Country profile
Uruguay
A stable, small economy exporting beef, soybeans, wood and pulp, and dairy, with an almost fully renewable power grid.
Updated 11 November 2026. Sources at the bottom of the page.
- Capital
- Montevideo
- Population
- 3.48 million (2026)
- Currency
- Uruguayan peso (UYU)
- GDP, 2026
- US$95 billion
- Exports, 2025
- US$11.3 billion
- Exchange rate
- 1 USD = 40.4 UYU (11 Nov 2026)
Economy
IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026. 2026 and 2027 are IMF projections.
1.3%Real GDP growth, 2026
2.4%Real GDP growth, 2027
4%Inflation, 2026
7.5%Unemployment, 2026
67.7% of GDPGovernment debt, 2026
-0.9% of GDPCurrent account, 2026
Compare Uruguay with other countries →
Trade
Top export markets
Share of the country’s exports, 2025
- Brazil (20.1%)
- China (13.6%)
- United States (9.3%)
- Argentina (5.3%)
- Turkey (3%)
Main exports
Product groups, share of exports
- Meat, mainly beef (26%)
- Oil seeds, mainly soybeans (15.1%)
- Wood and wood products (12%)
- Dairy products (8.3%)
- Cereals, mainly rice (7.4%)
Main trade agreements
- Mercosur (with Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay)
- Mexico–Uruguay Free Trade Agreement
- EU–Mercosur and EFTA–Mercosur agreements (concluded; entry into force subject to ratification)
Trade policy to watch
- Free zones: large pulp mills and logistics firms operate in free zones; depending on the source, their exports may be counted separately.
- Mercosur: Uruguay applies the Mercosur common external tariff.
- Stability: Uruguay has strong institutions and contract enforcement for the region.
Energy
Hydropower, wind, biomass and solar produce almost all of Uruguay's electricity. Uruguay imports all of its oil.
What it means for your supply chain
- Uruguay is a source of beef, pulp, soybeans, dairy and rice.
- Montevideo port and free zones are used as a regional distribution hub.
- Its renewable grid helps Uruguayan products report low emissions.
Sources
- IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2026: GDP, growth, inflation, unemployment, government debt, current account (2026 and 2027 are projections; updated automatically).
- IMF, World Economic Outlook database: population (2026 estimate).
- Trading Economics, based on UN Comtrade data: export markets (2024 data) and main exports; shares calculated from the listed values.
- Rates by Exchange Rate API (open access rates; updated daily).
- Energy Institute, Statistical Review of World Energy 2026: energy profile.
Figures are the latest published at the time of the update and may since have been revised. This page is for general information, not investment or legal advice.