Physical Characteristics
Uruguay is roughly a right-angled triangle in shape, its apex at the northwest, the western boundary line nearly perpendicular, the south side almost at right angles with it, and the Brazilian boundary the hypothenuse; with a little extra piece at the southeast bordering on the Atlantic. For the most part a gently rolling country well suited to agriculture as for cattle raising, it slopes towards the east, west, and south; having rougher and higher land at the north, where the greatest elevation is a little above 2000 feet. A central cross depression is the Valley of the Rio Negro. The perimeter of Uruguay measures 1148 miles, of which 668 are on the ocean or large rivers. The country is well supplied with rivers, some of which are navigable. Besides the Plata and Uruguay, there are the Negro, Tacuará, Cebollati, Climar, and the Yaguarón; also Lake Mirím. Besides Mirím on the Brazilian border there are a few lakes along the ocean front; a few islands lie off the coast. The country differs from the Argentine campo in having plenty of stone.