Chandigarh, the dream city of Indias first Prime Minister, Sh. Jawahar Lal Nehru, was planned by the famous French architect Le Corbusier. Picturesquely located at the foothills of Shivaliks, it is known as one of the best experiments in urban planning and modern architecture in the twentieth century in India.
At the time of reorganization of the state on 01.11.1966 into Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pardesh, the city assumed the unique distinction of being the capital city of both, Punjab and Haryana while it itself was declared as a Union Territory and under the direct control of the Central Government. The basic geographical and demographic profile of Chandigarh is as under:
| Area | 114 sq kms |
| Longitude | 760 47 14E |
| Latitude | 300 44 14N |
| Altitude | 304-365 meters above MSL with 1% drainage gradient |
| Annual Rainfall (average) | 1110.7 mm |
| Monsoon | July-September |
| Temperature |
Winter Min. (Nov.-Jan, 2006) 10 C-160 C |
| Prevalent Winds | From the North West to South East in Winter and reverse in Summer |
| Total Population (2001 census) |
9,00,635 (Rural population-92120 (10.2%) |
| Density of population/sq. km. | 7,900 |
| Birth Rate (per 1000) | 21.45 (2005) |
| Death Rate (per 1000) | 10.22 (2005) |
| Infant Mortality Rate (per 1000) | 44.13 |
| Sex Ratio (females per 1000 males) | 777 |
| Decennial Population Growth | 40.33% |
| Literacy Rate | 81.9% |