Demography
Uruguay's total population numbers approximately 3.5 million. During the past two decades, an estimated 500,000 Uruguayans have emigrated outside the country -- principally to Argentina and Brazil. Indeed, there is a high rate of emigration among the younger people, resulting in a somewhat more mature population base in Uruguay. Metropolitan Montevideo, (estimated about 1.3 million inhabitants), is the one of few large cities in Uruguay.
Culture and Identity
Uruguayans share a Spanish linguistic and cultural background, even though approximately 25 percent of the population is of Italian origin. Indeed, most Uruguayans are of European ancestry, descended from 19th and 20th century settlers from Spain, Italy and other European countries. Ther e are also mestizos, people of mixed Spanish and indigenous ancestry, as well as Africans and Jews.
The major and official language is Spanish, although Porturon and Brazilero dialects are also spoken in certain regions of Uruguay.
Roman Catholicism is the major religion, with significant minorities of Protestants and Jews as well. Almost 30 percent of the population does not profess to have a religion. Church and state are officially separated.
Health and Welfare
The literacy rate of Uruguay's total population over the age of 15 is 98 percent, according to recent estimates. Uruguay is distinguished by its high literacy rate (noted just above), large urban middle class, and relatively even income distribution. The average Uruguayan standard of living compares favorably with that of most other Latin Americans.
In terms of health and welfare, Uruguay's infant mortality rate is 12.02 deaths per 1,000 births. The average life expectancy at birth for the total population was estimated to be 76.13 years of age for the total population.
Human Development
One notable measure used to determine a country's quality of life is the Human Development Index (HDI), which has been compiled annually since 1990 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The HDI is a composite of several indicators, which measure a country's achievements in three main arenas of human development: longevity, knowledge and education, as well as economic standard of living. In a ranking of 169 countries, the HDI placed Uruguay in the high human development category, at 52nd place.
Although the concept of human development is complicated and cannot be properly captured by values and indices, the HDI, which is calculated and updated annually, offers a wide-ranging assessment of human development in certain countries, not based solely upon traditional economic and financial indicators.