  We study the properties of the lower bound on the exchange-correlation energy
in two dimensions. First we review the derivation of the bound and show how it
can be written in a simple density-functional form. This form allows an
explicit determination of the prefactor of the bound and testing its tightness.
Next we focus on finite two-dimensional systems and examine how their distance
from the bound depends on the system geometry. The results for the high-density
limit suggest that a finite system that comes as close as possible to the
ultimate bound on the exchange-correlation energy has circular geometry and a
weak confining potential with a negative curvature.
