Chennai (Tamil: "Chennai"), formerly known as Madras (English "Madras"), is the fourth largest city in India and the capital of Tamil Nadu. 1996 its name was officially changed to Chennai, but the old name Madras is still widely used. This city is a large commercial and industrial center of India and is famous for its cultural heritage.
Chennai is located in coromandel coast, southeast of Indian Peninsula, with an area of 130 square kilometers. The urban population is 3.27 million, of which the suburban population is 4.48 million (198 1). Most residents speak Tamil, but they also speak Telugu, Malayalam and English.
The city extends in the north-south direction with Fort St. George as the center, and the city center is in the southeast corner of Fort St. George. Most main streets are north-south oriented. The west and southwest of the city are high-grade residential areas, separated by island space and public buildings. Industrial areas are located in the northern and northwestern suburbs, especially along railways and highways, and are new residential areas in the southwest and south of the city. Residential buildings are dense, and generally constitute traditional residential areas according to different classes and religious beliefs.