Tamil Nadu ("Land of the Tamils") is a state at the southern tip of India. The bordering states/territories are Pondicherry, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The island nation of Sri Lanka, which has a significant Tamil minority, lies off the southeast coast.

Tamil Nadu is the second most industrialized state in India. Unlike most other parts of the country, Tamil Nadu gets its rainfall largely from the "North-East monsoon" in the months of October-December. There is a long standing dispute with Karnataka over the matter of water from the Kaveri River. The river flows south from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu, and both regions draw on water from the river, prompting concerns over whether the upper riparian Karnataka has released its fair share of river water to the lower riparian Tamil Nadu.

Chennai, which was known until 1996 as Madras, is the 4th largest city of India and the state capital. Also known as the auto capital of India, Chennai is the home of Marina Beach, the second longest beach in the world. Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Salem and Tirunelveli are other large cities of Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu Fact File:
Area : 7,096 sq kms.
Population : 5,40,493. The Lepchas, Bhutias and the Sherpas are the major ethnic groups inhabiting the state.
Language : The local language is Nepali, while English is the official language.
Capital : Gangtok