That dollar amount results from a 63.3% acceleration from $7.67 billion 5 years earlier in 2020.
Year over year, the value of Uruguay’s imported products flatlined via a 0.3% gain compared to $12.5 billion starting from 2023.
The top 5 most valuable products imported into Uruguay during 2024 were crude oil, cars, processed petroleum oils, trucks then automobile parts or accessories. Added together, that subgroup of major Uruguayan imports accounted for nearly one-quarter (23.9%) of the Latin American nation’s overall import purchases.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2024 on a Purchasing Power Parity basis, the Uruguayan peso dropped by -4.2% against the US dollar since 2020 but appreciated by 3.3% from 2023 to 2024. Uruguay’s weaker local currency compared to 2020 makes Uruguayan imports paid for in its weaker local currency since 2020 relatively more expensive for Uruguayan buyers.
Top International Suppliers for Uruguayan Imports
The latest available country-specific data shows that 79.3% of products imported into Uruguay was sold by exporters in: mainland China (22.1% of the Uruguayan total), Brazil (21.2%), Argentina (12.9%), United States of America (6.4%), Nigeria (3.6%), Germany (2.4%), Spain (2.2%), India (1.84%), Mexico (1.81%), France (1.74%), Italy (1.7%) and Paraguay (1.3%).
From a continental perspective, approaching four-fifths (37.8%) of Uruguay’s total imports by value in 2024 was purchased from fellow Latin American countries excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.
Trade partners located in Asia supplied 33.7% of import buys by Uruguayan importers. Another 14.8% worth of goods originated from sellers in Europe and 8.5% from those in North America.
Smaller percentages came from exporters in Africa (5%) and Oceania (0.2%) mostly New Zealand and Australia.
Given Uruguay’s population of 3.51 million people, its total US$12.52 billion in 2024 imports translates to roughly $3,575 in yearly product demand from every person in the South American nation. That dollar metric exceeds the average $3,500 per person one year earlier during 2023.
Uruguay’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Uruguay’s import purchases during 2024. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Uruguay.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$1.83 billion (14.6% of total imports)
- Vehicles: $1.81 billion (14.4%)
- Machinery including computers: $1.2 billion (9.8%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $910.7 million (7.3%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $602.2 million (4.8%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $426.4 million (3.4%)
- Fertilizers: $368.7 million (2.9%)
- Other chemical goods: $353.8 million (2.8%)
- Meat: $334.8 million (2.7%)
- Furniture, bedding, lighting , signs, prefab buildings: $265.1 million (2.1%)
Uruguay’s top 10 imports accounted for 64.9% of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
By spending, the fastest-growing imports into Uruguay were vehicles (up 13.1% from 2023), furniture, bedding, lighting, signs and prefabricated buildings (also up 13.1%) then pharmaceuticals (up 12.1%).
Uruguay’s lone decrease among the listed top product groups was for imported mineral fuels including oil recording a -10.9% decline.
Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Information presented under the sections below is at the more granular 4-digit level.
Uruguay’s Most Valuable Imported Fuel Products
In 2024, Uruguayan importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.
- Crude oil: US$918.7 million (up 6.4% from 2023)
- Processed petroleum oils: $626.9 million (down -18.8%)
- Petroleum gases: $124 million (up 14.1%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $99.1 million (down -2.4%)
- Natural bitumen, asphalt, shale: $53.2 million (down -11.6%)
- Peat: $2.3 million (up 1.8%)
- Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $2 million (up 60.4%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $1.4 million (up 27.2%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $1.2 million (down -8.2%)
- Electrical energy: $1.1 million (down -99.2%)
Among these import subcategories, Uruguayan purchases of asphalt or petroleum bitumen mixes (up 60.4%), high-temperature distilled coal tar oils (up 27.2%) then petroleum gases (up 14.1%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of mineral fuels-related imports among Uruguayan businesses and consumers.
Uruguay’s Most Valuable Imported Vehicles
In 2024, Uruguayan importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles including non-motorized products.
- Cars: US$629.2 million (up 16% from 2023)
- Trucks: $432.5 million (up 3.6%)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $389.9 million (up 33.7%)
- Tractors: $129.4 million (down -16.6%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $92.4 million (up 94.8%)
- Motorcycles: $47.6 million (up 15.4%)
- Trailers: $35.3 million (down -16.1%)
- Automobile bodies: $16.9 million (down -26.9%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $13.4 million (down -23.4%)
- Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $9.8 million (down -1.1%)
Among these import subcategories, Uruguayan purchases of public-transport vehicles (up 94.8%), automobile parts or accessories (up 33.7%) then cars (up 16%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported road vehicles including non-motorized products among Uruguayan businesses and consumers.
Uruguay’s Most Valuable Imported Machinery
In 2024, Uruguayan importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.
- Computers, optical readers: US$136.2 million (down -16.6% from 2023)
- Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $88.1 million (down -5.3%)
- Refrigerators, freezers: $77.2 million (up 1.1%)
- Harvest/threshing machinery: $69.4 million (down -2.3%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $51.6 million (up 2.8%)
- Air conditioners: $51.3 million (down -5.4%)
- Temperature-change machines: $47.3 million (up 52.6%)
- Agricultural machinery: $46 million (up 4.5%)
- Spray/dispersing mechanical appliances: $43.8 million (up 3.2%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $40 million (up 2%)
Among these import subcategories, Uruguayan purchases of temperature-change machines (up 52.6%), agricultural machinery (up 4.5%) then spraying and dispersing mechanical appliances (up 3.2%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of machinery-related imports (including computers) among Uruguayan businesses and consumers.
Uruguay’s Most Valuable Imported Electronics
In 2024, Uruguayan importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronics and electricity-related products.
- Phone devices including smartphones: US$334.8 million (down -1.7% from 2023)
- Electrical converters/power units: $79 million (up 27.2%)
- TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $65.3 million (up 8%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $48.4 million (down -3.7%)
- Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $47.4 million (up 20.2%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $39 million (down -5.5%)
- Electric storage batteries: $33.5 million (up 11%)
- Microphones/headphones/amps: $26.6 million (up 19.1%)
- Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $26.1 million (up 33.4%)
- TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras: $17.2 million (down -14.6%)
Among these import subcategories, Uruguayan purchases of electrical or optical circuit boards and panels (up 33.4%), electrical converters or power units (up 27.2%) then electric water heaters and hair dryers (up 20.2%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of electronics-related imports among Uruguayan businesses and consumers.
See also Uruguay’s Top 10 Exports, Uruguay’s Top Trading Partners, Brazil’s Top 25 Trading Partners, Argentina’s Top Trading Partners and Mexico’s Top Trading Partners
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook: Country Profiles. Accessed on December 25, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on December 25, 2025
Richest Country Reports, Key Statistics Powering Global Wealth. Accessed on December 25, 2025
Wikipedia, Uruguay. Accessed on December 25, 2025