Latin America & Caribbean · High income
Uruguay: the economy in numbers
Per person: $25,216, or $38,315 at purchasing power parity. Population: 3.38 million (2025).
GDP in 2025, current US dollars: #84 of 204 economies. IMF forecast for 2026: +1.3%.
GDP
Adjusted for US inflation, in 2025 dollars: $13.5 billion in 1960, $85.3 billion in 2025.
GDP per capita
In 2025 dollars: $5,350 per person in 1960, $25,216 in 2025.
Real GDP growth
Average over 2016–2025: 1.3% a year. Years of falling GDP since 1961: 13 of 65.
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Inflation
Consumer prices rose 7 times from 2000 to 2025. Highest annual inflation: 125.3% in 1968. Years with inflation above 100%: 3. The chart cuts the scale at 100%; “Full scale” shows everything.
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Government debt, % of GDP
Highest since 1999: 91.9% of GDP in 2003. IMF forecast for 2031: 69.2%.
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)
Stock market capitalization, % of GDP
In 1996 listed domestic companies were worth $284 million, or 1.4% of GDP.
Population
1960: 2.53 million · 2025: 3.38 million.
Unemployment rate
1991: 8.9% · 2025: 7.5%.
Life expectancy at birth
1960: 67.7 years · 2024: 78.3 years.
Exports of goods and services
1960: 13.8% · 2025: 27.1%.
Data by year
Show the year-by-year table
| Year | GDP | GDP per capita | Per capita, PPP | Real growth | Inflation | Gov. debt, % GDP | Population | Unemployment | Stock market, % GDP | Life expectancy | Exports, % GDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2031 | 2.2%f | 4.5%f | 69.2%f | ||||||||
| 2030 | 2.2%f | 4.5%f | 69.5%f | ||||||||
| 2029 | 2.2%f | 4.5%f | 69.8%f | ||||||||
| 2028 | 2.2%f | 4.5%f | 69.7%f | ||||||||
| 2027 | 2.4%f | 4.5%f | 68.7%f | ||||||||
| 2026 | 1.3%f | 4.0%f | 67.7%f | ||||||||
| 2025 | $85.3B | $25,216 | $38,315 | 1.8% | 4.7% | 65.6% | 3.38M | 7.5% | 27.1% | ||
| 2024 | $82.3B | $24,308 | $36,597 | 3.3% | 4.8% | 67.6% | 3.39M | 8.2% | 78.3 | 28.2% | |
| 2023 | $79.2B | $23,379 | $34,546 | 0.8% | 5.9% | 63.0% | 3.39M | 8.4% | 78.1 | 28.0% | |
| 2022 | $71.2B | $21,009 | $33,034 | 4.6% | 9.1% | 59.4% | 3.39M | 7.9% | 76.5 | 32.9% | |
| 2021 | $60.7B | $17,882 | $29,432 | 5.8% | 7.7% | 64.1% | 3.4M | 9.3% | 75.4 | 32.9% | |
| 2020 | $53.6B | $15,758 | $25,725 | −7.4% | 9.8% | 68.2% | 3.4M | 10.4% | 78.4 | 26.2% | |
| 2019 | $62.2B | $18,316 | $25,783 | 0.9% | 7.9% | 59.6% | 3.4M | 8.8% | 77.5 | 27.9% | |
| 2018 | $65.3B | $19,250 | $24,386 | 0.2% | 7.6% | 57.9% | 3.39M | 8.3% | 77.5 | 26.4% | |
| 2017 | $65B | $19,185 | $23,607 | 1.7% | 6.2% | 55.8% | 3.39M | 7.9% | 77.6 | 25.9% | |
| 2016 | $57.5B | $17,010 | $22,841 | 1.7% | 9.6% | 56.4% | 3.38M | 7.8% | 77.4 | 26.9% | |
| 2015 | $57.7B | $17,126 | $22,169 | 0.4% | 8.7% | 57.8% | 3.37M | 7.5% | 77.3 | 22.5% | |
| 2014 | $61.5B | $18,322 | $21,868 | 3.2% | 8.9% | 51.1% | 3.36M | 6.5% | 77.2 | 23.5% | |
| 2013 | $61.3B | $18,335 | $20,661 | 4.6% | 8.6% | 50.0% | 3.35M | 6.4% | 77.0 | 23.4% | |
| 2012 | $54.2B | $16,260 | $19,495 | 3.5% | 8.1% | 49.8% | 3.34M | 6.5% | 76.7 | 25.9% | |
| 2011 | $50.3B | $15,132 | $19,135 | 5.2% | 8.1% | 41.3% | 3.33M | 6.3% | 76.6 | 26.4% | |
| 2010 | $42B | $12,641 | $17,873 | 7.8% | 6.7% | 40.9% | 3.32M | 7.2% | 76.7 | 26.3% | |
| 2009 | $32.7B | $9,881 | $16,422 | 4.2% | 7.1% | 46.2% | 3.31M | 7.7% | 76.7 | 27.1% | |
| 2008 | $31.1B | $9,424 | $15,694 | 7.2% | 7.9% | 46.2% | 3.3M | 8.0% | 76.3 | 30.2% | |
| 2007 | $23.8B | $7,222 | $14,397 | 6.5% | 8.1% | 52.8% | 3.3M | 9.4% | 76.2 | 29.1% | |
| 2006 | $19.7B | $6,001 | $13,179 | 4.1% | 6.4% | 61.1% | 3.29M | 10.8% | 75.9 | 30.3% | |
| 2005 | $17.4B | $5,284 | $12,296 | 7.5% | 4.7% | 66.2% | 3.29M | 12.0% | 75.8 | 30.4% | |
| 2004 | $13.7B | $4,169 | $11,103 | 5.0% | 9.2% | 73.7% | 3.28M | 13.0% | 75.3 | 32.1% | |
| 2003 | $12B | $3,671 | $10,303 | 0.8% | 19.4% | 91.9% | 3.28M | 16.7% | 75.1 | 27.4% | |
| 2002 | $13.6B | $4,150 | $10,030 | −7.7% | 14.0% | 90.1% | 3.28M | 16.6% | 75.0 | 20.6% | |
| 2001 | $20.9B | $6,383 | $10,719 | −3.8% | 4.4% | 39.4% | 3.27M | 15.1% | 75.0 | 16.8% | |
| 2000 | $22.8B | $6,988 | $10,929 | −1.9% | 4.8% | 30.5% | 3.27M | 12.6% | 74.7 | 16.7% | |
| 1999 | $24B | $7,371 | $10,938 | −1.5% | 5.7% | 24.1% | 3.25M | 10.5% | 74.3 | 15.1% | |
| 1998 | $25.4B | $7,837 | $11,002 | 4.5% | 10.8% | 3.24M | 9.4% | 74.0 | 16.4% | ||
| 1997 | $24B | $7,436 | $10,461 | 8.5% | 19.8% | 3.22M | 11.4% | 73.9 | 17.5% | ||
| 1996 | $20.5B | $6,398 | $9,524 | 5.6% | 28.3% | 3.21M | 11.9% | 1.4% | 73.8 | 19.7% | |
| 1995 | $19.3B | $6,050 | $8,906 | −1.4% | 42.2% | 3.19M | 10.0% | 6.7% | 73.5 | 19.0% | |
| 1994 | $17.5B | $5,508 | $8,897 | 7.3% | 44.7% | 3.17M | 9.0% | 73.2 | 19.8% | ||
| 1993 | $15B | $4,753 | $8,162 | 2.7% | 54.1% | 3.16M | 8.3% | 73.1 | 19.1% | ||
| 1992 | $12.9B | $4,102 | $7,808 | 7.9% | 68.5% | 3.14M | 9.0% | 73.2 | 20.4% | ||
| 1991 | $11.2B | $3,589 | $7,112 | 3.5% | 102.0% | 3.12M | 8.9% | 73.2 | 20.7% | ||
| 1990 | $9.3B | $2,995 | $6,683 | 0.3% | 112.5% | 3.1M | 73.0 | 23.5% | |||
| 1989 | $8.44B | $2,734 | 1.1% | 80.4% | 3.09M | 72.6 | 23.5% | ||||
| 1988 | $8.21B | $2,677 | 1.5% | 62.2% | 3.07M | 72.4 | 22.1% | ||||
| 1987 | $7.37B | $2,416 | 8.0% | 63.6% | 3.05M | 72.2 | 21.6% | ||||
| 1986 | $5.88B | $1,939 | 8.8% | 76.4% | 3.03M | 72.2 | 26.2% | ||||
| 1985 | $4.73B | $1,568 | 1.5% | 72.2% | 3.02M | 71.9 | 26.8% | ||||
| 1984 | $4.85B | $1,615 | −1.1% | 55.3% | 3.0M | 71.7 | 26.6% | ||||
| 1983 | $5.1B | $1,707 | −10.3% | 49.2% | 2.99M | 71.6 | 25.7% | ||||
| 1982 | $9.18B | $3,085 | −9.8% | 19.0% | 2.98M | 71.5 | 14.3% | ||||
| 1981 | $11B | $3,728 | 1.6% | 34.0% | 2.96M | 71.0 | 15.2% | ||||
| 1980 | $10.2B | $3,443 | 5.8% | 63.5% | 2.95M | 70.5 | 15.0% | ||||
| 1979 | $7.18B | $2,443 | 6.2% | 66.8% | 2.94M | 70.3 | 16.8% | ||||
| 1978 | $4.91B | $1,678 | 5.4% | 44.5% | 2.93M | 70.3 | 18.8% | ||||
| 1977 | $4.11B | $1,414 | 1.5% | 58.2% | 2.91M | 70.1 | 19.9% | ||||
| 1976 | $3.67B | $1,268 | 3.9% | 50.6% | 2.89M | 69.9 | 19.6% | ||||
| 1975 | $3.54B | $1,232 | 6.1% | 81.4% | 2.87M | 69.7 | 16.8% | ||||
| 1974 | $4.09B | $1,433 | 2.9% | 77.2% | 2.85M | 69.5 | 14.4% | ||||
| 1973 | $3.96B | $1,397 | 0.3% | 97.0% | 2.84M | 69.3 | 10.4% | ||||
| 1972 | $2.19B | $776 | −1.3% | 76.5% | 2.82M | 69.2 | 15.4% | ||||
| 1971 | $2.81B | $1,000 | −0.3% | 24.0% | 2.81M | 68.9 | 10.3% | ||||
| 1970 | $2.14B | $766 | 2.3% | 16.3% | 2.79M | 68.7 | 13.9% | ||||
| 1969 | $2.0B | $723 | 5.9% | 21.0% | 2.77M | 68.6 | 13.4% | ||||
| 1968 | $1.59B | $579 | 1.9% | 125.3% | 2.75M | 68.5 | 15.2% | ||||
| 1967 | $1.6B | $585 | −3.7% | 89.3% | 2.73M | 68.4 | 14.6% | ||||
| 1966 | $1.81B | $668 | 3.1% | 73.5% | 2.71M | 68.3 | 17.1% | ||||
| 1965 | $1.89B | $705 | 1.0% | 56.6% | 2.68M | 68.2 | 18.4% | ||||
| 1964 | $1.98B | $745 | 2.4% | 42.4% | 2.65M | 68.1 | 11.9% | ||||
| 1963 | $1.54B | $587 | 0.2% | 21.3% | 2.62M | 68.0 | 12.0% | ||||
| 1962 | $1.71B | $659 | −1.6% | 10.9% | 2.59M | 67.9 | 11.3% | ||||
| 1961 | $1.55B | $604 | 2.5% | 22.7% | 2.56M | 67.8 | 14.2% | ||||
| 1960 | $1.24B | $491 | 38.5% | 2.53M | 67.7 | 13.8% |
e: IMF estimate; f: IMF forecast.
Nearby economies in Latin America & Caribbean
Nearest by distance between capitals, with GDP per capita.
Antigua and Barbuda · Argentina · Aruba · Bahamas · Barbados · Belize · Bolivia · Brazil · British Virgin Islands · Cayman Islands · Chile · Colombia · Costa Rica · Cuba · Curaçao · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · El Salvador · Grenada · Guatemala · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · Jamaica · Mexico · Nicaragua · Panama · Paraguay · Peru · Puerto Rico · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · Saint Martin (French part) · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Sint Maarten · Suriname · Trinidad and Tobago · Turks and Caicos Islands · U.S. Virgin Islands · Uruguay · Venezuela
Rankings
GDP by country · GDP per capita · Real GDP growth · Inflation by country · Government debt to GDP · Stock market to GDP · Population by country · Unemployment by country
Data and methods
- GDP: gross domestic product in current US dollars, converted from the local currency at market exchange rates (World Bank); not adjusted for inflation.
- Purchasing power parity (PPP): GDP per person in international dollars, which buy the same basket of goods and services in every country. It compares living standards across countries in the same year; it is not adjusted for inflation over time.
- In 2025 dollars: the charts can remove US inflation (US consumer price index, annual average) so that dollar amounts from different years compare in today's money. Exchange rate swings still show.
- Growth and inflation: World Bank data (calendar years). Years the World Bank does not cover yet, and the estimates and forecasts, come from the IMF World Economic Outlook (October 2026): its forecasts start in 2026, and the years after a country's last actual year are IMF estimates.
- Government debt: gross debt of the general government (central, state and local government and social security funds) as a percentage of GDP, IMF. The World Bank's central government debt is narrower and covers fewer countries.
- Stock market capitalization: the end-of-year value of domestic companies listed on the country's exchanges (World Federation of Exchanges via the World Bank; before 2016, Standard & Poor's), as a percentage of GDP: the “Buffett indicator”. Investment funds are excluded, and so are companies listed only abroad; companies from elsewhere that list on an exchange count for its country (Hong Kong lists many mainland Chinese companies).
- Unemployment: ILO modeled estimates (share of the labor force); comparable across countries, but they may differ from national figures.
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)