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Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) - Uruguay (2002)

Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) z Uruguay (2002)

 British Indian Ocean Territory (2002)Uruguay (2002)
 British Indian Ocean TerritoryUruguay
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
Age structure - 0-14 years: 24.4% (male 422,826; female 402,324)


15-64 years: 62.6% (male 1,047,740; female 1,072,032)


65 years and over: 13% (male 181,522; female 260,131) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products - rice, wheat, corn, barley; livestock; fish
Airports 1 (2001) 64 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
total: 15


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 49


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 16


under 914 m: 31 (2002)
Area total: 60 sq km


land: 60 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
total: 176,220 sq km


land: 173,620 sq km


water: 2,600 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than the state of Washington
Background Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order which had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement, the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to agree to military control of his administration in 1973. By the end of the year the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold throughout the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.
Birth rate - 17.28 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget - revenues: $3.7 billion


expenditures: $4.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $500 million (2000) (2000)
Capital - Montevideo
Climate tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
Coastline 698 km 660 km
Constitution - 27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7 January 1997
Country name conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory


conventional short form: none


abbreviation: BIOT
conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay


conventional short form: Uruguay


local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay


local short form: Uruguay


former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province
Currency - Uruguayan peso (UYU)
Death rate - 9 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external - $7.7 billion (2001 est.)
Dependency status overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Ambassador Martin J. SILVERSTEIN


embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200


mailing address: APO AA 34035


telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777


FAX: [598] (2) 418-8611
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo FERNANDEZ-FAINGOLD


chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006


telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316


FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York
Disputes - international Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain uncontested dispute with Brazil over islands in the Rio Quarai (Rio Cuareim) and the Arroio Invernada (Arroyo de la Invernada)
Economic aid - recipient - $NA
Economy - overview All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. Uruguay's economy is characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, and high levels of social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually in 1996-98, in 1999-2001 the economy suffered from lower demand in Argentina and Brazil, which together account for nearly half of Uruguay's exports. Despite the severity of the trade shocks, Uruguay's financial indicators remained more stable than those of its neighbors, a reflection of its solid reputation among investors and its investment-grade sovereign bond rating - one of only two in South America. Challenges for the government of President Jorge BATLLE include reducing the budget deficit, expanding Uruguay's trade ties beyond its Mercosur trade partners, and reducing the costs of public services. GDP fell by 1.3% in 2000 and by 1.5% in 2001.
Electricity - consumption NA kWh 7.35 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports - 950 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports - 1.3 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military 7.527 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 7%


hydro: 93%


nuclear: 0%


other: 1% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m
Environment - current issues NA water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal
Environment - international 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, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban
Ethnic groups - white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian, practically nonexistent
Exchange rates - Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 14.3325 (January 2002), 13.3191 (2001), 12.0996 (2000), 11.3393 (1999), 10.4719 (1998), 9.4418 (1997)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Commissioner Alan HUCKLE (since 2001); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK


cabinet: NA


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
chief of state: President Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March 2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March 2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


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; election last held 31 October 1999, with runoff election on 28 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)


election results: Jorge BATLLE Ibanez elected president; percent of vote - Jorge BATLLE Ibanez 52% in a runoff against Tabare VAZQUEZ 44%
Exports - $2.24 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities - meat, rice, leather products, wool, vehicles, dairy products
Exports - partners - Mercosur partners 40%, EU 20%, US 8% (2001 est.)
Fiscal year - calendar year
Flag description white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the 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
GDP - purchasing power parity - $31 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: 6%


industry: 29%


services: 65% (2001) (2001)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $9,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - -1.5% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 6 00 S, 71 30 E 33 00 S, 56 00 W
Geography - note archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility 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
Highways total: NA km


paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia


unpaved: NA km
total: 8,764 km


paved: 7,800 km


unpaved: 964 km (2001)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%: 4%


highest 10%: 26% (1997)
Imports - $2.9 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities - machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, crude petroleum
Imports - partners - Mercosur partners 44%, EU 18%, US 9% (2001 est.)
Independence - 25 August 1825 (from Brazil)
Industrial production growth rate - -2.4% (2001 est.)
Industries - food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages
Infant mortality rate - 14.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 3.6% (2001) (2001)
International organization participation - CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 14 (2001)
Irrigated land 0 sq km (1998 est.) 1,800 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch - Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)
Labor force - 1.2 million (2001) (2001)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture 14%, industry 16%, services 70%
Land boundaries 0 km total: 1,564 km


border countries: Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km
Land use arable land: NEGL


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (1998 est.)
arable land: 7.21%


permanent crops: 0.27%


other: 92.52% (1998 est.)
Languages - Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)
Legal system the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 31 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)


election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Encuentro Progresista 12, Colorado Party 10, Blanco 7, New Sector/Space Coalition 1; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Encuentro Progresista 40, Colorado Party 33, Blanco 22, New Sector/Space Coalition 4
Life expectancy at birth - total population: 75.66 years


male: 72.32 years


female: 79.17 years (2002 est.)
Literacy - definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97.3%


male: 96.9%


female: 97.7% (1995 est.)
Location Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil
Map references Political Map of the World South America
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,752 GRT/5,228 DWT


ships by type: petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Argentina 4, Greece 1 (2002 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 -
Military branches - Army, Navy (including Naval Air Arm, Coast Guard, Marines), Air Force, Police (Coracero Guard, Grenadier Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $250 million (1999)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 1.1% (2000)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 824,395 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 666,880 (2002 est.)
National holiday - Independence Day, 25 August (1825)
Nationality - noun: Uruguayan(s)


adjective: Uruguayan
Natural hazards NA 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 from weather fronts
Natural resources coconuts, fish, sugarcane arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries
Net migration rate - -0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Political parties and leaders - Colorado Party [Jorge BATLLE Ibanez]; National Party or Blanco [Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera]; New Sector/Space Coalition or Nuevo Espacio [Rafael MICHELINI]; Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or Encuentro Progresista/Frente Amplio [Tabare VAZQUEZ]
Political pressure groups and leaders - NA
Population no indigenous inhabitants


note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles around the time of the construction of UK-US military facilities; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2002 est.)
3,386,575 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line - 6% (1997)
Population growth rate - 0.79% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Diego Garcia Colonia, Fray Bentos, Juan La Caze, La Paloma, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Punta del Este, Piriapolis
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 91, FM 149, shortwave 7 (2001)
Radios NA 1.97 million (1997)
Railways - total: 2,993 km


standard gauge: 2,993 km 1.435-m gauge


note: of the total route length, 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in only partial use; moreover, not all lines offer passenger service (2001)
Religions - Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing or other 31%
Sex ratio - at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage - 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available


domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet


international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
general assessment: fully digitalized


domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network


international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002)
Telephones - main lines in use NA 929,141 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular - 350,000 (2001)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) 20 (2001)
Terrain flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation) mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
Total fertility rate - 2.35 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate - 15.2% (2001) (2001)
Waterways none 1,600 km (used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft)
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