What YFC is Doing
Uruguay YFC is engaged in ministry to its young people through a youth center, premarital counseling; camps; teenage mother activities; clothes donation, work groups, conferences; theater plays and much more.
Prayer Needs
- Increased wisdom in evangelistic outreaches.
- Adequate resources for ministry.
- Continued and increased effective ministry to the young.
- Expanded networking and partnership with churches, non-governmental organizations and other Christian organizations.
About Uruguay
Uruguay
Introduction
Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an important commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by Brazil in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century established widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control previously held by the Colorado and Blanco parties. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.
Geography
Location
Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil
Geographic Coordinates: 33 00 S, 56 00 W
Area
Total Area: 176,215 sq km Rank: 90
Land Area: 175,015 sq km
Water Area: 1,200 sq km
Comparison: slightly smaller than the state of Washington
Land Boundaries: 1,648 km
Bordering Countries: Argentina 580 km, Brazil 1,068 km
Coastline: 660 km
Climate
warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
Terrain
mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
Elevations
Lowest Point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Highest Point: Cerro Catedral 514 m
Natural Resources
arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fish
Land Use
Arable land: 7.77%
Permanent Crops: 0.24%
Other: 91.99% (2005)
Irrigated Land: 2,100 sq km (2003)
Renewable Water Resources: 139 cu km (2000)
Total Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): 3.15 cu km/yr (2%/1%/96%)
Freshwater Withdrawal Per Capita: 910 cu m/yr (2000)
Environment
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
Environmental Issues: water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal
Environmental Agreements: Party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
Geography Notes
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 raising
People
Population: 3,494,382 (July 2010 est.) Rank: 131
Age Structure
0-14 years: 22.4% (male 397,942/female 385,253)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 1,115,963/female 1,129,478)
65 years and over: 13.3% (male 187,176/female 278,570) (2010 est.)
Median Age: 32.3 years
Population Growth
Growth Rate: 0.466% (2010 est.) Rank: 157
Birth Rate: 13.91 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) Rank: 153
Death Rate: 9.09 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) Rank: 80
Net Migration Rate: -0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) Rank: 94
Urbanization
Urban Population: 92% of total population (2008)
Rate of Urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Life and Death
Infant Mortality Rate: 11.32 deaths/1,000 live births Rank: 150
Life Expectancy at Birth: 76.35 years Rank: 68
Fertility Rate: 1.89 children born/woman (2010 est.) Rank: 143
Health and Disease
HIV/AIDS - Adult Prevalence Rate: 0.6% (2007 est.) Rank: 69
People living with HIV/AIDS: 10,000 (2007 est.) Rank: 102
HIV/AIDS Deaths: fewer than 500 (2007 est.) Rank: 89
Nationality and Culture
Noun: Uruguayan(s)
Adjective: Uruguayan
Ethnic Groups: white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian (practically nonexistent)
Religion: Roman Catholic 47.1%, non-Catholic Christians 11.1%, nondenominational 23.2%, Jewish 0.3%, atheist or agnostic 17.2%, other 1.1% (2006)
Languages: Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)
Education
Literacy (Meaning, age 15 and over can read and write): 98% Male: 97.6% Female: 98.4% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): 15 years Male: 14 years Female: 16 years (2006)
Education expenditures: 2.9% of GDP (2006) Rank: 148
Government
Country Name
Conventional Long Form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
Conventional Short Form: Uruguay
Local Long Form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay
Local Short Form: Uruguay
Formerly: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province
Government Type: constitutional republic
Capital: Montevideo Geographic Coordinates: 34 53 S, 56 11 W
Administrative divisions
19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres
Independence: 25 August 1825 (from Brazil)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 August (1825)
Constitution: 27 November 1966; effective 15 February 1967; suspended 27 June 1973; revised 26 November 1989 and 7 January 1997
Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive Branch
Chief of State: President Jose "Pepe" MUJICA Cordano (since 1 March 2010); Vice President Danilo ASTORI Saragoza (since 1 March 2010); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of Government: President Jose "Pepe" MUJICA Cordano (since 1 March 2010); Vice President Danilo ASTORI Saragoza (since 1 March 2010)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with parliamentary approval
Elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held on 29 November 2009 (next to be held in October 2014)
Election Results: Jose "Pepe" MUJICA elected president; percent of vote - Jose "Pepe" MUJICA 54.8%, Luis Alberto LACALLE 45.2%
Legislative Branch
bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; vice president has one vote in the Senate) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: Chamber of Senators - last held on 25 October 2009 (next to be held in October 2014); Chamber of Representatives - last held on 25 October 2009 (next to be held in October 2014)
Election Results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Frente Amplio 16, Blanco 9, Colorado Party 5; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Frente Amplio 50, Blanco 30, Colorado Party 17, Independent Party 2
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)
Politics
Political Parties and Leaders: Broad Front (Frente Amplio) - formerly known as the Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or EP-FA [Jorge BROVETTO] (a broad governing coalition that includes Movement of the Popular Participation or MPP, New Space Party (Nuevo Espacio) [Rafael MICHELINI], Progressive Alliance (Alianza Progresista) [Rodolfo NIN NOVOA], Socialist Party [Eduardo FERNANDEZ], Communist Party [Marina ARISMENDI], Uruguayan Assembly (Asamblea Uruguay) [Danilo ASTORI], and Vertiente Artiguista [Mariano ARANA]); Colorado Party (Foro Batllista) [Julio Maria SANGUINETTI]; National Party or Blanco [Luis Alberto LACALLE and Jorge LARRANAGA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Architect's Society of Uruguay (professional organization); Chamber of Uruguayan Industries (manufacturer's association); Chemist and Pharmaceutical Association (professional organization); PIT/CNT (powerful federation of Uruguayan Unions - umbrella labor organization); Rural Association of Uruguay (rancher's association); Uruguayan Construction League; Uruguayan Network of Political Women
Other: Catholic Church; students
International Organization Participation: CAN (associate), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Flag Description: nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May with 16 rays that alternate between triangular and wavy; the stripes represent the nine original departments of Uruguay; the sun symbol evokes the legend of the sun breaking through the clouds on 25 May 1810 as independence was first declared from Spain (Uruguay subsequently won its independence from Brazil)
Note: the banner was inspired by the national colors of Argentina and by the design of the US flag
Economy
Economy Overview: Uruguay's economy is characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated work force, and high levels of social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually during 1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major downturn, stemming largely from the spillover effects of the economic problems of its large neighbors, Argentina and Brazil. In 2001-02, Argentine citizens made massive withdrawals of dollars deposited in Uruguayan banks after bank deposits in Argentina were frozen, which led to a plunge in the Uruguayan peso, a banking crisis, and a sharp economic contraction. Real GDP fell in four years by nearly 20%, with 2002 the worst year. The unemployment rate rose, inflation surged, and the burden of external debt doubled. Financial assistance from the IMF helped stem the damage. Uruguay restructured its external debt in 2003 without asking creditors to accept a reduction on the principal. Economic growth for Uruguay resumed, and averaged 8% annually during the period 2004-08. The 2008-09 global financial crisis put a brake on Uruguay's vigorous growth, which decelerated to 1.7% in 2009. Nevertheless, the country managed to avoid a recession and keep positive growth rates, mainly through higher public expenditure and investment.
Gross Domestic Product
GDP (purchasing power parity): $43.94 billion (2009 est.) Rank: 92
GDP - real growth rate: 1.9% (2009 est.) Rank: 85
GDP - per capita (PPP): $12,600 (2009 est.) Rank: 87
GDP - Composition by Sector: Agriculture: 9.3% Industry: 22.7% Services: 68% (2009 est.)
Labor Force
Labor Force: 1.636 million (2009 est.) Rank: 127
Labor force - by occupation: Agriculture: 9% Industry: 15% Services: 76% (2007 est.)
Unemployment Rate: 7.6% (2009 est.) Rank: 75
Poverty
Population below poverty line: 27.4% of households (2006)
Transnational Issues
International Disputes: in Jan 2007, ICJ provisionally ruled Uruguay may begin construction of two paper mills on the Uruguay River, which forms the border with Argentina, while the court examines further whether Argentina has the legal right to stop such construction with potential environmental implications to both countries; two uncontested boundary disputes with Brazil over Isla Brasilera at the tripoint with Argentina at the confluence of the Quarai/Cuareim and Uruguay rivers, and, in the 235 square kilometer Invernada River region, over which tributary represents the legitimate source of the Quarai/Cuareim River
