Imports—commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and transportequipment, chemicals, food
Imports—partners: US 9%, Japan 9%, UK 9%, Germany 6%, India 6%(1997)
Debt—external: $14 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 Emirian dirham (Dh) = 100 fils
Exchange rates: Emirian dirhams (Dh) per US$1—central bank mid-point rate: 3.6725 (January 1999), 3.6725 (1998); fixed rate: 3.6710 (1994-1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 677,793 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: modern system consisting of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai domestic: microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: satellite earth stations—3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia
Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 545,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 15 (1997)
Televisions: 170,000 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 4,835 km paved: 4,835 km unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 830 km; natural gas, including natural gasliquids, 870 km
Ports and harbors: 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan,Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina'Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn
Merchant marine:total: 74 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,093,795 GRT/1,757,189DWTships by type: bulk 4, cargo 20, chemical tanker 4, container 8,liquefied gas tanker 1, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 28,refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7 (1998 est.)
Airports: 41 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:total: 21over 3,047 m: 82,438 to 3,047 m: 31,524 to 2,437 m: 3914 to 1,523 m: 3under 914 m: 4 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways:total: 20over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 4914 to 1,523 m: 9under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense, paramilitary (includes Federal Police Force)
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 791,097 (1999 est.) note: includes non-nationals
Military manpower—fit for military service:males age 15-49: 425,248 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually:males: 23,358 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $2.118 billion (1999)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 5% (1999)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: location and status of boundary with Saudi Arabia is not final, de facto boundary reflects 1974 agreement; no defined boundary with most of Oman, but Administrative Line in far north; claims two islands in the Persian Gulf occupied by Iran: Lesser Tunb (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and Greater Tunb (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran); claims island in the Persian Gulf jointly administered with Iran (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran)—over which Iran has taken steps to exert unilateral control since 1992, including access restrictions and a military build-up on the island; the UAE has garnered significant diplomatic support in the region in protesting these Iranian actions
Illicit drugs: growing role as heroin transshipment and money-laundering center due to its proximity to southwest Asian producing countries and the bustling free trade zone in Dubai
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@United Kingdom ———————
Introduction
Background: Britain, the dominant industrial and maritime power of the nineteenth century, played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. The British Empire covered approximately one-fourth of the earth's surface at its zenith. In the first half of the twentieth century its strength was seriously depleted by two world wars. Since the end of World War II, the British Empire has been dismantled, and Britain has rebuilt itself into a prosperous, modern European nation with significant international political, cultural, and economic influence. As the twentieth century draws to a close, Britain is debating the degree of its integration with continental Europe. While a member of the EU, for the time being it is staying out of the euro system introduced in January 1999. Constitutional reform, including the House of Lords and the devolution of power to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, is an ongoing issue in Great Britain.
Geography
Location: Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates: 54 00 N, 2 00 W
Map references: Europe
Area:total: 244,820 sq kmland: 241,590 sq kmwater: 3,230 sq kmnote: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Ireland 360 km
Coastline: 12,429 km
Maritime claims:continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or inaccordance with agreed upon boundariesexclusive fishing zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast
Terrain: mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Fenland -4 m highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m
Natural resources: coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone,iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica
Land use:arable land: 25%permanent crops: 0%permanent pastures: 46%forests and woodland: 10%other: 19% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,080 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment—current issues: sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants contribute to air pollution; some rivers polluted by agricultural wastes; and coastal waters polluted because of large-scale disposal of sewage at sea
Environment—international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent OrganicPollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography—note: lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France and now linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters
People
Population: 59,113,439 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 19% (male 5,822,901; female 5,522,122)15-64 years: 65% (male 19,393,706; female 19,103,882)65 years and over: 16% (male 3,821,181; female 5,449,647) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.24% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 11.9 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 10.64 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.78 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.37 years male: 74.73 years female: 80.15 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural)adjective: British
Ethnic groups: English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish 2.4%, Welsh1.9%, Ulster 1.8%, West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other 2.8%
Religions: Anglican 27 million, Roman Catholic 9 million, Muslim1 million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 400,000,Hindu 350,000, Jewish 300,000 (1991 est.)
Languages: English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales),Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years ofschoolingtotal population: 99% (1978 est.)male: NA%female: NA%
Government
Country name:conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and NorthernIrelandconventional short form: United Kingdomabbreviation: UK
Data code: UK
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: London
Administrative divisions: 47 counties, 7 metropolitan counties,26 districts, 9 regions, and 3 islands areas; England—39 counties, 7metropolitan counties*; Avon, Bedford, Berkshire, Buckingham,Cambridge, Cheshire, Cleveland, Cornwall, Cumbria, Derby, Devon,Dorset, Durham, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucester, Greater London*,Greater Manchester*, Hampshire, Hereford and Worcester, Hertford,Humberside, Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire, Leicester, Lincoln,Merseyside*, Norfolk, Northampton, Northumberland, North Yorkshire,Nottingham, Oxford, Shropshire, Somerset, South Yorkshire*,Stafford, Suffolk, Surrey, Tyne and Wear*, Warwick, West Midlands*,West Sussex, West Yorkshire*, Wiltshire; Northern Ireland—26districts; Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge,Belfast, Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown,Craigavon, Down, Dungannon, Fermanagh, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn,Londonderry, Magherafelt, Moyle, Newry and Mourne, Newtownabbey,North Down, Omagh, Strabane; Scotland—9 regions, 3 islands areas*;Borders, Central, Dumfries and Galloway, Fife, Grampian, Highland,Lothian, Orkney*, Shetland*, Strathclyde, Tayside, Western Isles*;Wales—8 counties; Clwyd, Dyfed, Gwent, Gwynedd, Mid Glamorgan,Powys, South Glamorgan, West Glamorgannote: England may now have 35 counties and Wales 9 counties
Dependent areas: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian OceanTerritory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands,Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, PitcairnIslands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands,Turks and Caicos Islands
Independence: England has existed as a unified entity since the 10th century; the union between England and Wales was enacted under the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284; in the Act of Union of 1707, England and Scotland agreed to permanent union as Great Britain; the legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland was implemented in 1801, with the adoption of the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; the Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of Ireland; six northern Irish counties remained part of the United Kingdom as Northern Ireland and the current name of the country, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in 1927
National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen(second Saturday in June)
Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law andpractice
Legal system: common law tradition with early Roman and modern continental influences; no judicial review of Acts of Parliament; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; British courts and legislation are increasingly subject to review by European Union courts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); HeirApparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948)head of government: Prime Minister Anthony C. L. (Tony) BLAIR (since2 May 1997)cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime ministerelections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the prime minister isthe leader of the majority party in the House of Commons (assumingthere is no majority party, a prime minister would have a majoritycoalition or at least a coalition that was not rejected by themajority)
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of House of Lords (1,200 seats; four-fifths of the members are hereditary peers, two archbishops, 24 other senior bishops, serving and retired Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, other life peers, Scottish peers) and House of Commons (659 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms unless the House is dissolved earlier) elections: House of Lords—no elections; House of Commons—last held 1 May 1997 (next to be held by NA May 2002); note—in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Parliament; in 1999 there will be elections for a new Scottish parliament and a new Welsh Assembly election results: House of Commons—percent of vote by party—Labor 44.5%, Conservative 31%, Liberal Democratic 17%, other 7.5%; seats by party—Labor 418, Conservative 165, Liberal Democrat 46, other 30
Judicial branch: House of Lords, several Lords of Appeal inOrdinary are appointed by the monarch for life
Political parties and leaders: Conservative and Unionist Party
Political pressure groups and leaders: Trades Union Congress;Confederation of British Industry; National Farmers' Union; Campaignfor Nuclear Disarmament
International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, AustraliaGroup, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, CP, EAPC, EBRD,ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7,G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM(observer), ISO, ITU, MTCR, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP,UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UNOMSIL, UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WCL,WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sir Christopher J. R. MEYER chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Dallas, Miami, and Seattle
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Philip LADER embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W. 1A1AE mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040 consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh
Flag description: blue with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); known as the Union Flag or Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or provinces, as well as British overseas territories
Economy
Economy—overview: The UK is one of the world's great trading powers and financial centers, and its essentially capitalistic economy ranks among the four largest in Western Europe. Over the past two decades the government has greatly reduced public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only 1% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves; primary energy production accounts for 10% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in importance, now employing only 18% of the work force. Economic growth is slowing, and Britain may experience a short recession in 1999. As a result, unemployment probably will begin to rise again. The BLAIR government has put off the question of participation in the euro system until after the next election, not expected until 2001, but Chancellor of the Exchequer BROWN is committed to preparing the British economy for eventual membership.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$1.252 trillion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 2.6% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$21,200 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 1.5% industry: 31.5% services: 67% (1997)
Population below poverty line: 17%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 24.7% (1986)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.7% (1998)
Labor force: 28.8 million (1998)
Labor force—by occupation: services 68.9%, manufacturing and construction 17.5%, government 11.3%, energy 1.2%, agriculture 1.1% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 7.5% (1998 est.)
Budget:revenues: $487.7 billionexpenditures: $492.6 billion, including capital expenditures of$23.1 billion (1997 est.)
Industries: production machinery including machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods
Industrial production growth rate: 0.5% (1998 est.)
Electricity—production: 309.672 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 72.28% hydro: 1.28% nuclear: 26.33% other: 0.11% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 326.322 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 16.65 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish
Exports: $271 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports—commodities: manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food,beverages, tobacco
Exports—partners: EU countries 56% (Germany 12%, France 10%,Netherlands 8%), US 12% (1997)
Imports: $304 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports—commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, fuels,foodstuffs
Imports—partners: EU countries 53% (Germany 14%, France 10%,Netherlands 7%, Ireland 5%), US 13% (1997)
Debt—external: $NA
Economic aid—donor: ODA, $3.4 billion (1996)
Currency: 1 British pound (L) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: British pounds (L) per US$1—0.6057 (January 1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994)
Fiscal year: 1 April—31 March
Communications
Telephones: 29.5 million (1987 est.)
Telephone system: technologically advanced domestic andinternational systemdomestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, andfiber-optic systemsinternational: 40 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earthstations—10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 largeinternational switching centers
Radio broadcast stations: AM 225, FM 525 (mostly repeaters),shortwave 0
Radios: 70 million
Television broadcast stations: 78 (in addition, there are 869 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 20 million
Transportation
Railways:total: 16,878 kmbroad gauge: 342 km 1.600-m gauge (190 km double track); note—all1.600-m gauge track, of which 342 km is in common carrier use, is inNorthern Irelandstandard gauge: 16,536 km 1.435-m gauge (4,928 km electrified;12,591 km double or multiple track) (1996)
Highways:total: 372,000 kmpaved: 372,000 km (including 3,270 km of expressways)unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 3,200 km
Pipelines: crude oil (almost all insignificant) 933 km; petroleumproducts 2,993 km; natural gas 12,800 km
Ports and harbors: Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Dover,Falmouth, Felixstowe, Glasgow, Grangemouth, Hull, Leith, Liverpool,London, Manchester, Peterhead, Plymouth, Scapa Flow, Sullom Voe,Tees, Tyne
Merchant marine:total: 155 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,460,361GRT/2,517,875 DWTships by type: bulk 3, cargo 29, chemical tanker 6, combinationore/oil 1, container 25, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 51,passenger 8, passenger-cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 17, short-seapassenger 12, specialized tanker 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 497 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 356 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 32 1,524 to 2,437 m: 169 914 to 1,523 m: 91 under 914 m: 54 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 141 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 117 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 12 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines),Royal Air Force
Military manpower—availability:males age 15-49: 14,458,646 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:males age 15-49: 12,053,320 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $36.7 billion (FY98/99)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 2.6% (FY98/99)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: Northern Ireland issue with Ireland (historic peace agreement signed 10 April 1998); Gibraltar issue with Spain; Argentina claims Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas); Argentina claims South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Mauritius claims island of Diego Garcia in British Indian Ocean Territory; Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and Ireland (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area); territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory); Seychelles claims Chagos Archipelago in British Indian Ocean Territory
Illicit drugs: gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering the European market; producer and major consumer of synthetic drugs, synthetic precursor chemicals; transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering center
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@United States ——————-
Introduction
Background: Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation-state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment, low inflation, and rapid advances in technology. The biggest cloud over this affluent society is the distribution of gains—since 1975 most of the increase in national income has gone to the 20% of people at the top of the income ladder.
Geography
Location: North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico
Geographic coordinates: 38 00 N, 97 00 W
Map references: North America
Area:total: 9,629,091 sq kmland: 9,158,960 sq kmwater: 470,131 sq kmnote: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia
Area—comparative: about one-half the size of Russia; aboutthree-tenths the size of Africa; about one-half the size of SouthAmerica (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger thanChina; about two and one-half times the size of Western Europe
Land boundaries:total: 12,248 kmborder countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska),Cuba 29 km (US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay), Mexico 3,326 kmnote: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remainspart of Cuba
Coastline: 19,924 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 12 nm continental shelf: not specified exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains
Terrain: vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and lowmountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys inAlaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Death Valley -86 mhighest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m
Natural resources: coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates,uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver,tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber
Land use:arable land: 19%permanent crops: 0%permanent pastures: 25%forests and woodland: 30%other: 26% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 207,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development
Environment—current issues: air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; very limited natural fresh water resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertification
Environment—international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change,Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping,Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent OrganicPollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity,Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes
Geography—note: world's third-largest country (after Russia andCanada)
People
Population: 272,639,608 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 22% (male 30,097,125; female 28,699,568)15-64 years: 66% (male 89,024,052; female 90,379,328)65 years and over: 12% (male 14,189,132; female 20,250,403) (1999est.)
Population growth rate: 0.85% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 14.3 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 8.8 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.33 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.23 years male: 72.95 years female: 79.67 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.07 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: American(s) adjective: American
Ethnic groups: white 83.5%, black 12.4%, Asian 3.3%, Amerindian0.8% (1992)
Religions: Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other4%, none 10% (1989)
Languages: English, Spanish (spoken by a sizable minority)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 97%male: 97%female: 97% (1979 est.)
Government
Country name:conventional long form: United States of Americaconventional short form: United Statesabbreviation: US or USA
Data code: US
Government type: federal republic; strong democratic tradition
Capital: Washington, DC
Administrative divisions: 50 states and 1 district*; Alabama,Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut,Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho,Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine,Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri,Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico,New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon,Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee,Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia,Wisconsin, Wyoming
Dependent areas: American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Atoll note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but recently entered into a new political relationship with all four political units: the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986)
Independence: 4 July 1776 (from England)
National holiday: Independence Day, 4 July (1776)
Constitution: 17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789
Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20January 1993) and Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January1993); note—the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmenthead of government: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20January 1993) and Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January1993); note—the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approvalelections: president and vice president elected on the same ticketby a college of representatives who are elected directly from eachstate; president and vice president serve four-year terms; electionlast held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000)election results: William Jefferson CLINTON reelected president;percent of popular vote—William Jefferson CLINTON (Democratic Party)49.2%, Robert DOLE (Republican Party) 40.7%, Ross PEROT (ReformParty) 8.4%, other 1.7%
Legislative branch: bicameral Congress consists of Senate (100 seats, one-third are renewed every two years; two members are elected from each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and House of Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate—last held 2 November 1998 (next to be held 7 November 2000); House of Representatives—last held 2 November 1998 (next to be held 7 November 2000) election results: Senate—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—Republican Party 55, Democratic Party 45; House of Representatives—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—Republican Party 223, Democratic Party 211, independent 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the nine justices are appointed for life by the president with confirmation by the Senate)
Political parties and leaders: Republican Party [Jim NICHOLSON, national committee chairman]; several other groups or parties of minor political significance
International organization participation: AfDB, ANZUS, APEC,AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP,EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESCAP, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-10, IADB, IAEA,IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO,MIPONUH, MTCR, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN,UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG,UNPREDEP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Flag description: thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico
Economy
Economy—overview: The US has the most powerful, diverse, and technologically advanced economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $31,500, the largest among major industrial nations. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and government buys needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy considerably greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, lay off surplus workers, and develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to entry in their rivals' home markets than the barriers to entry of foreign firms in US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment, although their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The years 1994-98 witnessed solid increases in real output, low inflation rates, and a drop in unemployment to below 5%. Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical costs of an aging population, sizable trade deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups. The outlook for 1999 is for GDP growth somewhat below 1998's, continued low inflation, and about the same level of unemployment. Two shadows for 1999 are the severe financial crises in East Asia and Russia and the exuberant level of stock prices in relation to corporate earnings.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$8.511 trillion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 3.9% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$31,500 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 23% services: 75% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line: 13% (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.5% highest 10%: 28.5% (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (1998)
Labor force: 137.7 million (includes unemployed) (1998)
Labor force—by occupation: managerial and professional 29.6%, technical, sales and administrative support 29.3%, services 13.6%, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and crafts 24.8%, farming, forestry, and fishing 2.7% (1998) note: figures exclude the unemployed
Unemployment rate: 4.5% (1998)
Budget:revenues: $1.722 trillionexpenditures: $1.653 trillion, including capital expenditures of $NA(1998)
Industries: leading industrial power in the world, highlydiversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motorvehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics,food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining
Industrial production growth rate: 3.6% (1998)
Electricity—production: 3.629 trillion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 65.1% hydro: 9.6% nuclear: 18.59% other: 6.71% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 3.666 trillion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 9.02 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 46.543 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: wheat, other grains, corn, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; forest products; fish
Exports: $663 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports—commodities: capital goods, automobiles, industrialsupplies and raw materials, consumer goods, agricultural products
Exports—partners: Canada 22%, Western Europe 21%, Japan 10%,Mexico 10% (1997)
Imports: $912 billion (c.i.f., 1998 est.)
Imports—commodities: crude oil and refined petroleum products, machinery, automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and beverages
Imports—partners: Canada, 19%, Western Europe 18%, Japan 14%,Mexico 10%, China 7% (1997)
Debt—external: $862 billion (1995 est.)
Economic aid—donor: ODA, $7.4 billion (1995)
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: British pounds (L) per US$—0.6057 (January 1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994); Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$—1.5192 (January 1999), 1.4835 (1998), 1.3846 (1997), 1.3635 (1996), 1.3724 (1995), 1.3656 (1994); French francs (F) per US$—5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994); Italian lire (Lit) per US$—1,668.7 (January 1999), 1,763.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997), 1,542.9 (1996), 1,628.9 (1995), 1,612.4 (1994); Japanese yen (Y) per US$—113.18 (January 1999), 130.91 (1998), 120.99 (1997), 108.78 (1996), 94.06 (1995), 102.21 (1994); German deutsche marks (DM) per US$—1.69 (January 1999), 1.9692 (1998), 1.7341 (1997), 1.5048 (1996), 1.4331 (1995), 1.6228 (1994); Euro per US$—0.8597 (January 1999)
Fiscal year: 1 October—30 September
Communications
Telephones: 182.558 million (1987 est.)
Telephone system:domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radiorelay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries conventionaltelephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobiletelephone traffic throughout countryinternational: 24 ocean cable systems in use; satellite earthstations—61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific andAtlantic Ocean regions) (1990 est.)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4,987, FM 4,932, shortwave 0
Radios: 540.5 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: more than 1,500 (including nearly 1,000 stations affiliated with the five major networks—NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and PBS; in addition, there are about 9,000 cable TV systems) (1997)
Televisions: 215 million (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways:total: 240,000 km mainline routes (nongovernment owned)standard gauge: 240,000 km 1.435-m gauge (1989)
Highways:total: 6.42 million kmpaved: 3,903,360 km (including 88,400 km of expressways)unpaved: 2,516,640 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 41,009 km of navigable inland channels, exclusive ofthe Great Lakes
Pipelines: petroleum products 276,000 km; natural gas 331,000 km(1991)
Ports and harbors: Anchorage, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston,Chicago, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, LosAngeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Port Canaveral,Portland (Oregon), Prudhoe Bay, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle,Tampa, Toledo
Merchant marine:total: 385 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,123,848GRT/15,255,996 DWTships by type: barge carrier 10, bulk 61, cargo 28, chemical tanker13, combination bulk 2, container 83, liquefied gas tanker 9,multifunctional large-load carrier 3, oil tanker 114, passenger 7,passenger-cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 43, short-sea passenger 3,specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 7 (1998 est.)
Airports: 14,459 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:total: 5,167over 3,047 m: 1802,438 to 3,047 m: 2191,524 to 2,437 m: 1,294914 to 1,523 m: 2,447under 914 m: 1,027 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways:total: 9,292over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 61,524 to 2,437 m: 156914 to 1,523 m: 1,647under 914 m: 7,482 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 122 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Department of the Army, Department of the Navy (includes Marine Corps), Department of the Air Force note: the Coast Guard falls under the Department of Transportation, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: NA
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $267.2 billion (1997 est.)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 3.4% (1997 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: maritime boundary disputes with Canada (Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Machias Seal Island); US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other nation; Marshall Islands claims Wake Atoll
Illicit drugs: consumer of cocaine shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the Caribbean; consumer of heroin, marijuana, and increasingly methamphetamines from Mexico; consumer of high-quality Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamines; drug-money-laundering center
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@Uruguay ———-
Geography
Location: Southern South America, bordering the South AtlanticOcean, between Argentina and Brazil
Geographic coordinates: 33 00 S, 56 00 W
Map references: South America
Area:total: 176,220 sq kmland: 173,620 sq kmwater: 2,600 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than the state of Washington
Land boundaries: total: 1,564 km border countries: Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km
Coastline: 660 km
Maritime claims:continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationterritorial sea: 200 nm; overflight and navigation guaranteed beyond12 nm
Climate: warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
Terrain: mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m
Natural resources: fertile soil, hydropower, minor minerals,fisheries
Land use:arable land: 7%permanent crops: 0%permanent pastures: 77%forests and woodland: 6%other: 10% (1997 est.)
Irrigated land: 7,700 sq km (1997 est.)
Natural hazards: 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
Environment—current issues: working with Brazil to monitor and minimize transboundary pollution caused by Brazilian power plant near border; water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal
Environment—international agreements:party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, MarineDumping, Marine Life Conservation
People
Population: 3,308,523 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 24% (male 407,990; female 388,293)15-64 years: 63% (male 1,026,554; female 1,054,513)65 years and over: 13% (male 179,331; female 251,842) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.73% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 16.84 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 8.81 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.06 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 13.49 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.83 years male: 72.69 years female: 79.15 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.27 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan
Ethnic groups: white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian, practically nonexistent
Religions: Roman Catholic 66% (less than one-half of the adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, nonprofessing or other 30%
Languages: Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanishmix on the Brazilian frontier)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 97.3%male: 96.9%female: 97.7% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguayconventional short form: Uruguaylocal long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguaylocal short form: Uruguay
Data code: UY
Government 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 1825 (from Brazil)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 August (1825)
Constitution: 27 November 1966, effective February 1967,suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30November 1980; two constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26November 1989 and 7 January 1997
Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; acceptscompulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: President Julio Maria SANGUINETTI (since 1 March1995) and Vice President Hugo FERNANDEZ Faingold (since 5 October1998); note—the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmenthead of government: President Julio Maria SANGUINETTI (since 1 March1995) and Vice President Hugo FERNANDEZ Faingold (since 5 October1998); note—the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmentcabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president withparliamentary approvalelections: president and vice president elected on the same ticketby popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 27 November1994 (next to be held 31 October 1999 with run-off election ifnecessary on 28 November 1999)election results: Julio Maria SANGUINETTI elected president; percentof vote—23%
Legislative branch: bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators—last held 27 November 1994 (next to be held 31 October 1999); Chamber of Representatives—last held 27 November 1994 (next to be held 31 October 1999) election results: Chamber of Senators—percent of vote by party—Colorado 36%, Blanco 34%, Encuentro Progresista 27%, New Sector/Space 3%; seats by party—Colorado 11, Blanco 10, Encuentro Progresista 8, New Sector/Space 1; Chamber of Representatives—percent of vote by party—Colorado 32%, Blanco 31%, Encuentro Progresista 31%, New Sector/Space 5%; seats by party—Colorado 32, Blanco 31, Encuentro Progresista 31, New Sector/Space 5
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are nominated by thepresident and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly
Political parties and leaders: National Party or Blanco [Walterleader—Gen. Liber SEREGNI]; Progressive Encounter in the Broad Front
International organization participation: CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11,G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA,Mercosur, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU,WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Alvaro DIEZ DE MEDINA SUAREZchancery: 2715 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher C. ASHBYembassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideomailing address: APO AA 34035
Flag description: nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top andbottom) alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upperhoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known asthe Sun of May and 16 rays alternately triangular and wavy
Economy
Economy—overview: Uruguay's small economy benefits from a favorable climate for agriculture and substantial hydropower production. The SANGUINETTI government's conservative monetary and fiscal policies are aimed at reducing inflation; other priorities include moving toward a more market-oriented economy, completing reform of the social security system, and increasing investment in education. Economic performance remains sensitive to conditions in Argentina and Brazil, largely because more than half of Uruguay's trade is conducted with its partners in Mercosur (the Southern Cone Common Market).
GDP: purchasing power parity—$28.4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$8,600 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 26% services: 66% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.6% (1998)
Labor force: 1.38 million (1997 est.)
Labor force—by occupation: government 25%, manufacturing 19%, agriculture 11%, commerce 12%, utilities, construction, transport, and communications 12%, other services 21% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate: 10.5% (November 1998)
Budget:revenues: $4 billionexpenditures: $4.3 billion, with capital expenditures of $385million (1997 est.)
Industries: meat processing, wool and hides, sugar, textiles,footwear, leather apparel, tires, cement, petroleum refining, wine
Industrial production growth rate: 5.6% (1997)
Electricity—production: 8.35 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 10.18% hydro: 89.82% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 8.223 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 437 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 310 million kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: wheat, rice, corn, sorghum; livestock; fish
Exports: $2.7 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports—commodities: wool and textile manufactures, beef and other animal products, rice, fish and shellfish, chemicals
Exports—partners: Brazil, Argentina, US, Germany, Italy, UK
Imports: $3.7 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports—commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles,chemicals, minerals, plastics, oil
Imports—partners: Brazil, Argentina, US, Italy, Germany, France,Spain
Debt—external: $4.6 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $79.7 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Uruguayan peso ($Ur) = 100 centesimos
Exchange rates: Uruguayan pesos ($Ur) per US$1—11.08 (January 1999), 9.98 (January 1998), 9.4418 (1997), 7.9718 (1996), 6.3491 (1995), 5.0529 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 767,333 (1997)
Telephone system: some modern facilities domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth stations—2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 72, FM 0, shortwave 28
Radios: 1.89 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 26 (in addition, there are ten low-power repeaters for the Montevideo station) (1997)