Tamil Nadu is bordered by Puducherry(Pondicherry), Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.Colonised by the East India Company, Tamil Nadu was eventually incorporated into the Madras Presidency. After the independence of India, the state of Madras was created in 1956 based on linguistic boundaries. The name of the state was changed to Tamil Nadu in the year 1969.Tamil Nadu politics has been dominated by the AIADMK and DMK parties. Both parties stemmed from the Dravidian movement, which demanded greater rights for the 'Dravidian' population of Tamil Nadu.

Economy
Tamil Nadu's gross state domestic product for 2004 is estimated at $56 billion in current prices. Possessing the third largest economy (2004-2005) among states in India, Tamil Nadu is also the second most industrialised state next to Maharastra.[8] It ranks second in per capita income (2004-2005) among large states. It ranks third in foreign direct investment approvals (cumulative 1991-2002) of Rs.225,826 million ($5,000 million), next only to Maharashtra (Rs.366,024 million ($8,100 million)) and Delhi (Rs.303,038 million ($6,700 million). The State's FDI investment constitutes 9.12% of the total FDI in the country.[9] Unlike many other states, the economic resources are quite spread out, rather than concentrated in a small industrialised area.
According to the 2001 Census, Tamil Nadu has the highest level of urbanisation (43.86%) in India, accounting for 6% of India’s total population and 9.6% of the urban population.[10] and is the second most industrialised state in India.[4] Tamil Nadu has a network of about 110 industrial parks and estates offering developed plots with supporting infrastructure.[11] Also, the state government is promoting other industrial parks like Rubber Park, Apparel Parks, Floriculture Park, TICEL Park for Biotechnology,[12] Siruseri IT Park, and Agro Export Zones among others.


Divisions
Districts: Chennai • Coimbatore • Cuddalore • Dharmapuri • Dindigul • Erode • Kanchipuram • Kanyakumari • Karur • Krishnagiri • Madurai • Nagapattinam • Namakkal • Perambalur • Pudukkottai • Ramanathapuram • Salem • Sivaganga • Thanjavur • The Nilgiris • Theni • Thoothukudi • Tiruchirapalli • Tirunelveli • Tiruvallur • Tiruvannamalai • Tiruvarur • Vellore • Viluppuram • Virudhunagar

Major cities: Alandur • Avadi • Ambattur • Chennai • Coimbatore • Cuddalore • Dindigul • Erode • Kancheepuram • Karur • Kumbakonam • Madurai • Nagercoil • Neyveli • Pallavaram • Pudukkottai • Rajapalayam • Salem • Tambaram • Thanjavur • Thoothukudi • Tiruchirapalli • Tirunelveli • Tiruppur • Tiruvannamalai • Tiruvottiyur • Vellore