Population and Demographics of Uruguay
Population broadly stable in 2024 · median age 36 years
Uruguay's latest population change is -0.04% a year, while the working-age share is 65.66% and fertility is 1.4. That context matters for the outlook: the 2050 medium projection is 3.25 million, 3.9% lower than in 2024.
Population Over Time in Uruguay
Over the 24 years from 2000 to 2024, Uruguay added roughly 0.12 million people, leaving the 2024 total at 3.387M. The central 2050 projection is 3.254M, implying a -3.9% change from 2024 if that path is realized. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
The broad age bands show a maturing population structure in Uruguay. The under-15 share is 18.29% and the 65-and-older share is 16.05%, with 65.66% aged 15 to 64. The youngest and oldest broad age groups are relatively close in size.
Population by broad age group
In the World Bank 2024 series, females account for 51.5% of Uruguay's population and males 48.5%. Females exceed males by 3.0 percentage points.
Female and male population share
Females made up 51.5% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 48.5% males.
What Is Shaping Population Change
Current momentum in Uruguay combines -0.04% population change with fertility at 1.4, while 18.29% of residents are under 15 and 16.05% are 65 or older.
The 2024 total in Uruguay stands 3.7% above the 2000 reference, whereas the medium projection changes the population -3.9% by 2050; that contrast is reported without assigning unsupported causes.
2024 estimate for Uruguay. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
Uruguay vs. World
A same-year comparison shows Uruguay at -0.04% annual growth, 1.4 children per woman and a median age of 36, against world values of +0.87%, 2.25 and 30.6.
| Indicator | Uruguay | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | -0.04% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 1.4 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 36 | 30.6 | 2024 |
Same-year comparability takes priority here. Growth, fertility and median age are all taken from the 2024 harmonized table for both Uruguay and the world.
Key Takeaways
At 3.387M, the 2024 population is paired with an annual change rate of -0.04%.
Broad age shares show 16.05% aged 65+ compared with 18.29% under 15; the 15 to 64 group accounts for 65.66%.
The 2024 female and male shares are 51.5% and 48.5% respectively.
On the medium path, 2050 reaches 3.254M, a -3.9% shift from the 2024 level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Uruguay?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for Uruguay is 3,386,588 people.
Is the population of Uruguay growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, Uruguay's population is broadly stable, with annual change of -0.04%.
What percentage of the population of Uruguay is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 16.05% of Uruguay's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of Uruguay in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts Uruguay's 2050 population at 3,254,354.
What is the fertility rate in Uruguay?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for Uruguay is 1.4 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.