https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=178.153.187.173Bharatpedia - User contributions [en]2026-08-05T21:10:27ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Geography_of_Tamil_Nadu&diff=473404Geography of Tamil Nadu2025-01-14T14:22:25Z<p>178.153.187.173: reworked lead for accuracy</p>
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<div>{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] --><br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}<br />
{{Infobox place geography<br />
|name = Tamil Nadu <br />
|map = Tamil Nadu topo deutsch mit Gebirgen.png<br />
|region = [[Indian Peninsula]]<br />
|area ranking = 10th<br />
|km area = 130,058<br />
|borders = [[Kerala]] (West) <br/> [[Karnataka]] (Northwest) <br/> [[Andhra Pradesh]] (North) <br/> [[Bay of Bengal]] (East) <br/> [[Arabian Sea]] (South West) <br/> [[Indian Ocean]] (South)<br />
|terrain =Mountains: [[Western Ghats]], [[Eastern Ghats]]<br />
}}<br />
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[[Tamil Nadu]] is the tenth largest state in [[India]] and covers an area of {{convert|130058|km2|sqmi}}. It is bordered by [[Kerala]] to the west, [[Karnataka]] to the northwest, [[Andhra Pradesh]] to the north, the [[Bay of Bengal]] to the east and the [[Indian Ocean]] to the south. [[Cape Comorin]] ([[Kanyakumari]]), the southernmost tip of the [[Indian Peninsula]] is located in south of Tamil Nadu.<br />
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==Terrain==<br />
The western, southern and north-western parts are hilly and mix of [[vegetation]] and arid. Tamil Nadu is the only state in India that has both the [[Western Ghats|Western Ghat]] and the [[Eastern Ghats|Eastern Ghat]] mountain ranges which both meet at the [[Nilgiri Hills]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.southasiaoutreach.wisc.edu/elementary/geo_of_india.htm |title=Geography of India |author=Joel Anderson |publisher=Center for South Asia Outreach, University of Wisconsin-Manhattan |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090412163656/http://www.southasiaoutreach.wisc.edu/elementary/geo_of_india.htm |archivedate=2009-04-12 }}</ref> The Western Ghats dominate the entire western border with Kerala, effectively blocking much of the rain-bearing clouds of the South West Monsoon from entering the state. The eastern parts are fertile coastal plains. The northern parts are a mix of hills and plains. The central and the south-central regions are [[arid]] plains.<br />
[[File:Palaghat_Gap..jpg|thumb|200px|Palakkad gap allows south-west monsoon winds to pass through the western ghats producing rain in western Tamil Nadu]]<br />
[[File:Agasthiyamalai range and Tirunelveli rainshadow.jpg|thumb|200px|A semi-arid wasteland near [[Tirunelveli]]. Monsoon winds are prevented by the [[Agastya Malai|Agasthyamalai Range]] of the Western Ghats]]<br />
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==Natural hazards==<br />
Tamil Nadu has a coastline of about {{convert|1076|km|mi|-2}} which is the country's second longest coastline after [[Gujarat]], Tamil Nadu's coastline bore the brunt of the 2004 [[Indian Ocean tsunami]] when it hit India, which caused 7,793 direct deaths in the state.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/01724/effects_india.html |title=Tsunami: Magnitude of Terror – Effects - Damage to Countries - India |publisher=Oracle ThinkQuest |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090513051807/http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/01724/effects_india.html |archivedate=2009-05-13 }}</ref> Tamil Nadu falls mostly in a region of low [[Earthquake|seismic hazard]] with the exception of the western border areas that lie in a low to moderate hazard zone. Parts of this region have seismic activity bagging the [[Richter magnitude scale|M5.0]] range.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://asc-india.org/maps/hazard/haz-tamil-nadu.htm |title=GSHAP seismic hazard map for Tamil Nadu & Puducherry (Pondicherry), India |date=30 March 2007 |publisher=Amateur Seismic Centre |access-date=8 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717015554/http://asc-india.org/maps/hazard/haz-tamil-nadu.htm |archive-date=17 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><br />
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==Climate==<br />
Tamil Nadu is heavily dependent on [[monsoon]] rains, and thereby is prone to droughts when the monsoons fail. The climate of the state ranges from wet [[rainforests]] to [[semi-arid]] plains, with some interior locations bordering on a [[desert climate]]. Agriculture in Tamil Nadu is a gamble on the monsoon. The state has distinct periods of rainfall, which are the advancing monsoon period, [[South-west monsoon]] (from June to September) with strong southwest winds, the [[North-east monsoon]] (from October to December), with dominant northeast winds, and the Dry season (from January to May). The normal annual rainfall of the state is about {{convert|945|mm|in|abbr=on}},<ref>[http://drought.unl.edu/pubs/dnn/arch9.pdf Assessment Report from the National Drought Mitigation Center, Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030317211040/http://drought.unl.edu/pubs/dnn/arch9.pdf |date=17 March 2003 }}.</ref> of which 48% is through the North East monsoon, and 32% through the South West monsoon. Since the state is entirely dependent on rains for recharging its water resources, monsoon failures lead to acute [[water scarcity]] and severe drought.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unsystem.org/SCN/archives/india/ch16.htm |title=Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu |publisher=United Nations System Standing Committee on Nutrition |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502211218/http://www.unsystem.org/scn/archives/india/ch16.htm |archivedate=2012-05-02 }}</ref><br />
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==See also==<br />
* [[Droogs (rocks)]]<br />
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== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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[[Category:Geography of Tamil Nadu| ]]</div>178.153.187.173