RIO NEGRO

About Rio Negro

This province has 9367km2. It is a fertile land and its origin dates back to the year 1881.

"Villa Independencia" today "Fray Bentos" was the destination of stagecoaches and ships, which crossed to Entre Rios, of, went down to Montevideo or even to Europe carrying the famous Liebeg meat extract.

The coast of the river Uruguay is rich in beaches, islands and fishing areas. In the year 1913 a Russian colony established in "San Javier" and another group of Germans in villa "Nuevo Berlin".

In the year 1924, liebeg becomes "frigorifico Anglo del Uruguay" and is famous all over the world until 1979 when it closed down.The Anglo built a pier and a small town for its workers.

The historic town and part of the building of the meatpacking factory are now a cultural tourist attraction.

Fray Bentos ows its name to a hermit friar who is said to have lived in that city in the XVIII century. It is a peaceful city, with wide streets and sidewalks with old Italian style houses an attractive river walk, and a large park called Parque Roosevelt.

The resort "Las Canas" is 8 kms away from the city. Its white sands surrounded by a thick wild forest are an ideal place for camping.

The city harbor grew between the 40's and the 60's due to the new warehouses and machinery, which allow the loading and unloading of cereals.

Due to its geographical position this port has been chosen to export the soybean and cotton production to Paraguay. It is also an ideal port for the exportation of timber.

In 1976,the construction of the international bridge "General San Martin" which joins Gray Bentos and Puerto Unzue, increased commerce and tourism.

Young is an agricultural city. It began as a railway station, and then it grew with the dairy farm, the citrus packing factory, and the cultivation of cereals.

There are 51.600 inhabitants (1996 census) in Rio Negro, most of them living near Young or in the north of the province.

Its rich soil, its beauty and its geographical location give Rio Negro an outstanding position in this territory.