Transportation

The Port of Montevideo, handling over 1.1 million containers annually, is the most advanced container terminal in South America. Its quay can handle 14 metres (46 ft) draught vessels. Nine straddle cranes allow for 80 to 100 movements per hour. The port of Nueva Palmira is a major regional merchandise transfer point, and houses both private and government-run terminals.

Carrasco Airport, designed by the architect Rafael Viñoly with an investment of 165 million dollars, was inaugurated in 2009. The airport can handle up to 4,500,000 users per year. PLUNA is the flag carrier of Uruguay, and is headquartered in Carrasco. The Laguna del Sauce Airport, located 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from Punta del Este, has been remodeled in 1997 and runways have been renovated through a private investment concession.

The Administración de Ferrocarriles del Estado is the autonomous agency in charge of rail transport and the maintenance of the railroad network. Uruguay has about 1,200 km (750 mi) of operational railroad track.

Until 1947 about 90% of the railroad system was British-owned. In 1949 the government nationalized the railways, along with the electric trams and the waterworks company. However, in 1985 the “National Transport Plan” suggested passenger trains were too costly to repair and maintain. Cargo trains would continue for loads more than 120 tons but bus transportation became the “economic” alternative for travellers. The last passenger train rolled into Montevideo on 2 January 1988.

Surfaced roads connect Montevideo to the other urban centers in the country, the main highways leading to the border and neighboring cities. Numerous unpaved roads connect farms and small towns. Overland trade has increased markedly since Mercosur (Southern Common Market) was formed in the 1990s. Most of the country’s domestic freight and passenger service is by road rather than rail.

Telecommunications

Telecommunications in Uruguay are more developed than in most other Latin American countries, being the first country in the Americas to achieve complete digital telephony coverage in 1997. The telephone system is completely digitized and has very good coverage over all the country. The system is government-owned and there have been controversial proposals to partially privatize since the 1990s.

The mobile phone market is shared by the state-owned (Ancel) and two private companies, Movistar and Claro.

Water Supply and Sanitation

Uruguay is the only country in Latin America that has achieved quasi universal coverage of access to safe drinking water supply and adequate sanitation. Water service quality is considered good, with practically all localities in Uruguay receiving disinfected water on a continuous basis.

70% of wastewater collected by the national utility was treated. Given these achievements, the government’s priority is to improve the efficiency of services and to expand access to sewerage, where appropriate, in areas where on-site sanitation is used.