Health in Uruguay - Demographics

Demographics

Further information: Uruguayan people and Demographics of Uruguay

Colour/Race (self-reported, 2011)
White	93.9%
Black/African	4.9%
Indigenous	1.1%
Asian/Amarillo	0.1%

Uruguayans are of predominantly European origin; an estimated 88% of the population is of European descent. The 2011 census by the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (Uruguay) (es) (INE) of Uruguay requesting the respondent to self-report their predominant ancestry (only one choice was allowed) found that 93.9% reported a predominant European ancestry, 4.9% black or African, 1.1% indigenous and 0.1% Asian or Amarillo ("yellow"). Another INE survey, conducted in 2008, found that 10% reported having some degree of Black/African ancestry, 5.5% partial Indigenous, and 0.3% partial Asian ancestry.

Most Uruguayans of European ancestry are descendants of 19th and 20th century immigrants from Spain and Italy (about one-quarter of the population is of Italian origin) and, to a much lesser degree, from France and Britain. Earlier settlers had migrated from Argentina and Paraguay. Few direct descendants of Uruguay's indigenous peoples remain, and mestizos account for less than one-tenth of the population. People of African descent make up an even smaller proportion of the total.

The rates of birth and population growth in Uruguay are much lower than in other Latin American countries. Uruguay's population is quite mature as a result of the low birth rate, high life expectancy, and relatively high rate of emigration of younger people. A quarter of the population are less than 15 years old and about a sixth are aged 60 and older.

From 1963 to 1985, an estimated 320,000 Uruguayans emigrated. By far the most popular destination for Uruguayan emigrants was Argentina, followed by the United States, Australia, Spain, Brazil, and Venezuela. In 2009, for the first time in 44 years, the country saw an overall positive influx when comparing immigration to emigration. 3,825 residence permits were awarded in 2009, compared with 1,216 in 2005. 50% of new legal residents come from Argentina and Brazil. A migration law passed in 2008 gives immigrants the same rights and opportunities that nationals have, with the requisite of proving a monthly income of $650.

Metropolitan Montevideo is the only large city and has around 1.9 million inhabitants. The rest of the urban population lives in about 30 towns. Uruguay is less densely populated than Argentina and Brazil although the neighbouring regions of southern Brazil and north eastern Argentina have roughly comparable population densities.