The district of Chennai is one of the most important districts of the state of Tamil Nadu. The district was previously known as the Madras District. The district of Chennai is one of the few city districts of India and thus does not have a headquarters for the management of administration for the district. The district of Chennai forms a major part of the coastal plains under the state of Tamil Nadu. To add to this the district also falls under the seismic zone making the region prone to small earth quakes. The district of Chennai covers a land area of approximately around 178.2 sq km with a population of about 46.8 lacs individuals living in the small area. The district is the smallest district of the state. The population density of the district of Chennai is approximately around 26903 people per sq km. The district of Chennai is termed as the most advanced district of the state of Tamil Nadu.