Which capital lies on the northeastern bank of the Río de la Plata?

Montevideo is the capital that lies on the northeastern bank of the Río de la Plata. The city sits on Uruguay’s southern coast, where the great estuary opens toward the South Atlantic. Across the water is Argentina, including the metropolitan area around Buenos Aires, a geographic relationship that often causes confusion in capital-city quizzes.

Montevideo was established during the colonial struggle between Spain and Portugal over the Río de la Plata region. A Portuguese garrison appeared at the site in 1723, but Spanish forces expelled it in 1724. The city’s foundation is traditionally dated to December 24, 1726, under Bruno Mauricio de Zabala. Its position gave Spain a strategically important port and helped secure the eastern side of the estuary.

Today, Montevideo is Uruguay’s largest city, chief port, political center, and cultural hub. Its long waterfront road, the Rambla, follows the Río de la Plata shoreline. The city also hosted every match of the first FIFA World Cup in 1930.