Uruguay is one of the 20 best countries in the world to live in 2010, according to an international ranking of quality of life developed by the U.S. magazine International Living.

According to the publication, Uruguay has a perfect score in "Security" and "freedom" of people. These and other items were evaluated by the magazine, which based on the results placed Uruguay as the best Latin American country to live and 19^th in the worldwide ranks. At the top is France and Australia in second place. Switzerland ranks third.

Each January, anticipating the rest of the year, the magazine ranks 194 countries in the world and makes a list of places offering the best quality of life. "It is not necessarily about more quality. These are places in the world where life is simply just great" says the publication in the presentation of the annual ranking.

To draw up this index nine categories are taken into account: cost of living, culture and leisure, economy, environment, freedom, health, infrastructure, safety and risk, and climate.

To evaluate each of these items numerous "official" sources are consulted. These include the various government sites and the World Health Organization (WHO). The indicators from The Economist magazine are also taken into account, as well as the views of the magazine’s correspondents worldwide.

Uruguay. Despite dropping three positions from the 2009 ranking, Uruguay managed to position itself as the best Latin American country to live in and break into the top 20 in the world. Brazil ranks 38, Argentina 26 and Chile 31.

In a score ranging from 1 to 100, the highest rating of Uruguay is on the "security and risk" (100 points) and "freedom" (100) indicators. In "weather" it scored 93 points, in "leisure and culture" and "environment" 72 points, in "healthcare" 76 points, "infrastructure" 64 points and "cost of living" 60 points. The lowest score was "economy" with 52 points.

FRANCE. For the fifth consecutive year, France was chosen as the best country in the annual quality of life index of International Living. "Its heavy bureaucracy and high taxes are outweighed by an unsurpassable quality of life, including the best health care in the world", the publication argues.

"The Romantic Paris offers the best of everything" it says, but adds that the services continue beyond the "City of Lights".

"In the Alsatian wine villages, in wild and lovely Corsica or in the lavender-scented Provence" sums up the magazine.