52 SELLING LATIN AMERICA
geographical position, salubrious climate and
vast areas of tillable land will attract more and
more desirable settlers to its boundary. Im
migration is encouraged along the most mod
ern and progressive lines.
Uruguay is fortunate in having many nav
igable rivers, the chief of which are the Rio
de la Plate and the Uruguay, giving a total of
over 700 miles of water deep enough for ocean
going vessels. One river alone—the Uruguay
—has ten ports open for interoceanic trade,
the cities on this river being Carmelo, Neuva
Palmira, Soriano, Fray Bentos, Neuva Berlin,
Casa Blanca, Pysandu, Neuva Pysandu,
Salto and Santa Rosa. Mercedes is a large
city, on the Rio Negro, and is used as a port
of call for ocean-going vessels. There is also
Lake Merim on the borders of Brazil on
which run small launches.
Uruguay has comparatively few railroad
systems and only 1600 miles of railways.
There are many projects for railway develop
ment however and the completion of the