Montevideo is the capital of South America with the highest quality of life; it is also one of the 30 safest cities in the world. The city of more than 1.3 million inhabitants (almost 2 million for the metropolitan area) combines modernity and tradition, and is home to half of the country's population. Montevideo's quality of life is due, in particular, to its geographical location - it is bordered by the Río de la Plata - its beaches (Pocitos, Buceo, Malvín, Playa de los Ingleses, Playa Verde, Punta Gorda and Carrasco.) and its sunshine, low pollution and a quality cultural policy. The city has a superb harbour, one of the most beautiful on the subcontinent. Walk along the Rambla like the locals; this waterfront promenade is one of the city's main attractions. In 2001, the Argentinean crisis had a very negative impact on the country's economy and hit the Uruguayan capital hard: new poor neighbourhoods appeared on the outskirts. This led to the emergence of carts pulled by starving horses to collect all recyclable materials, in order to make a few centavos. In recent years, things seem to have returned to normal, even if poverty persists in some neighbourhoods. Montevideo is a safe city, despite the fact that delinquency is increasing day by day according to the population. It is highly recommended to discover the historic Ciudad Vieja district, as well as the modern districts. Since 2010, the economic revival and the strengthening of trade with neighbouring countries - Argentina and Brazil - are a guarantee of greater prosperity. The city depends above all on tourism, as it contains a large number of museums, historic buildings and offers a very dynamic cultural life. In 2013, Montevideo was named for the second time Capital of Ibero-American Culture by the Union of Latin American Capitals (UCCI - Unión de Ciudades Capitales Iberoamericanas).
