Punta del Este (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpunta ðel ˈeste]) is a city and resort on the Atlantic Coast in the Maldonado Department of southeastern Uruguay. Although the city has a year-round population of about 9,280, the summer tourist boom adds to this a very large number of non-residents. Punta del Este is also the name of the municipality to which the city belongs. It includes Punta del Este proper and Península areas.
The city is referred to as "the Monaco of the South", "The Pearl of the Atlantic", "the Hamptons of South America", and "the St. Tropez of South America", being also compared to Miami and Cannes.Punta del Este is well known for organizing the summit in which the WTO was created. The Formula E has hosted several races, broadcast worldwide, in the city, based on its "absolutely landmark cityscape". In 2017, the China-Latin America Forum took place in the Punta del Este Convention Center.Music and cinema festivals, whale sightseeing, international education, real estate, and haute cuisine are among the main attractions of the increasingly globalized city, with sights in the area including the La Mano giant sculpture, the Santorini-styled complex Casapueblo, the chic neighborhood of La Barra, the iconic Puente Garzón, Gorriti Island, Arboretum Lussich, and the Museum of the Sea. The Punta del Este World Trade Center complex is now under construction.