Uruguay has Montevideo as its capital on the northern shore of the Río de la Plata. The city is Uruguay’s largest urban centre, main port, and political and cultural hub.
Montevideo was founded by the Spanish in the early eighteenth century during a period of rivalry with Portugal and Brazil over control of the River Plate region. Its historic Ciudad Vieja preserves colonial-era buildings, plazas, and remnants of the old defensive walls.
The Río de la Plata is a broad estuary formed by the meeting of the Paraná and Uruguay rivers. It separates Uruguay from Argentina, with Buenos Aires on its southern, Argentine shore.
Montevideo is known for its rambla, a long waterfront avenue, as well as candombe drumming, mate culture, football, and a strong tradition of public beaches. The city hosted matches during the first FIFA World Cup in 1930.