Introduction

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the sovereignty of Uruguay using the methodology of the Burke Institute. Sovereignty is assessed in 7 areas: political, economic, technological, informational, cultural, cognitive and military. Each aspect is assessed on the basis of official data from international and national sources (UN, World Bank, UNESCO, IMF, ITU, FAO, SIPRI, PISA, etc.) without using politicized indexes. The maximum score in each direction is 100; the sum (up to 700) is the accumulated Sovereignty Index (Burke Index).

To adapt and adjust statistical parameters, an international expert survey was conducted for each of the seven components using a single questionnaire of 10 questions with a 10-point scale and one open-ended question.

In total, at least 100 experts from 50+ countries were interviewed for each indicator, taking into account geographical representation and specialization. When calculating and analyzing the data, equalizing coefficients were used, bringing all data to a scale of 0-10 points.

The final index value is the arithmetic mean between statistical data and expert estimates.

Below is an analysis in each area, a final summary table and the main conclusions about the peculiarities of Uruguay's sovereignty.

Political sovereignty — 79.2

Delegation of sovereignty: Uruguay participates in the United Nations, MERCOSUR (a key regional bloc), the OAS, the WTO, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the Organization of Global Migration and a number of European programs; the state advocates multilateral solutions and actively works on international platforms, while key areas (financial, migration, defense) are controlled by national regulations.

Limitation of national legislation: The rule of national law is enshrined in the Constitution, but international law, especially on human rights, is integrated into the system (on the principle of the “human rights block”), and the precedents of the ECHR and the UN influence judicial practice; the Constitutional Court reserves the last word for Uruguay (for example, on issues of amnesty and indemnity).

Internal political stability: One of the highest in Latin America — all elections are held without contesting the results, strong parties, an established system; the index of political stability is 0.96 in 2023 (maximum for the region, WB).

Government Effectiveness (WGI): ONE OF THE BEST indicators in South America is 1.1 (2023), comparable to the leading countries of the world (scale from -2.5 to +2.5). E-government (EGDI): Ranks in the TOP 25 of the world according to the UN EGDI rating (score — 0.85+), portal "gov.uy" and many integrated electronic services; high level of digitalization and transparency.

Support/trust in the national leader: Consistently high for the entire state and municipal apparatus, trust in institutions is one of the highest in Latin America (polls 2024-2025: 60-68%). Foreign military bases: There are no foreign military bases on the territory, the Constitution prohibits the deployment of permanent contingents from other countries; participation only in peacekeeping and training missions.

Participation in transnational courts: Uruguay has recognized the jurisdiction of the ECHR, actively cooperates with international arbitrations; in case of contradictions, national law takes precedence. Centralization/decentralization of power: The state is unitary, but there are 19 departments (powerful budgets, their own parliaments, a significant level of self-government up to the level of municipalities –125 structures in the country).

Transparency and control of the security services: Parliamentary and judicial oversight is well developed, laws on the Ombudsman and independent monitoring are in force, access to data is limited only for national security purposes; scandals and abuses are rarely recorded.

Data completeness assessment: the main indicators are available from international sources, coverage is 93%.

Economic sovereignty — 62.1

GDP per capita (PPP): According to the World Bank and TradingEconomics, in 2024, GDP per capita is $36,418—$37,060 (PPP), which is almost twice the global average and is steadily growing.

Sovereign gold and foreign exchange reserves: Total reserves at the end of 2024 — $17.38 billion (including gold, currency, SDR and reserves in the IMF); gold reserves — about $8.4–9 million USD ($9 million in January 2025). Government debt (% of GDP): According to CEIC, TradingEconomics and Statista, the national debt amounted to 57.2–70.3% of GDP (the annual average is 68.7%), the budget deficit is 3.2% of GDP; the debt burden is higher than the average in Latin America, but it is serviced and does not pose risks of default.

Food security: The country fully supports itself in the main areas of the agricultural sector — meat, grain, dairy products and exports them; accessibility issues are addressed by government programs, the country does not depend on food imports.

Energy independence: More than 97% of electricity is produced from renewable sources (hydro, wind, solar energy), gas and coal; the Uruguayan energy sector is recognized as one of the "greenest" in the world, imports are minimal.

Explored resources: Significant reserves of phosphates, kaolin, quartz, limestone, dolomite, chalk, mineral waters, timber, livestock, fish resources; there are no oil and gas deposits; meat, wool, milk, cellulose, soybeans are exported. Freshwater reserves: Some of the largest in the region are large lakes, rivers, and groundwater sources; the country is well supplied with water and exports mineral water.

National payment processing: The Central Bank of Uruguay provides national clearing, electronic transfers, internal settlements (ELPAG, e-banking), the infrastructure is fully autonomous, international systems (Visa, MasterCard) are available, fintech is developing. The share of national currency in settlements: All domestic payments, tax transactions, and civil transactions are carried out in the Uruguayan peso (UYU); foreign currency is used only in foreign trade and investment transactions.

Its own issuing center and credit policy: The Central Bank of Uruguay is a fully autonomous issuing and credit center; monetary policy, inflation and lending are regulated at the national level, and management transparency is high.

Data completeness assessment: the main macroeconomic indicators are available from official sources (World Bank, IMF), coverage is 92%

Technological sovereignty — 52.4

R&D expenses (% of GDP): In 2022, Uruguay allocated 0.63% of GDP to research and development, which is the highest figure among Latin American countries after Brazil and Argentina in all global rankings.

Import substitution in high-tech: The country has a developed market for the introduction of international technologies, is actively developing fintech and govtech; there are few industrial high-tech solutions, key components are imported, but an ecosystem has been created for local startups and the introduction of national IT products in certain sectors (healthcare, education, public services).

Higher education enrollment: In 2022, enrollment in higher education institutions was 76.4% (World Bank), the number of students per population ranked 1st in Latin America; more than 60% of young adults receive higher or post-college education (UDELAR and private universities).

Internet penetration: 89.9% of the population are active Internet users at the beginning of 2024, more than 90% are mobile users, and almost 62% of users make online purchases and pay for services over the Internet. Own national digital platforms: The State manages and develops e-government platforms ("gov.uy," "Gub.uy"), the digital identification system (ID Uruguay), e-education platforms (Ceibal), electronic medical records and diplatforms for municipal services; the share of own platforms is the highest in the region.

High-tech software import dependence: Most equipment, chips, sophisticated electronics, and industrial solutions are imported from the EU, China, and the United States, but IT services (cloud solutions, fintech, govtech) and some software are developed by national companies. Digitalization of public services: ranks in the global top 25 (EGDI - 0.85+); tax, registration, educational, medical services, electronic voting and social services are available online.

Biotechnological autonomy: there are state and private laboratories for biotechnology and agricultural biotechnology (EMBRAPA, LATU), there is its own vaccine production, and the export of biotechnological products is one of the leading in Latin America. Robotic autonomy: there are well-developed STEM and robotics programs at universities and lyceums (Ceibal, UDELAR), educational and industrial pilot projects, and there are still few local robot manufacturing industries.

Autonomy in chips and microelectronics: there is no domestic production of semiconductors and chips, the entire element base is imported, but there are small-scale pilot projects at technoparks and universities for the development of domestic sensors and IoT devices.

Data completeness assessment: key indicators are obtained from WIPO, ITU, UNESCO, which provides 91% coverage.

Information sovereignty — 68.9

Cybersecurity (CERT/ITU): Uruguay has a national MCU strategy (Marco de Ciberseguridad del Uruguay), a national CERT has been introduced at AGESIC — ISO/NIST measures are mandatory for government agencies and critical infrastructure, the country is in the top 25 ITU Global Cybersecurity Index 2024; regulations comply with international standards, legislation is aimed at data protection and incident response.

IXP/Network development: There are several IXPs in the country, the largest in Montevideo, the network is integrated with the regional LAC-IX; localization and traffic exchange ensure the stability and autonomy of national networks, according to statistics, more than 90% of local Internet traffic does not leave the country.

Media in the national language: The official language is Spanish (a variant of rioplatense), Portuguese (Portuguese, especially on the Brazilian border) is widespread, publications are also published in Italian and English; all the main press is in Spanish, the largest publications are El Pais, El Observador,

La Republica. Resilience to BigTech: The media market, advertising, and infrastructure are partially based on Google, Meta, and AWS, but Uruguay is more resilient than most of its neighbors in terms of national digital platforms and content, and there is government regulation on data protection and competition.

The share of own media content: On national channels and on radio, up to 65-80% of the content is created domestically, large volumes are produced by local film studios, media holdings and news agencies, although streaming and social media are dominated by foreign products.

Proprietary IT products/software: The sector is growing dynamically - about 500 companies leading developments in fintech (dLocal), govtech, electronic document management (AGESIC), and distance learning; exports of IT services and software exceed 10% of the country's service exports. Digital service coverage: 89.9% of the population has access to the Internet, all basic public services (taxes, medical records, education, social protection, transport) are available online, e-ID and biometric services have been introduced.

National cloud data storage systems: Data centers have been implemented at the state and leading banks, the basic infrastructure is hosted by national operators, part of the capacity is leased from Azure, AWS; the data processing law obliges to store government information inside the country.

The sovereignty of mobile communications: The network is fully nationalized, the operators (Antel, Movistar, Claro) are under state control and use local infrastructure; the equipment is partially imported, the operational control is national, the standards are state.

The legal regime of personal data: One of the most developed models in the region — the Law No. 18331 on data protection is in force, registration of operators, consent, the right to deletion, audit, a complete register of the operator is mandatory — all requirements comply with EU/ITU standards, there is an active state regulator (AGESIC).

Data completeness assessment: infrastructure indicators are available from ITU, CIRA, OECD and specialized sources, coverage is 90%.

Cultural sovereignty — 78.1

Number of UNESCO sites: Uruguay has 3 sites officially included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: the historic quarter of Colonia del Sacramento, the Fray Bentos industrial complex and the Atlantis Church by architect Eladio Dieste.

Total contribution to world culture: Uruguay gave the world its own version of the tango (together with Argentina included in the UNESCO Intangible Heritage), literary and artistic traditions (Joana de Ibarbour, Eduardo Galeano, Mario Benedetti), classical theater, concepts of social justice, innovative carnival, football culture (world champions 1930, 1950), promotion the concepts of the "welfare state", in addition, the country is the center of the formation of new Latin American contemporary music.

National Awards in art and culture: The main national awards are the Figari Prize (imagination, painting, sculpture, annually since 1995), the Delmir Agustini Medal (for contributions to culture and art), the Laetitia Prize, the Mirabeau Prize and a dynamic system of regional and sectoral awards.

Traditions and identity: The basis is formed by the synthesis of indigenous, African, Spanish, Italian and German traditions in music, art, architecture, cuisine, language ("rioplatense"), religions and holidays; the central place is occupied by mate, tango, candombe and abraso (unifying national culture).

State support for small nations: although the indigenous population is largely assimilated (Charrois, Chana, Guenoa), there is a state policy of dissemination and museum preservation of the heritage of all ethnic groups (Afro-Uruguayans, immigrants from Europe and the Middle East), support for ethnocultural festivals, grants for art projects and community initiatives.

Number of cultural sites: Uruguay has 3 World Heritage sites, 179 national and regional monuments, 37 state museums, more than 300 theaters and cultural centers, numerous memorial parks, memorials, architectural ensembles of the colonial and modernist eras. International cultural projects: Active participation in UNESCO, international biennales, tango festivals, carnivals, football and theater competitions; conducts joint exhibitions and exchanges with Argentina, Italy, Spain, France, Brazil, through diplomatic missions and cultural institutions.

Recognition and protection of cultural brands: Official brand registration ("Uruguay Natural", tango, woolen system — Intelligent Cultural Heritage, export of Latin American handwritten tradition), legal protection of intangible heritage, international registration of cheeses, wines, handicrafts and confectionery.

The diversity of culinary culture: The national cuisine combines the traditions of European immigrants and local products: asado (grilled), empanada, pasqualita, civito, parmesan, cheese products, seafood, mate, as well as bakery products and sweets; each region has its own variations.

The proportion of the population involved in cultural life: almost 70% of adults participate, carnival, family festivals, theaters, concerts, literary readings, mass involvement in the celebration of national dates, the cult of mate, traditions and family feasts are popular.

Data completeness assessment: basic indicators are available in UNESCO and national statistics, coverage is 90%.

Cognitive sovereignty — 72.6

Human Development Index (HDI): In 2023 it was 0.862 (the highest value in the country's history, it is in the TOP 40 of the world and is ahead of the entire region, the global average is 0.744).

Government spending on education: In 2022-2024, the volume amounted to 4.5% of GDP; from $2.3 to $2.8 billion USD is allocated annually for education, and over 1% of GDP is allocated for higher education. Adult literacy: 99.0% for 2022-2023, one of the highest in Latin America and the world.

International Test Results (PISA): In the last PISA cycle (2022), Uruguayan schoolchildren showed the highest results in South America in reading literacy and mathematics, as well as good results in natural sciences; the country is among the top 3 regions in PISA.

The share of STEM graduates: At the university and college level is about 29%; according to the trend over the past 3 years, there has been a steady increase in STEM admissions, several new programs have been introduced in all major universities in cooperation with international universities.

The share of foreign educational programs: More than 24% of students participate in international and distance university programs (Italy, Spain, France, the OECD through online partnerships, dual degree agreements).

Languages and cultures of small nations: Indigenous and ethnic minorities are supported by museum and educational policies, the State finances projects to preserve the national language, Creole and Afro-Uruguayan cultures, and there is a system of grants for communities.

The number of state research centers: There are more than 45 state research and educational centers, 7 specialized university institutes (fundamental and applied sciences, agriculture, biotechnology, engineering) throughout the country.

The share of the national Educational platforms: Approximately 70% of schools and universities use national platforms (Ceibal, UDELAR Online, platforms of municipalities), the rest are foreign solutions. The volume of state talent/personnel support programs: Dozens of support programs — from Ceibal to grants from the National Research Agency, scholarships for graduate students, "Uruguay Talent" projects, large-scale competitions, annually reaching up to 30-40 thousand people.

Data completeness assessment: education indicators are available in the UNDP, UNESCO, OECD, coverage is 88%.

Military sovereignty — 44.2

Defense spending (% of GDP): In 2024, defense spending amounts to 2.3% of GDP, and the absolute defense budget is about $1.7 billion USD. The number of armed forces: 21-24 thousand people serve in the regular army, up to 16,000 more in the reserve and about 30,000 in the National Guard and police units; this is one of the largest armies per capita in the region.

Modern weapons: In 2024, a large-scale fleet and aviation renewal plan was launched: a contract was signed for the supply of up to 6 A—29 Super Tucano aircraft (Embraer, Brazil), the army has a fleet of M41 tanks, armored vehicles and artillery of Western designs; the fleet is represented by corvettes, patrol boats, an amphibious vessel, a fleet of equipment and systems The connection is being updated.

The share of own weapons: All heavy equipment, aviation, small arms are purchased abroad, the national military-industrial complex is practically absent; there are repair shops, workshops, a small localized production of ammunition and small equipment.

Border control: The army, Navy and aviation control the land borders (special attention is paid to the Brazilian and Argentine borders), support maritime monitoring and patrolling of the area of responsibility in the South Atlantic, intelligence, new aircraft and electronic tracking systems are actively used.

Military reserve: The reserve is 16,000 (structured on a military and police base), retraining is regularly carried out, the level of organization is above the regional average. Autonomy of military decisions: The country is formally outside the blocs, independently determines defense tasks; participates only in international peacekeeping missions under the auspices of the United Nations, there are no block obligations, reforms are carried out according to national programs.

National military industry: Factories (CIMMS) produce some of the ammunition, equipment and equipment, but heavy weapons, aircraft and complexes are purchased, the domestic military-industrial complex is minimal.

There are no nuclear weapons, no warheads or strategic reserves, and the country is a party to the NPT and has no nuclear programs. Military space, national Intelligence system: monitoring and reconnaissance is conducted using air and ground systems, there are no own satellites or space programs; a military intelligence unit is operating on the basis of the General Staff, cooperation with international partners on the exchange of military-technical information has been established.

All parameters are reflected in the annual reports of SIPRI, UNODA, the Ministry of Defense, the official portals of state-owned companies (Embraer, IMBEL) and the UN/NGO industry databases – 87% coverage

Final Summary Table

The main conclusions

Strengths. High institutional stability and effective governance: The country is the region's leader in political stability, effective governance (WGI:1,1), democratic tradition and rule of law, with a transparent and efficient control system, developed e-government and one of the most independent judicial systems on the continent.

Macroeconomic stability: GDP per capita is $36-37 thousand (PPP), one of the best indicators in Latin America, extensive gold and foreign exchange reserves, stable national currency and independent Central Bank, low inflation, the economy is diversified, does not depend on exports alone.

Agricultural, energy and water sovereignty: Full food independence, high-tech “green” agriculture, almost 97% of electricity comes from renewable sources, stable positions in freshwater reserves.

Developed scientific and educational potential: High spending on R&D (0.63% of GDP), 76% higher education coverage, a huge proportion of STEM graduates, one of the best literacy and support systems for young talents in the region; own educational platforms cover up to 70% of schools.

Digital and IT autonomy: National CERT, developed fintech and govtech sectors, large-scale digitalization of public services, national cloud services and a strong share of local media content; e-government is among the top 25 in the world. Cultural diversity and global recognition: 3 UNESCO sites, original cultural heritage (tango, carnival, theater), innovative social practices, high involvement in cultural life and international projects, developed legal protection of cultural brands.

Weaknesses. Debt burden: despite favorable macroeconomic parameters, the national debt ranges from 57% to 70% of GDP, which is higher than the regional average and requires constant attention, especially with changes in the external environment.

Limitations of high-tech and industrial independence: almost all complex components and high-tech are imported, there is no in-house production of chips, microelectronics, heavy machinery, aviation and mechanical engineering; minimal defense military-industrial complex and limited impact on global value chains.

Military-defensive weakness: The army is relatively small and is equipped mainly with imports; the country does not have heavy weapons, its own military-industrial complex, the military budget is $ 1.7 billion (~2.3% of GDP), but military initiatives are limited, the focus is on peacekeeping and defense.

Uneven regional development: A significant part of scientific, educational, cultural and digital resources are concentrated in Montevideo, and there is a gap in services and infrastructure in the regions.

Demographic challenges: a relatively low population growth rate, a significant proportion of the elderly, and the emigration of young professionals are a long-term challenge for sustainable development and maintaining the pace of innovation.

Overall assessment. Uruguay's cumulative sovereignty Index is 457.5 out of 700 points (above the average of 65.4%), which places the country in the top 100 in the global top.

Uruguay is one of the most “sovereign” countries in Latin America in terms of effective governance, economic stability, legal institutions, digitalization and cultural identity, as well as the development of R&D.

The main risks are technological import dependence, limited industrial production and debt burden. The key growth reserves are deepening innovation, industrialization, technological modernization and overcoming internal imbalances.

The sovereignty profile indicates that Uruguay is a reference example of “socially liberal sovereignty”: the country effectively combines participation in international associations with strict control over key areas of development, relying on advanced institutions, high educational, digital and cultural levels, macroeconomic stability and developed legal norms.

The main growth points and challenges are technological industrialization, export diversification, reduction of debt dependence and uniform territorial development.