city, western Uruguay. Founded in 1859, Fray Bentos became important when the first large-scale meat-packing plant in Uruguay was established there in 1861. The industry grew rapidly and, with the expansion of refrigeration and cold-storage facilities, Fray Bentos developed a significant share of the nation's meat-packing trade, exporting the produce of its stock-raising hinterland. The city has a television station. Its modern port is the deepest on the Uruguayan side of the Uruguay River. The Puerto Unzué bridge, built in 1969 by a United States firm, and an Argentine-Uruguayan company, has facilitated trade between Uruguay and Argentina. Fray Bentos has rail, road, and air connections with Montevideo, the national capital. Pop. (2004) 23,122.