Basic information

| Attribute | Detail | | :--- | :--- | | Official Name | Chennai | | Common Name | Chennai | | Native Name(s) | சென்னை (Tamil) | | Nicknames | Detroit of India, Gateway to South India, Healthcare Capital of India | | Motto | _Data not readily available for this location._ | | Geographic Level | City (Metropolis) | | Country | India | | State/Province | Tamil Nadu | | Capital | Capital of Tamil Nadu | | Government Type | Municipal Corporation | | Date Founded | August 22, 1639 (as Madras) | | Time Zone | IST (UTC+05:30) | | Latitude | 13.0827° N | | Longitude | 80.2707° E | | Elevation | 6.7 m (22 ft) | | Total Area | 426 sq km (City) | | Population | ~7.1 million (City, 2011 census), ~11+ million (Metro) | | Population Density | ~17,000 per sq km | | ZIP/Postal Codes | 600001 to 600136 (varies by zone) | | Area Codes | +91 44 | | Official Languages | Tamil, English | | Currency | Indian Rupee (INR) | | Demonym | Chennaite |