Uruguay vs. Argentina
Government
| Uruguay | Argentina | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay conventional short form: Uruguay local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay local short form: Uruguay former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province etymology: name derives from the Spanish pronunciation of the Guarani Indian designation of the Uruguay River, which makes up the western border of the country and whose name later came to be applied to the entire country | conventional long form: Argentine Republic conventional short form: Argentina local long form: Republica Argentina local short form: Argentina etymology: originally the area was referred to as Tierra Argentina, i.e., "Land beside the Silvery River" or "silvery land," which referred to the massive estuary in the east of the country, the Rio de la Plata (River of Silver); over time the name shortened to simply Argentina or "silvery" |
| Government type | presidential republic | presidential republic |
| Capital | name: Montevideo geographic coordinates: 34 51 S, 56 10 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name "Montevidi" was originally applied to the hill that overlooked the bay upon which the city of Montevideo was founded; the earliest meaning may have been "[the place where we] saw the hill" | name: Buenos Aires geographic coordinates: 34 36 S, 58 22 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name translates as "fair winds" in Spanish and derives from the original designation of the settlement that would become the present-day city, "Santa Maria del Buen Aire" (Saint Mary of the Fair Winds) |
| 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 | 23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 autonomous city*; Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires*, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur (Tierra del Fuego - Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands), Tucuman note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica |
| Independence | 25 August 1825 (from Brazil) | 9 July 1816 (from Spain) |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 25 August (1825) | Revolution Day (May Revolution Day), 25 May (1810) |
| Constitution | history: several previous; latest approved by plebiscite 27 November 1966, effective 15 February 1967 amendments: initiated by public petition of at least 10% of qualified voters, proposed by agreement of at least two fifths of the General Assembly membership, or by existing "constitutional laws" sanctioned by at least two thirds of the membership in both houses of the Assembly; proposals can also be submitted by senators, representatives, or by the executive power and require the formation of and approval in a national constituent convention; final passage by either method requires approval by absolute majority of votes cast in a referendum; amended many times, last in 2009 | history: several previous; latest effective 11 May 1853 amendments: a declaration of proposed amendments requires two-thirds majority vote by both houses of the National Congress followed by approval by an ad hoc, multi-member constitutional convention; amended several times, last significant amendment in 1994 |
| Legal system | civil law system based on the Spanish civil code | civil law system based on West European legal systems; note - in mid-2015, Argentina adopted a new civil code, replacing the old one in force since 1871 |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18-70 years of age; universal and compulsory; 16-17 years of age - optional for national elections |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Luis Alberto LACALLE POU (since 1 March 2020); Vice President Beatriz ARGIMON Cedeira (since 1 March 2020); the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Luis Alberto LACALLE POU (since 1 March 2020); Vice President Beatriz ARGIMON Cedeira (since 1 March 2020) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the General Assembly elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for nonconsecutive terms); election last held on 27 October 2019 with a runoff election on 24 November 2019 (next to be held in October 2024, and a runoff if needed in November 2024) election results: 2019: Luis Alberto LACALLE POU elected president - results of the first round of presidential elections: percent of vote - Daniel MARTINEZ (FA) 40.7%, Luis Alberto LACALLE POU (Blanco) 29.7%, Ernesto TALVI (Colorado Party) 12.8%, and Guido MANINI RIOS (Open Cabildo) 11.3%, other 5.5%; results of the second round: percent of vote - Luis Alberto LACALLE POU (Blanco) 50.6%, Daniel MARTINEZ (FA) 49.4% 2014: Tabare VAZQUEZ elected president in second round; percent of vote - Tabare VAZQUEZ (Socialist Party) 56.5%, Luis Alberto LACALLE Pou (Blanco) 43.4% | chief of state: President Alberto Angel FERNANDEZ (since 10 December 2019); Vice President Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER (since 10 December 2019); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government (2019) head of government: President Alberto Angel FERNANDEZ (since 10 December 2019); Vice President Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER (since 10 December 2019) (2018) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president (2017) elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by qualified majority vote (to win, a candidate must receive at least 45% of votes or 40% of votes and a 10-point lead over the second place candidate; if neither occurs, a second round is held ); the president serves a 4-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2023) election results: 2019: Alberto Angel FERNANDEZ elected president; percent of vote - Alberto Angel FERNANDEZ (TODOS) 48.1%, Mauricio MACRI (PRO) 40.4%, Roberto LAVAGNA (independent) 6.2%, other 5.3% 2015: Mauricio MACRI elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Daniel SCIOLI (PJ) 37.1%, Mauricio MACRI (PRO) 34.2%, Sergio MASSA (FR/PJ) 21.4%, other 7.3%; percent of vote in second round - Mauricio MACRI (PRO) 51.4%, Daniel SCIOLI (PJ) 48.6% |
| Legislative branch | description: bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of: Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (31 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; the vice-president serves as the presiding ex-officio member; elected members serve 5-year terms) Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators - last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2024) Chamber of Representatives - last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2024) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by coalition/party - NA; seats by coalition/party - Frente Amplio 13, National Party 10, Colorado Party 4, Open Cabildo 3; composition - men 21, women 10, percent of women 32.3% Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by coalition/party - NA; seats by coalition/party - Frente Amplio 42, National Party 30, Colorado Party 13, Open Cabildo 11, Independent Party 1, other 2; composition - men 75, women 24, percent of women 24.2%; note - total General Assembly percent of women 26.2% | description: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of: Senate (72 seats; members directly elected on a provincial basis with 2 seats awarded to the party with the most votes and 1 seat to the party with the second highest number of votes; members serve 6-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 2 years) Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method; members serve 4-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 2 years) elections: Senate - last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held on 24 October 2021) Chamber of Deputies - last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held on 24 October 2021) election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats by bloc or party - TODOS 13, Cambiemos 8, FCS 2, JSRN 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats by bloc or party - TODOS 64, Cambiemos 56, CF 3, FCS 3, JSRN 1, other 3 |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice (consists of 5 judges) judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the president and appointed in joint conference of the General Assembly; judges serve 10-year terms, with reelection possible after a lapse of 5 years following the previous term subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; District Courts (Juzgados Letrados); Peace Courts (Juzgados de Paz); Rural Courts (Juzgados Rurales) | highest courts: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (consists of the court president, vice president, and 5 justices) judge selection and term of office: justices nominated by the president and approved by the Senate; justices can serve until mandatory retirement at age 75; extensions beyond 75 require renomination by the president and approval by the Senate subordinate courts: federal level appellate, district, and territorial courts; provincial level supreme, appellate, and first instance courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Broad Front or FA (Frente Amplio) [Javier MIRANDA] - (a broad governing coalition that includes Uruguay Assembly [Danilo ASTORI], Progressive Alliance [Rodolfo NIN NOVOA], New Space [Rafael MICHELINI], Socialist Party [Monica XAVIER], Vertiente Artiguista [Enrique RUBIO], Christian Democratic Party [Jorge RODRIGUEZ], For the People's Victory [Luis PUIG], Popular Participation Movement (MPP) [Jose MUJICA], Broad Front Commitment [Raul SENDIC], Big House [Constanza MOREIRA], Communist Party [Marcos CARAMBULA], The Federal League [Dario PEREZ] Colorado Party (including Vamos Uruguay (or Let's Go Uruguay), Open Space [Tabare VIERA], and Open Batllism [Ope PASQUET]) Independent Party [Pablo MIERES] National Party or Blanco (including Everyone [Luis LACALLE POU] and National Alliance [Jorge LARRANAGA]) Popular Unity [Gonzalo ABELLA] Open Cabildo [Guido MANINI RIOS] | Argentina Federal [coalition led by Pablo KOSINER] Cambiemos [Mauricio MACRI] (coalition of CC-ARI, PRO, and UCR) Citizen's Unity or UC [Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER] Civic Coalition ARI or CC-ARI [Elisa CARRIO, Maximiliano FERRARO] Civic Front for Santiago or FCS [Gerardo ZAMORA] Everyone's Front (Frente de Todos) or TODOS [Alberto Angel FERNANDEZ] Federal Consensus or CF [Roberto LAVAGNA, Juan Manuel URTUBEY] Front for the Renewal of Concord or FRC Front for Victory or FpV [coalition led by Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER and Agustin ROSSI] Generation for a National Encounter or GEN [Monica PERALTA] Justicialist Party or PJ [Miguel Angel PICHETTO] Radical Civic Union or UCR [Alfredo CORNEJO] Renewal Front (Frente Renovador) or FR [Sergio MASSA] Republican Proposal or PRO [Mauricio MACRI, Humberto SCHIAVONI] Socialist Party or PS [Antonio BONFATTI] Socialist Workers' Party or PTS [Jose MONTES] Together We Are Rio Negro or JSRN [Alberto Edgardo WERETILNECK] We Do For Cordoba (Hacemos Por Cordoba) or HC [Juan SCHIARETTI] Workers' Party or PO [Jorge ALTAMIRA] Worker's Socialist Movement or MST [Alejandro BODDART; Vilma RIPOLL] numerous provincial parties |
| International organization participation | CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Andres Augusto DURAN HAREAU (since 23 December 2020) chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142 email address and website: urueeuu@mrree.gub.uy consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York | chief of mission: Ambassador Jorge Martin Arturo ARGUELLO (since 6 February 2020) chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400 FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171 email address and website: eeeuu@mrecic.gov.ar https://eeeuu.cancilleria.gob.ar/en consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Washington, DC |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jennifer SAVAGE (since 20 January 2021) embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200 mailing address: 3360 Montevideo Place, Washington DC 20521-3360 telephone: (+598) 1770-2000 FAX: [+598] 1770-2128 email address and website: MontevideoACS@state.gov https://uy.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires MaryKay CARLSON (since 20 January 2021) embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, (C1425GMN) Buenos Aires mailing address: 3130 Buenos Aires Place, Washington DC 20521-3130 telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533 FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240 email address and website: buenosaires-acs@state.gov https://ar.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face (delineated in black) known as the Sun of May with 16 rays that alternate between triangular and wavy; the stripes represent the nine original departments of Uruguay; the sun symbol evokes the legend of the sun breaking through the clouds on 25 May 1810 as independence was first declared from Spain (Uruguay subsequently won its independence from Brazil); the sun features are said to represent those of Inti, the Inca god of the sun note: the banner was inspired by the national colors of Argentina and by the design of the US flag | three equal horizontal bands of sky blue (top), white, and sky blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face (delineated in brown) known as the Sun of May; the colors represent the clear skies and snow of the Andes; the sun symbol commemorates the appearance of the sun through cloudy skies on 25 May 1810 during the first mass demonstration in favor of independence; the sun features are those of Inti, the Inca god of the sun |
| National anthem | name: "Himno Nacional" (National Anthem of Uruguay) lyrics/music: Francisco Esteban ACUNA de Figueroa/Francisco Jose DEBALI note: adopted 1848; the anthem is also known as "Orientales, la Patria o la tumba!" ("Uruguayans, the Fatherland or Death!"); it is the world's longest national anthem in terms of music (105 bars; almost five minutes); generally only the first verse and chorus are sung | name: "Himno Nacional Argentino" (Argentine National Anthem) lyrics/music: Vicente LOPEZ y PLANES/Jose Blas PARERA note: adopted 1813; Vicente LOPEZ was inspired to write the anthem after watching a play about the 1810 May Revolution against Spain |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | Sun of May (a sun-with-face symbol); national colors: blue, white, yellow | Sun of May (a sun-with-face symbol); national colors: sky blue, white |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 3-5 years | citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 2 years |
Source: CIA Factbook
