Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. It is situated on the Coromandel Coast along the Bay of Bengal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Chennai ranks as the sixth-most-populous city in India and forms the fourth-most-populous urban agglomeration in the country.
The city is coterminous with the Chennai district, which, along with its adjoining suburbs, makes up the Chennai Metropolitan Area. It is governed by the Greater Chennai Corporation, a municipal body incorporated in 1688 that stands as the second oldest municipal corporation in the world after the City of London Corporation. As the state capital, Chennai houses significant government institutions, including the Madras High Court and the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.