:United States Economy
Overview:
The US has the most powerful, diverse, and technologically advanced economy
in the world, with a per capita GDP of $22,470, the largest among major
industrial nations. The economy is market oriented with most decisions made
by private individuals and business firms and with government purchases of
goods and services made predominantly in the marketplace. In 1989 the
economy enjoyed its seventh successive year of substantial growth, the
longest in peacetime history. The expansion featured moderation in wage and
consumer price increases and a steady reduction in unemployment to 5.2% of
the labor force. In 1990, however, growth slowed to 1% because of a
combination of factors, such as the worldwide increase in interest rates,
Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August, the subsequent spurt in oil prices, and
a general decline in business and consumer confidence. In 1991 output failed
to recover, unemployment grew, and signs of recovery proved premature.
Ongoing problems for the 1990s include inadequate investment in economic
infrastructure, rapidly rising medical costs, and sizable budget and trade
deficits.
GDP:
purchasing power equivalent - $5,673 billion, per capita $22,470; real
growth rate -0.7% (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.2% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
6.6% (1991)
Budget:
revenues $1,054 billion; expenditures $1,323 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (FY91)
Exports:
$428.1 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials, consumer
goods, agricultural products
partners:
Western Europe 27.3%, Canada 22.1%, Japan 12.1% (1989)
Imports:
$499.4 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.)
commodities:
crude and partly refined petroleum, machinery, automobiles, consumer goods,
industrial raw materials, food and beverages
partners:
Western Europe 21.5%, Japan 19.7%, Canada 18.8% (1989)
External debt:
NA
Industrial production:
growth rate -1.9% (1991)
Electricity:
776,550,000 kW capacity; 3,020,000 million kWh produced, 12,080 kWh per
capita (1990)
Industries:
leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified; petroleum, steel,
motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food
processing, consumer goods, fishing, lumber, mining
Agriculture:
accounts for 2% of GDP and 2.8% of labor force; favorable climate and soils
support a wide variety of crops and livestock production; world's second
largest producer and number one exporter of grain; surplus food producer;
fish catch of 5.0 million metric tons (1988)
:United States Economy
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for domestic consumption with 1987 production
estimated at 3,500 metric tons or about 25% of the available marijuana;
ongoing eradication program aimed at small plots and greenhouses has not
reduced production
Economic aid:
donor - commitments, including ODA and OOF, (FY80-89), $115.7 billion
Currency:
United States dollar (plural - dollars); 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100
cents
Exchange rates:
British pounds:
(#) per US$ - 0.5599 (March 1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099
(1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987)
Canadian dollars:
(Can$) per US$ - 1.1926 (March 1992), 1.1457 (1991), 1.1668 (1990), 1.1840
(1989), 1.2307 (1988), 1.3260 (1987)
French francs:
(F) per US$ - 5.6397, (March 1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801
(1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987)
Italian lire:
(Lit) per US$ - 1,248.4 (March 1992), 1,240.6 (1991), 1,198.1 (1990),
1.372.1 (1989), 1,301.6 (1988), 1,296.1 (1987)
Japanese yen:
(Y) per US$ - 132.70 (March 1992), 134.71 (1991), 144.79 (1990), 137.96
(1989), 128.15 (1988), 144.64 (1987)
German deutsche marks:
(DM) per US$ - 1.6611 (March 1992), 1.6595 (1991), 1.6157 (1990), 1.8800
(1989), 1.7562 (1988), 1.7974 (1987)
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
:United States Communications
Railroads:
270,312 km
Highways:
6,365,590 km, including 88,641 km expressways
Inland waterways:
41,009 km of navigable inland channels, exclusive of the Great Lakes (est.)
Pipelines:
petroleum 275,800 km, natural gas 305,300 km (1985)
Ports:
Anchorage, Baltimore, Beaumont, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Cleveland,
Duluth, Freeport, Galveston, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville,
Long Beach, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Mobile, New Orleans, New York,
Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Richmond (California), San Francisco,
Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Wilmington
Merchant marine:
396 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 12,969 GRT/20,179 DWT; includes 3
passenger-cargo, 38 cargo, 25 bulk, 174 tanker, 13 tanker tug-barge, 14
liquefied gas, 129 intermodal; in addition, there are 231 government-owned
vessels
Civil air:
8,252 commercial multiengine transport aircraft (weighing 9,000 kg and over)
including 6,036 jet, 831 turboprop, 1,382 piston (December 1989)
Airports:
14,177 total, 12,417 usable; 4,820 with permanent-surface runways; 63 with
runways over 3,659 m; 325 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2,524 with runways
1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
182,558,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 4,892 AM, 5,200 FM (including
3,915 commercial and 1,285 public broadcasting), 7,296 TV (including 796
commercial, 300 public broadcasting, and 6,200 commercial cable);
495,000,000 radio receivers (1982); 150,000,000 TV sets (1982); satellite
ground stations - 45 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 16 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT
:United States Defense Forces
Branches:
Department of the Army, Department of the Navy (including Marine Corps),
Department of the Air Force
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 66,458,000; NA fit for military service
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $323.5 billion, 5.7% of GNP (1991)
:Uruguay Geography
Total area:
176,220 km2
Land area:
173,620 km2
Comparative area:
slightly smaller than Washington State
Land boundaries:
1,564 km total; Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km
Coastline:
660 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf:
200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation
Territorial sea:
200 nm (overflight and navigation permitted beyond 12 nm)
Disputes:
short section of boundary with Argentina is in dispute; two short sections
of the boundary with Brazil are in dispute (Arroyo de la Invernada area of
the Rio Quarai and the islands at the confluence of the Rio Quarai and the
Uruguay)
Climate:
warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
Terrain:
mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
Natural resources:
soil, hydropower potential, minor minerals
Land use:
arable land 8%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 78%; forest and
woodland 4%; other 10%; includes irrigated 1%
Environment:
subject to seasonally high winds, droughts, floods