The capital and largest city of Uruguay, Montevideo lies at the mouth of the Río de la Plata, which is one of South America's largest rivers. Montevideo is the country's main port and commercial center.

Places of interest

Historic sites in Montevideo include the buildings of Uruguay's national government, the Solís Theater, which opened in 1856, and the Comedy House, a theater that opened in 1795. There are national museums of history, fine arts, and science, as well as the National Library of Uruguay, which opened in 1816. The University of the Republic was begun in Montevideo in 1849, and a technical college opened in 1878.

The nearby beach resort town of Punta del Este is popular among Uruguayans and visitors from other countries. Punta del Este is also the site of major international conferences.

Economy

Montevideo is the country's main ocean port. Through it Uruguay sends huge amounts of cargo to North America and Europe. The most important exports are frozen meat, wool, and leather. Meat-packing has been a major industry in the city for decades. Other products include wine, milk, cheese, refined petroleum (gasoline, kerosene, and oil), and cement. Service industries such as banking, education, and tourism are also important.

History

The city was begun in 1726 by the Spanish governor of Buenos Aires, which is now the capital of neighboring Argentina. The governor wanted to stop Portuguese soldiers and colonists from moving into Spain's territories from the east. He believed that the best way to stop them was to build a fortified city on the northern shore of the Río de la Plata.

Montevideo slowly grew as it began to trade directly with Europe, and more Europeans decided to live there. However, the city changed hands several times. It was controlled by British, Spanish, Portuguese, Brazilian, and Argentine troops between 1807 and 1830, when the country gained its independence.

In the late 1800s freezers and refrigerators were invented that changed the way meat was exported. In Montevideo, and in nearby Buenos Aires, large meat-packing factories were built near the places where cattle were slaughtered. Huge amounts of frozen meat could then be sent out, on special cargo ships, to Europe and other markets. The practice continues to this day. Population (1996 census), 1,303,182.