Demographics of Uruguay

This article is about the demographic features of the population of Uruguay, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

Topics
Communications Culture Demographics Economy Education Foreign relations Geography Government History Military Politics Religion Tourism Transport Uruguay

Population

Census population in thousands
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1852	132	—
1860	229.5	+7.16%
1908	1,042.7	+3.20%
1963	2,595.5	+1.67%
1975	2,788.4	+0.60%
1985	2,955.2	+0.58%
1996	3,163.8	+0.62%
2004	3,241	+0.30%
2011	3,286.3	+0.20%

According to the 2018, revision of the World Population Prospects the total population was 3,432,000 in 2015, compared to only 2,239,000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2015 was 21.4%, 64.2% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 14.4% was 65 years or older.^[1]

	Total population (× 1000)	Proportion aged 0–14 (%)	Proportion aged 15–64 (%)	Proportion aged 65+ (%)
1950	2 239	27.9	63.9	8.2
1955	2 373	27.6	64.3	8.1
1960	2 539	27.8	64.1	8.1
1965	2 695	28.1	63.6	8.3
1970	2 810	27.9	63.3	8.8
1975	2 830	27.7	62.7	9.6
1980	2 916	26.9	62.7	10.4
1985	3 012	26.8	62.3	10.9
1990	3 110	26.0	62.4	11.6
1995	3 225	25.0	62.6	12.4
2000	3 321	24.5	62.4	13.0
2005	3 326	23.8	62.8	13.5
2010	3 374	22.5	63.7	13.8
2015	3 432	21.4	64.2	14.4

Structure of the population

Structure of the population (04.10.2011) (Census):

Age group	Male	Female	Total	%
Total	1 577 416	1 708 461	3 285 877	100
0-4	112 704	107 641	220 345	6,71
5-9	121 820	116 248	238 068	7,25
10-14	131 022	125 530	256 552	7,81
15-19	133 042	128 649	261 691	7,96
20-24	119 928	121 078	241 006	7,33
25-29	112 852	115 533	228 385	6,95
30-34	113 884	119 481	233 365	7,10
35-39	108 704	113 817	222 521	6,77
40-44	98 612	104 486	203 098	6,18
45-49	95 812	102 961	198 773	6,05
50-54	93 175	101 390	194 565	5,92
55-59	81 828	91 179	173 007	5,27
60-64	69 864	80 911	150 775	4,59
65-69	58 769	72 794	131 563	4,00
70-74	47 705	64 690	112 395	3,42
75-79	36 806	56 853	93 659	2,85
80-84	24 912	45 593	70 505	2,15
85-89	11 535	25 891	37 426	1,14
90-94	3 636	10 477	14 113	0,43
95-99	733	2 813	3 546	0,11
100+	73	446	519	0,02

^[2]

Age group	Male	Female	Total	Percent
0-14	365 546	349 419	714 965	21,76
15-64	1 027 701	1 079 485	2 107 186	64,13
65+	184 169	279 557	464 026	14,12

^[2]

Vital statistics

UN estimates

The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates for Uruguay. ^[3]

Period	Live births per year	Deaths per year	Natural change per year	CBR*	CDR*	NC*	TFR*	IMR*	Life expectancy total	Life expectancy males	Life expectancy females
1950–1955	49,000	24,000	25,000	21.2	10.5	10.7	2.73	57	66.0	63.3	69.3
1955–1960	54,000	25,000	29,000	21.9	10.0	11.9	2.83	53	67.0	64.2	70.3
1960–1965	57,000	25,000	32,000	21.9	9.5	12.4	2.90	48	68.3	65.3	71.5
1965–1970	56,000	26,000	30,000	20.5	9.6	10.8	2.80	47	68.5	65.5	71.8
1970–1975	60,000	28,000	32,000	21.1	10.0	11.1	3.00	46	68.7	65.6	72.1
1975–1980	58,000	29,000	29,000	20.2	10.1	10.1	2.89	42	69.5	66.3	73.1
1980–1985	54,000	29,000	25,000	18.3	9.8	8.5	2.57	34	70.9	67.6	74.5
1985–1990	56,000	30,000	26,000	18.2	9.8	8.4	2.53	23	72.1	68.6	75.7
1990–1995	58,000	31,000	27,000	18.2	9.7	8.5	2.49	20	73.0	69.2	76.8
1995–2000	55,000	31,000	24,000	16.9	9.5	7.4	2.30	16	74.2	70.4	77.9
2000–2005	53,000	31,000	22,000	15.9	9.5	6.5	2.20	14	75.3	71.6	78.9
2005–2010	51,000	31,000	20,000	15.1	9.3	5.8	2.12	13	76.4	72.7	79.9
2010–2015	49,000	32,000	17,000	14.5	9.4	5.1	2.05	11	77.1	73.6	80.5
2015–2020	49,000	32,000	17,000	14.1	9.3	4.8	2.00	10	77.9	74.5	81.1
* CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman)

Births and deaths

	Average population (x 1000)	Live births	Deaths	Natural change	Crude birth rate (per 1000)	Crude death rate (per 1000)	Natural change (per 1000)	Total fertility rate
1900	926	30 580	12 878	17 702	33.0	13.9	19.1
1901	951	31 703	12 504	19 199	33.3	13.1	20.2
1902	976	31 526	13 439	18 087	32.3	13.8	18.5
1903	1 004	32 600	13 673	18 927	32.5	13.6	18.9
1904	1 023	26 984	11 515	15 469	26.4	11.3	15.1
1905	1 056	33 709	13 612	20 097	31.9	12.9	19.0
1906	1 087	32 578	15 083	17 495	30.0	13.9	16.1
1907	1 124	33 657	15 561	18 096	29.9	13.8	16.1
1908	1 043	35 520	14 421	21 099	34.1	13.8	20.2
1909	1 079	35 663	15 249	20 414	33.1	14.1	18.9
1910	1 116	35 927	16 515	19 412	32.2	14.8	17.4
1911	1 160	37 530	16 552	20 978	32.4	14.3	18.1
1912	1 208	39 171	16 745	22 426	32.4	13.9	18.6
1913	1 261	40 315	15 374	24 941	32.0	12.2	19.8
1914	1 297	38 571	15 350	23 221	29.7	11.8	17.9
1915	1 327	38 046	16 602	21 444	28.7	12.5	16.2
1916	1 359	36 983	20 338	16 645	27.2	15.0	12.2
1917	1 387	36 752	17 348	19 404	26.5	12.5	14.0
1918	1 409	38 914	20 009	18 905	27.6	14.2	13.4
1919	1 442	39 307	18 904	20 403	27.3	13.1	14.1
1920	1 473	39 335	19 041	20 294	26.7	12.9	13.8
1921	1 505	39 611	18 449	21 162	26.3	12.3	14.1
1922	1 542	40 261	16 415	23 846	26.1	10.6	15.5
1923	1 579	40 231	18 110	22 121	25.5	11.5	14.0
1924	1 616	41 880	19 132	22 748	25.9	11.8	14.1
1925	1 653	42 167	19 332	22 835	25.5	11.7	13.8
1926	1 695	43 091	17 828	25 263	25.4	10.5	14.9
1927	1 737	42 845	19 939	22 906	24.7	11.5	13.2
1928	1 782	44 632	19 070	25 562	25.0	10.7	14.3
1929	1 823	44 236	19 660	24 576	24.3	10.8	13.5
1930	1 875	45 718	20 049	25 669	24.4	10.7	13.7
1931	1 922	44 854	21 163	23 691	23.3	11.0	12.3
1932	1 956	44 036	19 825	24 211	22.5	10.1	12.4
1933	1 982	41 650	20 358	21 292	21.0	10.3	10.7
1934	2 007	41 337	20 065	21 272	20.6	10.0	10.6
1935	2 030	41 426	21 514	19 912	20.4	10.6	9.8
1936	2 053	40 705	19 843	20 862	19.8	9.7	10.2
1937	2 080	41 337	21 561	19 776	19.9	10.4	9.5
1938	2 108	41 701	21 658	20 043	19.8	10.3	9.5
1939	2 132	42 862	19 341	23 521	20.1	9.1	11.0
1940	2 155	42 893	20 695	22 198	19.9	9.6	10.3
1941	2 175	44 287	20 381	23 906	20.4	9.4	11.0
1942	2 194	42 670	20 646	22 024	19.4	9.4	10.0
1943	2 211	43 500	20 738	22 762	19.7	9.4	10.3
1944	2 216	46 443	19 990	26 453	21.0	9.0	11.9
1945	2 266	49 021	19 627	29 394	21.6	8.7	13.0
1946	2 290	48 978	18 415	30 563	21.4	8.0	13.3
1947	2 317	46 796	20 139	26 657	20.2	8.7	11.5
1948	2 343	49 033	19 326	29 707	20.9	8.2	12.7
1949	2 383	54 838	18 351	36 487	23.0	7.7	15.3
1950	2 239	56 858	19 199	37 659	25.4	8.6	16.8
1951	2 261	45 281	19 190	26 091	20.0	8.5	11.5
1952	2 286	46 710	19 083	27 627	20.4	8.4	12.1
1953	2 313	47 464	19 408	28 056	20.5	8.4	12.1
1954	2 342	49 888	19 153	30 735	21.3	8.2	13.1
1955	2 373	56 111	20 611	35 500	23.7	8.7	15.0
1956	2 405	56 389	19 895	36 494	23.5	8.3	15.2
1957	2 438	56 337	21 722	34 615	23.1	8.9	14.2
1958	2 471	57 100	20 937	36 163	23.1	8.5	14.6
1959	2 505	56 589	23 523	33 066	22.6	9.4	13.2
1960	2 539	56 302	22 104	38 507	22.2	8.7	15.2
1961	2 572	54 950	21 954	42 503	21.4	8.5	16.5
1962	2 604	56 120	22 563	43 541	21.6	8.7	16.7
1963	2 635	57 141	23 524	39 542	21.7	8.9	15.0
1964	2 666	55 100	24 118	38 707	20.7	9.0	14.5
1965	2 695	53 830	24 774	35 440	20.0	9.2	13.2
1966	2 723	51 120	24 862	33 966	18.8	9.1	12.5
1967	2 750	52 010	26 484	34 024	18.9	9.6	12.4
1968	2 775	53 330	25 991	35 277	19.2	9.4	12.7
1969	2 795	56 750	27 544	28 456	20.3	9.9	10.2
1970	2 810	54 870	26 441	28 429	19.5	9.4	10.1
1971	2 818	55 990	28 527	27 463	19.9	10.1	9.7
1972	2 822	56 470	28 327	28 143	20.0	10.0	10.0
1973	2 822	56 640	28 438	28 202	20.1	10.1	10.0
1974	2 824	58 280	28 289	29 991	20.7	10.0	10.6
1975	2 830	59 140	27 437	31 703	20.9	9.7	11.2
1976	2 842	59 190	28 845	30 345	20.8	10.2	10.7
1977	2 857	57 976	28 927	29 049	20.3	10.1	10.2
1978	2 876	57 276	28 041	29 235	19.9	9.8	10.2
1979	2 896	55 770	28 321	27 449	19.3	9.8	9.5
1980	2 916	53 854	29 844	24 010	19.1	10.6	8.5
1981	2 935	53 923	27 644	26 279	18.4	9.4	9.0
1982	2 954	53 713	27 186	26 527	18.2	9.2	9.0
1983	2 973	53 405	28 475	24 930	18.0	9.6	8.4
1984	2 993	53 348	30 011	23 337	17.8	10.0	7.8
1985	3 012	53 766	28 566	25 200	17.9	9.5	8.4
1986	3 031	54 080	28 791	25 289	17.9	9.5	8.4
1987	3 050	53 368	29 885	23 483	17.5	9.8	7.7
1988	3 069	55 798	30 912	24 886	18.2	10.1	8.1
1989	3 089	55 324	29 621	25 703	17.9	9.6	8.3
1990	3 110	56 013	30 210	26 277	18.0	9.7	8.5
1991	3 132	54 754	29 774	24 980	17.5	9.5	8.0
1992	3 155	54 190	30 008	24 182	17.2	9.5	7.7
1993	3 178	55 953	31 616	24 337	17.6	9.9	7.7
1994	3 201	55 990	30 122	25 868	17.5	9.4	8.1
1995	3 224	56 695	31 525	25 170	17.6	9.8	7.8
1996	3 248	58 862	31 108	27 754	18.1	9.6	8.5
1997	3 271	58 032	30 451	27 581	17.7	9.3	8.4
1998	3 292	54 760	31 917	22 843	16.6	9.7	6.9
1999	3 309	54 004	32 430	21 574	16.3	9.8	6.5
2000	3 321	52 770	30 456	22 314	15.9	9.2	6.7
2001	3 327	51 959	31 228	20 731	15.6	9.4	6.2
2002	3 328	51 953	31 628	20 325	15.6	9.5	6.1
2003	3 325	50 631	32 587	18 044	15.2	9.8	5.4
2004	3 324	50 052	32 220	17 832	15.1	9.7	5.4
2005	3 325	46 944	32 319	14 625	14.1	9.7	4.4
2006	3 330	47 410	31 056	16 354	14.2	9.3	4.9
2007	3 338	47 373	33 706	13 667	14.2	10.1	4.1
2008	3 349	47 484	31 363	16 121	14.2	9.4	4.8
2009	3 360	47 152	32 179	14 973	14.1	9.6	4.5
2010	3 372	47 420	33 474	13 946	14.1	10.0	4.2	1.92
2011	3 383	46 699	32 807	13 892	13.9	9.7	4.1	1.90
2012	3 426	48 200	33 002	15 198	14.3	9.8	4.5	1.94
2013	3 440	48 681	32 795	15 886	14.2	9.5	4.7	1.96
2014	3 453	48 368	32 120	16 248	14.0	9.4	4.6	1.94
2015	3 467	48 926	32 967	15 959	14.1	9.5	4.6
2016		47 049

^[4][5]

Origins and ethnicity

Uruguay is a multiethnic society, which means that it is home to people of many different ethnic backgrounds. In that case, Uruguyans usually treat their nationality as a citizenship rather than an ethnicity.

Uruguayans share a Spanish linguistic and heavily Spanish cultural background with its neighbour Argentina. Most Uruguayans are descended from colonial-era settlers and immigrants from Europe with almost 88% of the population being of European descent,^[6] The majority of these European immigrants were Spaniards, followed closely by Italians, including numbers of French, Germans, Portuguese, British (English or Scots), Irish, Swiss, Russians, Poles, Bulgarians, Hungarians, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Estonians, Latvians, Swedes, Danes, Dutch, Belgians, Austrians, Croats, Greeks and other Scandinavians. There are also smaller numbers of Turkish, Armenian, Serbs, Georgian, Azeris, Jews and Lebanese people.

Almost the entire ethnic-European population has at least partial Spanish and/or Italian roots, with many having ancestry from various other ethnic groups, e.g., Portuguese, French and English descent.

Many Swiss settlements (colonias or "colonies"), such as Colonia Suiza, Colonia Valdense and Nueva Helvecia, were founded in the department of Colonia. Also, there are towns founded by early British settlers, such as Conchillas and Barker. A Russian colony called San Javier is found in the department of Río Negro. There are Mennonite colonies in the department of Río Negro and in the department of Canelones.

Many of the European immigrants arrived in the late 19th century 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.

The rest of the Uruguayan population is Black/Afro-Uruguayan of African descent and about 1 or 2% are of Asian descent, mostly are Lebanese/Syrian Arab, and Chinese or Japanese ancestry (see Bárbara Mori).

Amerindians make up a small population in the Rural North-West region, with Mestizos making up 6% of the Population.

Demographic distribution

Metropolitan Montevideo, with about one and a half million inhabitants, is the capital and largest city. The rest of the urban population lives in about 20 towns. Montevideo is about 200 kilometers (120 mi) away from Buenos Aires in neighboring Argentina.

Uruguay is distinguished by its high literacy rate (97.3%) and a large urban middle class.

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 neighboring countries Argentina (16.73 births/1000 population)[3] and Brazil (16.56 births/1,000 population).

Emigration

During the past four decades, an estimated 500,000 Uruguayans had emigrated, principally to Brazil, Argentina and Europe. (Spain is the main destination for Uruguayans, but they are also drawn to the United Kingdom, Italy, France and Germany.) Other Uruguayans went to various countries in Europe, Australia and the USA.

Neighboring ties and short distances between Uruguayan cities and Argentine capital Buenos Aires, have drawn a path of success for very talented Uruguayans who settled in the neighbor country and became famous and locally accepted. Some famous Uruguayans who excelled in Argentina are entrepreneur and financier Juan Navarro, sports journalist Victor Hugo Morales, singer and actress Natalia Oreiro, soccer players Antonio Alzamendi, Enzo Francescoli and Carlos Goyen, actor Daniel Hendler, actress China Zorrilla, entertainer Carlos Perciavalle and former playboy and journalist Luis César Avilés.

Emigration to the United States also rose recently, but remains a small part of the US population. The majority of Uruguayans in the US live in New York City, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and urban areas of California.

Religion

Uruguay has no official religion, church and state are officially separated, and religious freedom is guaranteed. A 2008 survey by the Instituto Nacional de Estadística of Uruguay gave Catholicism as the main religion, with 45.7% of the population, 9.0% are non-Catholic Christians, 0.6% are Animists or Umbandists (an Afro-Brazilian religion) and 0.4% Jewish. 30.1% reported believing in a god, but not belonging to any religion, while 14% were Atheist or Agnostic.^[8] Among the sizeable Armenian community in Montevideo the dominant religion is Christianity, specifically Armenian Apostolic.^[9]

Political observers consider Uruguay the most secular country in the Americas.^[10] Uruguay's secularization began with the relatively minor role of the church in the colonial era, compared with other parts of the Spanish Empire. The small numbers of Uruguay's Indians and their fierce resistance to proselytism reduced the influence of the ecclesiastical authorities.^[11]

After independence, anticlerical ideas spread to Uruguay, particularly from France, further eroding the influence of the church.^[12] In 1837, civil marriage was recognized and in 1861 the state took over the running of public cemeteries. In 1907, divorce was legalized and in 1909, all religious instruction was banned from state schools.^[11] Under the influence of the radical Colorado reformer José Batlle y Ordóñez (1903–1911) complete separation of church and state was introduced with the new constitution of 1917.^[11]

Demographic data

^[13]

Population

3,400,425 (July 2014 est.)

Note: The 2011 Census of the National Statistics Institute of Uruguay began in September 2011 and the preliminary results, stating population of departments, were announced in December 2011. Final results with numbers for localities were still pending as of 26 June 2012.

Median age

• total: 33.64013 years
• male: 32 years
• female: 35.2 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

0.24% (2011 est.)

Net migration rate

-1.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Urbanization

• urban population: 95.3% of total population (2015)
• rate of urbanization: 0.53% annual rate of change (2010–15 est.)

Sex ratio

• at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
• under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
• 15–64 years: 0.5 male(s)/female
• 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
• total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

0.5% (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

9,900 (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS – deaths

fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups

Languages

Spanish (Uruguayan Spanish), Uruguayan Sign Language, Portuñol.

There are other ethnic minorities speaking their original languages: Italian, Catalan, German, Plautdietsch, Yiddish, etc.^[14]

Literacy

• definition: age 15 and over can read and write
• total population: 98%
• male: 97.6%
• female: 98.4% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

• total: 16 years
• male: 14 years
• female: 17 years (2008)

Education expenditures

4.5% of GDP (2008)

See also

• Emigration from Uruguay
• Immigration to Uruguay
• Uruguayan people

References