Madras

[mad-ruhs, muh-dras, -drahs]

Madras. 1 State and former province, India: see Tamil Nadu. 2 City, India: see Chennai.

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Chennai

formerly Madras

City (pop., 2001: city, 4,343,645; metro. area, 6,560,242), capital of Tamil Nadu state, southern India. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. Founded in 1639 by the British East India Company as a fort and trading post, it was known as Fort St. George and was used as a base for the company's expansion in southern India. The city of St. Thomé, established by the Portuguese in the 16th century, was ceded to the British in 1749 and incorporated into it. The English made the city their administrative and commercial capital circa 1800. It is an industrial centre and the site of numerous educational and cultural institutions. It is traditionally considered the burial place of St. Thomas the Apostle.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.

Madras, Oregon

Madras (pronounced MAD-res) is a city in Jefferson County, Oregon, United States. Originally called The Basin after the circular valley the city is located in, it is unclear as to whether Madras was named in 1903 for the cotton fabric called "Madras" that originated in the Chennai area in India, or from the city of Chennai, which was also "Madras". The population was 5,078 at the 2000 census. The 2006 estimate is 6,070 residents. It is the county seat of Jefferson County.

History

Madras was incorporated as a city in 1911. An Army Air Corps base was built nearby during World War II. This airfield now serves as City-County Airport.

People from Madras

Jacoby Ellsbury - Major League Baseball player
River Phoenix - actor
Thomas Lowell Tucker - soldier, Iraqi war casualty

Geography

Madras is located at 44°37'50" North, 121°7'45" West (44.630536, -121.129128).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.6 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,078 people, 1,801 households, and 1,251 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,326.9 people per square mile (899.4/km²). There were 1,952 housing units at an average density of 894.5/sq mi (345.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 63.55% White, 0.59% African American, 6.14% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.35% Pacific Islander, 24.56% from other races, and 4.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 35.74% of the population.

There were 1,801 households out of which 41.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.32.

In the city the population was spread out with 33.1% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 16.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,103, and the median income for a family was $33,275. Males had a median income of $27,656 versus $19,464 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,937. About 15.2% of families and 19.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.3% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.