Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu State India:

Other States

Area : 1,30,058 sq km

Population: 6,21,10,839;growth are (1991-2001); 11.19%

Density per sq km: 478

Sex ratio (females per 1,000 males): 986

Literacy rate: 73.47% (males: 82.33%; Females: 64.55%

Capital: Chennai

Legislature: Unicameral

Principal Language: Tamil

Important Cities, Towns and Religious/Tourist Places:

Anamalai (wild Lift Sanctuary), Chennai (earlier name Madras, Fort Street George and St. Mary's Church, Gandhi Mandapam, Tapaleeswarar Temple, Marina Beach, Aquarium, Parthasarathy Temple, San Thome Cathedral, Fort Museum. Snake Park, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, Guindy Wild Life Sanctuary, Vandalur Zoolgical Park), Chidambaram (abode of Nataraja (the "Dancing Shiva"), temples of Dravidian architecture), Chithannavasal (monument centre), Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Elagiri (hill station), Erode, Hogenakkal (hill station), Kalakad (Wild Life Sanctuary).

Kancheepuram (the "Golden City" known for silk industry was successively capital of City" known for silk industry was successively capital of the Pallavas, the cholas and the kings of Vijayanagar, known for the seventh century temples), Kanyakumari (earlier known as Cape Comorin, sacred place of Hindus, impressive memorial of Swami. Vivekananda), Kazhugumalai (monument centre), Madurai (Meenakshi Temple, Tirumalai Nayak Temple, rock-cut temple at Tiruparankundram), Mahabalipuram (also known as Mamalapuram, Famous beach and solid rock monuments), Moovarkoil (monument centre).

Nagoor (monument center), Mundanthuri (Wild Life Sanctuary), Mudumalai (wild Life Sanctuary), Nagapattinam, Nagercoil, Narthamalai (monument centre), Ootacamund [Udhagamandalam] (hill resort), Papanasam (hill station), Point Calimere (Bird Sanctuary), Pudukkotai), Singanallur sivagangai, Srirangam (monument centre), Suruli (water falls), Thanjavur (capital of Chola emperors during 10th to 14th centuries AD, Brihadeeswara Temple), (monument centre), Tiruvannamalai (monument centre), Vellore, Virudhunagar, Yercaud (hill station).

Judicature: High Court at chennai.

Location: Location is South India; Tamil Nadu is bounded north by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, East by the Bay of Bengal, south by the Indian Ocean and west by Kerala.

History:

The history of Tamil Nadu goes back to the age of the sangams when a great civilisation flourished reaching new heights in the fields, of art, literature and occultism. During the medieval ages, it proudly preserved the heritage of the nation unperturbed by the ravages of the Muslim inroads in Northern India. The first trading establishment made by the British in the Madras State was at Peddapali (now Nizampatnam) in 1611 and then at Mazulipatnam. In 1639, the English were permitted to make a settlement at the place which is now Madras and Fort St. George was founded.

By 1801, the whole of the territory from the Northen Circars to Cape Comorin (with the exception of certain French and Danish settlements) had been brought under British rule. Under the provisions of the States Reorgainisation Act, 1965, the Malabar district (excluding the islands of Laccadive and Minicoy) and the Kasaragod taluk of south Kanara district were transferred to the new State of Kerala.

The South Kanara district (excluding Kasaragod taluk of the Coimbatore district were transferred to the new State of Mysore; and the Kollegal taluk of the Coimbatore district were transferred to the new State of Mysore; and the Laccadive Amindivi and Minicoy Island were constituted as a separate Union Territory. Four taluks of the Thiruvananthapuram district and the shencottah taluk of Quilon district were transferred from Travancore- Cochin to the new Madras State. On April 1,1960, an area of 1,049 sq km (405 sq miles) from Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh was transferred to Madras in exchanger for 845 sq km (326 sq miles) from the Chingleput and Salem districts. In January 1969, the State was renamed Tamil Nadu.

Economy:

Agriculture is the main occupation of the people in Tamil Nadu. The principal food crops are rice, maize, jowar, Bajara, ragi and pulses. The main commercial crops are sugarcane, oilseeds, cotton, chillies, coffee, tea and rubber. The plantation crop's, are tea, coffee, cardamom and rubber. Forests cover about 17 percent of State's area and produce timber pulpwood and sandalwood.

Some of the minerals found in the state are limestone, magnesite, mica, quartz, felspar, salt, bauxite, lignite and gypsum. The major industries of the State are cotton textiles, chemicals fertilisers, paper and paper products, printing and allied, industries, diesel engines, automobiles and parts and paper products, printing and allied, industries, diesel engines, automobiles and parts, cement, sugar, iron and steel and railway wagons and coaches.

Tamil Nadu is an important exported of tanned skin and hides and leather goods, cotton piece goods tea, coffee, spices, tobacco, etc. Tamil Nadu has a number of hydro-electric and thermal station.

The atomic power plant is located at Kalpakkam in Chengalpattu MGR district. Chennai is the international airport besides, there are airports at Tiruchirapalli, Madurai, Coimbatore and Salem. Chennai and Tuticorin are the major ports, while Cuddalore and Nagapattinam are minor ports.