Brazil and Uruguay
Brazil and Uruguay link industry, trade and services through Mercosur and specific bilateral agreements. Cars, free zones and rules of origin illustrate how that integration is applied.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07A framework predating Mercosur
Economic complementarity agreement ACE 02 was signed in December 1982 and has been in force since October 1985.
Cars and production chains
The automotive protocol in force since March 2016 establishes origin conditions and rules for vehicles and components.
Free trade zones and yerba mate
The 2022 protocols regulated goods from free trade zones and yerba mate controls.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 5,566.01 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / BRA |
| Goods: Brazil to Uruguay | 3,507.2 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / BRA |
| Goods: Uruguay to Brazil | 2,058.82 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / BRA |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: Brazil to Uruguay | 1.01 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / BRA |
| Export share: Uruguay to Brazil | ||
| Investment stock: Brazil in Uruguay | ||
| Investment stock: Uruguay in Brazil |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / BRA · Goods; full year; reporting country BRA. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. Mirror reports are not added together.
- Goods: Brazil to Uruguay
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / BRA · Goods; full year; reporting country BRA. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. Mirror reports are not added together.
- Goods: Uruguay to Brazil
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / BRA · Goods; full year; reporting country BRA. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. Mirror reports are not added together.
- Export share: Brazil to Uruguay
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / BRA · Goods share: BRA exports to the partner / exports by the same reporting country to the world, same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | Brazil | Uruguay |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 2.28 trillion USD2025 · WB | 85.35 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 10,713.29 USD2025 · WB | 25,215.82 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 2.29 %2025 · WB | 1.78 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 13.75 %2026-10-07 · Banco Central do Brasil | |
| Inflation · annual average | 5.02 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 4.65 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 4.22 %Headline CPI · 2026-08 · year-on-year · Ministério da Fazenda / IBGE | |
| Unemployment | 5.97 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 7.52 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -8.1 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -3.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 93.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 65.7 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -2.93 %2025 · WB | -0.44 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 212,812,4052025 · WB | 3,384,6882025 · WB |
| Area | 8,510,420 km²2023 · WB | 176,220 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDBrazil: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Uruguay: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personBrazil: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Uruguay: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)Brazil: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Uruguay: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)Brazil: 2026-10-07 · Target for the Selic rate, annual percentage · Banco Central do Brasil · Official monetary-policy target, not the effective daily interbank rate.
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Brazil: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Uruguay: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedBrazil: 2026-08 · Headline IPCA; urban coverage of the SNIPC system · Ministério da Fazenda / IBGE · Official monthly data. Not mixed with the annual average. · Alternative official source; verified 2026-10-07
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionBrazil: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, % of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Uruguay: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)Brazil: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate, not a monthly observation. Retains the country's fiscal year where it differs from the calendar year.Uruguay: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)Brazil: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate, not a monthly observation. Retains the country's fiscal year where it differs from the calendar year.Uruguay: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPBrazil: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Uruguay: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleBrazil: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Uruguay: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceBrazil: 2023 · World Bank / FAO · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Uruguay: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
Brazil to Uruguay
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Vehicles and components | 605.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 512.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 347.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Metal ores | 284.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 190.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 81.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 25.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 11.2 M USD2025 · Source |
Uruguay to Brazil
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Vehicles and components | 360.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 256.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 89 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 36.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 13.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 4.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 1.2 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Billions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | Brazil to Uruguay | Uruguay to Brazil |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,933.5 | 2,070.3 | 1,863.3 |
| 2022 | 4,792.3 | 2,900.9 | 1,891.4 |
| 2023 | 5,389.3 | 3,180.9 | 2,208.4 |
| 2024 | 5,036.3 | 2,707.6 | 2,328.6 |
| 2025 | 5,566 | 3,507.2 | 2,058.8 |
Connections between people
Production chains and services generate business and professional contacts. Trade integration does not replace residence or mobility records. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from Brazil living in Uruguay | ||
| Residents from Uruguay living in Brazil | ||
| Study and training: Brazil in Uruguay | ||
| Study and training: Uruguay in Brazil | ||
| Academic stays: Brazil in Uruguay | ||
| Academic stays: Uruguay in Brazil | ||
| Travel: Brazil to Uruguay | ||
| Travel: Uruguay to Brazil |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
A framework predating Mercosur
Economic complementarity agreement ACE 02 was signed in December 1982 and has been in force since October 1985. Mercosur, created in 1991, subsequently expanded regional integration. [1]
Cars and production chains
The automotive protocol in force since March 2016 establishes origin conditions and rules for vehicles and components. Trade preferences depend on meeting requirements, not simply shipping a product from the neighboring country. [1]
Services and productive cooperation
The agreement includes mechanisms to resolve legal and operational obstacles. The naval and offshore framework connects production and service chains, with a labor and business dimension distinct from free residence. [1]
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for Brazil is 2,279.9 billion USD (2025), compared with 85.3 for Uruguay (2025). The reference populations are 212.81 and 3.38 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of Brazil was 26.71 times that of Uruguay in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [5] [6] [7] [8]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
Free trade zones and yerba mate
The 2022 protocols regulated goods from free trade zones and yerba mate controls. Its dates and conditions show that integration is applied through specific instruments, not as a universal removal of all controls. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (Brazil and Uruguay) totalled 5,566 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 3,507.2 million; those in the opposite direction, 2,058.8 million. The difference between the two flows was 1,448.4 million, in favour of Brazil. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]
The partner's share of exports
Sales from Brazil to the partner represented 1.01% of its worldwide goods exports in 2025. The share compares the same reporter, year and coverage. It measures export concentration, not the percentage of GDP dependent on this relationship. A partner may be important in a specific sector even if its share of total goods trade is small. [2]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 3,933.5 million USD in 2021 and 5,566 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was +41.5 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2025, at 5,566 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [3]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, vehicles and components stands out in shipments from Brazil to Uruguay, at 605.6 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, vehicles and components stands out in shipments from Uruguay to Brazil, at 360.9 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [4]
Milestones and consequences
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral document BRA-URY
Government of Brazil · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 76; partners 0,36,124,620,380,710,170,604,858,68
UN Comtrade / BRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Trade series 2021–2025
UN Comtrade / BRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Selected HS2 chapters; reporter 76; annual 2025; same partner/flow/coverage as total
UN Comtrade / BRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; 2023–2025; country and period preserved; no military series
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; 2023–2025; country and period preserved; no military series
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade / BRA
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · Selected HS2 chapters; reporter 76; annual 2025; same partner/flow/coverage as total.