List of districts of Tamil Nadu

Districts of Tamil Nadu
Districts of Tamil Nadu
Category	Districts
Location	Tamil Nadu
Number	38 districts
Populations	Perambalur – 565,223 (lowest); Chennai – 7,139,630 (highest)
Areas	Chennai – 426 km2 (164 sq mi) (smallest); Dindigul – 6,266.64 km2 (2,419.56 sq mi) (largest)
Government	Government of Tamil Nadu
Subdivisions	List of revenue divisions in Tamil Nadu

The Indian state of Tamil Nadu has 38 districts after several splits of the original 13 districts at the formation of the state on 1 November 1956. The districts are further divided into taluks and smaller administrative units.

History[]

Pre-independence[]

The Madras Presidency in 1913

At the time of Independence, Madras Presidency in India was made up of 26 districts, of which 12 districts were found in the present-day Tamil Nadu, namely, Chingleput, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, North Arcot, Madras, Madura, Ramnad, , South Arcot, Tanjore, Tinnevely, and Trichinopoly.

1947–1956[]

After Indian Independence, the Madras Presidency under British rule became the Madras Province on 15 August 1947. After Indian independence in 1947, the Pudukkottai Princely State was amalgamated with Indian Union on 4 March 1948 and became a division in Trichinopoly district. The new Constitution of India, which came into force on 26 January 1950, made India a sovereign democratic republic. According to this act, on 26 January 1950, Madras Province was formed as Madras State by the Government of India.

Map of Southern India (1953–1956) before the States Reorganisation Act of 1956

At the time of formation of Madras State in 1950, it included the whole of present-day Tamil Nadu, Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema, the Malabar region of North Kerala, Bellary and South Canara. Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema were separated to form Andhra State in 1953, while South Canara and Bellary districts were merged with Mysore State to form Karnataka state, and Malabar District with the State of Travancore-Cochin to form Kerala in 1956.

1956[]

Districts of Tamil Nadu at the time of the formation of the state in 1956 and districts divided (as of 2009) marked in gray

As a result of the 1956 States Reorganisation Act, the state's boundaries were re-organized following linguistic lines. The Tamil speaking region of Kanyakumari was merged to Madras state which was earlier a part of Travancore-Cochin. Madras state was formed on 1 November 1956, with 13 southern districts of Madras Presidency.

They are as follow : Chingleput, Coimbatore, Kanyakumari, Madras, Madurai, Nilgiris, North Arcot, Ramanathapuram, Salem, South Arcot, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli and Tirunelveli.

1960–1989[]

An animation showing the division of districts in Tamil Nadu from 1956 to 2009.

• On 2 October 1966, Dharmapuri district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Salem district comprising Dharmapuri, Harur, Hosur and Krishnagiri taluks.^[1]
• In 1969, Madras State was renamed as Tamil Nadu.

• On 14 January 1974, Pudukkottai district was formed from the parts of Tiruchirappalli and Thanjavur districts comprising Kulathur, Thirumayam, Alangudi and Aranthangi taluks.^[2]
• On 31 August 1979, Erode district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Coimbatore district comprising Bhavani, Erode and Sathyamangalam taluks.^[3]

• On 8 March 1985, Sivaganga and Virudhunagar districts were trifurcated from the erstwhile Ramanathapuram district^[4] with Sivaganga district comprising Tirupattur, Karaikudi, Devakottai, Sivaganga, Manamadurai and Ilaiyangudi taluks^[5] and Virudhunagar district comprising Srivilliputhur, Virudhunagar, Tiruchuli, Aruppukottai, Sattur and Rajapalayam taluks.^[6]
• On 15 September 1985, Dindigul district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Madurai district comprising Dindigul, Palani and Kodaikanal taluks.^[7]
• On 20 October 1986, Thoothukudi district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Tirunelveli district comprising Thoothukudi, Ottapidaram and Tiruvaikuntam taluks.^[8]
• On 30 September 1989, Tiruvannamalai and Vellore districts were bifurcated from the erstwhile North Arcot district (District ceased to exist) with Tiruvannamalai district comprising Tiruvannamalai, Arni, Vandavasi, Cheyyar, Polur and Chengam taluks^[9] and Vellore district comprising Arakkonam, Arcot, Gudiyatham, Tirupattur, Vellore, Vaniyambadi and Walaja taluks.^[10]

1990–1999[]

• On 18 October 1991, Nagapattinam was bifurcated from the erstwhile Thanjavur district comprising Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Manargudi, Nagapattinam divisions and Valangaiman taluk from Kumabakonam division.^[11]
• On 30 September 1993, Cuddalore and Viluppuram districts were bifurcated from the erstwhile South Arcot district (District ceased to exist) with Cuddalore district comprising Cuddalore, Chidambaram and Vriddhachalam taluks^[12] and Villupuram district comprising Kallakuruchi, Villupuram, Tirukkoyilur and Tindivanam.^[13]
• On 30 September 1995, Karur and Perambalur districts were trifurcated from the erstwhile Tiruchirappalli district^[14] with Karur district comprising Karur, Kulithalai and Manapparai taluks^[15] and Perambalur district comprising Perambalur and Kunnam taluks.^[16]
• On 25 July 1996, Theni district was bifurcated from the erstwhile from Madurai district comprising Theni, Bodinayakanur, Periyakulam, Uthamapalayam and Andipatti taluks.^[17]
• On 1 January 1997 Tiruvarur was formed from the parts of erstwhile Nagapattinam and Thanjavur districts comprising Tiruvarur, Nannilam, Kudavasal, Needamangalam, Mannargudi, Thiruthuraipoondi taluks from Nagappatinam district and Valangaiman taluk from Thanjavur district.^[18]
• On 1 January 1997, Namakkal district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Salem district comprising Namakkal, Tiruchengode, Rasipuram and Paramathi-Velur taluks.^[19]
• On 1 July 1997, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur districts were bifurcated from the erstwhile Chengalpattu district (District ceased to exist) with Kanchipuram district comprising Kanchipuram, Sriperumbudur, Uthiramerur, Chengalpattu, Tambaram, Tirukalukundram, Maduranthakam and Cheyyur taluks^[20] and Tiruvallur district comprising Tiruvallur, Tiruttani taluks and Uthukkottai and Pallipattu sub-taluks separated from Chengalpattu District along with Ponneri and Gummidipoondi taluks of Saidapet revenue division.^[21]

2000–Present[]

• On 9 February 2004, Krishnagiri district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Dharmapuri district comprising Krishnagiri, Hosur, Pochampalli, Uthangarai and Denkanikottai taluks.^[22]
• On 19 November 2007, Ariyalur district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Perambalur district comprising Ariyalur, Udayarpalayam and Sendurai taluks.^[23]
• On 24 October 2009, Tiruppur district was formed from the parts of Coimbatore and Erode districts^[24] with Tiruppur, Udumalpet, Palladam and parts of Avinashi taluks of Coimbatore districts^[25] and Dharapuram, Kangeyam and parts of Perundurai taluks of Erode district.^[26]

• On 5 January 2018, Chennai district altered its borders with increase in area by the annexation of Madhavaram, Maduravoyal, Ambattur, Tiruvottriyur taluks and parts of Ponneri taluk of Tiruvallur and Alandur and Sholinganallur taluks of Kanchipuram (present day Chengalpattu) districts.^[27]
• On 22 November 2019, Tenkasi district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Tirunelveli district comprising Tenkasi, Sengottai, Kadayanallur, Sivagiri, Veerakeralampudur, Sankarankovil, Thiruvenkatam and Alangulam taluks.^[28]
• On 26 November 2019, Kallakurichi district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Viluppuram district comprising Kallakurichi, Sankarapuram, Chinnasalem, Ulundurpet, Thirukovilur and Kalvarayanmalai taluks.^[29]
• On 29 November 2019, Tirupattur and Ranipet districts were trifurcated from the erstwhile Vellore district with Tirupattur district comprising Tirupattur, Vaniyambadi, Natrampalli and Ambur taluks and Ranipet district comprising Walajah, Arcot, Nemili and Arakkonam taluks.^[30]
• On 30 November 2019, Chengalpattu district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Kanchipuram district comprising Tirukalukundram, Chengalpattu, Madurantakam, Cheyyar, Tiruporur, Tambaram, Pallavaram, and Vandalur taluks.^[31]

• On 24 March 2020, Mayiladuthurai district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Nagapattinam district comprising Mayiladuthurai, Sirkazhi, Tharangambadi and Kuthalam taluks.^[32]

List[]

No.	District	Code	Capital	Date of official formation	Split from	Area (km2)	Population[33]	Population density (/km2)	Taluks[34]	Legislative assembly constituencies	Lokh saba constituencies	Map
1.	Ariyalur	AR	Ariyalur	23 November 2007	Perambalur	1949.31	754,894	390	Andimadam Ariyalur Udayarpalayam Sendurai	Ariyalur Jayankondam	Chidambaram
2.	Chengalpattu	CGL	Chengalpattu	29 November 2019	Kanchipuram	2,944.96	2,556,244	868	Chengalpattu Cheyyur Madurantakam Pallavaram Tambaram Thiruporur Thirukazhukundram Vandalur	Pallavaram Tambaram Chengalpattu Thiruporur Cheyyur Madurantakam	Kanchipuram Sriperumbudur
3.	Chennai	CH	Chennai	1 November 1956	One of the original 13 districts (under former name of "Madras District")	426	7,139,630	17,000	Alandur Ambattur Aminjikarai Ayanavaram Egmore Guindy Madhavaram Maduravoyal Mambalam Mylapore Perambur Purasawalkam Sholinganallur Tiruvottiyur Tondiarpet Velachery	Maduravoyal Madhavaram Ambattur Thiruvottiyur Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar Perambur Kolathur Villivakkam Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar Egmore Royapuram Harbour Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni Thousand Lights Anna Nagar Virugambakkam Saidapet Thyagaraya Nagar Mylapore Velachery Sholinganallur Alandur	North Chennai Central Chennai South Chennai Thiruvallur Sriperumbudur
4.	Coimbatore	CO	Coimbatore	1 November 1956	One of the original 13 districts	4,723[35]	3,458,045	732	Anaimalai Annur Coimbatore-North Coimbatore-South Kinathukadavu Madukkarai Mettupalayam Perur Pollachi Sulur Valparai	Mettupalayam Sulur Kavundampalayam Coimbatore North Thondamuthur Coimbatore South Singanallur Kinathukadavu Pollachi Valparai	Coimbatore Pollachi Nilgiris
5.	Cuddalore	CU	Cuddalore	30 September 1993	South Arcot District	3,703	2,605,914	709	Bhuvanagiri Chidambaram Cuddalore Kattumannarkoil Kurinjipadi Panruti Titakudi Veppur Vriddachalam	Tittakudi Virudhachalam Neyveli Panruti Cuddalore Kurinjipadi Bhuvanagiri Chidambaram Kattumannarkoil	Cuddalore Chidambaram
6.	Dharmapuri	DH	Dharmapuri	2 October 1965	Salem	4,497.77	1,506,843	335	Dharmapuri Harur Karimangalam Nallampalli Palacode Pappireddipatti Pennagaram	Palacode Pennagaram Dharmapuri Pappireddipatti Harur	Dharmapuri
7.	Dindigul	DI	Dindigul	15 September 1985	Madurai	6,266.64	2,159,775	345	Athoor Dindigul-West Dindigul-East Kodaikanal Natham Nilakottai Oddanchattiram Palani Vedasandur	Palani Oddanchatram Athoor Nilakottai Natham Dindigul Vedasandur	Dindigul Karur
8.	Erode	ER	Erode	31 August 1979	Coimbatore	5,722[36]	2,251,744	394	Anthiyur Bhavani Erode Gobichettipalayam Kodumudi Modakurichi Perundurai Sathyamangalam	Erode East Erode West Modakkurichi Perundurai Bhavani Anthiyur Gopichettipalayam Bhavanisagar	Erode
9.	Kallakurichi	KL	Kallakurichi	26 November 2019	Viluppuram	3,520.37	1,370,281	389	Chinnasalem Kallakkurichi Kalvarayan Hills Sankarapuram Thirukoilur Ulundurpet	Tirukkoyilur Ulundurpettai Rishivandiyam Sankarapuram Kallakkurichi	Kallakkurichi Viluppuram
10.	Kanchipuram	KC	Kanchipuram	1 July 1997	Chingleput	1,655.94	1,166,401	704	Kanchipuram Sriperumbudur Uthiramerur Walajabad	Sriperumbudur Kanchipuram Uthiramerur	Kanchipuram Sriperumbudur
11.	Kanyakumari	KK	Nagercoil	1 November 1956	One of the original 13 districts (transferred from Travancore-Cochin)	1,672	1,870,374	1,119	Agastheeswaram Kalkulam Vilavancode Thovalai	Kanyakumari Nagercoil Colachal Padmanabhapuram vilavancode Killiyur	Kanyakumari
12.	Karur	KR	Karur	30 September 1995	Tiruchirappalli	2,895.57	1,064,493	357	Aravakurichi Kadavur Karur Krishnarayapuram Kulithalai	Aravakurichi Karur Krishnarayapuram Kulithalai	Karur Perambalur
13.	Krishnagiri	KR	Krishnagiri	9 February 2004	Dharmapuri	5,143	1,879,809	366	Bargur Denkanikottai Krishnagiri Hosur Pochampalli Uthangarai	Uthangarai Bargur Krishnagiri Veppanahalli Hosur Thalli	Krishnagiri
14.	Madurai	MDU	Madurai	1 November 1956	One of the original 13 districts	3,741.73	3,038,252	812	Madurai-North Madurai-South Melur Peraiyur Thirumangalam Usilampatti Vadipatti	Melur Madurai East Sholavandan Madurai North Madurai South Madurai Central Madurai West Thiruparankundram Thirumangalam Usilampatti	Madurai Virudhunagar Theni
15.	Mayiladuthurai	MYD	Mayiladuthurai	28 December 2020	Nagapattinam	1,172	918,356	784	Kuthalam Mayiladuthurai Sirkazhi Tharangambadi	Sirkazhi Mayiladuthurai Poompuhar	Mayiladuthurai
16.	Nagapattinam	NG	Nagapattinam	18 October 1991	Thanjavur	1,397	697,069	498	Kilvelur Nagapattinam Thirukkuvalai Vedaranyam	Nagapattinam Kilvelur Vedaranyam	Nagapattinam
17.	Namakkal	NM	Namakkal	1 January 1997	Salem	3,368.21	1,726,601	513	Namakkal Paramathi-Velur Rasipuram Sendamangalam Thiruchengode	Rasipuram Sendamangalam Namakal Thiruchengode Paramathi-Velur Kumarapalayam	Namakal Erode
18.	Nilgiris	NI	Ooty	1 November 1956	One of the original 13 districts	2,545	735,394	300	Coonoor Gudalur Kotagiri Kundah Pandalur Udagamandalam	Udagamandalam Gudalur Coonoor	Nilgiris
19.	Perambalur	PE	Perambalur	30 September 1995	Tiruchirappalli	1,757	565,223	320	Alathur Kunnam Perambalur Veppanthattai	Perambalur Kunnam	Perambalur Chidambaram
20.	Pudukkottai	PU	Pudukkottai	14 January 1974	Thanjavur and Tiruchirappalli	4,663	1,618,345	347	Alangudi Aranthangi Avadaiyarkoil Gandarvakottai Illuppur Karambakkudi Kulathur Manamelkudi Ponnamaravathi Pudukkottai Thirumayam	Gandarvakottai Viralimalai Pudukottai Thirumayam Alangudi Aranthangi	Tiruchirappalli Sivaganga Karur Ramanathapuram
21.	Ramanathapuram	RA	Ramanathapuram	1 November 1956	One of the original 13 districts	4,068.31	1,353,445	331	Kadaladi Kamuthi Mudukulathur Paramakudi R. S. Mangalam Ramanathapuram Rameswaram Tiruvadanai	Paramakudi Tiruvadanai Ramanathapuram Mudukulathur	Ramanathapuram
22.	Ranipet	RN	Ranipet	28 November 2019	Vellore	2,234.32	1,210,277	542	Arakkonam Arcot Walajapet	Arakkonam Sholingur Ranipet Arcot	Arakkonam
23.	Salem	SA	Salem	1 November 1956	One of the original 13 districts	5,245	3,482,056	669	Attur Idappadi Gangavalli Mettur Omalur Salem Sankagiri Valapady Yercaud	Gangavalli Attur Yercaud Omalur Mettur Edappadi Sankari Salem West Salem North Salem South Veerapandi	Salem Kallakkurichi Dharmapuri Namakkal
24.	Sivagangai	SI	Sivagangai	15 March 1985	Ramanathapuram	4,189	1,339,101	328	Devakottai Ilayangudi Karaikudi Manamadurai Sivaganga Tirupathur Tiruppuvanam	Karaikudi Tirupattur Sivaganga Manamadurai	Sivaganga
25.	Tenkasi	TS	Tenkasi	22 November 2019	Tirunelveli	2916.13	1,407,627	483	Alangulam Kadayanallur Sankarankoil Shenkottai Sivagiri Tenkasi Veerakeralampudur	Sankarankovil Vasudevanallur Kadayanallur Tenkasi Alangulam	Tenkasi Tirunelveli
26.	Thanjavur	TJ	Thanjavur	1 November 1956	One of the original 13 districts	3,396.57	2,405,890	708	Kumbakonam Orathanadu Papanasam Pattukkottai Peravurani Thanjavur Thiruvaiyaru Thiruvidaimarudur	Thiruvidaimarudur Kumbakonam Papanasam Thiruvayaru Thanjavur Orathanadu Pattukottai Peravurani	Thanjavur Mayiladuthurai
27.	Theni	TH	Theni	25 July 1996	Madurai	3,242.3	1,245,899	406	Andipatti Bodniayakkanur Theni Periyakulam Uthamapalayam	Andipatti Periyakulam Bodinayakanur Cumbum	Theni
28.	Thoothukudi	TK	Thoothukudi	20 October 1986	Tirunelveli	4,707	1,750,176	372	Ettayapuram Kayatharu Kovilpatti Ottapidaram Sathankulam Thiruvaikundam Tiruchendur Thoothukudi Vilathikulam	Vilathikulam Thoothukudi Tiruchendur Srivaikuntam Ottapidaram Kovilpatti	Thoothukudi
29.	Tiruchirappalli	TC	Tiruchirappalli	1 November 1956	One of the original 13 districts	4,403.83	2,722,290	618	Lalgudi Manachanallur Manapparai Marungapuri Musiri Srirangam Tiruchirappalli West Tiruchirappalli East Thiruverumbur Thottiyam Thuraiyur	Manapparai Srirangam Tiruchirappalli East Tiruchirappalli West Thiruverumbur Lalgudi Manachanallur Musiri Thuraiyur	Tiruchirappalli Perambalur karur
30.	Tirunelveli	TI	Tirunelveli	1 November 1956	One of the original 13 districts	3842.37	1,665,253	433	Ambasamudram Nanguneri Palayamkottai Radhapuram Tirunelveli	Tirunelveli Ambasamudram Palayamkottai Nanguneri Radhapuram	Tirunelveli
31.	Tirupattur	TU	Tirupattur	28 November 2019	Vellore	1,797.92	1,111,812	618	Ambur Tirupattur Vaniyambadi	Vaniyambadi Ambur Tirupattur Jolarpet	Thiruvannamalai Vellore
32.	Tiruppur	TP	Tiruppur	22 February 2009	Coimbatore and Erode	5,186.34	2,479,052	478	Avinashi Dharapuram Kangeyam Madathukulam Palladam Udumalaipettai	Avinashi Tiruppur North Tiruppur South Palladam Dharapuram Kangeyam Udumalaipettai Madathukulam	Erode Tiruppur Pollachi Coimbatore Nilgiris
33.	Tiruvallur	TL	Tiruvallur	1 July 1997	Chingleput	3,422.43	3,728,104	1,089	Avadi Gummidipoondi Pallipattu Ponneri Poonamallee RK Pet Tiruttani Tiruvallur Uthukkottai	Gummidipoondi Ponneri Tiruttani Tiruvallur Poonamallee Avadi	Tiruvallur Arakkonam
34.	Tiruvannamalai	TV	Tiruvannamalai	30 September 1989	North Arcot	6,188	2,464,875	398	Aarani Chengam Cheyyar Polur Thandarampattu Tiruvannamalai Vandavasi	Chengam Tiruvannamalai Kilpennathur Kalasapakkam Polur Arani Cheyyar Vandavasi	Tiruvannamalai Arani
35.	Tiruvarur	TR	Thiruvarur	18 October 1991	Thanjavur	2,161	1,264,277	585	Kudavasal Mannargudi Nannilam Needamangalam Thiruthiraipoondi Tiruvarur Valangaiman	Thiruthuraipoondi Mannargudi Thiruvarur Nannilam	Nagapattinam Thanjavur
36.	Vellore	VE	Vellore	30 September 1989	North Arcot	2030.11	1,614,242	795	Gudiyatham Katpadi Vellore	Katpadi Vellore Anaicut Gudiyatham	Vellore Arakkonam
37.	Viluppuram	VL	Viluppuram	30 September 1993	South Arcot	3725.54	2,093,003	562	Gingee Kandachipuram Tindivanam Vanur Villupuram Thiruvennainallur	Vanur Villupuram Vikravandi Gingee Mailam Tindivanam	Villupuram
38.	Virudhunagar	VR	Virudhunagar	15 March 1985	Ramanathapuram	4,241.0	1,942,288	453	Aruppukkottai Kariapatti Rajapalayam Sattur Sivakasi Srivilliputhur Tiruchuli Virudhunagar	Rajapalayam Srivilliputhur Sattur Sivakasi Virudhunagar Aruppukkottai Tiruchuli	Virudhunagar Tenkasi Ramanathapuram

Former districts[]

Map	District	Years	Successor districts
	Chingleput	1956–1998	Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu (since 2019) and Tiruvallur
	North Arcot	1956–1989	Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Ranipet (since 2019) and Tirupattur (since 2019)
	South Arcot	1956–1993	Cuddalore, Villupuram and Kallakurichi (since 2020)

See also[]

• List of developmental administrative units of Tamil Nadu state
• List of revenue divisions in Tamil Nadu
• List of districts in Tamil Nadu by Human Development Index

References[]