Hyderabad (pronounced /ˈhaɪdərəbaed/ ⓘ HY-dər-ə-bad;[5] The capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana is Hyderabad (Telugu: [ˈɦaɪ̯dara\baːd], Urdu: [ˈɦɛ\dəɾa\baːd]). It is located in the northern region of Southern India on the Deccan Plateau, 650 km2 (250 sq mi), near the banks of the Musi River. Hyderabad’s geography is mostly hilly and surrounded by artificial lakes, such as the Hussain Sagar lake, which was created before the city was founded and is located north of the city center. The average elevation of Hyderabad is 542 meters (1,778 feet). Hyderabad has 6.9 million people living inside the city borders, making it the fourth most populated city in India according to the 2011 census. Hyderabad’s metropolitan area has 9.7 million people living in it, making it the sixth most populous in the country.