1
CONFERENCE PREPARATION PACKAGE
Uruguay
September 2011
Group members
Marthra Liu (Politics and Government)
Cindy Zou(Geography, Culture and Social, Organization part1)
Lisa Han (Environment, Defense part1)
Grace Lin(Influence, Organization part2)
Daisy Fang (Economy, Defence part2)
2
CONFERENCE PREPARATION PACKAGE
Uruguay
Introduction
The Oriental Republic of Uruguay is the second smallest country in South America,
and located between Brazil and Argentina. It has both stable politic and economy. The
overwhelming majority of Uruguayans are of European descent. Its citizens are the
most educated in South America, and it has the one of highest literacy rate in the
world. The temperate climate makes Uruguay a comfortable habitat.
Politics and Government
The Oriental Republic of Uruguay is a country located in southeastern part of South
America, that later created its own independent republic government. The majority of
population is originated from Spanish and the country itself has affiliation to many
organizations. Its Demonym is Uruguayan. The capital city, Montevideo, lies on the
southern part of Uruguay, and is home to half of country's population.
The official language in Uruguay is Spanish, because Uruguayans share a Spanish
linguistic and cultural background. In 1516, the Spanish discovered the territory of
present-day Uruguay, but in early 19th century the British, Spanish, Portuguese began
the colonial competition for dominance in Uruguay region. In 1828, Uruguay finally
achieved independence from struggling against Brazilian Empire occupation, and
became an independent constitutional republic country.1
Uruguay is not a monarchical government. Its government has three branches:
Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. The leader of Executive branch is the chief of the
state and head of government. The current ruling party in Uruguay is Board Front
which is left-wing party, and the president is José Mujica. In Uruguay, 45.7% of
populations are Roman Catholic, but the religion does not influence Uruguayan
politics because church and state were officially separated since 1916. 2
Uruguay has had strong links with its neighbors and Europe in politics and economy.
It is a member of the Rio Group 3 . Uruguay is also a founding member of
MERCOSUR4, and the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI)5.
1BBC
News,Uruguay timeline, Published:12 April 2011,http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1229362.stm,
Accessed:10 October 2011
2U.S. Department of States,Background Note: Uruguay, Published:23 June
2011,http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2091.htm, Accessed:10 October 2011
3The Rio Group is an association of Latin American states that deals with multilateral security
issues(under the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance)
4MERCOSUR is the Southern Cone Common Market also composed of Argentina, Brazil, and
Paraguay
5ALADI is a trade association based in Montevideo that includes 10 South American countries
plus Mexico and Cuba.
3
Organization (part 1)
WTO (world trade organization)
Location: Switzerland ,Geneva
Established year:1994.04.15
Why created: 1. The development of the social productive forces. 2.The formation of
the country.
Type of the organization: United Nations Organization(UNO)
Purpose: In charge of the global economy and the trading order.6
About Uruguay :Uruguay round
The Gatt7ministerial meeting held in Punta Del Este8, a city in Uruguay, 1986. They
decided to make a aims to multilateral trading system. This meeting was as known as
"the Uruguay round" negotiations. The Uruguay Round lasted for seven years , and
finished in 1994 in Marrakech, Morocco. Almost all trade negotiations were involving,
from toothbrush to the yacht, from Banks to telecom, and from wild rice gene to
AIDS treatment. Participants increased from 103 to 125 at the end of the negotiations.
Until now "The Uruguay round" was still the biggest trade negotiations in the world.
The consequence of the Uruguay round was the found of the WTO.9
MERCOSUR
6http://www.hudong.com/wiki/%E4%B8%96%E8%B4%B8?hf=youdaocitiao&pf=youdaocitiao
7Gatt:
General agreement on Tariffs and Trade
Del Este:A resort town on the Atlantic Coast in the Maldonado Department of southeastern Uruguay.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uruguay_Round
8Punta
9
4
Location: Montevideo,Uruguay
Established year: 1991
Sovereign member states: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela10
Purpose: To promote free trade and the fluid movement of goods, people, and
currency.
Type of the organization: IGO (Inter-Government Orgnization)
About Uruguay : Uruguay is a founding member of MERCOSUR in 1991.11
10Venezuela
will become the fifth full member country after Paraguay's congress ratification.
"Mercosur." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 12 Oct. 2011.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MERCOSUR>.
11
5
Organization(part 2)
Organization of American States （OAS）
OAS is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C.,
United States. Its members are the thirty-five independent states of the American
Continent. It is founded to achieve an order of peace and justice, to promote their
solidarity, to strengthen their collaboration, and to defend their sovereignty and their
independence. Uruguay is one of the members.12
12
Organization of American States, edited by Wikipedia, last modified: 14 September 2011. Author is
unavailable.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organization_of_American_States#General_Assembly, Accessed: 28th
September, 2011
6
Union of South American Nations (UNASUR)
The Union of South American Nations is an intergovernmental union integrating two
existing traditional unions, Mercosur and the Andean Community of Nations (CAN),
as part of a continuing process of South American integration. It is modeled on the
European Union. Uruguay is one of the 12 members in UNASUR.13
13Union
of South American Nations, edited by Wikipedia, last modified: 5 October 2011. Author is unavailable.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_South_American_Nations Accessed: 28th September, 2011
7
Geography, Culture, Society
14
Land area:173,621 s.q km
Total area: 176,220 s.q km
Location:South America
Capital city:Montevideo
Population of country:3,510,386(2010)
Climate：temperate
Land type: South(plain) North (less lower mountain)
Average life span:76.55
Death(9.12%) birth(14.17%)
Major Ethnic groups: Caucasian
Poverty rate in country:
Major religions:Roman Catholicism
Literacy rate:98% （2003）
Population of Indigenous people:
Coastline or landlocked: Coastline,On the east coast of South America of Brazil and east
Argentinga
Political system: Republicanism
Government : Constitutional republic
Province: 19 provinces
Official language:Spanish15
14
"Maps of Uruguay." World Maps. Web. 12 Oct. 2011. <http://www.justmaps.org/maps/la/uruguay/>.
15http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108124.html#ixzz1ZDMNYoHO
8
Environment
In Uruguay, the main electricity resource is hydroelectricity. It is mostly produced
over the Uruguay River. Hydroelectricity takes up 75% of Uruguay’s energy
consumption.16 In 1990, the total annual consumption of electricity was 107(kgoe). In
2001, it increased to 167 (kgoe). Furthermore, in1990, the total annual energy
consumption per capita was 725(kgoe). In 2000, the annual energy consumption was
921(kgoe). These statistics demonstrate that people’s consumption of energy has been
increased. 17In addition, it does not produce oil or natural gas. However, it produces
mineral resources including Gold, iron, gemstones, copper, zinc, lead, manganese;
however, mineral resources are scarce.18
Among several problems Uruguay is currently facing, one of the problems is air
pollution caused by dense population in the capital city. Another problem is water
pollution. There are several causes for this: water pollution from meat
packing/tannery industry and inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal.19
16
"Natural Resources of Uruguay." World Map, Map of the World. Web. 12 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.mapsofworld.com/uruguay/natural-resources.html>.
17 Web. <http://earthtrends.wri.org/text/energy-resources/ene5_2005.pdf>. Author and date unavailable
18 Kindersley, Dorling. "Uruguay - Resources." The S&S Media Technology Group. Web. 12 Oct. 2011.
<http://dev.prenhall.com/divisions/hss/worldreference/UY/resources.html>.
19
"Environment - Uruguay - Farming." Encyclopedia of the Nations - Information about Countries of the World,
United Nations, and World Leaders. Web. 12 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Uruguay-ENVIRONMENT.html>.
9
Influence
Uruguay joined in the United Nations in 1945 and has been a member of most of its
specialized agencies. However, Uruguay has been elected for 10-elected
non-permanent members of the Security Council in this two-year term. On September,
2011, Uruguay was grateful to have been chosen to chair the Human Rights Council.
In the course of that mandate, DANILO ASTORI, Vice-President of Uruguay said that
it intended to promote the cooperation not only between States, but also international
system and States that needed assistance to improve their human rights situations as
well. What’s more, as a middle-income country, Uruguay reiterated the need to
discuss a “new cooperation modality or scheme” that helps the development for such
countries like Uruguay. Additionally, Uruguay is seeking to hold a non-permanent
seat on the Security Council in 2016-2017.20
Between 1865 and 1870 Uruguay was allied with Brazil and Argentina in a war
against Paraguay. In the War of the Triple Alliance (1865-1870), Argentina, Brazil,
and Uruguay fought Paraguay's attempts to establish its influence in Uruguay and
finally they won. In recent years, Uruguay is allied with many countries in trade. The
leading purchasers of the country's exports are Brazil, Argentina, the United States,
Germany, and Italy; chief sources for imports are Brazil, Argentina, and the United
States. 21Even though President Bush found too much trading between the United
States and Uruguay ever since they signed bilateral tariff-reduction part in March, the
U.S still regarded Uruguay as a relatively young nation and did not see it as a
permanent trade partner.22
Uruguay joined some of both international and South American organizations. WTO
was founded because of Uruguay round. This organization is in charge of the global
economy and trading others.23 In addition, Uruguay is one of the sovereign members
in MERCOSUR, an organization that promotes free trade and the fluid movement of
goods, people and currency. 24What’s more, Uruguay is also a member in a regional
international organization called the Organization of American States (OAS).It was
founded to achieve an order of peace and justice, to promote their solidarity, to
20
Uruguay H.E. Mr. Danilo Astori, Vice-PresidentWritten by Official UN Organization. 26 September 2011
Author is unavailable <http://gadebate.un.org/66/uruguay>
21
Wools of Uruguay, edited by Woolsmark, source from Microsoft Encarta encyclopedia. Date is unavailable.
Author is unavailable. < http://www.wool.com.uy/uruguay2.htm>
22
U.S. To Slow Down Relationship With Uruguay. Published by the ONION. July 18, 2001. Author is unavailable
http://www.theonion.com/articles/us-to-slow-down-relationship-with-uruguay,3442/
23
World Trade Organization, edited by Wikipedia, last modified on 6 October, 2011. Author is unavailable.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Organization
24MERCOSUR,
edited by Wikipedia, last modified on 29 September 2011. Author is unavailable
10
strengthen their collaboration, and to defend their sovereignty and independence.25
Economy
With a 6.7% Unemployment rate, it seems that Uruguay’s economy is recovering
from the economic crisis and developing during the last ten years. In late 2001, an
economic crisis in Argentina 26 affected Uruguay’s economy, which resulted in
exports to Argentina and tourist revenues falling dramatically. However, Uruguay's
economy began to resume mild growth soon. With a 0.8% rise in GDP in 2003,
Uruguay then received annual average rates of 6.5% in GDP during 2004-2008.
Especially, Uruguay achieved a rate of 7% in 2006, which can as well be defined that
it benefited from being a member of WTO since 199527.
The structure of three kinds of industry in Uruguay is reasonable and well organized.
It is demonstrated when it said that agriculture is nine percent of GDP, industry o
occupies fourteen percent and services holds seventy-seven percent. We can see that
service occupies the most, which is called the third industry. Only if the third industry
develops fast, the economy of a country can be improved. Uruguay achieved it and
also did well on the primary and secondary industry. Clearly, Uruguay has strictly
form different types of industries in a rational way. 28
(see also economy data sheet)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MERCOSUR
25OAS,
written by Wikipedia, last modified on 14 September 2011. Author is unavailable.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organization_of_American_States#General_Assembly
26
The Argentine economic crisis was a financial situation that affected Argentina's economy during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
27
World Trade Organization - Home page. "WTO |Uruguay - Member information." published date and author are unavailable
<http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/countries_e/uruguay_e.htm>. Accessed: Web. 28 Sept. 2011.
28
IHS Home Page "Industry Economic Report."
Published: 27 Mar. 2007. Author is unavailable.
<http://www.ihs.com/products/Global-Insight/industry-economic-report.aspx?ID=106598258>. Accessed: Web. 29 Sept. 2011.
11
Economy data sheet
Export countries: Brazil 21%, Nueva Palmira Free Zone 10.2%, Argentina 7.5%,
Chile 5.5%, Russia 5.3% (2010)
Export objects: beef, soybeans, cellulose, rice, wheat, wood, dairy products; wool
Import countries：Brazil 18.6%, Argentina 16.7%, China 13.5%, Venezuela 9.1%, US
8.3%, Russia 4.2% (2010)
Import objects: crude oil (13.4%), refined oil (4.9%), passenger vehicles (3.5%),
transportation vehicles (2.7%), vehicles parts (2.2%), cellular phones (2.1%),
insecticides (1.7%)29
Natural resources: Arable land, pastures, hydroelectric power, granite, marble,
fisheries.
Per capita GDP: $12,200 (2010); $9,457 (2009); $9,357 (2008); $7,209 (2007);
$5,977 (2006); $5,254 (2005); $4,146 (2004).
Agriculture (9% of GDP): Products--beef, wool, rice, wheat, barley, corn, soybeans,
fish, forestry.
Industry (14% of GDP): Types--food processing, electrical machinery, wool, textiles,
leather, leather apparel, beverages and tobacco, chemicals, cement, petroleum
products, transportation equipment.
Services (2010): Commerce, restaurants and hotels--14% of GDP; construction--7%
of GDP; other services--56% of GDP30 31
29
Central intelligence agency uruguay. “The World
Facebook”,..<www.ihs.com/products/Global-Insight/industry-https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
geos/uy.html>. Accessed: Web. 28Sept.2011 published date and author are unavailable
30
IHS Home Page "Industry Economic Report."
Published: 27 Mar. 2007. Author is unavailable.
<http://www.ihs.com/products/Global-Insight/industry-economic-report.aspx?ID=106598258>. Accessed: Web.
29 Sept. 2011.
31 U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. " Oriental Republic of Uruguay ", published:
11 June 2011.. <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2091.htm>. Author is unavailable. Accessed: Web. 29 Sept. 2011
12
Defense (part 1)
Uruguay once was a military based government, but now the military is under the
president’s control by law that includes Uruguay National Army, Uruguay National
Navy, and Uruguay Air Force.32 What is special about Uruguay military is that it is
one of the top military contributors of the UN. 33 The weapons include tanks,
artillery pieces, frigates, and patrols provided from the United States, Germany,
Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, etc. Its spending on the military was US$212 million in
2002 and has been decreasing to 35%. 34 Uruguay has been involved in several wars
involving civil wars. However, it currently is not involved in wars and is fighting
against corruption in South America.35
Defense (part 2)
Uruguay is a non-nuclear country with a policy of peace. It has a moderate
relationship with its neighbors, like Argentina. In history, Argentina helped Uruguay
out of the control of Brazil. Both of them are members of Mercosur ,Rio Group ,Latin
American Integration Association, Association of Spanish Language Academies,
Organization of American States, Organization of Ibero-American States and Union
of South American Nations. This can suggest that Uruguay has demonstrated an
acceptable attempt to get along with its neighboring country. Also, Uruguay has not
been involved any wars or conflicts during the recent decade. 36
Conclusion
All in all, Uruguay is a peaceful country. Although it is still a middle-income country,
it works hard for the development by aligning with other countries in trade and wishes
to promote its position in the UN, hoping to hold a non-permanent seat on the
Security Council in 2016-2017.
Central intelligence agency uruguay. “The World
Facebook”,..<https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uy.html>
Accessed: Web. 10,October.2011 published date and author are unavailable
32
33
"Uruguay." U.S. Department of State. 23 June 2011. Web. 12 Oct. 2011. <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2091.htm>.
Kindersley, Dorling. "Uruguay - Defense." The S&S Media Technology Group. 2004. Web. 12 Oct. 2011.
<http://dev.prenhall.com/divisions/hss/worldreference/UY/defense.html>.
35 “Chile, Uruguay Lead War on Corruption in Latin America" Latin American Herald Tribune. 2009. Web. 12 Oct. 2011. <
http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=373914&CategoryId=12394>.
34
36
Central intelligence agency uruguay. “The World
Facebook”,..<www.ihs.com/products/Global-Insight/industry-https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uy.html>.
Accessed: Web. 28Sept.2011 published date and author are unavailable
13
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U.S. Department of States, Background Note: Uruguay, Published:23 June
2011,http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2091.htm, Accessed:10 October 2011
Uruguay H.E. Mr. Danilo Astori, Vice-PresidentWritten，Published:26 September, 2011. Author is
unavailable http://gadebate.un.org/66/uruguay Accessed: 28th September, 2011
Wools of Uruguay, edited by Woolsmark, source from Microsoft Encarta encyclopedia. Published Date
is unavailable. Author is unavailable. http://www.wool.com.uy/uruguay2.htm, Accessed: 28th
September, 2011
U.S. To Slow Down Relationship With Uruguay. Published: July 18, 2001. Author is
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MERCOSUR. Accessed: 28th September, 2011
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unavailable.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organization_of_American_States#General_Assembly,
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unavailable.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_South_American_Nations Accessed: 28th September, 2011
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Published: 27 Mar. 2007. Author is unavailable.
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Accessed:
Web. 29 Sept. 2011.
14
U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. " Oriental Republic of Uruguay ",
published: 11 June 2011.. <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2091.htm>. Author is unavailable.
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