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In the far south of Brazil, a shared avenue, border trade, and a daily life crossed by two languages help explain why Chuí has become one of the most peculiar points on the border with Uruguay.
Dry border between Brazil and Uruguay
Just a few steps in the center of Chuí, in the far south of Rio Grande do Sul, are enough to leave Brazil and enter Uruguay.
The crossing occurs on Avenida Internacional, a shared route with the neighboring city of Chuy.
In this section, the Brazilian lane is called Avenida Uruguai, while the Uruguayan one is named Avenida Brasil.
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In 2022, the city hall of Chuí inaugurated a binational traffic light at the intersection of these roads.
The border between Brazil and Uruguay spans over 1,068 kilometers, according to official data.
In Chuí, however, this division appears in an urban and direct manner, without a river or bridge separating the two sides in the city center.
Publications from the federal government about the border area record that the gaucho municipality connects to Chuy via Avenida Internacional, making the location a recurring reference when discussing dry borders in the country.
At this point, the territorial division materializes in the central median, in the signage in two languages, and in the constant flow of pedestrians and vehicles between the two sides.
The urban dynamics are also reflected in the commerce and services aimed at residents and visitors who circulate daily between Brazil and Uruguay.
Chuí, the southernmost city in Brazil
In addition to its geographical configuration, Chuí has characteristics that have made it nationally known.
Data from the city hall and IBGE indicate that the municipality was emancipated in 1995 and established on January 1, 1997, after the dismemberment of Santa Vitória do Palmar.
In the 2022 Census, the city had 6,262 inhabitants.
The most recent estimate from IBGE, released in 2025, points to 6,409 residents.
Even with a small population, the municipality maintains relevance in land circulation between the two countries.
Chuí is on the route for those driving to destinations such as Montevideo and Punta del Este in the south of the continent.
Over time, this position has consolidated a border routine marked by frequent movements, circulation of goods, and strong integration with the neighboring Uruguayan city.
Free shops and commerce at the border
On the Uruguayan side, the free shops concentrate a significant part of this movement.
The official tourism body of the Rocha department includes this type of commerce among the main services of Chuy.
The Federal Revenue informs that Brazilian travelers have an additional exemption quota of US$ 500 every 30 days for purchases in land duty-free shops, a rule that helps explain the flow of consumers in the region.
Commercial circulation, however, is not limited to tourist purchases.
Historical records and studies on the southern border show that Chuí and Chuy have developed interconnected economies, with frequent transit of residents between both sides.
While Brazilians cross the avenue in search of imported products, establishments on the Brazilian side also meet part of the daily demand of the border.
Religious profile and cultural diversity in Chuí
Another fact that distinguishes the municipality appears in the religious profile.
In 2010, Chuí drew attention by registering 54.2% of residents without religion, according to an analysis by demographer José Eustáquio Diniz Alves based on that year’s Census.
In the most recent data, the percentage has decreased, but the city remained in the national first position.
Reports based on the 2022 Census from IBGE indicate that 37.8% of residents declared not having a religion.
According to researchers studying the southern border, this scenario can be analyzed in relation to Uruguayan cultural influence, in a regional context of greater secularization.
This data, however, does not alone summarize the social profile of the municipality, which also reflects migratory flows and a diverse population formation throughout the 20th century.
Academic studies and reports about the region record the historical presence of Palestinian families in the far southern region of Rio Grande do Sul, with involvement in commerce and participation in the social formation of the border.
In 2025, TV Brasil highlighted this diversity by showcasing Chuí as a space for coexistence among Brazilians, Uruguayans, Cubans, Arabs, and other migrant groups.
In local daily life, this composition appears in the circulation of languages, commercial ties, and shared cultural references between both sides of the avenue.
Urban life between two countries
The routine of Chuí is therefore often observed as an example of border coexistence on an urban scale.
In the same stretch, the country, the reference currency, and the signage change, but the movement of people continues uninterrupted.
It is this combination of international boundary and daily life that makes the city a frequent reference in reports, studies, and travel accounts about the far south of Brazil.
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