Uruguay

Oriental Republic of Uruguay

South America Montevideo

Population

3.45M

Area

176,215 km²

GDP

$80.96B

GDP Per Capita

$32,000

Pop. Density

20/km²

Quick Facts

Currency

$Uruguayan peso(UYU)

Calling Code

+598

Timezone

UTC-03:00

Languages

Spanish

Driving Side

right

Demonym

Uruguayan

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.

Historical Trends

GDP (USD)

↑310.1% since 2006

$20B (2006)$81B (2024)

Population

↑3.0% since 2006

3.3M (2006)3.4M (2024)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Latest: 78.1 years

2006: 75.9 years2023: 78.1 years

Data source: World Bank Open Data

Geography20

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 km

note: [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

People & Society34

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.)

Government25

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 PERI
Independent Party
National Party or PN (including Todos (Everyone) and National Alliance)
Open Cabildo
Popular 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

[email protected]

https://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

[email protected]

https://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 wavy

meaning: 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

Economy31

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.)

Energy7

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.)

Communications6

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.)

Transportation6

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

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

medium

small

very small

ports with oil terminals

key ports

Colonia, Fray Bentos, Jose Ignacio, La Paloma, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Puerto Sauce

Military & Security7

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 Force

Ministry 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)

Transnational Issues1

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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

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