Capital: Montevideo
Administrative divisions: 19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres

Independence: 25 August 1828 (from Brazil)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 August (1828)

Constitution: 27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980

Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Luis Alberto LACALLE (since 1 March 1990); Vice President Gonzalo AGUIRRE Ramirez (since 1 March 1990); election last held 26 November 1989 (next to be held NA November 1994); results - Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera (Blanco) 37%, Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (Colorado) 29%, Liber SEREGNI Mosquera (Broad Front) 20%
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: bicameral General Assembly (Asamblea General)
Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores): elections last held 26 November 1989 (next to be held NA November 1994); results - Blanco 40%, Colorado 30%, Broad Front 23% New Space 7%; seats - (30 total) Blanco 12, Colorado 9, Broad Front 7, New Space 2
Chamber of Representatives (Camera de Representantes): elections last held NA November 1989 (next to be held NA November 1994); results - Blanco 39%, Colorado 30%, Broad Front 22%, New Space 8%, other 1%; seats - (99 total) number of seats by party NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: National (Blanco) Party; Colorado Party, Jorge BATLLE; Broad Front Coalition, Gen. Liber SEREGNI Mosquera; New Space Coalition, Hugo BATALLA
Member of: AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, MERCOSUR, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNOMOZ, UNTAC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo MACGILLYCUDDY
chancery: 1918 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: telephone (202) 331-1313 through 1316
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, and New York
consulate(s): New Orleans
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas DODD
embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo
mailing address: APO AA 34035
telephone: [598] (2) 23-60-61 or 48-77-77
FAX: [598] (2) 48-86-11

Flag: nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May and 16 rays alternately triangular and wavy

NOTE: The information regarding Uruguay on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Uruguay Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Uruguay Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.