Chennai

"Madras" redirects here. For other uses, see Madras (disambiguation).
This article is about the city. For its eponymous district, see Chennai district. For other uses, see Chennai (disambiguation).

Chennai
Madras
Megacity
Coat of arms of Chennai
Coat of arms
Nicknames: 
Gateway of South India[1]
Detroit of India[2]
Health Capital of India[3]
Map
Map
Map
Coordinates: 13°4′57″N 80°16′30″E / 13.08250°N 80.27500°E / 13.08250; 80.27500
CountryIndia
StateTamil Nadu
DistrictChennai[a]
Established1639
Named for
[b]
Government
 • TypeMunicipal Corporation
 • BodyGreater Chennai Corporation
 • MayorPriya Rajan
 • CommissionerJ. Kumaragurubaran IAS
Area
[4]
 • Megacity
426 km2 (164 sq mi)
 • Metro
[5][a]
5,904 km2 (2,280 sq mi)
Elevation
7 m (23 ft)
Population
 (2011)[6][7]
 • Megacity
6,748,026
 • Rank6th
 • Density16,000/km2 (41,000/sq mi)
 • Metro
8,696,010
 • Metro rank
4th
DemonymChennaiite
GDP
 • Megacity$143.9 billion[8]
Time zoneUTC+05:30 (IST)
Pincode(s)
600xxx
Area code+91-44
Vehicle registrationTN-01 to TN-14, TN-18, TN-22, TN-85
Official languagesTamil, English
Websitechennaicorporation.gov.in
Population Note: The population as per 2011 census calculated basis pre-expansion city area of 174 sq.km. was 4,646,732.[7] Post expansion of city limits to 426 sq.km.,[4] the population including the new city limits was provided by Government of Tamil Nadu was 6,748,026.[9] The 2011 census data for the urban agglomeration is available and has been provided.[7]

Chennai (/ˈtʃɛnaɪ/ ⓘ; Tamil: [ˈt͡ɕenːaɪ̯], ISO: Ceṉṉai), formerly known as Madras,[c] is the capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Chennai is the sixth-most populous city in India and forms the fourth-most populous urban agglomeration. Incorporated in 1688, the Greater Chennai Corporation is the oldest municipal corporation in India and the second oldest in the world after London.

Historically, the region was part of the Chola, Pandya, Pallava and Vijayanagara kingdoms during various eras. The coastal land which then contained the fishing village Madrasapattinam, was purchased by the British East India Company from the Nayak ruler Chennapa Nayaka in the 17th century. The British garrison established the Madras city and port and built Fort St. George, the first British fortress in India. The city was made the winter capital of the Madras Presidency, a colonial province of the British Raj in the Indian subcontinent. After India gained independence in 1947, Madras continued as the capital city of the Madras State and present-day Tamil Nadu. The city was officially renamed as Chennai in 1996.

The city is coterminous with Chennai district, which together with the adjoining suburbs constitutes the Chennai Metropolitan Area,[d] the 35th-largest urban area in the world by population and one of the largest metropolitan economies of India. Chennai has the fifth-largest urban economy and the third-largest expatriate population in India. As a gateway to South India, Chennai is among the most-visited Indian cities ranking 36th among the most-visited cities in the world in 2019. Ranked as a beta-level city in the Global Cities Index, Chennai regularly features among the best cities to live in India and is amongst the safest cities in India.

Chennai is a major centre for medical tourism and is termed "India's health capital". Chennai houses a major portion of India's automobile industry, hence the name "Detroit of India". It was the only South Asian city to be ranked among National Geographic's "Top 10 food cities" in 2015 and ranked ninth on Lonely Planet's best cosmopolitan cities in the world. In October 2017, Chennai was added to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) list. It is a major film production centre and home to the Tamil-language film industry.


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  1. ^ Sharma, Reetu (23 August 2014). "Chennai turns 375: Things you should know about 'Gateway to South India'". One India. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  2. ^ Business America. U.S. Department of Commerce. 1997. p. 14. Archived from the original on 29 June 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference HC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b "Chennai city just got bigger". The Times of India. 30 December 2009. Archived from the original on 8 December 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  5. ^ "CMDA, about us". CMDA. Archived from the original on 8 December 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  6. ^ Cities having population 1 Lakh and above (PDF) (Report). The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, Government of India. 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 May 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  7. ^ a b c Census 2011: Population of cities in India (Report). The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, Government of India. Archived from the original on 19 October 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  8. ^ "Chennai - C40 Cities". C40 Group. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  9. ^ "About Chennai district". Government of Tamil Nadu. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  10. ^ Jones, Daniel (2003) [1917], Roach, Peter; Hartmann, James; Setter, Jane (eds.), English Pronouncing Dictionary, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 3-12-539683-2