Chennai - Some Facts and Figures

Area

174 square kilometers

Population

As per the 2001 Census, Chennai has a population of 42.16 lakh. Density of population: 24,231 persons per square kilometers

Climate

Tropical climate - hot and humid. The occasional sea breeze makes it a trifle more bearable at times. Temperatures soar highest in May (Between 40 and 45° Celsius). Winter in Chennai (December, January and February) is not worth the name. Monsoon is intermittent (July-August and September-November).

Geographical Location

Chennai is situated by the 13th north parallel and 80° longitude, along the Coromandel Coast in the southern part of the Indian peninsula.

Topography

This seaside city appears even more sprawling than it is, because of its low skyline. The Cooum river, the Adyar river and the Buckingham canal flow through Chennai.

Coolest Months

December-February

Average Rainfall

Meenambakkam - 1333.8 mm

Nungambakkam - 1266.9 mm

The People

The majority is the native Tamil population. But the city is home to a sizable population from other states. Visitors can manage their way with English. Dubbed a sleepy and slow-paced city for long, is today abuzz with activity - in business, industry, entertainment and leisure. This surge is most marked by the changing lifestyles of Chennai folk, who were once thought to be extremely tradition-bound.
Male - Female break-up: 21,61,605 male and 20,054,663 female
Sex Ratio: 951 females to 1,000 males
Literacy Rate in Chennai: 80.14 %
Male Literacy: 84.71 %
Female Literacy: 75.32 %

Public Transport

Chennai's MTC (Metropolitan Transport Corporation) Bus service provides a network that covers the entire city. This service, operating from 4.00 am to roundabout midnight, is affordable and frequent. Apart from the regular buses, there are Limited Stop services, Express services and Point-to-point services. The Suburban Train service also helps provide fast and inexpensive commuting within the city. The most prevalent mode of hired transport in the city is the Autorickshaw. The minimum metered charge is Rs 7/-.( not applicable mostly).

Source: http://www.chennaibest.com/