ECONOMY: AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY, LIVESTOCK AND FISHING

The primary sector participates for 10.1% in the formation of the GDP and employs 10.7% of the workforce (2007). Agriculture, once absolutely neglected, has been assuming increasing importance; the soil, almost everywhere very fertile, is however mainly used for breeding. In addition to supplying the domestic market, agriculture also partly produces for export and sees a fair participation of foreign operators. Cereals prevail, in particular wheat (over 532,000 t in 2005), rice (1,262,000 t), maize (250,000 t), barley, sorghum and oats. The other main food crops are potatoes, sweet potatoes (batate), grapevines (in Montevideo and Canelones), citrus fruits and fruit in general (apples, peaches, pears), while among the industrial crops, oil-bearing crops (flax, sunflower, peanuts, soybeans, olive trees, etc.) sugar cane and beet, and finally tobacco. § Modest is the forest patrimony, which covers 8.6% of the national territory. it always represents the main activity; still organized on the large estancias, belongs to modern slaughterhouses, which supply well-equipped canning plants. Sheep and cattle prevail, plus pigs and horses; there are also numerous poultry. § Thanks to significant international loans, the Uruguayan government has however provided incentives for the fishing sector, which today has reached respectable positions: from 1975 to 1997 the quantity of fish caught quintupled, remaining constant in the early years of the new millennium.

ECONOMY: INDUSTRY AND MINERAL RESOURCES

According to Businesscarriers, the large tax concessions for foreign investments were also decisive for the now remarkable development of the industry; alongside the traditional food sectors (canneries, breweries, sugar refineries, etc.), textiles (which mainly processes wool, but also cotton, as well as artificial and synthetic fibers), tanning, tobacco, wood pulp and paper, there are chemical complexes (fertilizers, rubber, plastics) and petrochemical, steel, metallurgical and mechanical. Free zones have also been created for products intended for export in Colonia, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Río Negro, Rivera, San José, Fray Bentos and Florida. There is an oil refinery in La Teja. In 2007, secondary education contributed 32% to the formation of GDP and employed 21, 6% of the workforce. § The subsoil, completely devoid of energetic materials, provides quartz, marble, granite, talc, gypsum and gold. However, the hydroelectric potential is considerable; the country’s production is over 8,000 million kWh per year.

ECONOMY: TRADE, COMMUNICATIONS AND TOURISM

The capital absorbs a large part of the import and export traffic: the first mainly concerns crude oil and petroleum products, machinery and means of transport, chemicals, road vehicles, paper and plastics, the second meat, livestock and dairy products – dairy, rice, wool, fish, leather, clothing, lumber (eucalyptus) and chemicals. The trade takes place eminently with Brazil, the United States, Argentina, China, as well as with Mexico, Russia and Germany for imports and Paraguay, Venezuela and Nigeria for imports. In 1993 the volume of exports recorded a significant decrease (3.5%) compared to previous years, while imports increased significantly. The trade balance is negative. The central bank function is performed by Banco Central de Uruguay and a stock exchange is located in Montevideo. In 2007, the service sector accounted for 57.9% of GDP, employing 67.7% of the workforce, mainly employed in commerce and social services. § Well developed are the communication routes, which take advantage of a flat morphology everywhere and easily connect Uruguay with both Argentina and Brazil. The lines of communication fan out from Montevideo, which is also the most equipped and active port in the country. The road network has a development of 77,732 km; Uruguay is also linked to other Latin American countries by 9% to the formation of the GDP, employing 67.7% of the workforce, mainly employed in commerce and social services. § Well developed are the communication routes, which take advantage of a flat morphology everywhere and easily connect Uruguay with both Argentina and Brazil. The lines of communication fan out from Montevideo, which is also the most equipped and active port in the country. The road network has a development of 77,732 km; Uruguay is also linked to other Latin American countries by 9% to the formation of the GDP, employing 67.7% of the workforce, mainly employed in commerce and social services. § Well developed are the communication routes, which take advantage of a flat morphology everywhere and easily connect Uruguay with both Argentina and Brazil. The lines of communication fan out from Montevideo, which is also the most equipped and active port in the country. The road network has a development of 77,732 km; Uruguay is also linked to other Latin American countries by both with Brazil. The lines of communication fan out from Montevideo, which is also the most equipped and active port in the country. The road network has a development of 77,732 km; Uruguay is also linked to other Latin American countries by both with Brazil. The lines of communication fan out from Montevideo, which is also the most equipped and active port in the country. The road network has a development of 77,732 km; Uruguay is also linked to other Latin American countries by Pan-American Highway. The railway network is limited overall (2897 km in 2005) but well connected with the Brazilian one and, since 1981, also with the Argentine one (Concordia-Salto line). The Río de la Plata and Uruguay play a considerable role for both freight and passenger transport, the latter being navigable for approx. 500 km and on which are the ports of Fray Bentos, Paysandú and Salto. Air services connect the major cities; the main airport is the international airport of Carrasco, near Montevideo. § A considerable contribution of currency is given by tourism; main destinations are the seaside resorts of Punta del Este, Piriápolis and the inland landscapes; most of the tourists come from Argentina.