The 10 most popular countries in the world for travelers

Other Statistics - The 10 most popular countries in the world for travelers (Rounded off to the nearest million) Country Most tourist arrivals in 2005 1. France 77 million 2. Spain 52 million 3. United States 42 million 4. Italy 40 million 5. China 37 million 6. United Kingdom 24 million 7. Canada 20 million 8. Mexico 20 million 9. Austria 19 million 10. Germany 18 million Source: The Economist Pocket World in Figures, 2005. The most expensive countries in the world U.S = 100 (see source) 1. Japan (138) 2. Norway (123) 3. Denmark (116) 4. France (116) 5. Hong Kong (113) 6. Switzerland (109) 7. United Kingdom (109) 8. Iceland (106) 9. Austria (104) 10. Finland (103) 11. Netherlands (100) 12. Sweden (99) 13. Singapore (9) 14. South Korea (97) 15. Germany (95) 16. Ireland (94) 17. Australia (93) 18. Belgium (93) 19. Russia (92) 20. China (90) The best cities in the world to live 1. Geneva, Switzerland, 106.5 2. Zurich, Switzerland, 106.5 3. Vancouver, Canada, 106 4. Vienna, Austria, 106 5. Frankfurt, Germany, 105.5 6. Munich, Germany, 105.5 7. Dusseldorf, Germany, 105.5 8. Auckland, New Zealand, 105 9. Bern, Switzerland, 105 10. Copenhagen, Denmark, 105 11. Sydney, Australia, 105 Source: www.finfacts.com. Cities were ranked against New York as the base city, which has a rating of 100. Healthy living-where you'll live the longest 1. Andorra 83.5 2. Japan 81.6 3. Sweden 80.1 4. Hong Kong 79.9 5. Iceland 79.8 6. Cayman Islands 79.7 7. Canada 79.3 8. Spain 79.3 9. Australia 79.2 10. Israel 79.2 11. Martinique 79.1 12. Switzerland 79.1 13. France 79.0 14. Faroe Islands 78.9 15. Macau 78.9 16. Norway 78.9 17. Aruba 78.8 18. Belgium 78.8 19. Italy 78.7 20. Austria 78.5 Source: The Economist Pocket World in Figures, 2005 The Bottom 10 The lowest-scoring countries this year are: Laos, Pakistan, Djibouti, Afghanistan, Haiti, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, and Iraq. All, though, receive good scores in the Cost of Living category, making the point that a country can be cheap…but still not a place you'd want to live !

Nicaragua - Boomers Outside The Box

"It started about five years ago. After some 40 years building and operating the Landgrove Inn in Vermont, our thoughts turned to semi-retirement and change. We intended to sell our country inn business, and that prospect put us face-to-face with the big 'What Next?' question.

"I started reading and researching. Articles on Central and South America caught my attention. I wanted to see these places. I wanted to know them firsthand. It was as though I could hear a voice saying, 'Go south, old man.'

"Something you wrote, Kathleen, a few years ago, really got to me.

"'Live your dreams,' you said.

"I made a list of countries to explore. At the top was Nicaragua, partly because it was the shortest flight time for us (!), but also because, by all accounts, it was a very inexpensive place to live.

"I based myself in Granada, where I enrolled in a Spanish-language immersion program. I lived with a local Nica family and went to Spanish classes (where no English was allowed...exhausting but exhilarating!) each day for a week.

"Then I took off to see the rest of the country--remote villages, coastal towns, planned developments... With only three days remaining on this first visit, I felt a strong desire to return to Granada. Back in the city, I took the plunge. I began speaking with real estate agents.

"Walking around Granada with the agents, I realized all my senses were satisfied. I liked what I saw, what I smelled, what I heard, what I tasted, what I felt...

"I place a lot of value on the sixth sense, too--on intuition. And I liked what my gut told me about Granada. The place felt right, and I felt at home.

"Why continue looking and waste precious time? I asked myself.

"There was no reason I could come up with, so, the next day, just before leaving for home, I made an offer on a piece of land in town.

"Retirees in the States right now face a serious dilemma. It's impossible, really, for them to live on Social Security. And the cost of quality retirement living options has exploded. The current meltdown in U.S. housing costs doesn't change this fact. Most retirees can't afford a retirement home.

"I thought about all this walking around Granada during that first, life-changing trip. It seemed to me that I'd found an alternative...a viable, appealing option for Americans trying to figure out how in the world they're going to make it in retirement.

"Nicaragua seems to offer exactly what people like me are looking for--an affordable, quality lifestyle bundled with the chance to start over...to make a significant change in your life.

"Plus, in Nicaragua, you're not too far from the States, so you can get back and forth easily, and the medical care is both inexpensive and excellent (I speak from experience).

"I made my decision...and then I prepared myself for battle. I rehearsed responses to the incredulous stares and raised eyebrows I expected from my wife and family.

"But they disappointed me. Instead of, 'Are you out of your mind?' my plans were met with enthusiasm, excitement, and encouragement. The support I've enjoyed from family and friends has had a lot to do with my being able to follow through on the plan I hatched those first days in Granada.

"Three years ago, when I made my first trip to Nicaragua, the market was hot. Today, activity has slowed considerably. There was a pullback just after Ortega was elected, but the Señor Daniel fears are settling down. Meantime, economic and investment market worries are escalating in the States. Investors, especially American investors, are looking for options.

Boomers Outside The Box

"I don't have a solution to the problems facing Americans and others right now. It's too frustrating to contemplate. I do feel, though, I've found an alternative that works for me and that could work for many, many others, as well.

"You've got to think outside the box--the box being the United States. I realize this isn't a new idea, but it's truer and truer. Statistics show an increase in the numbers of Americans leaving the States and a big increase in the numbers considering the idea.

"It's tempting to continue living the way you've been living. It's easy. Certainly easier than making the kind of change I'm talking about. It can be very frightening to think about creating a whole new life for yourself in a foreign place.

"That fear can keep us from acting on chances for fun, for adventure, and for possible profit.

"All I can tell you now is that I'm thrilled with my decision. My adventure in Nicaragua has been one of the most satisfying experiences of my life."

Playing The Sandinista Factor

The story of little Nicaragua has been anything but dull these past 30 years. Political unrest, civil war, economic disaster...then a renaissance. The Sandinistas were pushed aside, and the free market was given a chance.

During these sunny days, the tourists came, followed by the speculators, the property investors, and the retirees. Speculation turned to frenzy, and beachfront property prices were pushed up and up and up and up, with seemingly no end in sight.

The end came when the Sandinistas returned in the person of Daniel Ortega, whom the good people of little Nicaragua re-elected as their president in 2005.

"Oh, no!" came the collective cry from travelers, investors, and would-be retirees the world over, who panicked at the news and retreated at once.

"What will Sandinista Danny do now that he’s back running the show?"

Three years later, we have an answer to that question:

Nothing much...at least nothing much that any foreign investor or retiree to worry about. Ortega continues to reassure the world that foreign investment in this country is safe. And he continues to support the rights of private property owners.

Meantime, the clock is ticking. Ortega can’t be re-elected when his term finishes in 2011.

Tourists are returning already. The first half of this year saw a 13% increase in visitors from the U.S. and Canada and 6.7% growth overall. In fact, Nicaragua saw more tourists during the first five months of 2008 than it did during the entirety of 2006, the year prior to Ortega’s re-taking office.

The tourists are ignoring the Sandinista factor...and you should, too.

When you put the country’s politics aside, what do you have?

You have a long coast along which the Pacific Ocean crashes just as dramatically and just as beautifully as it does across the border in Costa Rica, where pay four, five, six, as much as eight times for the privilege of owning a little piece of this glorious Pacific coast.

You have rolling, diverse countryside...and warm, welcoming people with a lot of heart. People intent on putting their troubled past behind them and getting on with the business of rebuilding their beautiful country.

You have a land of lakes, beaches, national parks, exotic islands, and charming colonial towns.

You have one of the world’s most pristine environments, featuring an enormous variety of flora and fauna.

You have a country that boasts tax incentives, a low cost of living, and a generally low crime rate.

And, right now, you have a moment of opportunity. While much of the world is maintaining its sidelines position on this market, you, dear reader, have the chance to position yourself.

Buy on the dips

This is your chance to buy on the dip, as they say. This market raced toward a top...then stalled. Today, two-plus years later, sellers are open to offers. Developers who, three years ago, wouldn’t have considered discounting or special offering are getting creative...and open-minded.

Right now is the time to move back into this market, whether you’re looking for a second home at the beach, a rental investment or a renovation project in one of the world’s most charming colonial cities, land for speculation, or a full-service, turn-key gated community where you could plan for the retirement you’ve been dreaming about your whole life.

As Jay Snyder assures you, you don’t have to give up on your retirement dreams. You just need to expand your horizon...to think outside the box.

Open-minded retirees with no interest in cutting back or making do at this important stage of their lives are finding that, in Nicaragua, you’ll never have to worry about outliving your nest eggs.

In Nicaragua, you can not only maintain the standard of living you enjoyed during your hard-working years, but you can improve it. You can enrich your life...find new ways to spend your days...discover...explore...grow...

Nicaragua Property Prices May Never Be This Low Again

Open-minded investors can get a really smokin’ deal on a piece of Pacific coastline...a stretch of sandy Caribbean beach...or a colonial architectural gem. You haven’t seen prices like these in this country in a decade.

And you may not ever see them again...

What To Do Now

The first step is to arm yourself with information from the scene...up-to-date, current, and complete intelligence from an insider who knows his way around.

Allow me to introduce Scott Taylor. Scott has been traveling, researching, scouting, and investing in property all over the world for the past four years. His has been an accelerated learning curve, for, during these past several years, Scott has focused his time and his attention on international real estate and nothing else.

As Scott explains, "Of all the places I’ve traveled, Nicaragua remains one of my favorites...and one of the reasons is because this country continues to hide some of the world’s best deals on beachfront property."

Scott not only talks the talk. He also walks the walk. He knows the Nicaragua real estate market from every angle...buying, selling, borrowing, purchasing, holding, structuring...and from personal experience.

And, recently, he took the time to record his experiences in a way that would make it not only possible, but easy and, critically, safe for other investors, expats, and adventurers to follow in his footsteps.

Scott wrote everything down. He created the definitive guide to "Living and Investing in Nicaragua."

As Scott explains, "I love everything about this country, and I believe you will, too. My objective in writing this report was to help you get the most out of your time in Nicaragua, whether you’re passing through, thinking about staying put, or looking to make a killing."

In "Living and Investing in Nicaragua," Scott tells you:

• Why now is absolutely, positively the best time ever to live and invest in this country. It would take years of your time and many thousands of your hard-earned dollars to round up all this information yourself...and, in truth, even with a big investment of time and money, you’d have your work cut out for you.
  
• Where to look for the hottest property deals.
  
• Step-by-step how to purchase real estate in this country, including Scott’s uno, dos, tres checklist.
  
• Find out when you should spend a little more during the purchase process...to save yourself dearly in the future.
  
• How to get an exclusive Investor’s Visa...and why you’d want one in the first place.
  
• One thing you must know to avoid the otherwise most difficult thing about moving to Nicaragua (page 93).
  
• Where to find the most inexpensive but impressive Spanish-colonial style homes...with vaulted ceilings, columns, hallway arches, and big, beautiful windows.
  
• How to speed up your purchase time, reduce your stress during the process, and make your final move...all in record time...following one important tip (page 71).
  
• How to choose the beachfront resort or private community that’s right for you.
  
• How to develop a resort of your own!
  
• How to refurbish for rental. Miss even one step in this process, and you risk losing it all...
  
• Where to grab timeless architectural treasures for less than US$20,000.
  
• The one person you need to make your investment experience a success. Without him, you’ll wish you’d never come to Paradise (and that’ll be ashame). See page 53.
  
• The most common problem foreign buyers encounter when investing in this country (this one might really surprise you).
  
• How to quality for little-known special monthly benefits just for buying property in this country. These benefits could save you thousands of dollars every year.
  
• The dirty little language secret that has bitten more foreign investors than any poisonous snake in the rain forest. Page 73 shows you how easy it is to avoid this common mistake.
  
• Three reasons why Nicaragua’s real estate market is hotter than ever.
  
• The key reason you need to act now or risk losing out on this opportunity to realize your dreams of living and investing in paradise.
  
• Creative options for financing.
  
• The markets with the biggest upside potential (page 124).
  
• How to secure government funding for your business adventures.

I’ve been in love with Nicaragua since I first visited more than a dozen years ago. I’ve started businesses in this country, invested in real estate here, made friends, and stored up wonderful memories...

I’ve had a grand time in Nicaragua these past dozen years.

My one regret? That I didn’t have a manual like Scott’s to set me straight from the start. All the time and money I could have saved...

Alas, I’ve made my way in Nicaragua on my own. But you don’t have to.

Scott knows this country as well as anyone I’ve ever met. Leverage his experience. Learn from his mistakes. Accelerate your learning curve.

Realize your dreams of "Living and Investing in Nicaragua" now.

P.S. In Scott’s own words, here’s what you don’t get in "Living and Investing in Nicaragua":

Vilcabamba Ecuador Living, Homes and Land

A NaturalNews PhotoTour by Mike Adams

---

I saved one of the best photos for last: This is a picture of my garden, with the morning light illuminating it from the East. How would you like to grow your food in this kind of environment?

I can tell you this: I've grown food in Wyoming, Arizona, Missouri and Oregon. In all those places, it was hard work. But here in Vilcabamba, it's EASY. Push a stick in the ground and it sprouts leaves. Give it a little time and water and you get fruit. Even complete idiot gardeners can have hugely successful gardens here (assuming you get the right soil, of course - always check the soil before buying land).

If you're a natural health advocate and a green living type of person, I invite you to consider living here. You'll find a remarkable community here, and a heaven-on-Earth type of natural environment that's simply unmatched anywhere else in the world.

The cost of living, Spring-like weather and abundant water and sunlight all make this a sustainable, free-living paradise where you'll be safe from the chaos of the United States and other first-world nations.

Not everything here is perfect, of course: There are a few mosquitos (not a lot, but some), the locals here move *very* slowly to get anything done, the government paperchase game is a bit of a nightmare, and you can't buy Dr. Bronner's soap anywhere. Don't expect to find a Whole Foods here... you have to GROW your whole foods!

But the downsides are more than made up for by the enormous advantages. And that's why more and more people are choosing Vilcabamba (the Valley of Longevity) in Ecuador as their home.

Come visit and see for yourself

The best way to figure out of Vilcabamba is right for you is to come visit and see it first-hand.

Tips for visitors: These tips are VERY important if you plan to visit Vilcabamba:

• Do NOT get in a taxi that's yellow with a horizontal blue stripe along the edge. These taxis belong to a company of suicidal drivers who seem to be on kamikazee missions. Opt for a white truck taxi instead of the yellow / blue taxis. (Trust me on this...)

• DO strap all your important stuff to your body. There's not much violent crime in Ecuador, but there are a lot of pickpockets. You can pretty much kiss goodbye to anything that's not physically strapped to your body (including your purse, cell phone, backpack, etc.) If you wear a backpack, wear it in FRONT.

• DO practice some Spanish before you get here. You'll need the basics. The very best course I've ever found is Pimsleur Spanish, levels 1, 2 and 3. If you get through just level one, you'll do fine here. (It's an audio course.) I studies 3 levels for a couple of months and I can get by here with everything I need: Taxis, buying things, asking for directions, making reservations, etc.

• DO bring long pants. Don't run around in shorts all the time, especially at night, or you'll get sandfly bites on your ankles. They're not harmful, but they itch like a bitch.

• DO bring your own toilet paper. Why? Because all the TP here is loaded with fragrance chemicals. Seriously. Load up your suitcase with TP. It's not even very heavy.

• DO bring lots of $1 and $5 bills. Locals don't accept $10 and $20 bills, and don't even think about bringing a fifty. Load up with $1 bills like a crack dealer and just bring those bills with you! Ecuador uses U.S. currency, so you don't need to exchange anything. Cool, huh?

• DO bring your own natural soap, shampoo and feminine hygeine products. You won't be able to find "natural" brands here.

Finally, let me add that I have no personal financial stake in the sales of properties in Ecuador. I have spent considerable time and effort creating this photo tour primarily for the purpose of informing NaturalNews readers about a tremendous opportunity to live a healthful, abundant life in a natural paradise with affordable costs of living.

Enjoy the adventure, and I hope to see you in Vilcabamba!

Ecuador - The Storm-Free Country

By: Larry Swenson

News headlines you may never see: TROPICAL STORM DEVISTATES ECUADOR COAST HURRICANE CAUSES WIDSPREAD DAMAGE AND FLOODING

When I contemplated the purchase of beachfront property in Ecuador, I did my homework and you should too!

My Google search for “tropical storm Ecuador” and “hurricane Ecuador” produced ZERO, NONE, NADA returns. On the other hand, try the same search with the U.S. Gulf Coast, ANYWHERE in the Gulf of Mexico, Baja Mexico, Pacific Coast of Mexico, Yucatan Peninsula, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and ANY island in the Caribbean. You will see pages of the current and past results for these types of storms.

Why are we inundated with advertisements for beautiful, warm climate, tropical places that offer property deals that are “Once in a life time” or “Buy now before the secret gets out”? Because they are deals! That is, until the next storm hits. Visualize your international dream home, your investment, shredded to pieces, flooded or both.

If you are living in the U.S., any of these areas may be a bit closer to home than Ecuador. A quick flight to Baja, Dominica or Belize sounds good. But that should not be a deciding factor. If a few added hours to a travel schedule can practically insure a safe and secure investment, now that is a deciding factor! Look at the facts and be historically certain the probability of damage or destruction by storm is extremely low.

When I explored Ecuador as South America’s oldest democracy, it’s amenities, infrastructure, currency, health services, low cost of living, inexpensive and efficient transportation, friendly, welcoming people, geographical abundance, etc., it was not difficult to make a decision.

Don’t be wooed into your next investment venture by fancy ads and glossy pictures. When the major factors are added up you will see that Ecuador’s coast may provide everything that is right for your international venture.

Larry Swenson lives in Bend, Oregon U.S.A., and frequently visits Ecuador. He began investing in Ecuador several years ago and may be contacted by email or through his website: http://www.Ecuadorbeachfront.com

Where to Retire Overseas

Here's how to retire overseas:
By: Kathleen Peddicord

Step #1: Know Yourself

There are a dozen good reasons, at least, to think about living or retiring overseas. Your challenge is to make sure you're moving for your reasons. Be honest with yourself...and with your significant other. What's most important? Cost of living? The weather? Accessibility to your home country so you can visit your grandkids on holidays? A reliable Internet connection so you can manage your stock portfolio? Health care (if you have an ongoing health concern)? The local school system (if you're moving with children)? The language (are you willing to learn a new one?).

What are you looking for? And, critically, what are you willing to give up and to live without?

Here are 12 factors to take into account as you work through the process of shopping for a new country to call home. I list these things in no particular order and leave it to you to prioritize according to your preferences and interests:

• Cost of Living
• Cost of Real Estate
• Health Care
• Infrastructure
• Accessibility To Your Home Country
• Language
• Taxes
• Safety
• Special Benefits (or lack thereof) For Foreign Residents
• Education And Schools (if you're moving with children)
• Climate
• Culture, Recreation, And Entertainment

Step #2: Take Out A Map

Once you've taken inventory of your priorities and agendas, you're ready to consider the geographic possibilities.

There are about 200 countries in the world. Some are cheap...many are beautiful...some have sandy coastlines...others boast interesting histories...

But not all of them are places you'd want to live. Here, then, are 20 countries worth considering right now:

Argentina
Belize
China
Croatia
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
France
Guatemala
Honduras
India
Italy
Laos
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Malaysia
Mexico
Panama
Philippines
Thailand
Uruguay

The trick is to connect the dots.

Good health care...affordable cost of living...lots of sunshine...favorable tax legislation for foreign residents...leads you...where?

I can't consider all 20 of the countries on our shortlist of The World's Top Retirement Havens in detail here (we'll do that for you over time...keep reading). However, I can offer some Cliff Notes, to help prompt your thinking.

For example:

*** World's Cheapest Retirement Havens

India is by far the cheapest place in the world to think about retiring right now. Intrepid Correspondent Paul Terhorst reports that a couple could live in this country for as little as US$735 per month, including rent. (We recommend against buying a home in this country, at least for now, because of political and legal problems related to getting and keeping clean title).

However, we realize that India is not everyone's idea of an ideal retirement haven.
Our second choice for the world's cheapest place to retire right now? Ecuador. You could live in this beautiful, safe country on as little a $660 per month if you own your own home or on as little as US$1,240 if you rent.

Next most affordable is Thailand, where you could retire on a budget of as little as US$765 per month if you invest in a condo or apartment...or on a budget of US$1,055 per month if you rent.

Also temptingly affordable right now (as well as beautiful and, yes, safe) is Nicaragua. Live well in the second-oldest city in the Americas, Leon, a beautiful, historic city within 20 minutes of the beach, on as little as US$954 per month if you invest in one of the city's grand old colonial haciendas for yourself...or on as little as US$1,300 per month if you rent.

Another highly affordable option is Uruguay, where you could live comfortably on US$1,038 per month if you purchase a home, on US$1,555 if you choose instead to rent one.

Plus: France. Yes, France. Not Paris...and not Provence. But in the southwest of the country, north of Spain. This region serves up the best of French country life...and is far more affordable a place to live than you might ever imagine. Contributing Editor Lucy Culpepper details the cost of living in Languedoc in the current issue of the Overseas Retirement Letter.

*** Luxury Living on a Budget

You aren't going to live a "luxury" lifestyle in Belize, no matter how much money you have. Even in Belize City, there's no fine dining, no great shopping, no haute-couture.
In other words, luxe living has as much to do with opportunity as it does with income. Where could you enjoy the good things in life on a budget of, say, US$2,500 to US$3,000 per month?

Buenos Aires, Argentina
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Panama City, Panama
Paris, France

I'll qualify my Paris pick a little. First, I'm assuming you're not paying rent (or a mortgage). That is, you own an apartment. In that case, take my word for it: Living in Paris is as luxe as it gets...and can be far more affordable than you might ever imagine. A couple could have a hard time spending US$3,000 per month in this city (again, assuming no rent). Many of Paris' finest offerings come gratis, or nearly so, and transportation, too, is almost free (1.10 euro to get from one end of the city to the other on the Metro).

Telephone, cable, and Internet are a bargain. And, outside the tourist zones, everyday things (haircuts, groceries) can be very affordable.

*** Kid-friendly

If you're moving with children, you're looking at city, probably capital city living. That's where you'll find the international schools you need. Right now, consider:

Montevideo, Uruguay
Paris, France
Panama City, Panama
Wellington, New Zealand

*** Entrepreneurs Welcome

Don't move to France to start a business. Instead, consider:

Argentina
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Panama
Thailand

*** Best Health Care

If health care is an important consideration for you, you'll want to choose a big city, probably a capital city. Consider:

Paris, France (the World Health Organization says France has the best health care in the world...and I'd agree)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Managua, Nicaragua
Panama City, Panama

*** Eternal Spring

Don't like it too hot...or too cold? Here are three places where the weather is just right, all year-round:

Mountains of Costa Rica
Ecuador
Mountains of Panama

*** They Speak English

Don't want to learn a new language? Consider:

Belize
New Zealand
Roatan, Honduras

*** You're Connected

Don't want to go without high-speed Internet? Your best bets are:

Paris, France
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Panama City, Panama

*** Part-time Paradise

Don't want to leave the kids, the grandkids, or your old life behind entirely? Think about seasonal living in:

Argentina
Costa Rica
Mexico
Panama
New Zealand
Uruguay

*** Quick Escape

Want to know you could return anytime to the States or Canada, quick and easy? Choose:

Belize
Costa Rica
Mexico (you could even drive back and forth)
Nicaragua
Panama

*** Super Tax-friendly

Keen to mitigate your tax burden by moving abroad? Choose a country that taxes you only on the money you earn or remit locally:

Belize
Malaysia
Panama
Uruguay

Tomorrow: Steps #3 through #12...

You can reach Kathleen Peddicord at editorial@liveandinvestoverseas.com

URUGUAY

Uruguay - One of the Best Places to Retire For Affordable Retirement Living and Gambling

By Stephanie Hofstetler

Experiencing an economic slump, the Oriental Republic of Uruguay has turned to the foreign pensioners to help bring it out of an economic doldrums. Many who have moved to Uruguay have discovered it is one of the best places to retire - this article will tell you a little bit more about Uruguay.

The 68,037 sq mi land area, which largely relies on its agriculture production to keep its economy running, is searching for other options on how it would improve its gross domestic product (GDP).

It intends to embark on an aggressive marketing campaign to attract more foreign retirees or pensioners who are in search of a second home. Oftentimes, these expatriates prefer spending their twilight years in a tropical country, where the sun is out several hours in a day.

But there are a lot of countries in South America that have also declared its intention of being a retirement home for foreign retirees. Uruguay believes that it could stand up to the challenge and take a slice of the market as a retirement haven.

The 68,037 sq mi "heart shaped" country fought off its former invaders such as the Spanish, Portuguese and Brazilians but sheer tenacity and determination to gain independence drove 33 exiled Uruguayans to lead an insurrection. This same level of determination, plus the attraction of the city and strong tourism market propaganda, would attract the tourists and retired pensioners alike to visit and live, respectively, in the country.

What will happen next is inevitable-an economic recovery.

It would be practical for foreigners to live off their retirement years in Uruguay where they would be maximizing the value of their hard-earned money.

Quiet and quality time, whether on your own or with a loved one, would be strolling the beach Punta del Este. In the evenings, you could eat in one of the fine dining restaurants before you play a game of chance, or as others put it luck, in casinos.

While the peace and order situation in the country would need improvement, it is not bad as some other countries. Tell me what country can claim complete nirvana? None right. Every country is a work in progress at one point or another.

In this predominantly Roman Catholic country, petty crimes are recorded in its capital city of Montevideo such as pick pocketing, purse snatching, confrontational robberies and thefts from unsecured vehicles. But these crimes usually do not involve violence.

The Uruguayan law enforcement authorities have also increased the number of uniformed foot patrol policemen in an effort to improve their visibility. They particularly roam the streets noted for their notoriety or where criminal activity is concentrated. A number of patrol cars can also be seen around residential communities. No country is completely safe from crime.

Uruguay has many reasons that make it a best place to retire, learn more about retiring to Uruguay Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephanie_Hofstetler

The Adventurer's Guide To Early Retirement