Virudhunagar

Virudhunagar
Town
Virudhunagar Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu
Coordinates: 9°34′04.8″N 77°57′44.6″E / 9.568000°N 77.962389°E / 9.568000; 77.962389
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Virudhunagar
Revenue Division	Aruppukkottai
Taluk	Virudhunagar
Government
• Type	Selection Grade Municipality
• Body	Virudhunagar municipality
Area
• Total	6.39 km2 (2.47 sq mi)
Elevation	120 m (390 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Total	72,296
• Density	11,000/km2 (29,000/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Tamil
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	626 001
Telephone code	04562
Vehicle registration	TN-67

Virudhunagar is a city and the administrative headquarter of the Virudhunagar district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located 506 km (314 mi) southwest of the state capital Chennai and 53 km (33 mi) south of Madurai. Virudhunagar emerged as an important trade centre during the British rule. Located to the east of Kowsika River, Virudhunagar has an average elevation of 102 m (335 ft) above sea level and is largely flat with no major geological formations. The town has a humid climate and receives 780 mm (31 in) rainfall annually. It has been ruled at various times by Later Pandyas, Vijayanagar Empire, Madurai Nayaks, Chanda Sahib, Carnatic kingdom and the British. It was formerly known as Virudhupatti.

Virudhunagar is administered by a municipality covering an area of 6.39 km² (2.47 sq mi). In 2011, the city had a population of 72,296. As the administrative headquarters of the district, the town's economy is based on the service sector, which employs 93% of the total workforce. The remaining 7% is employed in agriculture, mining, quarrying, raising livestock, manufacturing, construction, trade and commerce. Roadways are the main means of transportation, while the town also has rail connectivity. The nearest airport is Madurai Airport, located 45 km (28 mi) north-east of the town. There are 14 secondary schools, two colleges of arts and sciences (one for men and one for women), one polytechnic college, Three Engineering Colleges (Kamaraj College of Engineering and Technology, Sri Vidya, AAA) and three university study centres. Virudhunagar Government Medical College is established in the year 2021. It is located on the NH-44 nearby Virudhunagar Collector Office.