Uruguay in 2002 was a constitutional republic with President Jorge Batlle as its Head of State. It was composed of nineteen departments and the population of Uruguay at that time was approximately 3.3 million people and its official language was Spanish. The country had a presidential system of government with Jorge Batlle as its President since 2000. The economy of Uruguay was largely based on services such as banking, finance, insurance, tourism and media but it also had a growing manufacturing sector. Education was free for all citizens up to secondary school level and the literacy rate was estimated to be around 97%. Healthcare services were provided by the government at no cost for all citizens but many suffered from diseases such as cancer due to poor sanitation practices and lack of access to clean water sources. According to computerannals, Uruguay had made some progress in terms of economic development but still had high levels of poverty compared to other countries in South America. The country also had a very open foreign policy, which saw it joining many international organizations such as the United Nations and Mercosur, while maintaining strong relations with both Western and non-Western countries.

Yearbook 2002

Uruguay. According to Countryaah website, national day of Uruguay is every August 25. The economic recession of the last three years was further deepened during the year under the strong influence of the crisis in neighboring Argentina. Particularly hard hit was the tourism industry, which largely lives on Argentine visitors, but even large withdrawals of Argentine account holders in Uruguayan banks led to the central bank closing a large commercial bank as early as February.

Between January and May, foreign exchange reserves fell by 59%, and by August almost $ 2 billion had disappeared from the country, while the value of the currency had halved. On June 20, the currency was released, resulting in a real devaluation of 16%.

The government’s countermeasures in the form of VAT increases and savings packages proved fruitless and triggered protests and strikes instead. During the year, both prices rose, with eroded wages as a result, and unemployment, and the central trade union organization PIT-CNT conducted three general strikes.

The government’s inability to stop the outflow of capital necessitated a $ 1.5 billion rescue package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which, however, proved insufficient. By July 29, confidence in the country’s banking system and currency had reached its bottom level and a veritable rush after the dollar erupted. The bank withdrawals reached such an extent that the government was forced to close the banks the following day; Uruguay’s tradition of monetary stability had collapsed.

For a few days, unrest and supermarket looting erupted, but fears of a development similar to that in Argentina soon subsided. Thanks to an expedited US emergency loan, the banks were able to open again after a week.

The economic crisis also had political repercussions. On July 22, Finance Minister Alberto Bensión resigned and was replaced by Alejandro Atchugarry. At the same time, sympathies for the opposition left coalition Frente Amplio (FA) increased. According to a survey in October, the FA was supported by 52% of the electorate against 15% each for the traditional parties Colorados and Blancos, which means that a historic trend breach has taken place in Uruguay, where the latter two have traditionally been a full-cast two-party system.

Uruguay Country Overview

Visas

A Finnish citizen does not need a visa when traveling to Uruguay for trips of less than 90 days.

• According to ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG, URU stands for Uruguay.

Maastapoistumismaksu
Uruguay international airport is charged at maastapoistumismaksu, which is about 40USD and 19USD for international flights from Montevideo to Buenos Aires flights. The exit fee is paid in person upon departure. NOTE! Charges are subject to change by local authorities.

Insurance

Every person participating in the trip must have a valid travel insurance that covers medical expenses in case of illness or other similar need. Please check the validity of your own insurance and the terms and conditions of the insurance cancellation cover.

Please pay attention to the special nature of your trip and check the coverage of the insurance in that respect as well. In many locations, the insurance must also be valid when moving at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters, in which case it also covers mountain sickness.

Many hiking or diving trips require more extensive insurance, which covers, for example, diving or moving on a glacier. Please check the contents of your insurance with your insurance company.

Vaccinations
Please check your destination for yellow fever vaccination requirements well in advance of your trip, for example here. An international yellow fever vaccination certificate is required when traveling to some countries. Please also note that in some countries a vaccination certificate is required if you arrive from a country where yellow fever is considered to occur. This is important to consider especially when traveling across multiple states. We recommend that you keep a vaccination card with you when traveling far away.

Currency

The currency of Uruguay is called Peso (Peso Uruguayo). You can check the daily exchange rate on the Internet: www.forex.fi

Tips A
tip is given for good service. Waiters and restaurant staff can leave 5-10% tips on the final invoice, unless a service charge is included in the invoice price.

Mobile phones
Check the coverage of your phone with your carrier. Uruguay Area Code is +598.

Time difference to Finland
Uruguay -5h.

Electric current In
Uruguay, the electric current is 220V (50hz). Finnish devices need an adapter.

Climate
Due to the influence of the sea, the country has a rather mild climate. However, the local climate of countries varies greatly depending on geographical location. In large cities, however, temperatures may rise high, especially during the summer from early December to early March. From April to the end of November the temperature is lower.

Travel Seasons
The best time to travel is from November to April, when the average temperature stays between 17-23 degrees Celsius.

Religion: Of the religions, Roman Catholicism is the most significant in Uruguay, but all religions, including those of African descent, have their representatives.