Uruguay is a small South American country to the east of the river which bears its name. A history of civil war, dictatorship and economic collapse is largely irrelevant today, but its inflation rate has been one of the highest in the region.
{\B}{\C 0,0,255}Geography{\N}{\C 0,0,0}
{\B}Location:{\N} Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil
{\B}Map references:{\N} South America
{\B}Area:{\N}
{\I}total area:{\N} 176,220 sq km
{\I}land area:{\N} 173,620 sq km
{\B}Land boundaries:{\N} total 1,564 km, Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km
{\B}Coastline:{\N} 660 km
{\B}Climate:{\N} warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
{\B}Terrain:{\N} mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
{\B}Natural resources:{\N} soil, hydropower potential, minor minerals
{\B}Land use:{\N}
{\I}arable land:{\N} 8%
{\I}permanent crops:{\N} 0%
{\I}meadows and pastures:{\N} 78%
{\I}forest and woodland:{\N} 4%
{\I}other:{\N} 10%
{\B}Irrigated land:{\N} 1,100 sq km (1989 est.)
{\B}Environment:{\N}
{\I}current issues:{\N} substantial pollution from Brazilian industry along border; one-fifth of country affected by acid rain generated by Brazil; water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal
{\I}natural hazards:{\N} seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind which 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 in weather fronts
{\I}international agreements:{\N} party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
{\B}Overview:{\N} Uruguay's economy is a small one with favourable climate, good soils, and substantial hydropower potential. Economic development has been restrained in recent years by excessive government regulation of economic detail and 40% to 130% inflation. In a major step toward regional economic co-operation, Uruguay confirmed its commitment to the Southern Cone Common Market (MERCOSUR) customs union by implementing MERCOSUR's common external tariff on most tradables on 1 January 1995. Inflation has been considerably high but economic growth has been generally healthy.
{\B}National product:{\N} GDP - purchasing power parity - $23 billion (1994 est.)
{\B}National product real growth rate:{\N} 4% (1994 est.)
{\B}National product per capita:{\N} $7,200 (1994 est.)
{\B}Agriculture:{\N} accounts for 12% of GDP; large areas devoted to livestock grazing; wheat, rice, corn, sorghum; fishing; self-sufficient in most basic foodstuffs
{\B}Economic aid:{\N}
{\I}recipient:{\N} US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $105 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $420 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $69 million