Facts and Figures

IOM Member State since 1965 Capital: Montevideo Population (2011): 3.4 million Area: 176,215 sq km Major Languages: Spanish Currency: Uruguayan Peso (UYU) GDP per Capita PPP (2010): USD 14,384 HDI Rank (2011): 48 of 187 Remittances (2011 estimate): USD 112 million Net Migration Rate (2010-2015): -1.8 migrants /1,000 population Immigrants (2010): 2.4% Women as a Percentage of Immigrants (2010): 54.0% Population under 15 (2011): 22.3% Adult HIV Prevalence (2009): 0.50%

Additional Resources International Migration Law Database National Instruments: Uruguay Sources and Definitions

Latest News

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Overview

Uruguay is considered an emigration country, as almost 600,000 Uruguayans – more than the 18 per cent of the present population – are living abroad. Migration is considered a viable life project for the Uruguayan population.

The average age of Uruguayan migrants is relatively young and this has an impact on the country's population. Migration has a special impact on the "aging" of the remaining resident population, resulting in major pressure on the country’s social health and security system.

One of the priority areas for the government is to continue to strengthen links with the Uruguayan Diaspora. Studies reveal that return migration has had a significant increase in recent years. In 2006 the stock of returnees reached 3.3 per cent of the Uruguayan population (approximately 110,000 people). The impact of the international financial crisis has pushed the return of Uruguayans, mostly those persons under vulnerable conditions.

Trafficking, especially in women and children, and the commercial sexual exploitation of children represents an important concern in the country, especially in the border areas.

Other migration priorities are internal migration and its negative impact on national development. The growth in inter-urban mobility is an important subject that requires research in Uruguay, including the impact of climatic and environmental problems.

Delivering as One: Uruguay Pilot Country

Uruguay is one of the eight pilot countries for the UN initiative called “Delivering as One” under the coordination of the Resident Coordinator, who leads the UN Country Team.

IOM Uruguay signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations in Uruguay and the United Nations Development Programme, in which it was agreed that IOM takes part as the UN's Associate Agency in the process. Under this framework, IOM was appointed as the Lead Agency for the execution and administration of one of the twelve Joint Projects financed by the Coherence Funds called “Support to the Modernization Processes of the Public Management (Project H)”.

This project incorporates a series of initiatives regarding migration issues, such as:

Improving processes related with the management and generation of information in the National Directorate of Migration (NDM).

1. The main objective was fully accomplished. It includes the digitalization of immigration forms (entrance to Uruguay) and residence request forms since 1850 within the NDM. Sophisticated equipment was obtained for the proper implementation of activities. Also the staff was thoroughly trained for the continuation of the registration process.
   
   
2. Strengthening public institutions for the management of internal mobility; creating a Technical Secretary on Mobility, Internal Migration and Spatial Distribution of the Population; and elaborating an updated internal mobility official assessment.

   The project develops actions aimed at a) enabling the creation of a Population Commission, which will provide technical support to the Technical Secretary on Population Mobility, b) giving the corresponding support to national operators on the use of demographic information in order to define public policies, c) working on the use of existing data in the country to estimate population in small areas, and d) to research, systematically, information about internal mobilization of population in the country.

   In addition, the project has already advanced incorporating the Technical Secretary on Mobility at the national government.

3. Reinforcing links with the Uruguayans living abroad through the strengthening of the Consultive Councils.

   Improving links with Uruguayans living abroad has been defined as a key element within the framework of the general strategy for the development of Uruguay. One of the main actions is the strengthening of the Consultive Councils of Uruguayans living abroad. Another is the consolidation of a national strategy to improve the link with highly qualified Uruguayans living abroad. Also, the project aims at the installation of a Return and Welcome Office, for their reception and information once in the country.

Currently Project H is in full implementation, ending in December 2010

Migration and Development

In the field of migration and development, IOM cooperates with the Uruguayan Government and supports government initiatives (national and departmental) to facilitate the process of return and reintegration.

Main Projects

• Technical Cooperation and Capacity Building to the Uruguayan Government

Regulating Migration

IOM assists the Government of Uruguay by providing adequate training and technical reinforcement on migration issues. In addition, IOM aims to raise public awareness on trafficking, smuggling and human rights through information campaigns and training.

IOM also provides technical assistance for the prevention of child pornography by training public teachers on the responsible use of the Internet within Ceibal Plan (“One Laptop per Child").

Main Projects

• Cooperation Agreement between IOM and the Institute of the Uruguayan Child and Adolescent
• Technical Cooperation and Capacity Building to the Uruguayan Government

Facilitating Migration

IOM facilitates and manages the movement of students and professors in the context of exchange agreements between educational institutions.

Main Projects

• Cooperation Agreement between IOM and the University of the Republic of Uruguay
• Technical Cooperation Agreement between IOM and the Association of Universities of the Montevideo Group

Migration Research

This project aims to strengthen the migration management capacities of the government of Uruguay, in terms of modernization and capacity building. This support will be provided in the following thematic areas: internal migration in Uruguay and technical support to the preparatory activities for the National Population Census that will take place during 2010.

Main Project

• Technical Cooperation for the Oriental Republic of Uruguay

Last updated:
Main text: February 2010
Facts and figures: April 2012