Population and Demographics

Uruguay is heavily populated by people of European origin. According to a 2006 census, 88% of its population is of white European descent: Spaniards, followed closely by Italians, including numbers of British, Germans, French, Swiss, Russians, Portuguese, Poles, Bulgarians, Hungarians, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Estonians, Latvians, Dutch, Belgians, Croatians, Greeks, Scandinavians, Irish, and Armenians. The remaining 12% are Mestizo or of African descent. Amerindians are virtually are nonexistent. Uruguay is the only country in America without this type of population.

Uruguayans share a Spanish linguistic and cultural background, even though almost a half of the population is of Italian origin and other ethnic groups.

The smallest country in size in South America, Uruguay has over 3 million inhabitants as of the mid 2000's. Many of the European immigrants arrived to Uruguay in the late 1800s and have heavily influenced the architecture and culture of Montevideo and other major cities. For this reason, Montevideo and life within the city are very reminiscent of Western Europe. Metropolitan Montevideo, with about 2 million inhabitants, is the capital and only large city. The rest of the urban population lives in about 20 towns. Montevideo is about 50 kilometres (30 miles) away from Buenos Aires in neighbouring Argentina.

Many Swiss colonies such as Colonia Suiza, Colonia Valdense and Nueva Helvecia are founded in the department of Colonia del Sacramento. Also, there are towns founded by early British settlers, like Conchillas and Barker. A Russian colony called San Javier, is found in the department of Rio Negro. Also there are Mennonite colonies in the department of Rio Negro and in the department of Canelones.

Uruguay is notable for its high literacy rate (98%), it has a large urban middle class, and relatively even income distribution. The average Uruguayan standard of living compares favourably with that of most other Latin Americans, but ranks behind that of North American giants the US and Canada, and western European nations.

During the past two decades, an estimated 600,000 Uruguayans emigrated, principally to Spain, Argentina and Brazil. Other Uruguayans went to various countries in Europe, to the USA and Australia. As a result of the low birth rate, high life expectancy and relatively high rate of emigration of younger people, Uruguay's population is quite mature. In 2006, the country had a birth rate of 13.91 births per thousand population, lower than neighbouring countries Argentina (16.73 births/1000 population) and Brazil (16.56 births/1,000 population).

Church and state are officially separated. Although the majority of Uruguayans do not actively practice a religion, they are nominally church members in the Catholic, Protestant and other communities.

Facts and Figures

• Population: 3,431,932
• Age Structure:
  • 0-14 years: 22.9% (male 399,409/female 386,136)
  • 15-64 years: 63.9% (male 1,087,180/female 1,104,465)
  • 65 years and over: 13.3% (male 185,251/female 269,491)
• Median Age:
  • Total: 32.7 years
  • Male: 31.3 years
  • Female: 34.2 years
• Population Growth Rate: 0.46%
• Birth Rate: 13.91 births/1,000 population
• Death Rate: 9.05 deaths/1,000 population
• Net Migration Rate: -0.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population
• Sex Ratio:
  • At birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  • Under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  • 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  • 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  • Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female
• Infant Mortality Rate:
  • Total: 11.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Male: 12.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Female: 10.27 deaths/1,000 live births
• Life Expectancy at Birth:
  • Total population: 76.33 years
  • Male: 73.12 years
  • Female: 79.65 years
• Total Fertility Rate: 1.89 children born/woman
• HIV/AIDS:
  • Adult prevalence rate: 0.3%
  • People living with HIV/AIDS: 6,000
• Ethnic Groups:
  • White 88%
  • Mestizo 8%
  • Black 4%
  • Amerindian (practically nonexistent)
• Religions:
  • Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population attends church regularly)
  • Protestant 2%
  • Jewish 1%
  • Nonprofessing or other 31%
• Languages:
  • Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)
• Literacy:
  • Total population: 98%
  • Male: 97.6%
  • Female: 98.4%