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Tamil Nadu
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Tamil Nadu is situated on the south eastern side of the Indian
peninsula. It is bounded on the east by the Bay of Bengal, in the south by the Indian ocean, in the west by the States of Kerala and Karnataka and in the north by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
The
land mass of the state can be divided into two natural
divisions: the eastern coastal plain and the hilly region along
the north and the west. Along the whole length of the
western part, at a distance from the sea varying from 80 to 160
km runs the range of the Western Ghats, a steep and rugged mass
averaging 1220 meters above the sea level and rising to 2440 meters
at the highest at the highest point. The Palghat Gap about 25 km in width is the only marked break in the great mountain wall. To the south of this gap, the range is known as Anamalai
(Elephant Hills).
On the east are the Palani Hills on which is situated the famous hill station Kodaikanal.
The slopes of the Western Ghats are covered with heavy evergreen forests.
The Nilgiris and the Anamalai are the hill groups with the maximum height.
In the famous Ootacamund area of the Nilgiris District, is the highest peak Doddabetta, 2640
meters above the sea level.
The rivers of the state flow eastward from the Western Ghats and are entirely rain-fed.
The perennial rivers are:-Palar, Cheyyar, Ponnaiyar, Kaveri, Meyar, Bhavani, Amaravati, Vaigai, Chittar and Tamaraparani.
The non-perennial rivers are the Vellar, Noyal, Surili, Gundar, Vaipar, Valparai and Varshali.
The 760-km long Kaveri is the great river of the state.
Tamil Nadu’s sugarcane yield of 100
tones per ha is a world record.
Cotton is grown in 280 thousand ha. The principal plantation crops are tea and coffee.
Tamil Nadu accounts for nearly one fourth of the spinning capacity in India, one fifth of cement, caustic soda and nitrogenous fertilizers and one tenth of the nation’s production of sugar, bicycles and calcium carbide.
Industrial complex called growth centers and industrial estates have been set up in different parts of Tamil
Nadu. Neyveli Lignite Complex, Integral Coach Factory, High Pressure Boiler Plant, Hindustan Teleprinters, Hindustan Photo Films, Madras Refineries, Madras Fertilizers, Heavy Vehicles Factory and Pugalur Paper Factory.
Neyveli Lignite Corporation proposes to set up a 490-MW power plant based on petroleum residue. The Kalpakkam Mini Reactor (Kamini) is the only U-233 fuelled operating reactor in the world.
Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation runs a chain of hotels, a Beach Resort, Youth Hostels, and boat houses at Muthukaddu, Ooty, Pichavaram and Yercaud. Hill Stations: Uthagamandalam (Ooty), Kodaikanal and Yercaud.
Religious Places: Suchindram, Ramesvaram, Tiruchendur, Madurai, Palani, Tiruchirapalli, Srirangam, Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Nagore, Velankanni, Vaitheeswaran Koil, Chidambaram, Thiruvannamalai, Kancheepuram, Tiruttani and Kanyakumari. ‘Bharata Natyam’, the sophisticated classical dance form of Tamil Nadu has now become popular all over India.
Mamallapuram (Mhabalipuram), Padmanabhapuram, Poompuhar, Pichavaram, Point Calimere, Courtallam, Hogenakkal, Anamalai Sanctuary, Mudumalai Sanctuary, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, Kalakad and Vandaloor Zoo and Mundanthurai Sanctuary.
At Chennai: Fort St. George, San Thome, Fort Museum, Marina Beach, Snake Park, Guindy Park, Guindy
Deer Sanctuary and Children’s Park, Egmore Museum, Valluvarkottam Park, Crocodile and Vandaloor Zoo, Muthukkadu Boat House.
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