116 THE WORLD'S MEAT FIT I RE 



PARAGUAY. 



The Republic of Paraguay is situated in the centre of the 

 South American continent, between latitude 17.15 deg. and 

 27.31 deg. S., and longitude 51. 5 deg. E. and 62.30 deg. W. 

 The country has no seaboard, being bounded on the north by 

 Bolivia and Brazil, east by Brazil, south and west by the Argen- 

 tine. Paraguay proper, the area of which is estimated at 

 65,000 square miles, lies between the rivers Paraguay and Alto 

 Parana, and is bounded on the north by the Brazilian province 

 of ]\Iatto Grosso. To the west, between the rivers Paraguay 

 and Pilcomayo, lies the little known region of the Chaco, the 

 area of which is estimated at 107,000 square miles, or about 

 that of Italy. All Paraguay belongs to the formation of the 

 low-lying region which is comprised between the Brazilian coast 

 range on the east and the Andes on the west, and through which 

 the two great waterways, the Paraguay and the Alto Parana, flow 

 towards the south and pass into the vast estuary of the River 

 Plate. Paraguay proper consists for the most part of a level 

 or gently undulating plain, from which in some places low 

 hills rise abruptly. These hills nowhere reach a height of more 

 than 2000 ft. above sea-level, while the average height of the 

 plain is about 550 ft. The level country consists of grass land 

 alternating ^nth woods and forests, the latter occupying the 

 greater area, while the higher ground almost everywhere is 

 clothed with dense forests. It is well watered by the numerous 

 tributaries of the great rivers, while a large part of the level 

 ground on the west side of the Cordilleras is swampy and liable 

 to inundation. The Chaco differs from Paraguay ]»roi>er in 

 that it consists exclusively of level, scarcely undulating ground 

 unbroken by hills of any kind. The greater portion of the 

 territory, w^hich seems formerly to have formed the bed of an 

 inland sea, may be regarded as the delta of the River Pilcomayo. 

 At the last census, 1915, there were 5,250,000 cattle and 600,000 

 sheep in the country. 



The livestock industry in Paraguay is one of the most pros- 

 perous, and one of the most productive. There is a sure market 

 in the country or in the Argentine. The demand is always 

 greater than the supply and to-day more than ever. The com- 

 mercial world has discovered in Paraguay an appreciable reserve 

 in livestock, and the demand will continue to increase. 



Paraguay lands have always been noted for their healthy 

 condition, and Paraguay stock for their prolificness. Animals 

 are born and develop with very little personal attention. The 



