Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between
Argentina and Brazil
Map references:
South America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
176,220 sq km
land area:
173,620 sq km
comparative area:
slightly smaller than Washington State
Land boundaries:
total 1,564 km, Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km
Coastline:
660 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to depth of exploitation
territorial sea:
200 nm; overflight and navigation permitted beyond 12 nm
International disputes:
short section of boundary with Argentina is in dispute; two short
sections of the boundary with Brazil are in dispute - Arroyo de la
Invernada (Arroio Invernada) area of the Rio Quarai and the islands at
the confluence of the Rio Cuareim (Rio Quarai) and the Uruguay River
Climate:
warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
Terrain:
mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
Natural resources:
soil, hydropower potential, minor minerals
Land use:
arable land:
8%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
78%
forest and woodland:
4%
other:
10%
Irrigated land:
1,100 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
NA
natural hazards:
subject to seasonally high winds, droughts, floods
international agreements:
party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified -
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
@Uruguay, People
Population:
3,198,910 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.75% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
17.7 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
9.39 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
17.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
74.09 years
male:
70.88 years
female:
77.47 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.44 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Uruguayan(s)
adjective:
Uruguayan
Ethnic divisions:
white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 66% (less than half adult population attends church
regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, nonprofessing or other 30%
Languages:
Spanish, Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
96%
male:
97%
female:
96%
Labor force:
1.355 million (1991 est.)
by occupation:
government 25%, manufacturing 19%, agriculture 11%, commerce 12%,
utilities, construction, transport, and communications 12%, other
services 21% (1988 est.)
@Uruguay, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Oriental Republic of Uruguay
conventional short form:
Uruguay
local long form:
Republica Oriental del Uruguay
local short form:
Uruguay
Digraph:
UY
Type:
republic
Capital:
Montevideo
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 1828 (from Brazil)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 August (1828)
Constitution:
27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973, new
constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980
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 and head of government:
President Luis Alberto LACALLE (since 1 March 1990); Vice President
Gonzalo AGUIRRE Ramirez (since 1 March 1990); election last held 26
November 1989 (next to be held NA November 1994); results - Luis
Alberto LACALLE Herrera (Blanco) 37%, Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (Colorado)
29%, Liber SEREGNI Mosquera (Broad Front) 20%
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
bicameral General Assembly (Asamblea General)
Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores):
elections last held 26 November 1989 (next to be held NA November
1994); results - Blanco 40%, Colorado 30%, Broad Front 23% New Space
7%; seats - (30 total) Blanco 12, Colorado 9, Broad Front 7, New Space
2
Chamber of Representatives (Camera de Representantes):
elections last held NA November 1989 (next to be held NA November
1994); results - Blanco 39%, Colorado 30%, Broad Front 22%, New Space
8%, other 1%; seats - (99 total) number of seats by party NA
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
National (Blanco) Party; Colorado Party, Jorge BATLLE; Broad Front
Coalition, Gen. Liber SEREGNI Mosquera; New Space Coalition, Hugo
BATALLA
Member of:
AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, MERCOSUR, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL,
PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNOMOZ, UNTAC,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Eduardo MACGILLYCUDDY
chancery:
1918 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20006
telephone:
telephone (202) 331-1313 through 1316
consulate(s) general:
Los Angeles, Miami, and New York
consulate(s):
New Orleans
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Thomas DODD
embassy:
Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo
mailing address:
APO AA 34035
telephone:
[598] (2) 23-60-61 or 48-77-77
FAX:
[598] (2) 48-86-11
Flag:
nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating
with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with
a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May and 16 rays
alternately triangular and wavy
@Uruguay, Economy
Overview:
Uruguay is a small economy with favorable climate, good soils, and
solid hydropower potential. Economic development has been held back by
excessive government regulation of economic detail and 50% to 130%
inflation. After several years of sluggish growth, real GDP jumped by
about 7.5% in 1992. The rise is attributable mainly to an increase in
Argentine demand for Uruguayan exports, particularly agricultural
products and electricity. In a major step toward greater regional
economic cooperation, Uruguay in 1991 had joined Brazil, Argentina,
and Paraguay in forming the Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur). A
referendum in December 1992 overturned key portions of landmark
privatization legislation, dealing a serious blow to President
LACALLE's broad economic reform plan. Hampered by a slowdown in the
agricultural sector, the economy grew at only 2% in 1993 compared with
7.5% in 1992. Although inflation declined for the second consecutive
year, a surge in the money supply, rising food prices, a record trade
deficit, and an increase in the government deficit toward the end of
the year foreshadowed troubles ahead in 1994.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $19 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
2% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
$6,000 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
50% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate:
8.8% (1993 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$2.9 billion
expenditures:
$3 billion, including capital expenditures of $388 million (1991 est.)
Exports:
$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
wool and textile manufactures, beef and other animal products,
leather, rice
partners:
Brazil, Argentina, US, China, Italy
Imports:
$2 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, minerals, plastics
partners:
Brazil, Argentina, US, Nigeria
External debt:
$4.2 billion (1993)
Industrial production:
growth rate 4.2% (1992 est.), accounts for almost 25% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
2,168,000 kW
production:
5.96 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
1,900 kWh (1992)
Industries:
meat processing, wool and hides, sugar, textiles, footwear, leather
apparel, tires, cement, fishing, petroleum refining, wine
Agriculture:
accounts for 12% of GDP; large areas devoted to livestock grazing;
wheat, rice, corn, sorghum; self-sufficient in most basic foodstuffs
Economic aid:
recipient:
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), $69 million
Currency:
1 Uruguayan peso ($Ur) = 100 centesimos
Exchange rates:
Uruguayan pesos ($Ur) per US$1 - 4.4710 (January 1994), 3.9484 (1993);
new Uruguayan pesos (N$Ur) per US$1 - 3,457.5 (December 1992), 3,026.9
(1992), 2,489 (1991), 1,594 (1990), 805 (1989)
note:
on 1 March 1993 the former New Peso (N$Ur) was replaced as Uruguay's
unit of currency by the Peso which is equal to 1,000 of the New Pesos;
consequently there is a major change in the peso/dollar exchange rate
Fiscal year:
calendar year
@Uruguay, Communications
Railroads:
3,000 km, all 1.435-meter (standard) gauge and government owned
Highways:
total:
49,900 km
paved:
6,700 km
unpaved:
gravel 3,000 km; earth 40,200 km
Inland waterways:
1,600 km; used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft
Ports:
Montevideo, Punta del Este, Colonia
Merchant marine:
4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 84,797 GRT/132,296 DWT, cargo 1,
container 2, oil tanker 1
Airports:
total:
87
usable:
80
with permanent-surface runways:
16
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
2
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
14
Telecommunications:
most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide
microwave network; 337,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 99 AM, no
FM, 26 TV, 9 shortwave; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
@Uruguay, Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, Navy (including Naval Air Arm, Coast Guard, Marines), Air Force,
Grenadier Guards, Police
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 765,490; fit for military service 621,629
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $216 million, 2.3% of GDP (1991 est.)
@Uzbekistan, Geography
Location:
Central Asia, bordering the Aral Sea, between Kazakhstan and
Turkmenistan
Map references:
Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States - Central Asian States,
Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
447,400 sq km
land area:
425,400 sq km
comparative area:
slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:
total 6,221 km, Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan
1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km
Coastline:
0 km
note:
Uzbekistan borders the Aral Sea (420 km)
Maritime claims:
none; landlocked
International disputes:
Russia may dispute current de facto maritime border to midpoint of
Caspian Sea from shore
Climate:
mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid
grassland in east
Terrain:
mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely
irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya and Sirdaryo Rivers;
Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and
Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west
Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and
zinc, tungsten, molybdenum
Land use:
arable land:
10%
permanent crops:
1%
meadows and pastures:
47%
forest and woodland:
0%
other:
42%
Irrigated land:
41,550 sq km (1990)
Environment:
current issues:
drying up of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of
chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown
from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to
desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes is the cause
of many human health disorders; increasing soil salinization; soil
contamination from agricultural chemicals, including DDT
natural hazards:
NA
international agreements:
party to - Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer
Protection
Note:
landlocked
@Uzbekistan, People
Population:
22,608,866 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.13% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
30.01 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
6.51 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
-2.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
53.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
68.58 years
male:
65.28 years
female:
72.04 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.73 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Uzbek(s)
adjective:
Uzbek
Ethnic divisions:
Uzbek 71.4%, Russian 8.3%, Tajik 4.7%, Kazakh 4.1%, Tatar 2.4%,
Karakalpak 2.1%, other 7%
Religions:
Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
Languages:
Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%
Literacy:
age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%
Labor force:
8.234 million
by occupation:
agriculture and forestry 43%, industry and construction 22%, other 35%
(1992)
@Uzbekistan, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Uzbekistan
conventional short form:
Uzbekistan
local long form:
Uzbekiston Respublikasi
local short form:
none
former:
Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic
Digraph:
UZ
Type:
republic
Capital:
Tashkent (Toshkent)
Administrative divisions:
12 wiloyatlar (singular - wiloyat), 1 autonomous republic*
(respublikasi, singular - respublika), and 1 city** (shahri); Andijon
Wiloyati, Bukhoro Wiloyati, Jizzakh Wiloyati, Farghona Wiloyati,
Karakalpakstan* (Nukus), Qashqadaryo Wiloyati (Qarshi), Khorazm
Wiloyati (Urganch), Namangan Wiloyati, Nawoiy Wiloyati, Samarqand
Wiloyati, Sirdaryo Wiloyati (Guliston), Surkhondaryo Wiloyati
(Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Wiloyati
note:
an administrative division has the same name as its administrative
center (exceptions have the administrative center name following in
parentheses)
Independence:
31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 September (1991)
Constitution:
new constitution adopted 8 December 1992
Legal system:
evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial system
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Islam KARIMOV (since NA March 1990); election last held 29
December 1991 (next to be held NA December 1996); results - Islam
KARIMOV 86%, Mukhammad SOLIKH 12%, other 2%
head of government:
Prime Minister Abdulkhashim MUTALOV (since 13 January 1992), First
Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Hakimovitch DJURABEKOV (since NA)
cabinet:
Cabinet of Ministers; appointed by the president with approval of the
Supreme Assembly
Legislative branch:
unicameral
Supreme Soviet:
elections last held 18 February 1990 (next to be held winter 1994);
results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (500 total) Communist
450, ERK 10, other 40; note - total number of seats will be reduced to
250 in next election
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
People's Democratic Party (PDP; formerly Communist Party), Islam A.
KARIMOV, chairman; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party (EDP), Muhammad
SOLIKH, chairman (in exile); note - ERK was banned 9 December 1992
Other political or pressure groups:
Birlik (Unity) People's Movement (BPM), Abdul Rakhim PULATOV, chairman
(in exile); Islamic Rebirth Party (IRP), Abdullah UTAYEV, chairman
note:
PULATOV (BPM) and SOLIKH (EDP) are both in exile in the West; UTAYEV
(IRP) is either in prison or in exile
Member of:
CCC, CIS, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF,
IOC, ITU, NACC, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Fatikh TESHABAYEV
chancery:
Suites 619 and 623, 1511 K Street NW, Washington DC, 20005
telephone:
(202) 638-4266/4267
FAX:
(202) 638-4268
consulate(s) general:
New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Henry L. CLARKE
embassy:
82 Chelanzanskaya, Tashkent
mailing address:
use embassy street address
telephone:
[7] (3712) 77-14-07, 77-11-32
FAX:
[7] (3712) 77-69-53
Flag:
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated
by red fimbriations with a crescent moon and 12 stars in the upper
hoist-side quadrant
@Uzbekistan, Economy
Overview:
Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 20% is intensely
cultivated, irrigated river valleys. It is one of the poorest states
of the former USSR with 60% of its population living in overpopulated
rural communities. Nevertheless, Uzbekistan is the world's third
largest cotton exporter, a major producer of gold and natural gas, and
a regionally significant producer of chemicals and machinery. Since
independence, the government has sought to prop up the Soviet-style
command economy with subsidies and tight controls on prices and
production. Such policies have buffered the economy from the sharp
declines in output and high inflation experienced by many other former
Soviet republics. By late 1993, however, they had become increasingly
unsustainable as inflation soared and Russia forced the Uzbek
Government to introduce its own currency. Faced with mounting economic
problems, the government has increased its cooperation with
international financial institutions, announced an acceleration of
privatization, and stepped up efforts to attract foreign investors.
Nevertheless, the regime is likely to resist full-fledged market
reforms.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $53.7 billion (1993 estimate from
the UN International Comparison Program, as extended to 1991 and
published in the World Bank's World Development Report 1993; and as
extrapolated to 1993 using official Uzbek statistics, which are very
uncertain because of major economic changes since 1990)
National product real growth rate:
-3.5% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
$2,430 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
18% per month (1993)
Unemployment rate:
0.2% includes only officially registered unemployed; large numbers of
underemployed workers
Budget:
revenues:
$NA
expenditures:
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Exports:
$706.5 million to outside the FSU countries (1993)
commodities:
cotton, gold, natural gas, mineral fertilizers, ferrous metals,
textiles, food products
partners:
Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, US
Imports:
$947.3 million from outside the FSU countries (1993)
commodities:
grain, machinery and parts, consumer durables, other foods
partners:
principally other FSU countries, Czech Republic
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate -7% (1993)
Electricity:
capacity:
11,950,000 kW
production:
50.9 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
2,300 kWh (1992)
Industries:
textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, natural gas
Agriculture:
livestock, cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain
Illicit drugs:
illicit cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy; mostly for CIS
consumption; limited government eradication programs; used as
transshipment points for illicit drugs to Western Europe
Economic aid:
recipient:
$125 million by yearend 1993; future commitments for about $500
million
Currency:
introduced provisional som-coupons 10 November 1993 which circulated
parallel to the Russian rubles; became the sole legal currency 31
January 1994; will be replaced in July 1994 by the som currency
Exchange rates:
NA
Fiscal year:
calendar year
@Uzbekistan, Communications
Railroads:
3,460 km; does not include industrial lines (1990)
Highways:
total:
78,400 km
paved and gravel:
67,000 km
unpaved:
earth 11,400 km (1990)
Pipelines:
crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 810 km (1992)
Ports:
none; landlocked
Airports:
total:
265
usable:
74
with permanent-surface runways:
30
with runways over 3,659 m:
2
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
20
with runways 1,060-2,439 m:
19
note:
a C-130 can land on a 1,060-m airstrip
Telecommunications:
poorly developed; 1,458,000 telephone circuits with 68.75 circuits per
1,000 persons (1991); linked by landline or microwave with CIS member
states and by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway
switch to other countries; new INTELSAT links to Tokyo and Ankara give
Uzbekistan international access independent of Russian facilities;
satellite earth stations - Orbita and INTELSAT; NMT-450 analog
cellular network established in Tashkent
@Uzbekistan, Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, National Guard, Republic Security Forces (internal and border
troops)
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 5,388,456; fit for military service 4,403,497; reach
military age (18) annually 222,405 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GDP
@Vanuatu, Geography
Location:
Oceania, Melanesia, 5,750 km southwest of Honolulu in the South
Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and
Australia
Map references:
Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
14,760 sq km
land area:
14,760 sq km
comparative area:
slightly larger than Connecticut
note:
includes more than 80 islands
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
2,528 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
contiguous zone:
24 nm
continental shelf:
200 nm or the edge of continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds
Terrain:
mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
Natural resources:
manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Land use:
arable land:
1%
permanent crops:
5%
meadows and pastures:
2%
forest and woodland:
1%
other:
91%
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
NA
natural hazards:
subject to tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism
causes minor earthquakes
international agreements:
party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Marine Dumping, Ship
Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
@Vanuatu, People
Population:
169,776 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.29% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
32.21 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
9.31 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
68.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
59.25 years
male:
57.51 years
female:
61.09 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.31 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
adjective:
Ni-Vanuatu
Ethnic divisions:
indigenous Melanesian 94%, French 4%, Vietnamese, Chinese, Pacific
Islanders
Religions:
Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Catholic 15%, indigenous beliefs
7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ 3.8%, other 15.7%
Languages:
English (official), French (official), pidgin (known as Bislama or
Bichelama)
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1979)
total population:
53%
male:
57%
female:
48%
Labor force:
NA
by occupation:
NA
@Vanuatu, Government