)
number of seats: 99 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 10/27/2024
parties elected and seats per party: Broad Front (FA) (48); National Party (PN) (29); Colorado Party (PC) (17); Other (5)
percentage of women in chamber: 31.3%
expected date of next election: October 2029
Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name: Senate (Cámara de Senadores)
number of seats: 31 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 10/27/2024
parties elected and seats per party: Broad Front (FA) (16); National Party (PN) (9); Colorado Party (PC) (5)
percentage of women in chamber: 32.3%
expected date of next election: October 2029
Judicial branch: 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)
Political parties: Broad Front or FA (Frente Amplio) - (a broad governing coalition that comprises 34 factions including Popular Participation Movement or MPP, Uruguay Assembly, Progressive Alliance, Broad Social Democratic Space, Socialist Party, Vertiente Artiguista, Christian Democratic Party, Big House, Communist Party, The Federal League, Fuerza Renovadora)Colorado Party or PC (including Batllistas and Ciudadanos)Intransigent Radical Ecologist Party (Partido Ecologista Radical Intransigente) or PERIIndependent PartyNational Party or PN (including Todos (Everyone) and National Alliance)Open CabildoPopular Unity
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel CASTILLOS Gómez (since 5 September 2025)
chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313
FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142
email address and website: urueeuu@mrree.gub.uyhttps://embassyofuruguay.us/
consulate(s) general: Miami, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lou RINALDI (since 30 September 2025)
embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200
mailing address: 3360 Montevideo Place, Washington DC 20521-3360
telephone: (+598) 1770-2000
FAX: [+598] 1770-2128
email address and website: MontevideoACS@state.govhttps://uy.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation: 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
Independence: 25 August 1825 (from Brazil)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 August (1825)
Flag: description: nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; a white square in the upper-left corner has a yellow sun with a human face (outlined in black) known as the Sun of May, with 16 rays that alternate between triangular and wavymeaning: the stripes represent the country's nine original departments; the sun refers to the legend of the sun breaking through the clouds on 25 May 1810 as independence was declared from Spain; the sun is said to be Inti, the Inca god of the sun
National symbol(s): Sun of May (a sun-with-face symbol)
National color(s): blue, white, yellow
National anthem(s): title: "Himno Nacional" (National Anthem of Uruguay)
lyrics/music: Francisco Esteban ACUNA de Figueroa/Francisco Jose DEBALI
history: adopted 1848; the anthem is also known as "Orientales, la Patria o la tumba!" ("Uruguayans, the Fatherland or Death!"); it is the world's longest national anthem in terms of music (105 bars; almost five minutes); usually only the first verse and chorus are sung
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 3 (all cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic City of Colonia del Sacramento; Fray Bentos Industrial Landscape; The work of engineer Eladio Dieste: Church of Atlántida

Economic overview: high-income, export-oriented South American economy; South America’s largest middle class; low socioeconomic inequality; growing homicide rates; growing Chinese and EU relations; 2019 Argentine recession hurt; key milk, beef, rice, and wool exporter
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $108.502 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $105.231 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $104.456 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 3.1% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 0.7% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 4.5% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $32,000 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $31,100 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $30,800 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $80.962 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 4.8% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 5.9% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 9.1% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 6.4% (2024 est.)
industry: 16.8% (2024 est.)
services: 65.3% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 66.8% (2015 est.)
government consumption: 13.8% (2015 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 19.8% (2015 est.)
investment in inventories: -0.1% (2015 est.)
exports of goods and services: 22.5% (2015 est.)
imports of goods and services: -22.9% (2015 est.)
Agricultural products: milk, rice, wheat, barley, soybeans, beef, rapeseed, sugarcane, maize, beef offal (2023)
Industries: food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages
Industrial production growth rate: 4.4% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 1.768 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 8.5% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 8.4% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 7.9% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 26.4% (2024 est.)
male: 23.5% (2024 est.)
female: 29.8% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 10.1% (2023 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023: 40.9 (2023 est.)
Average household expenditures: on food: 18.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 1.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% (2023 est.)
highest 10%: 30.8% (2023 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2024: 0.2% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 0.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget: revenues: $27.781 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures: $17.808 billion (2023 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2023: 62.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 18.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: -$821.38 million (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$2.64 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$2.675 billion (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $23.329 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $21.946 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $23.56 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: China 21%, Brazil 17%, USA 8%, Argentina 5%, Netherlands 5% (2023)
Exports - commodities: wood pulp, beef, milk, rice, wood (2023)
Imports: Imports 2024: $19.117 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $19.259 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $19.639 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: Brazil 22%, China 18%, Argentina 11%, USA 9%, Nigeria 4% (2023)
Imports - commodities: crude petroleum, refined petroleum, cars, trucks, fertilizers (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $17.378 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $16.257 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $15.127 billion (2022 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: Uruguayan pesos (UYU) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 40.213 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 38.824 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 41.171 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 43.555 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 42.013 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 5.682 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 9.826 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 2 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 84 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 1.136 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 3.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 37% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 27.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 23.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: consumption: 8,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 13,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 400 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 50,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Natural gas: consumption: 90.018 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 90.871 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 45.755 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 1.205 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 4.93 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 146 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media: mix of privately owned and state-run broadcast media; over 100 commercial radio stations and about 20 TV channels; cable TV is available; many community radio and TV stations; adopted the hybrid Japanese/Brazilian HDTV standard (ISDB-T) in 2010 (2019)
Internet country code: .uy
Internet users: percent of population: 90% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 1.1 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2023 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: CX
Airports: 65 (2025)
Heliports: 4 (2025)
Railways: total: 1,673 km (2016) (operational; government claims overall length is 2,961 km)
standard gauge: 1,673 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge
Merchant marine: total: 58 (2023)
by type: container ship 1, general cargo 4, oil tanker 3, other 50
Ports: total ports: 8 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 1
small: 1
very small: 6
ports with oil terminals: 2
key ports: Colonia, Fray Bentos, Jose Ignacio, La Paloma, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Puerto Sauce

Military and security forces: 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 ForceMinistry of Interior: National Police (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 2.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 2.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 2% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 23,000 active-duty Armed Forces (15,000 Army; 5,000 Navy; 3,000 Air Force) (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the military's inventory includes a variety of mostly older or secondhand equipment originating from a range of suppliers, including Brazil, Germany, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Korea, and the US (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 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)
Military deployments: 630 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 210 Golan Heights (UNDOF) (2025)
Military - note: 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)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 32,149 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 33 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 5 (2024 est.)

Uruguay