What is the southernmost capital city in South America?

The southernmost national capital city in South America is Montevideo, Uruguay. It stands at about 35 degrees south latitude on the Río de la Plata, farther south than Buenos Aires, Santiago, Lima and the other capitals of sovereign South American states.

Montevideo's location reflects Uruguay's position in the continent's southeastern corner. The city faces the wide Río de la Plata and opens toward the South Atlantic, giving it a maritime climate and a long waterfront known as the Rambla. Its southern latitude also places it well outside the tropics.

The distinction “national capital” matters. South America contains many cities that serve as regional or provincial capitals, including cities farther south in Argentina and Chile. In standard geography trivia, however, the comparison is between the capitals of independent countries, making Montevideo the accepted answer.

Montevideo was founded in 1726 as a Spanish settlement and later became the capital of independent Uruguay. It is also commonly described as the southernmost national capital in the Americas, although Canberra and Wellington lie farther south globally.