of the creek Chuy. On 14 January 1938, the status of Chui was elevated to "Pueblo" (village) by the Act of Ley Nº 9.758,. On 29 June 1961, it was elevated to "Villa" (town) by the Act of Ley Nº 12.887, and on 11 December 1981, it was further elevated to "Ciudad" (city) by the Act of Ley Nº 15.227. Geography The town lies on National Route 9, 340 kilometres northeast of the capital, Montevideo, and only a few feet from Brazil's Route BR 471. Chuy is only 15 km from the Atlantic Ocean, and in the northern hinterland is located a similar distance from the Lagoa Mirim. The BR 471 in Brazil running from Porto Alegre and Pelotas borders the Chui town and passes through to Uruguay where it becomes Ruta 9. Each country's immigration office is located at the entry to the town. The main street, which is a two-lane road, is known as Avenida Uruguai ("Uruguay Avenue") in Brazil and as it passes to Uruguay, its name changes to Avenida Brasil ("Brazil Avenue"). The Brazilian town, Chui, has shops selling clothes, shoes and household goods while on the Uruguayan side, Chuy has duty-free shops and a casino. Demographics Chuy's residents are mostly Uruguayans and Brazilians, with almost all its residents speaking Spanish and Uruguayan Portuguese. The council organizes cultural activities jointly with the neighbouring Brazilian town of the same name as the "Carnival Chuy-Chuí Without Borders". There is a small but significant Palestinian Uruguayan population, mostly Muslims. Population According to the 2011 census, Chui had a population of 9,675. Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay Economy It is a border city, adjacent to the Brazilian city of Chuí. Both cities share the main avenue which serves as the borderline. Chuy is a relatively thriving centre for trade with the Brazilians and has several shops to cater for tourists. It is not unusual for Uruguayans from the Montevideo area to make long journeys in order to make purchases of goods at the Brazilian border which would cost significantly more at home. Many duty-free shops offer spirits, cosmetics, clothing, and luxury goods. Finally, there is a casino in Uruguay's Chuy, whereas gambling is forbidden on the Brazilian side. Notable landmarks Hotels of note include Hotel Internacional, Chuy; Hotel Alerces; Nuevo Hotel Plaza; and several hostels/apartments. Estadio Samuel Prillac lies in the southeastern part of the town. The town