Country information

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URUGUAY TODAY

Country Facts

Full country name: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
Area: 176,220 sq km (72,930 sq miles)
Population: 3.5 million (July 2008)
Capital city: Montevideo (population: 1.4 million)
People: 88% European descent, 6% African descent, 6% miscellaneous
Language(s): Spanish
Religion(s): Roman Catholic 47.1%, , Non-catholic Christians 11.1%, Afro beliefs 0.6%, Jewish 0.3%, Atheist or Agnostic 17.2%, Non-confessional 23.2%, Others 0.4%.
Currency: Peso Uruguayo ($)
Major political parties: Frente Amplio (FA); Colorado Party; National Party (aka Blanco), Partido Independiente. Other minor parties: Partido Liberal, Unión Cívica, Partido Intransigente, Partido de los Trabajadores.
Government: Constitutional Republic
President: Dr Tabaré Vázquez
Foreign Minister: Dr Gonzalo Fernández
Membership of international groupings/organisations: Antarctic Treaty, Cairns Group, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), G-11, G–20, G-77, International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Maritime Organisation (IMO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Interpol, Mercosur, Non Aligned Movement (Observer), Organisation of American States (OAS), United Nations (UN), World Bank, World Health Organisation (WHO), World Trade Organisation (WTO), Convention on the Conservation of Living Marine Resources (CCMLAR), ALADI.

HEALTH

Uruguayans are generally healthy and benefit from a well-established and professional public health care system. Life expectancy at birth is 75.2 years (2004) and infant mortality rate is 13.2 (2004). HIV/AIDS is an increasing problem, but the rate of infected people (4 in 1,000 15-49 year olds) is still low. In Uruguay, HIV/AIDS control is the responsibility of the National AIDS Programme of the Ministry of Health. This office has registered a drop in the speed of growth of the disease since 1996 but an increase in the percentage of women infected. Infection through blood transfusion is almost non-existent due to tight controls. In Uruguay blood banks are free of HIV. Pregnancy control (there is a compulsory HIV test for pregnant women) has made infection from mother to child decrease considerably to the extent that no cases were registered in 2004. The first case of autochthonous Dengue Fever was reported in Uruguay on 20 March 2007. The Uruguayan authorities have launched a campaign to fight the mosquito Aedes aegypti and avoid the spread of the disease.

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