Population figures
Total country population
3,423,316
Forcibly displaced population
Refugees (under UNHCR's mandate):
1,302
Asylum-seekers:
27,141
IDPs (of concern to UNHCR):
0
Other people in need of international protection:
35,032
Other
Statelessness persons
0
Host community
9,216
Others of concern to UNHCR
0
Country context
Uruguay is a country situated in the southeastern region of South America which shares borders with Brazil to the north and northeast, Argentina to the west, and is bounded by the South Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Río de la Plata to the south. The nation's capital and largest city is Montevideo, located along the southern coast. The refugee population in Uruguay originates from a diverse range of countries affected by conflict and instability.
Key countries of origin include Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba and Haiti, among others; these individuals reside predominantly in urban and peri-urban areas, with many accommodated through community-based housing in Montevideo and in departmental capitals. Asylum-seekers benefit from freedom of movement and access to education, healthcare and employment under the same legal framework as recognized refugees.
...Uruguay acceded to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol in 1970. Domestic recognition and protection of refugees are provided under Law No. 18.076 of December 19, 2006, entitled “Right to Asylum and to Refugees,” which defines eligibility in accordance with the 1951 Convention, its 1967 Protocol and the extended refugee definition of the 1984 Cartagena. This law established the National Refugee Commission (CORE) as the competent body for refugee status determination, with a permanent secretariat responsible for receiving and analysing asylum applications.
Complementing the refugee law, Migration Law No. 18.250—enacted in 2008—provides a comprehensive framework for the entry, stay and removal of all non-nationals, integrating specific safeguards for asylum-seekers and prohibiting removal where refoulement risks are identified.
Uruguay has been recognized for its commitment to providing protection to refugees and asylum seekers. The main challenge faced by the Uruguayan asylum system is related to its need to adapt its administrative procedures and interministerial communication. This, with an aim to generate capacity that will be able to keep up with the reality of international protection need requests received by the country. This can take the form of reducing backlogs and efficiently issuing documentation for those in need of protection, which in turn boosts their integration and socio-economic contributions to the host society.
Uruguay has ratified both the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. To align with these international obligations, Uruguay enacted Law No. 19.682, which provides a framework for the protection of stateless individuals. This law allows for the naturalization of stateless persons residing in the country, even if they cannot provide documentation from their country of origin. Notably, applicants are exempt from presenting a birth certificate or other foreign-issued documents if such documents are not reasonably obtainable.
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Sources: UNHCR Refugee Data finder https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/ | 2024 mid-year figures. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2022). World Population Prospects 2022, Online Edition https://population.un.org/wpp/assets/Files/WPP2022_Data_Sources.pdf