Fray Bentos facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fray Bentos
Capital city
Glorieta kiosco - Pergola Plaza Pueblo
Fray Bentos Location in Uruguay
Country	Uruguay
Department	Río Negro Department
Founded	1859
Elevation	23 m (75 ft)
Population  (2011 Census)
• Total	24,406
• Demonym	fraybentino
Time zone	UTC–3
Postal code	65000
Dial plan	+598 456 (+5 digits)
Climate	Cfa
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Fray Bentos Industrial Landscape
Criteria	Cultural: (ii), (iv)
Inscription	2015 (39th Session)
Area	273.8 ha (677 acres)
Buffer zone	2,127.7 ha (5,258 acres)
Website	https://www.rionegro.gub.uy

Fray Bentos is an important city in south-western Uruguay. It is the capital of the Río Negro Department. The city is located right on the border with Argentina, close to the Argentine city of Gualeguaychú.

Fray Bentos has a busy port on the Uruguay River, which is one of the most important ports in the country. It is also home to the first campus of the Technological University. The city is famous for its historic industrial complex called Anglo, which is now a World Heritage Site.

Close to Fray Bentos, there is one of the biggest pulp mills in the world. This factory was at the center of a big disagreement between Uruguay and Argentina in the 21st century.

Where is Fray Bentos?

Fray Bentos is located near the border with Argentina. It is about 160 kilometres (99 mi) north of Buenos Aires, a major city in Argentina. Uruguay's capital city, Montevideo, is about 309 kilometres (192 mi) to the north-west of Fray Bentos.

A Look at Fray Bentos' History

The town of Fray Bentos was first called 'Villa Independencia'. It was officially founded on April 16, 1859. Later, on July 7, 1860, it became the capital of the Río Negro Department. On July 16, 1900, it was given the higher status of a "City." Its current name, Fray Bentos, means "Friar Benedict" and comes from a priest who lived a quiet life there.

For many years, the main industry in Fray Bentos was processing meat. A large meat processing plant, the Liebig Extract of Meat Company (LEMCO), started operating in 1863. This factory worked for 117 years before closing in 1979. Today, you can visit a local history museum that opened on the site in March 2005.

On July 5, 2015, the area around the old industrial plant, known as Barrio Anglo, was named a World Heritage Site. It is now called the "Fray Bentos Cultural-Industrial Landscape" because of its historical importance.

How Many People Live Here?

In 2011, Fray Bentos had a population of 24,406 people. The table below shows how the population has grown over the years.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay

What is the Economy Like?

An old meatpacking plant in Fray Bentos

The city's economy has a long history with meat processing. In 1899, a company called "Frigorífico Anglo del Uruguay" (also known as "Anglo") started making corned beef here. This corned beef was sold in the UK under the "Fray Bentos Corned Beef" brand.

Over time, the company expanded its products to include soups, meatballs, and tinned fruit. Today, the "Fray Bentos" food brand is owned by Baxters in the UK, and they make pies and puddings in Scotland. The Campbell Soup Company also makes and sells Fray Bentos-branded pies in Australia.

In 2008, a Brazilian company, Marfrig Group, announced that it would reopen one of the old factories. This meant that meat products would once again be exported from Fray Bentos, though in smaller amounts than before.

The Pulp Mill Discussion

A large factory that makes cellulose (a material used for paper) was built in Fray Bentos. This factory, owned by Botnia S.A., started making bleached eucalyptus pulp in 2007. It was a very big project, costing about 1 billion US dollars.

However, some groups were worried about how this factory might affect the Uruguay River. This river runs between Uruguay and Argentina. People in Argentina were concerned about pollution. On April 30, 2005, about 40,000 protesters from Argentina, along with environmental groups from both countries, gathered at the bridge connecting the two nations.

Later, some Argentines blocked the international bridge to ask the Uruguayan government to stop the factory. They believed it would seriously pollute the river. A study by the World Bank in December 2005 found that the factory would likely not harm the environment or tourism in either country. The paper mill began operating in November 2007.

Getting Around Fray Bentos

Fray Bentos has its own airport, Villa Independencia Airport. However, it does not have regular flights for passengers.

Museums and Culture

Fray Bentos is home to an interesting museum called the Industrial Revolution Museum. It is located in the old Liebig Extract of Meat Company factory. This factory employed thousands of people. When it closed, it became a museum. You can see the original machines used for processing meat, old buildings, and other items from the time of the industrial revolution in Fray Bentos. The museum shows how meat was processed, how food was canned, and even has an old laboratory.

The city also has a museum dedicated to the artist Luis Alberto Solari, who was born in Fray Bentos.

The Miguel Young Theatre is another important cultural place in the city.

Sports in Fray Bentos

Fray Bentos has its own football (soccer) league, called the Liga Departamental de Fútbol de Río Negro. This league was started in 1912 and has 14 teams. Some of the well-known teams include Fray Bentos Fútbol Club, Club Atlético Anglo, and Laureles Fútbol Club.

Famous People from Fray Bentos

Many notable people have come from Fray Bentos, including:

• José Pedro Barrán (1934–2009), a historian
• Carlos Demasi (born 1949), a historian
• Federico Elduayen (born 1977), a footballer
• Carlos Fischer (1903–1969), a politician
• Walter Pelletti (born 1966), a former footballer
• Gastón Ramírez (born 1990), a footballer
• Luis Alberto Solari (1918–1993), a painter and engraver
• Juan Manuel Tenuta (1924–2013), an actor
• Juan José Timón (1937–2001), a cyclist
• Lucas Torreira (born 1996), a footballer

Sister Cities

Fray Bentos has one sister city:

• General Artigas, Paraguay

See also

In Spanish: Fray Bentos para niños