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South America · Card 013

Uruguay

Uruguay is a country in South America. Its capital is Montevideo.

Find Uruguay

● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.

At a glance

Capital: Montevideo
Languages: Spanish
Currency: Uruguayan peso (UYU)
Population: 3.4 million2025 · World Bank
Area: 181,034 km²69,897.59 square miles
Independence: 1825 / 1828Declaration in 1825; recognition of a separate state in 1828.

Uruguay in context

South America and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Montevideo; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.

Natural Earth · locator map

Geography & languages

Physical geography

Mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland.

Languages

Spanish is the main language of public life. Portuguese-influenced varieties are also used in parts of the border region with Brazil.

Location

Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil.

Flag

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

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

History & independence

Indigenous peoples inhabited the region before competing Spanish and Portuguese colonial expansion. The territory later came under Brazilian control. An independence declaration in 1825 was followed by war, and an 1828 agreement recognized a separate Uruguayan state. The first constitution took effect in 1830. A civilian-military dictatorship began in 1973; democratic government returned in 1985.

1825
Independence is declared during the struggle against Brazilian rule
1828
An agreement recognizes a separate Uruguayan state
1830
The first constitution takes effect
1985
Democratic government returns

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Economy

Main activities

Services, agriculture, food processing and forestry are major economic activities. Beef, dairy products, rice and pulp are important exports. Tourism, logistics, software and business services also contribute. Hydropower, wind and other renewable sources play a large role in electricity generation, although the wider economy still uses imported fossil fuels.

Industry and production

Meat and dairy processing, pulp and paper, rice, forestry, logistics and software services.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Population & economic trends

Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.

Population, 1970–2025

Millions of people

3.42025 · millions of people

Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.

Sources: World Bank · Population

View data table

Population: source values and plotted units
Year	People	Millions of people
1970	2,790,807	2.791
1980	2,951,953	2.952
1990	3,104,403	3.104
2000	3,266,206	3.266
2010	3,318,580	3.319
2020	3,398,968	3.399
2025	3,384,688	3.385

Real GDP, 1990–2025

Billions of constant 2015 US dollars

65.62025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars

Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.

Sources: World Bank · Real GDP

View data table

Real GDP: source values and plotted units
Year	Constant 2015 US$	Billions of constant 2015 US dollars
1990	25,829,737,832	25.830
1991	26,743,802,791	26.744
1992	28,865,011,155	28.865
1993	29,632,112,135	29.632
1994	31,789,727,752	31.790
1995	31,329,539,981	31.330
1996	33,077,088,489	33.077
1997	35,904,413,225	35.904
1998	37,526,894,199	37.527
1999	36,956,130,432	36.956
2000	36,242,902,750	36.243
2001	34,849,678,467	34.850
2002	32,155,098,813	32.155
2003	32,414,038,652	32.414
2004	34,036,089,124	34.036
2005	36,575,226,345	36.575
2006	38,074,290,289	38.074
2007	40,564,924,117	40.565
2008	43,475,921,755	43.476
2009	45,320,819,971	45.321
2010	48,857,389,210	48.857
2011	51,379,472,634	51.379
2012	53,197,370,201	53.197
2013	55,664,418,794	55.664
2014	57,467,273,108	57.467
2015	57,680,327,999	57.680
2016	58,655,009,160	58.655
2017	59,675,827,151	59.676
2018	59,774,159,552	59.774
2019	60,329,073,576	60.329
2020	55,890,466,315	55.890
2021	59,156,857,888	59.157
2022	61,881,758,828	61.882
2023	62,353,142,657	62.353
2024	64,426,857,947	64.427
2025	65,576,691,278	65.577

Human development

The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.

HDI · 20230.862Very High human developmentRank 48 of 193 · 2025 report

Human Development Index over time

19900.713

20000.764

20100.796

20200.837

20230.862

78.1 yearsLife expectancy at birth

10.5 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+

The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.

Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025

Government

A presidential republic. An elected President leads the executive. The General Assembly consists of a Chamber of Representatives and a Senate. Departments have elected authorities.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Knowledge check

Three questions about Uruguay.

QUESTION 1 OF 3

Which currency is listed for Uruguay?

Sources & notes

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.

Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.