South India
View of Pechiparai Dam in Kanyakumari
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area	635,780 km²
States and territories	Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Lakshadweep*
Most populous cities (2008)	Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Madurai, Visakhapatnam
Official languages	Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, English, French‡
Population	233,000,000
Population density	337/km²
Birth rate	20. Indian Standard Time ( IST) is the time observed throughout India and Sri Lanka, with a Time offset of UTC+530. UTC+530 is the Timezone for Indian Standard Time Sri Lanka Time The geography of India is diverse with landscape ranging from snow-capped mountain ranges to deserts plains rainforests hills and plateaus To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions  Areas between 10000 km² and 100000 km² are listed here India is a union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ pronounced) is a state in the southern part of India Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India. Puducherry (formerly; புதுச்சேரி or பாண்டிச்சேரி పాండిచెర్రి പുതുശ്ശേരി Pondichéry is a Lakshadweep ( (ലക്ഷദ്വീപ്,) the smallest Union territory of India, is a group of islands 200 to 300 km off of the coast of The following table is the list of the most populous cities in South India. Bangalore ( officially Bengaluru ( Kannada: ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು) is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Coimbatore (கோயம்புத்தூர் also known as Kovai (கோவை is a major industrial city in India and the second largest city in the Madurai Visakhapatnam ( Telugu: విశాఖపట్టణం (also Visakhapattanamu, shortened and anglicized Visakha/Vizag or Vizagapatnam is a coastal port The Constitution of India envisages Hindi as the primary official language to be used by the Union Government, with English as the subsidiary official language Kannada (kn [[wiktಕನ್ನಡ ಕನ್ನಡ]] Kannaḍa) is one of the major Dravidian languages of India, spoken predominantly in the state Not to be confused with the Malay language. Malayalam (മലയാളം malayāḷaṁ) is a Dravidian language used Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume Crude birth rate is the natality or Childbirths per 1000 people per year 4
Death rate	7. Mortality rate is a measure of the number of Deaths (in general or due to a specific cause in some population scaled to the size of that population per unit time 7
Infant mortality rate	48. Infant mortality is defined as the number of deaths of Infants (one year of age or younger per 1000 live births 4
Non-numbered Footnotes: * Lakshadweep and Pondicherry are Union territories of India and under the direct command of the President of India ‡ Urdu is an official language of Andhra Pradesh while French and English are official languages of Pondicherry. A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India. The President of India or Rashtrapati ( Hindi: राष्ट्रपति a Sanskrit Neologism, lit Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States See also Official languages of India. The Constitution of India envisages Hindi as the primary official language to be used by the Union Government, with English as the subsidiary official language

South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ pronounced) is a state in the southern part of India Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India. A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India. Lakshadweep ( (ലക്ഷദ്വീപ്,) the smallest Union territory of India, is a group of islands 200 to 300 km off of the coast of Puducherry (formerly; புதுச்சேரி or பாண்டிச்சேரி పాండిచెర్రి പുതുശ്ശേരി Pondichéry is a South India lies in the peninsular Deccan Plateau and is bounded by the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal in the west, south and east respectively. A peninsula is a piece of land that is nearly surrounded by Water but connected to Mainland via an Isthmus. The Arabian Sea ( Arabic: بحر العرب transliterated: Baḥr al-'Arab Sanskrit: सिन्धु सागर transliterated: The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface The Bay of Bengal is a bay that forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. The geography of the region is diverse, encompassing two mountain ranges — the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats and a plateau heartland. The Western Ghats ( Kannada ಸಹ್ಯಾದ್ರಿ Marathi / Konkani - सह्याद्री Sahyadri Malayalam സഹ്യപര്‍വ്വതം The Eastern Ghats are a discontinuous range of mountains along India 's eastern coast The Tungabhadra and Kaveri rivers are important non-perennial sources of water. The Tungabhadra River is a sacred river in Southern India that flows through the states of Karnataka and part of Andhra Pradesh to merge with the larger The Kaveri River ( Kannada: ಕಾವೇರಿ ನದಿ Tamil: காவிரி ஆறு also spelled Cauvery in English A perennial stream or perennial river is a Stream or River (channel that has continuous flow in parts of its bed all year round during years of normal Inhabitants of South India are referred to as South Indians. A majority of South Indians speak one of the four Dravidian languages — Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil or Telugu. The Dravidian family of languages includes approximately 73 languages (including the four literary languages of Tamil, Telugu, Kannada Kannada (kn [[wiktಕನ್ನಡ ಕನ್ನಡ]] Kannaḍa) is one of the major Dravidian languages of India, spoken predominantly in the state Not to be confused with the Malay language. Malayalam (മലയാളം malayāḷaṁ) is a Dravidian language used Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. During its history, a number of dynastic kingdoms ruled over parts of South India whose invasions across southern and southeastern Asia impacted the history and cultures of modern nation-states such as Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. The history of South India covers a span of over two thousand years during which the region saw the rise and fall of a number of dynasties and empires Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The region was colonised by Britain and gradually incorporated into the British Empire. The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or Early Modern Britain is the History of the island of Great Britain roughly corresponding to the 16th 17th and 18th centuries The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power.

After experiencing fluctuations in the decades immediately after Indian independence, the economies of South Indian states have registered higher than national average decadal growth over the past three decades. The term " Indian independence movement " is diffuse incorporating various national and regional campaigns agitations and efforts of both Nonviolent and Militant While South Indian states have imroved in some socio-economic metrices,^[1][2] economic disparity, illiteracy and poverty continue to affect the region much like the rest of the country. Socioeconomics or socio-economics is the study of the relationship between economic activity and Social life. Agriculture is the single largest contributor to the regional net domestic product, while Information technology (IT) is a rapidly growing industry. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture The Net Domestic Product (NDP equals the Gross Domestic Product (GDP minus Depreciation on a country's Capital (economics goods Information technology ( IT) as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA is "the study design development implementation support Literary and architectural styles, evolved over two thousand years, differ from other parts of the country. Politics in southern India is dominated by smaller regional political parties rather than by national political parties.

South India ranks the highest in terms of social and economic development in areas such as fertility rate and infrastructure; the fertility rate of South India is 1. 9, the lowest of all regions in India. ^[3]

Etymology

Apart from the English language terms South India and Peninsular India, southern India has been known by several other historic names. The region has been referred to as the Deccan (from the Sanskrit word dakshina meaning south). Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical This term currently refers only to the area covered by the Deccan Plateau, a major geographic feature of the region. ^[4] The Carnatic is an English term derived from "Karnād" or "Karunād", meaning black country. The terms Karnād and Carnatic have long overgrown particular association with the plateau and refer to all of South India, including the coasts, the eastern of which is named the Carnatic coast. The name Karnātaka is derived from the same root. ^[5]

History

The Great Temple at Thanjavur built by Rajaraja Chola I

Hoysala Empire sculptural articulation in Belur

Main article: History of South India

Carbon dating on ash mounds associated with neolithic cultures in South India date back to 8000 BCE. Rajaraja Chola I (இராஜராஜ சோழன் is one of the greatest kings of the Chola Empire, who ruled between 985 and 1014 CE The Hoysala Empire ( Kannada: ಹೊಯ್ಸಳ ಸಾಮ್ರಾಜ್ಯ ( pronunciation: in Kannada was a prominent South Indian Kannadiga WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Belur ( Kannada:ಬೇಲೂರು is a Panchayat town in Hassan district in the The history of South India covers a span of over two thousand years during which the region saw the rise and fall of a number of dynasties and empires Radiocarbon dating is a Radiometric dating method that uses the naturally occurring Radioisotope Carbon-14 (14C to determine the age of The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos Artefacts such as ground stone axes, and minor copper objects have been found in the region. Towards the beginning of 1000 BCE, iron technology spread through the region; however, there does not appear to be a fully developed Bronze Age preceding the Iron Age in South India. This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for ^[6] South India was a crossroads of the ancient world, linking the Mediterranean and the Far East. The southern coastline from Karwar to Kodungallur was the most important trading shore in the Indian subcontinent resulting in intermingling between locals and traders. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Karwar ( Kannada: '''ಕಾರವಾರ''' Konkani / Marathi - कर्वार Kodungallur (anglicised name Cranganore) is a city and a Municipality in the Thrissur district in the Indian state of Kerala ^[7] The South Indian coast of Malabar and the Tamil people of the Sangam age traded with the Graeco-Roman world. Malabar (മലബാര്‍ is a region of southern India, lying between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. Tamil people (also called Tamils or Tamilians) ( are an Ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, a state in India, and the north-eastern The Tamil Sangams are legendary assemblies of Tamil scholars and poets that according to traditional Tamil accounts existed in the remote past In modern Olympic and amateur Wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestling is a particular style and variation They were in contact with the Phoenicians, Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Syrians, Jews, and Chinese. Phoenicia ( Phoenician: Phoenician nunsvg|12px|נ]]Phoenician nun Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding Syrians today are an overall indigenous Levantine people closely related to their immediate neighbours like the Lebanese and (to a lesser extent Jordanians PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National ^[8]

There were several significant rulers and dynasties in south Indian history. Dynasties such as the Satavahanas of Amaravati, Kadambas of Banavasi, Western Ganga Dynasty, Chalukya dynasty of Badami, Western Chalukyas, Eastern Chalukya, Cheras, Cholas, Hoysalas, Kakatiya dynasty, Pallavas, Pandyas, and Rashtrakutas of Manyaketha have ruled over South India. The Sātavāhanas ( Marathi: सातवाहन Telugu:శాతవాహనులు were a Dynasty which ruled from Junnar ( The Kadamba Dynasty ( Kannada:ಕದಂಬರು (345 - 525 CE was an ancient royal family of Karnataka that ruled from Banavasi in present The Western Ganga Dynasty (350 – 1000 CE ( Kannada:ಪಶ್ಚಿಮ ಗಂಗ ಸಂಸ್ಥಾನ was an important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka The Chalukya dynasty ( Kannada: ಚಾಲುಕ್ಯರು ʧaːɭukjə was an Indian royal dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and Central The Western Chalukya Empire ( Kannada: ಪಶ್ಚಿಮ ಚಾಲುಕ್ಯ ಸಾಮ್ರಾಜ್ಯ) ruled most of the western Deccan, South Origin of Eastern Chalukyas Pulakesin II (608–644 CE the greatest Badami Chalukya king conquered the eastern Deccan, corresponding to the History In early Tamil literature the great Chera rulers are referred to as Cheral Kuttuvan Irumporai Kollipurai and Athan The Hoysala Empire ( Kannada: ಹೊಯ್ಸಳ ಸಾಮ್ರಾಜ್ಯ ( pronunciation: in Kannada was a prominent South Indian Kannadiga The Kakatiya dynasty was a South Indian Dynasty that ruled parts of what is now Andhra Pradesh, India from 1083CE to 1323CE Origins See also Origin of Pallava The exact origin of the Pallavas is shrouded in mystery Origin The origin of the word “Pandya” has been a subject of much speculation The Rashtrakuta Dynasty ( Sanskrit: राष्ट्रकूट rāṣṭrakūṭa, Kannada: ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರಕೂಟ was a royal The late medieval period saw the rise of Muslim power in South India. The Delhi Sultanate ( Urdu: دلی سلطنت, दिल्ली सलतनत or Sultanat e Hind ( سلطنتِ هند; सलतनत ए A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion The defeat of the Kakatiya dynasty of Warangal by Tughlaq forces of the Delhi Sultanate in 1323 CE heralded a new chapter in South Indian history. The Kakatiya dynasty was a South Indian Dynasty that ruled parts of what is now Andhra Pradesh, India from 1083CE to 1323CE WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Warangal or Orugallu or Ekasila Nagaram (వరంగల్ is a city and a The Tughlaq Dynasty ( Urdu: تغلق) of north India started in 1321 in Delhi when Ghazi Tughlaq assumed the throne under the The Delhi Sultanate ( Urdu: دلی سلطنت, दिल्ली सलतनत or Sultanat e Hind ( سلطنتِ هند; सलतनत ए The struggle of the period was between the Bahmani Sultanate based in Gulbarga (and later, Bidar) and the Vijayanagara Empire with its capital in Vijayanagara in modern Hampi. The Bahmani Sultanate (Also called the Bahmanid Empire was a Muslim state of the Deccan in southern India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms Kalburgi (formerly Gulbarga; Kannada:ಕಲಬುರ್ಗಿ is a town in the Indian state of Karnataka. --> Bidar ( Kannada ಬೀದರ್) is a city and taluka in Karnataka state India. Vijayanagara (ವಿಜಯನಗರ is in Bellary District, northern Karnataka. Hampi ( Kannada: ಹಂಪೆ is a village in northern Karnataka state India.

With the fall of Vijayanagara and the break-up of the Bahmani sultanate, the Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golconda and Hyderabad became the dominant power in the region. The Qutb Shahi dynasty ( Urdu: سلطنت قطب شاهی) (whose members were also called the Qutub Shahis) was the ruling family of the kingdom Qutb Shahi dominance of the region continued until the middle of the seventeenth century, when the Mughals under Aurangzeb made determined inroads into the Deccan. Aurangzeb ( (full title Al-Sultan al-Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram Abul Muzaffar Muhiuddin Muhammad Aurangzeb Bahadur Alamgir I Padshah Ghazi) ( November 4, Following Aurangzeb’s death, Mughal power weakened, and South Indian rulers gained autonomy from Delhi. The Wodeyar kingdom of Mysore, the Asaf Jahis of Hyderabad, and Marathas all gained power. Mysore (maɪˈsɔɚ in English; renamed to Mysuru|ಮೈಸೂರು) (ಮೈಸೂರು is the second largest city in the state of Karnataka, India Nizam ( Urdu: نظام‌) a shortened version of Nizam-ul-Mulk ( Urdu: نظام‌الملک) meaning Administrator of the Realm, was The Marāthās ( Marathi: mr मराठा also Mahrattas) form an Indo Aryan group of Hindu Warriors hailing mostly from the present-day

In the middle of the eighteenth century, the French and the British initiated a protracted struggle for military control of South India. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Shifting alliances between the two European powers and the local powers marked the period with mercenary armies being employed by all sides causing general anarchy in South India. As the British consolidated power over much of India in the late 1850s, they allowed the French to retain their possessions over Pondicherry. The four Anglo-Mysore wars and the three Anglo-Maratha Wars saw Mysore, Pune and Hyderabad allying themselves with the British or the French. The Anglo-Mysore Wars were a series of wars fought in India over the last three decades of the eighteenth-century between the Kingdom of Mysore and the British South India during the British colonial rule was divided into the Madras Presidency and Hyderabad, Mysore, Thiruvithamcoore (also known as Travancore), Kochi (also known as Cochin or Perumpadapu Swaroopam), Vizianagaram and a number of other minor princely states. Madras Presidency, also known as Madras Province and known officially as Presidency of Fort St Hyderābād and Berar (హైదరాబాదు حیدر آباد under the Nizams was the largest Princely state in the erstwhile Indian Empire The Kingdom of Mysore/State of Mysore (ಮೈಸೂರು ಸಾಮ್ರಾಜ್ಯ was both a Kingdom (1399-1799 CE and a Princely state (1799-1947 Travancore or Thiruvithaamkoor ( Malayalam: തിരുവിതാങ്കൂര്‍ "Thiru" (respectful prefix which suggests either royal or The Kingdom of Cochin or Kochi (also known as Perumpadappu Swaroopam, Madarajyam, Gosree Rajyam, or Kuru Swaroopam; Vizia-nagaram (విజయనగరo sometimes spelt as Vijaya-nagaram is the main city of the Vizianagaram District of British Residents were stationed in the capitals of the important states to supervise and report on the activities of the rulers.

The States Reorganisation Act (1956) created new states (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala) and reorganised modern-day Tamil Nadu along linguistic lines. The States Reorganization Act of 1956 was a major reform of the boundaries and governance of India 's states and territories. Additionally, the enclaves of French India, which were ceded to India in the 1950s, were constituted into the union territory of Pondicherry. French India is a general name for the former French possessions in India. Puducherry (formerly; புதுச்சேரி or பாண்டிச்சேரி పాండిచెర్రి പുതുശ്ശേരി Pondichéry is a

See also: Middle kingdoms of India and History of India

Geography

Main article: Geography of South India

Sivasamudram Falls on the Kaveri River near Mysore

South India is a peninsula in the shape of a vast inverted triangle, bounded on the west by the Arabian Sea, on the east by the Bay of Bengal and on the north by the Vindhya and Satpura ranges. Middle kingdoms of India refers to the political entities in India from the 2nd century BC since the decline of the Maurya Empire, and the corresponding This article is about the history of South Asia prior to the Partition of British India in 1947 Geography of South India comprises the diverse topological and climatic patterns of South India. Shivanasamudra is a small town in the Mandya District of the state of Karnataka, India. The Kaveri River ( Kannada: ಕಾವೇರಿ ನದಿ Tamil: காவிரி ஆறு also spelled Cauvery in English Mysore (maɪˈsɔɚ in English; renamed to Mysuru|ಮೈಸೂರು) (ಮೈಸೂರು is the second largest city in the state of Karnataka, India A peninsula is a piece of land that is nearly surrounded by Water but connected to Mainland via an Isthmus. The Arabian Sea ( Arabic: بحر العرب transliterated: Baḥr al-'Arab Sanskrit: सिन्धु सागर transliterated: The Bay of Bengal is a bay that forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. The Vindhya Range ( Sanskrit: विन्‍ध्य is a range of older rounded mountains and hills in the west-central Indian subcontinent which geographically The Satpura Range is a range of Hills in central India. The range rises in eastern Gujarat state near the Arabian Sea coast running east through The Narmada flows westwards in the depression between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges. The Narmada नर्मदा Gujarati નર્મદા or Nerbudda (Narbada is a river in central India and the fifth largest river in the Indian subcontinent The Satpura ranges define the northern spur of the Deccan plateau. The Western Ghats, along the western coast, mark another boundary of the plateau. The Western Ghats ( Kannada ಸಹ್ಯಾದ್ರಿ Marathi / Konkani - सह्याद्री Sahyadri Malayalam സഹ്യപര്‍വ്വതം The narrow strip of verdant land between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea is the Konkan region. The Konkan (Marathi कोकण also called the Konkan Coast or Karavali, is a rugged section of the western coastline of India from Raigad The Western Ghats continue south, forming the Malnad (Canara) region along the Karnataka coast, and terminate at the Nilgiri mountains, an inward (easterly) extension of the Western Ghats. Malnad ( Kannada: ಮಲೆನಾಡು (an English word for Malenadu in Kannada, male means 'hill' and nadu means 'land' is a region The Kanara or Canara region (called Karavali) that comprises three coastal districts of Karnataka, a southern state of India. The Nilgiris run in a crescent approximately along the borders of Tamil Nadu with northern Kerala and Karnataka, encompassing the Palakkad and Wayanad hills, and the Satyamangalam ranges, and extending on to the relatively low-lying hills of the Eastern Ghats, on the western portion of the Tamil Nadu - Andhra Pradesh border. Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India. Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ pronounced) is a state in the southern part of India Palakkad District ( Malayalam:പാലക്കാട്) or Palghat is one of the 14 districts of Kerala state in South India. Wayanad District, in the north-east of Kerala, India, was formed on November 1 1980 as the 12th district by carving out areas from WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Sathyamangalam or Satyamangalam ( Tamil:சத்தியமங்கலம் is a city and The Eastern Ghats are a discontinuous range of mountains along India 's eastern coast Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India. The Tirupati and Annamalai hills form part of this range. Tirupati ( Telugu: తిరుపతి is the richest pilgrimage city (of any religious faith in the world located in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India The low lying coral islands of Lakshadweep are off the south-western coast of India. Corals are Marine organisms from the class Anthozoa and exist as small Sea anemone –like Polyps typically in colonies of many Lakshadweep ( (ലക്ഷദ്വീപ്,) the smallest Union territory of India, is a group of islands 200 to 300 km off of the coast of Sri Lanka lies off the south-eastern coast, separated from India by the Palk Strait and the chain of low sandbars and islands known as Rama's Bridge. Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island The Palk Strait is a Strait that lies between the Tamil Nadu state of India and the Island nation of Sri Lanka. Adam's Bridge ( Tamil: ta ஆதாம் பாலம்) also known as Rama's Bridge or Ram Setu ( Tamil: ta இராமர் The Andaman and Nicobar islands lie far off the eastern coast of India, near the Tenasserim coast of Burma. The Andaman & Nicobar Islands is a Union territory of India. Informally the territory's name is often abbreviated to A & N Islands, or ANI Tanintharyi Division, better known by the old name Tenasserim (Thaiตะนาวศรี is a division of Myanmar, covering the long narrow southern Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. The southernmost tip of mainland India is at Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin) on the Indian Ocean. The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface

The Deccan plateau is the vast elevated region bound by the C-shape defined by all these mountain ranges. No major elevations border the plateau to the east, and it slopes gently from the Western Ghats to the eastern coast. The plateau is watered by the east flowing Godavari and Krishna rivers. This article is about the river Godavari in India. For other uses see Godavari (disambiguation The Godavari ( Marathi language:गोदावरी Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism The other major rivers of the Deccan plateau are the Pennar and the Tungabhadra, a major tributary of the Krishna. The Pennar (also Penner, Penna or Penneru) is a river of southern India. The Tungabhadra River is a sacred river in Southern India that flows through the states of Karnataka and part of Andhra Pradesh to merge with the larger The three major river deltas of South India, the Kaveri, the Godavari and the Krishna, are located along the Bay of Bengal. These areas constitute the rice bowls of South India.

The region has a very tropical climate with the monsoons playing a major part. A tropical climate is a kind of Climate typical in the Tropics. The South - West Monsoon accounts for most of the rainfall in the region and much of it falls from about June to October. A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months The south-west monsoon starts from Kerala during June and moves up towards the northern parts of India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Tamil Nadu and southeast Andhra Pradesh receive rains from the North - East Monsoon from about November to February. Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India. Much of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka has a distinct dry season from about October - May when there is not much rainfall. Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ pronounced) is a state in the southern part of India This region also experiences cooler nights from October to March while the days are pleasantly warm. In the northern parts of the region temperatures can fall below 10 degrees Celsius on occasions at night during this time. Days are very hot from March to June when temps can go over 40 degrees. The southern coastal region has an average minimum temperature of 20 degrees and maximum of 35 degrees.

Flora and fauna

Main articles: Wildlife of Karnataka, Wildlife of Tamil Nadu, and Wildlife of Kerala

Bingaram Island in the union territory of Lakshadweep. The state of Karnataka located in South India has a rich diversity of flora and fauna There are about 2000 vertebrate species that are found in Tamil Nadu, South India. This article relates to Flora and Fauna of Kerala a small state in South India. A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India.

There is a wide diversity of plants and animals in South India, resulting from its varied climates and geography. Deciduous forests are found along the Western Ghats while tropical dry forests and scrub lands Deccan thorn scrub forests are common in the interior Deccan plateau. The South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest Ecoregion of southern India. The Western Ghats ( Kannada ಸಹ್ಯಾದ್ರಿ Marathi / Konkani - सह्याद्री Sahyadri Malayalam സഹ്യപര്‍വ്വതം The South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests is an Ecoregion of southern India. The Deccan thorn scrub forests is a xeric shrubland Ecoregion of India and northernmost Sri Lanka. The southern Western Ghats have high altitude rain forests called the South Western Ghats montane rain forests. The South Western Ghats montane rain forests are an Ecoregion of southern India, covering the southern portion of the Western Ghats range in Kerala The Malabar Coast moist forests are found on the coastal plains. The Malabar Coast moist forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest Ecoregion of southwestern India. ^[9] The Western Ghats itself is a biodiversity hotspot. A biodiversity hotspot is a Biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is threatened with destruction ^[10]

Some of India's famous protected areas are found in South India. These include Project Tiger reserves Periyar National Park, Kalakad - Mundanthurai and Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve. Project Tiger is a Wildlife conservation project initiated in India in 1972 to protect the Bengal Tigers It was launched on April 1 Periyar is a Protected area, and a Project Tiger Nature reserve in the South Indian State of Kerala, set high in the mountains Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR situated in the Southern Western Ghats in Tirunelveli district, in the South Indian state of Important ecological regions of South India are the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, located at the conjunction of the borders of Karnataka, Kerela and Tamilnadu in the Nilgiri Hills including Mudumalai National Park, Bandipur National Park, Nagarhole National Park Silent Valley National Park, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary and the Anamalai Hills including the Eravikulam National Park, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary and the adjacent The Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park of the Western Ghats. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is an International Biosphere Reserve in the Western Ghats, Nilgiri Hills range of South India. The Nilgiris District is in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Nilgiri (Tamil: நீலகிரி or Blue Mountains when translated The Mudumalai National Park lies on the northwestern side of the Nilgiri Hills (Blue Mountains in Nilgiri District, about 80 km north-west of Coimbatore Bandipur National Park is one of India 's best known sanctuaries and is an important Project Tiger reserve Nagarhole National Park ( Kannada ನಾಗರಹೊಳೆ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಉದ್ಯಾನವನ also known as 'Rajiv Gandhi National Park' is located 94 km Silent Valley National Park (Core zone) is located in the Nilgiri Hills, Palakkad district Kerala, in South India. The Anaimalai Hills (ஆனைமலை or Anamala Hills (in Malayalam is a range of mountains in the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu and Kerala Eravikulam National Park is a 97 km² National park located along the Western Ghats in the Idukki district of Kerala in India Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, (CWS is located 18 km north of Marayoor on SH 17 in the Marayoor and Kanthalloor Panchayats of Devikulam Taluk in the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is a 285 km² Protected area in Chittur taluk in Palakkad district of Kerala state South India. Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park (IGWLS&NP is a protected area named after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who visited here on October 7 Important bird sanctuaries including Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, Neelapattu Sanctuary and Pulicat Sanctuary are home to numerous migratory and local birds. Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary (ರಂಗನತಿಟ್ಟು ಪಕ್ಷಿಧಾಮ is a Bird Sanctuary in the Mandya District of the state of Karnataka in Other protected ecological sites include the backwaters like the Pulicut Lake in Andhra Pradesh, Pitchavarum in Tamil Nadu and the famed backwaters of Kerala formed by the Vembanad Lake, the Ashtamudi Lake and the Kayamkulam Lake. Vembanad Lake ( Vembanad Kayal or Vembanad Kol) is India 's longest Lake, and is the largest lake in the state of Kerala. Ashtamudi Lake ( Ashtamudi Kayal) is a Freshwater Lake in the Kollam District of Kerala, India.

Banana, Musaparadisiaca and Moringa oleifera are found extensively in Lakshadweep while coconut plantations provide economic support to the islands. For the fruit see Banana. For other meanings see Banana (disambiguation. "Drumstick Tree" and variants thereof redirect here This name is also used for the Golden Shower Tree ( Cassia fistulosa L Lakshadweep ( (ലക്ഷദ്വീപ്,) the smallest Union territory of India, is a group of islands 200 to 300 km off of the coast of The Coconut Palm ( Cocos nucifera) is a member of the Family Arecaceae (palm family Lashadweep has been declared a bird sanctuary by the Wildlife Institute of India. ^[11] Crabs, chiefly hermit crabs, parrot fish and butterfly fish are also found on the islands. Crabs are decapod Crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" (βραχύ / brachy Hermit crabs are decapod Crustaceans of the superfamily Paguroidea. Parrotfish are mostly tropical Perciform marine Fish of the family Scaridae. The Freshwater butterflyfish are in family Pantodontidae. The butterflyfish are a group of conspicuous tropical marine Fish

Subdivisions

Map of South Indian states prior to the States Reorganisation Act (1956). The States Reorganization Act of 1956 was a major reform of the boundaries and governance of India 's states and territories.

South India consists of the four southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Puducherry and the Lakshadweep archipelago. Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ pronounced) is a state in the southern part of India Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India. A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India. Puducherry (formerly; புதுச்சேரி or பாண்டிச்சேரி పాండిచెర్రి പുതുശ്ശേരി Pondichéry is a Lakshadweep ( (ലക്ഷദ്വീപ്,) the smallest Union territory of India, is a group of islands 200 to 300 km off of the coast of An archipelago (ɑrkəˈpɛləgoʊ is a chain or cluster of Islands The word archipelago literally means "chief Sea " from Italian Together with Pondicherry, each South Indian state has an elected state government, while the Lakshadweep islands are centrally administered by the President of India. The President of India or Rashtrapati ( Hindi: राष्ट्रपति a Sanskrit Neologism, lit The modern states of South India were created as a result of the States Reorganisation Act^[12] (1956), which established states and union territories based on linguistic boundaries. The States Reorganization Act of 1956 was a major reform of the boundaries and governance of India 's states and territories. As a result of this act:

• Andhra Pradesh was formed with the transfer of all districts from Hyderabad State and some taluks from Raichur, Bidar, and Gulbarga to Andhra State,
• Kerala was created with the transfer of Malayalam-dominated territories from Madras State, Kasaragod taluk and Malabar district to unapportioned districts of Travancore-Cochin State,
• Mysore State was formed with the transfer of Belgaum, Bijapur, Dharwad and Canara districts from Bombay State, Kollegal taluk of Coimbatore from Madras State, unapportioned taluks of Raichur, Bidar and Gulbarga from Hyderabad State and all territories of Coorg to the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore,
• Madras State was reorganised with the transfer to some talkus from Travancore-Cochin to form the districts of Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli,
• Pondicherry was formed out of the territories that were under the control of France,
• Lakshadweep was formed out of the archipelago under the Malabar district of Madras State. Hyderābād and Berar (హైదరాబాదు حیدر آباد under the Nizams was the largest Princely state in the erstwhile Indian Empire A tehsil ( Urdu: تحصیل) (or tahsil, tahasil, taluka, taluk, taluq, mandal) is an Administrative division Raichur District ( Kannada:ರಾಯಚೂರ್ is an administrative district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Bidar (ಬೀದರ್ is a district of Karnataka state in southern India. Gulbarga District ( Kannada ಕಲಬುರ್ಗಿ(ಗುಲ್ಬರ್ಗ ( Urdu گلبرگہ) is situated between 76° Andhra State was a state in India created on October 1 1953 from the Telugu -speaking northern districts of Madras Presidency. Not to be confused with the Malay language. Malayalam (മലയാളം malayāḷaṁ) is a Dravidian language used WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> For the district with the same name see Kasaragod district. Malabar District was an administrative district of British India and independent India's Madras State. Travancore-Cochin or Thiru-Kochi is a former state of India. It was created on July 1 1949 by the merger of two former Princely The Belgaum district is a district in the state of Karnataka, India. Bijapur (ವಿಜಾಪುರ is a district in the state of Karnataka in southern India. Location The Dharwad district is adjacent to Uttara Kannada district in west Belgaum and Bijapur in north Gadag in east and Haveri in south The State of Bombay is a former state of India. During British rule, portions of the western coast of India under direct British rule were part of the Kollegala (Kannadaಕೊಳ್ಳೇಗಾಲ is one of the major Taluks in the Chamrajnagar District of Karnataka State in the south of India Coimbatore District is one of the most affluent and industrially advanced districts of the state of Tamil Nadu in India. The Kingdom of Mysore/State of Mysore (ಮೈಸೂರು ಸಾಮ್ರಾಜ್ಯ was both a Kingdom (1399-1799 CE and a Princely state (1799-1947 Kanyakumari District ( Tamil: கன்னியாகுமரி மாவட்டம்(also spelt 'Kanniyakumari' or 'Kanniakumari District') is Tirunelveli District (திருநெல்வேலி மாவட்டம் in Tamil is a district of Tamil Nadu state in southern French India is a general name for the former French possessions in India. An archipelago (ɑrkəˈpɛləgoʊ is a chain or cluster of Islands The word archipelago literally means "chief Sea " from Italian

Madras State was renamed Tamil Nadu in 1968, while Mysore State was renamed Karnataka in 1973.

Each subregion is further divided into districts; the region of South India has over 100 districts. A district is an administrative division of an Indian state or territory. Each state is headed by a Governor, who is a direct appointee of the President of India, while the Chief Minister is the elected head of the state government and represents the states ruling party or coalition (the role of the Governor is largely ceremonial). A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government A Chief Minister is the elected Head of government of a sub-national (e A coalition government, or coalition cabinet, is a Cabinet of a parliamentary Government in which several parties cooperate A ceremony is an activity infused with Ritual significance performed on a special occasion

Demographics

Main article: Dravidian languages

The estimated population of South India is 233 million. ^[13] The largest linguistic groups in South India include the Telugus, Tamils, Kannadigas, Malayalis, Tulus, Kodavas and Konkanis. Telugu people refer to the group of peoples who natively speak the Telugu language. Tamil people (also called Tamils or Tamilians) ( are an Ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, a state in India, and the north-eastern Kannadiga ( Kannada: ಕನ್ನಡಿಗ | masculine|) or Kannadati ( Kannada: ಕನ್ನಡತಿ | feminine|) refers to populations The Malayali people (also spelled Malayalee; Malayalam: മലയാളി are the inhabitants of Kerala or their descendants The Kodava (ಕೊಡವ in Kannada script) are an ethnic group of southern India who trace their origins to the region of Kodagu, in Karnataka Konkani people form an ethnic group mainly found in the Konkan Coast of western India who speak the Konkani language natively About 83% of South Indians follow Hinduism. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Islam has the second-highest number of followers in the region, with 11%, while 5% follow Christianity. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation.

The average literacy rate of South India is approximately 73%, considerably higher than the Indian national average of 60%. traditional definition of literacy is considered to be the ability to read and write or the ability to use Language to read, write, listen, ^[14] Kerala leads the nation with a literacy rate of 91%. The sex ratio in South India is fairly equable at 997; Kerala is the only state in India with a favourable sex ratio. In Anthropology and Demography, the human sex ratio is the Sex ratio for Homo sapiens (i ^[13] The population density of the region is approximately 463. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume Scheduled Castes and Tribes form 18% of the population of the region. Scheduled Castes ("SC"s and Scheduled Tribes ("ST"s are Indian population groupings that are explicitly recognized by the Constitution of Agriculture is the major employer in the region — 47. 5% of the population is involved in agrarian activities. About 60% of the population lives in permanent housing structures. 47. 8% of South India has access to tap water. Tap water ( running water) is part of indoor Plumbing, which became available in the late 19th century and common in the mid-20th century Wells and springs are other major forms of water supply. A spring is a point where Groundwater flows out of the ground and is thus where the Aquifer surface meets the ground surface

The languages of South India are the Dravidian represented by Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam besides Gondi and other minor dialects, and the Austro-Asiatic by the Munda languages. ^[15] South India's predominant language family is Dravidian, a family of approximately seventy-three languages^[16] spoken in South Asia. The Dravidian family of languages includes approximately 73 languages (including the four literary languages of Tamil, Telugu, Kannada List of language familiesA language family is a group of Languages related by descent from a common ancestor called the Proto-language of that family ^[17] The States Reorganisation Act of 1956 divided states in India along linguistic lines and led to the creation of separate states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu in areas where Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Tamil respectively were dominant. The States Reorganization Act of 1956 was a major reform of the boundaries and governance of India 's states and territories. Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ pronounced) is a state in the southern part of India Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India.

In the 2001 Census, Telugu had the third largest base of native speakers in India (74 million), after Hindi and Bengali. A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Tamil was accorded the status of classical language by the Government of India in 2002 and had about 60 million native speakers. A classical language, is a language with a Literature that is "classical"&mdashie "it should be ancient it should be an independent tradition that arose mostly Kannada had 38 million, while Malayalam had 33 million native speakers. ^[18] Each of these languages is listed as an official language of India, per the Official Languages Act (1963). The Constitution of India envisages Hindi as the primary official language to be used by the Union Government, with English as the subsidiary official language

Urdu is spoken by over half of the 25 million Muslims in South India. Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised Islam in India is the second-most practiced religion after Hinduism. ^[18][19] South Indian Muslims in some regions of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka speak a dialect of Urdu called Dakhni, while some in the Dakshina Kannada region of Karnataka and regions in Kerala speak Beary bashe. A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος dialektos) is a variety of a Language that is characteristic of a particular group of Dakhni, also known as Dakkhani, Deccani (Urdu دکنی is a dialect of the Urdu language, was spoken in the Deccan region of southern Dakshina Kannada ( Kannada & Tulu:ದಕ್ಷಿಣ ಕನ್ನಡ (earlier known as South Kanara, or South Canara) is a coastal ^[20] Both Dakhni and Beary bashe are influenced by other South Indian languages. ^[18] Tulu, a Dravidian language prevalent in coastal Kerala and Karnataka, is spoken by about 1. 5 million people in the region, while Konkani, an Indo-Aryan language, is spoken by over half a million people in the region. Konkani ( Devanāgarī: कोंकणी Roman: Konknni Kannada: ಕೊಂಕಣಿ Malayalam: കൊങ്കണി IAST The Indo-Aryan languages (within the context of Indo-European studies also Indic) are a branch of the Indo-European language family In coastal Karnataka and Kerala, Konkani and Tulu draw heavy influences from Kannada and Malayalam respectively. English is also widely spoken universal language of South India. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States ^[21]

Economy

Main article: Economy of South India

India's economy after independence in 1947 conformed to a socialist framework, with strict governmental control over private sector participation, foreign trade and foreign direct investment (FDI). The term " Indian independence movement " is diffuse incorporating various national and regional campaigns agitations and efforts of both Nonviolent and Militant Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution In Economics, the private sector is that part of the economy which is both run for private Profit and is not controlled by the State. International trade is exchange of Capital, Goods, and Services across International borders or Territories. Foreign direct investment ( FDI) in its classic definition is defined as a company from one country making a physical investment into building a factory in another country Through 1960-1990, South Indian economies experienced mixed economic growth. In the 1960s, Karnataka and Kerala achieved above average economic growth, while Andhra Pradesh's economy declined during this period. Similarly, Kerala experienced economic decline in the 1970s while the economies of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu consistently exceeded national average growth rates after 1970. Karnataka experienced the highest positive differential in economic growth after the liberalisation of the Indian economy in 1991, while Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were noted by some to be more reform-oriented in terms of economic policy when compared to other Indian states. Economic growth is the increase in the amount of the goods and services produced by an economy over time In general liberalization (or liberalisation) refers to a relaxation of previous government restrictions usually in areas of social or economic policy Economic reforms in India is something which is under close study ^[24]

Over 48% of South India's population is engaged in agriculture, which is largely dependent on seasonal monsoons^[13] Some of the main crops cultivated in South India include paddy, sorghum, pearl millet, pulses, sugarcane, cotton, chilli, and ragi. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months A paddy field is a flooded parcel of Arable land used for growing Rice and other semiaquatic crops. Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, some of which are raised for grain and many of which are used as Fodder plants either cultivated or as part Pearl millet ( Pennisetum glaucum) is the most widely grown type of Millet. Sugarcane ( Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation of tall perennial grasses (family Poaceae tribe Andropogoneae The chili pepper, chilli pepper, or chili, is the fruit of the plants from the Genus Capsicum, which are members of the nightshade Finger millet ( Eleusine coracana, Amharic ዳጉሳ "Dagusa" or ቶኩሶ tōkūsō) also known as African millet or Ragi Areca, coffee, tea, vanilla, rubber, pepper, tapioca, and cardamom are cultivated on the hills, while coconut grows in abundance in coastal areas. Areca is a Genus of about 50 species of single-stemmed palms in the family Arecaceae, found in humid Tropical forests CoFFEE is an Open source Software for computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL in a digital classroom Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market Vanilla is a Flavoring derived from Orchids of the genus Vanilla native to Mexico. Black pepper ( Piper nigrum) is a flowering Vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its Fruit, which is usually dried Tapioca is a flavorless colorless odorless Starch The name cardamom (or cardamon is used for herbs within two genera of the Ginger family Zingiberaceae, namely Elettaria and Amomum The Coconut Palm ( Cocos nucifera) is a member of the Family Arecaceae (palm family Andhra Pradesh is the largest producer of rice in India,^[25] while Karnataka produces 70% of India's coffee. Frequent droughts in northern Karnataka, Rayalaseema and Telangana have left farmers debt-ridden, forcing them to sell their livestock and sometimes even to commit suicide. Rayalaseema (రాయలసీమis a geographic region in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. Telangana or Telingana ( Telugu: తెలంగాణ is a region in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. ^[26] The region also suffers from water scarcity, especially during summer. Since the liberalisation of the Indian economy, South India has seen a decrease in revenue from agriculture and agriculture related services ^[27].

Traditionally, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have been home to large, public sector industries (referred to as Public Sector Undertakings, or PSUs), with both states posting above average growth rates in this sector following economic liberalisation. The public sector is the part of economic and administrative life that deals with the delivery of goods and services by and for the Government, whether national Regional In India, public sector undertaking ( PSU) is a term used for a Government-owned corporation ( Company in the Public sector) ^[27] Chennai accounts for about 35% of India's overall automotive components^[28] while the registered headquarters of 42% of all Central PSUs in South India are located in Karnataka. ^[29] Additionally, the growth of information technology (IT) hubs in the region have spurred economic growth and attracted foreign investments and job seekers from other parts of the country. Bangalore, the Silicon Valley of India, is India's IT hub, and is home to over 200 software companies. Bangalore ( officially Bengaluru ( Kannada: ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು) is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. The Silicon Valley of India is a Nickname of the Indian city of Bangalore. In fiscal 2006-2007, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka attracted the third and fourth highest total FDI approvals in India, respectively, totalling to over Rs 41,700 crore (US$ 10. A fiscal year (or financial year, or sometimes budget year) is a period used for calculating annual ("yearly" Financial statements in Businesses The rupee (रुपया ( code: INR) is the Currency of India. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been 62 billion) ^[30] Software exports from South India grossed over Rs 64,000 crore (US$ 16. The rupee (रुपया ( code: INR) is the Currency of India. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been 3 billion) in fiscal 2005-06. ^[31] Change in policies made the agriculture rich state Andhra Pradesh to move into a very refined state in terms of IT and pharmaceutical areas. With major defence establishments in Hyderabad it has become a major city to a cosmopolitan city next to Mumbai. Though Kerala lags behind many of the Indian states in terms of industrialisation, it ranks first in the country in terms of quality of life. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP ^[32]

Politics

Main article: Politics in South India

A Left Democratic Front rally in Kerala. Politics in South India is typically dominated by regional parties than by the larger national political parties such as the Congress (INC or BJP (BJP Left Democratic Front is one of the two major alliances that dominate the political life of the Indian state Kerala.

Election poster of AIADMK founder and former chief minister of Tamil Nadu MG Ramachandran. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK (அனைத்து இந்திய அண்ணா திராவிட முன்னேற்ற கழகம் is a regional Maruthur Gopala Ramachandran Menon ( Tamil: மருதூர் கோபால இராமச்சந்திரன் Malayalam:മരുതൂര്

Politics in South India is dominated by a mix of regional parties and larger national political parties like the Congress (INC), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)). Indian National Congress-I (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major Political party in India. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP (भारतीय जनता पार्टी, Translation: Indian People's Party) founded in 1980 is a major Political The Communist Party of India (Marxist (abbreviated CPI(M or CPM) is a Political party in India. With the exclusion of Karnataka, each state has at least two parties dominating politics in that state. Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ pronounced) is a state in the southern part of India A two-party system is a form of Party system where two major Political parties dominate voting in nearly all Elections at every

Pre-independence politics in the Madras Presidency was dominated by the Justice Party and the INC. Indian National Congress-I (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major Political party in India. Periyar Ramasami who started the Periyar movement was elected leader of the Justice party in 1938 and in 1944 renamed it to Dravidar Kazhagam, with its initial aim being the secession of Dravida Nadu from the rest of India on independence. Periyar E V Ramasamy (பெரியார் ( September 17, 1879 &ndash December 24, 1973) also known as Ramaswami Dravidar Kazhagam or Dravida Kazhagam (Dravidian Organization was the first fully Dravidian party in India. Dravida Nadu was also the name of a Tamil language publication started by C ^[33] Following independence, Periyar strongly believed that the party should not participate in elections in the newly created India, something his closest followers disagreed with. In 1948, C. N. Annadurai, a follower of Periyar and a Joint Secretary of Dravidar Kazhagam parted ways with Periyar to form the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam political party. C N Annadurai (அண்ணாதுரை (1909 to 1969 popularly called Anna (which means elder brother in Tamil language) was the first non Congress Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ( Tamil:திராவிட முன்னேற்றக் கழகம் (literally "Dravidian Progress Federation") is a regional ^[33]INC's political influence over Tamil Nadu gave way to the rise of the DMK which formed its first government in 1968 and again in 1978. The following year, a split in the DMK resulted in the formation of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), lead by M. G. Ramachandran. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK (அனைத்து இந்திய அண்ணா திராவிட முன்னேற்ற கழகம் is a regional Maruthur Gopala Ramachandran Menon ( Tamil: மருதூர் கோபால இராமச்சந்திரன் Malayalam:മരുതൂര് Together, the AIADMK and the DMK currently command a 60% share in Tamil Nadu state elections.

The main facets of state politics in Tamil Nadu included language — the distinction between Tamil and non-Tamil speakers was an important tool used by the DMK in the 1960s and caste — such as the Self-respect Movement. The Self-Respect Movement was founded in 1925 by EV Ramasami Naicker (also known as Periyar in Tamil Nadu, India. The imposition of Hindi on non-Hindi speaking areas of India has often been a contentious issue in Tamil Nadu. In January-February 1965, large scale anti-Hindi agitations, a cause championed by the DMK,^[34] occurred in Tamil Nadu.

In 1982, the establishment of the Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh by former Telugu actor Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR) broke the dominance of the INC in Andhra Pradesh politics. Telugu Desam Party ( Telugu: తెలుగు దేశం Party for Telugu Land and people or TDP is a regional Political party Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao ( Telugu:నందమూరి తారక రామా రావు( 28 May 1923 – 18 January 1996 NTR successfully challenged the INC's supremacy in the state and his party was voted into power a total of four times. In 1996, a year after winning the state assembly election by a landslide, a dispute between NTR, his wife Lakshmi Parvati and his immediate family resulted in a split in the TDP. Concerned over undue influence over NTR and his policies, the bulk of the party favoured the family under the leadership of NTR's son-in-law, N Chandrababu Naidu, who later became Chief Minister of the state. Nara Chandrababu Naidu ( Telugu:నారా చంద్రబాబు నాయుడు (born April 20 1950) was the Chief minister Naidu was regarded as a visionary who promoted the growth of information technology in the state.

The Janata Dal has been far more successful in Karnataka than it has been in national politics. Janata Dal is an Indian political party which was formed through the merger of one of the major Janata Party factions the Lok Dal and a group of Congressmen National political parties such as the BJP and INC have experienced more comparative success in Karnataka than they have in other states of South India. Karnataka's political environment is dominated by two rival caste groups — the Vokkaligas and the Lingayats. The Vokkaligas are an Indian Caste or Social group found mainly in the Old Mysore Region of southern Karnataka state Lingayatism or Veerashaivism is a Hindu religious sect in India but a Dharma. ^[35] Ramakrishna Hegde played an integral part in the ascent of the Janata Dal into the national foray in the late 1980s. Ramakrishna Hegde ( Kannada: ರಾಮಕೃಷ್ಣ ಹೆಗಡೆ was born on August 29[[ 926]] at Siddapur, Uttara Kannada district However, it was his political rival H. D. Deve Gowda, then the Chief Minister of Karnataka, who later went on to become the Prime Minister of India. Haradanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda (ಹರದನಹಳ್ಳಿ ದೊಡ್ಡೇಗೌಡ ದೇವೇಗೌಡ (born 18 May 1933 was the twelfth Prime Minister of The Prime Minister of India is head of the Council of Ministers, appointed by the President to assist the latter in the administration of the affairs of the executive

Kerala hosts two major political alliances: the United Democratic Front (UDF, led by the Indian National Congress) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF, led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist)). United Democratic Front (UDF is an alliance of progressive pro-development political parties of Kerala state in India. Indian National Congress-I (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major Political party in India. Left Democratic Front is one of the two major alliances that dominate the political life of the Indian state Kerala. The Communist Party of India (Marxist (abbreviated CPI(M or CPM) is a Political party in India. Kerala numbers among India's most left-wing states. An interesting phenomenon of Kerala politics is the alternate election of Congress and the Communists to power.

Culture and heritage

Main article: South Indian culture

A Tamil couple c. South Indian culture refers to the culture of the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala. Tamil people (also called Tamils or Tamilians) ( are an Ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, a state in India, and the north-eastern 1945; the wife is wearing a madisara sari. for the town in Nepal see Sari Nepal A sari or saree or shari is a female garment in the Indian subcontinent

Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, A famous temple located in Tirupati, Andra Pradesh

According to some experts, the weltanschauung of South Indians is essentially the celebration of the eternal universe through the celebration of the beauty of the body, and motherhood, which is exemplified through their dance, clothing, and sculptures. Tirumala Venkateswara Temple (తిరుమల వేంకటేశ్వర దేవాలయం also known as Tirupati Venkateswara Temple is a famous Hindu temple Tirupati ( Telugu: తిరుపతి is the richest pilgrimage city (of any religious faith in the world located in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India A comprehensive world view (or worldview) is a term Calqued from the German word Weltanschauung ( Welt is the German The Universe is defined as everything that Physically Exists: the entirety of Space and Time, all forms of Matter, Energy "Mom" "Mum" and "Mommy" redirect here ^[36] South Indian women traditionally wear the Saree while the men wear a type of sarong, which could be either a white pancha or a colourful lungi with typical batik patterns. for the town in Nepal see Sari Nepal A sari or saree or shari is a female garment in the Indian subcontinent A sarong or sarung (ˈsaɾoŋ in Malay, and səˈrɒŋ in English) is a large sheet of fabric, often wrapped around the waist and worn as The pancha in Telugu, called dhoti or doti in Hindi, Laacha in Punjabi, Mundu in Malayalam The lungi ( Bengali: লুঙ্গি) is a Garment worn around the waist in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar Batik ( pronunciation:, but often in English is or) is a wax-resist Dyeing technique used on Textile.

Rice is the staple diet, while fish is an integral component of coastal South Indian meals. Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many Coconut is an important ingredient in Kerala whereas Andhra Pradesh cuisine is characterized by pickles and spicy curries. The Coconut Palm ( Cocos nucifera) is a member of the Family Arecaceae (palm family Rice is the Staple food of the southern state of India, Andhra Pradesh. Pickling, also known as brining or corning, is the process of preserving Food by Anaerobic fermentation in Brine (a solution Curry is the English description of any of a general variety of spicy dishes best known in Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan Hyderabadi cuisine a legacy of the past, is popular for its Biryani. Hyderabadi Cuisine is a princely Legacy of the Nizams is a blend of Mughlai and Persian cuisines The use of ingredients is carefully chosen Hyderabadi Biryani is a famous meat and rice dish of Hyderabad India. Dosa, Idli, Uttapam are popular throughout the region. Preparation Regular dosa batter is made from Rice and split skinned Urad bean (black lentil blended with water and left to ferment overnight History Although the precise history of the modern idli is unknown it is a very old food in southern Indian cuisine Uttapam Tamil - ஊத்தப்பம் is a Dosa -like dish that is made by cooking ingredients in a batter There are large coffee estates in southern Karnataka and parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. CoFFEE is an Open source Software for computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL in a digital classroom

The music of South India is known as Carnatic music, which includes rhythmic and structured music by composers like Purandara Dasa, Kanaka Dasa, Tyagaraja, Annamacharya, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Shyama Shastri, Subbaraya Shastri, Mysore Vasudevachar and Swathi Thirunal. Carnatic music (also spelled Karnatak music or Karnatik music, and originally called Karṇāṭaka sangīta or Karṇāṭaka sangītam in India Rhythm (from Greek ῥυθμός - rhythmos, "any measured flow or movement symmetry" is the variation of the length and accentuation of Purandara Dāsa (1484 - 1564 (sometimes spelled as a single word ( Kannada: ಪುರಂದರ ದಾಸ was one of the most prominent composers of Carnatic Kanaka Dasa ದಾಸ ( 1509 – 1609) was great poet philosopher musician and composer from Karnataka. Thyāgarāja (శ్రీ త్యాగరాజ స్వామి May 4, 1767 - January 6, 1847) was a composer of Carnatic music Sri Tallapaka Annamacharya (శ్రీ తాళ్ళపాక అన్నమాచార్య (1408-1503 the mystic saint composer Muthuswami Dikshitar ( Tamil: முத்துஸ்வாமி தீக்ஷிதர் March 24[[ 775]] &ndash October 21 1835) Shyama Shastri ( శ్యామా శాస్త్రిஷ்யாமா ஷாஸ்திரி श्यामा शास्त्रि) ( 1762 - 1827 Sri Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma (April 16 1813 - December 25 1846 was the Maharaja of the state of Travancore, in India. The contemporary singer Dr. K. J. Yesudas is a cultural ambassador of Carnatic music. Kattassery Joseph Yesudas, Malayalam കാട്ടശ്ശേരി ജോസഫ് യേശുദാസ്, (born January 10, 1940) is an The motion picture industry has emerged as an important platform in South India, over the years portraying the cultural changes, trends, aspirations and developments experienced by its people. Some movie classics like Nammukku paarkkaan munthiri thoppukal (1986) by Padmarajan, Adi Shankara (1984) by director G V Iyer, and Perumthachan (1990) by Ajayan have gained worldwide acclaim. Namukku parkkan munthiri thoppukal (Translation Vineyards For Us To Dwell In) is a landmark film in Malayalam cinema directed by Padmarajan. P Padmarajan (പി പത്മരാജന്‍ 23 May 1945 – 24 January 1991) was a Malayalam Author, Script Ganapathi Venkatrama Iyer (also known as G V Iyer) was a well known Indian film director Perumthachan also spelled as "Perunthachan" meaning ( the master carpenter or the master craftsman) is an honorific title that is used to refer Ajayan is a Film director. In 1990 he directed the Malayalam movie Perumthachan, which has won rare accolades from the Film community South India is home to several distinct dance forms — the Koodiyattam, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, Yakshagana, Theyyam, Ottamthullal, Oppana, Kerala Natanam and Mohiniaattam. Koodiyattam or Kutiyattam (kuːʈijaːʈːam is a form of Sanskrit theatre traditionally performed in the state of Kerala, India. Bharatanatyam (பரதநாட்டியம்is a classical Dance form originating in Tamil Nadu, Kuchipudi ( తెలుగు: కూచిపూడి (pronounced as 'Koochipoodi' is a Classical Indian dance form from Andhra Pradesh, a state of Kathakali (കഥകളി kat̪ʰəkaɭi is a form of highly stylised classical Indian Dance - Drama that is noted for its attractive make-up of characters Yakshagana ( Kannada:ಯಕ್ಷಗಾನ pronounced as yaksha-gaana) is a classical Folk art form of the state of Karnataka in India The Theyyam or Theyyattam is a popular Ritual dance of north Kerala, South India, particularly presented in the Kolathunadu (of the Ottamthullal or Ottanthullal (oːʈːamt̪uɭːal Malayalam:ഓട്ടന്‍ തുള്ളല്‍ is a type of performing art from Kerala, south Oppana ( Malayalam:ഒപ്പന is a popular form of social entertainment among the Mappila community of Kerala, South India, prevalent all Kerala Natanam (Kerala Dance is a new style of dance that is now recognised as a distinct art form evolved from Kathakali a form of Indian dance-drama Mohiniyattam ( Malayalam: മോഹിനിയാട്ടം is a traditional South Indian Dance form from Kerala, India.

South India has an independent literary tradition going back over 2000 years. The first known literature of South India are the poetic Sangams, which were written in Tamil between 2000 to 1500 years ago. The Tamil Sangams are legendary assemblies of Tamil scholars and poets that according to traditional Tamil accounts existed in the remote past The 850 CE Kannada classic Kavirajamarga written by King Amoghavarsha I makes references to Kannada literature of King Durvinita in the early sixth century CE. Kavirajamarga (ಕವಿರಾಜಮಾರ್ಗ (850 CE is the earliest available writing on literary criticism poetics and grammar in the Kannada language Tamil Buddhist commentators of the tenth century CE Nemrinatham make references to Kannada literature of the fourth century CE. Distinct Malayalam and Telugu literary traditions developed in the following centuries.

South India has two distinct styles of rock architecture, the pure dravida style of Tamil Nadu and the Vesara style (also called Karnata dravida style) present in Karnataka. Vesara is a type of Indian architecture primarily used in temples The inspirational temple sculptures of Hampi, Badami, Bhattiprolu, Pattadakal, Aihole, Belur, Halebidu, Lakkundi, Shravanabelagola, Mahabalipuram, Tanjore, Madurai and the mural paintings of Travancore and Lepakshi temples, also stand as a testament to South Indian culture. A temple (from the Latin word Templum) is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities such as prayer and sacrifice or analogous rites Hampi ( Kannada: ಹಂಪೆ is a village in northern Karnataka state India. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Badami (ಬದಾಮಿ formerly known as Vatapi, is a Taluk in the Bagalkot District WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Bhattiprolu is a small Village in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh Pattadakal ( Kannada - ಪಟ್ಟದಕಲ್ is a town in the Indian state of Karnataka famous for its group of monuments that are the culmination Aihole ( Kannada ಐಹೊಳೆ is a town in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, India WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Belur ( Kannada:ಬೇಲೂರು is a Panchayat town in Hassan district in the WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Halebidu ( Kannada ಹಳೆಬೀಡು is located in Hassan District, Karnataka Lakkundi in Gadag District of Karnataka is a place of antiquarian interest with as many as 50 temples 101 stepped wells (called Kalyani or Pushkarni and 29 Shravanabelagola (ಶ್ರವಣಬೆಳಗೊಳ is a city located in the Hassan district, in the Indian state of Karnataka. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Mahabalipuram (மகாபலிபுரம் also known as Mamallapuram (மாமல்லபுரம் Thanjavur ( Tamil: தஞ்சாவூர் also known by its Anglicised name Tanjore, and it is the Eleventh largest city in Tamil Nadu (after Madurai Travancore or Thiruvithaamkoor ( Malayalam: തിരുവിതാങ്കൂര്‍ "Thiru" (respectful prefix which suggests either royal or South Indian culture refers to the culture of the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala. The paintings of Raja Ravi Varma are considered classic renditions of many a scenes of South Indian life and mythology. Raja Ravi Varma ( April 29, 1848 - October 2, 1906) was an Indian painter who achieved recognition for his depiction of scenes Murudeshwara, a town in Uttar Kannada district is known for the world's tallest Shiva statue. Murudeshwara (ಮುರುಡೇಶ್ವರ is a town in the Bhatkal Taluk of Uttara Kannada district in the state of Karnataka, India Uttara Kannada ( Kannada ಉತ್ತರ ಕನ್ನಡ) is a district in the southern Indian state of Karnataka.

The main spiritual traditions of South India include both Shaivite and Vaishnavite branches of Hinduism, although Buddhist and Jain philosophies had been influential several centuries earlier. Shaivism, also spelled "Saivism" names the oldest of the four sects of Hinduism. Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu or its associated avatars principally as Rama and Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. Shravanabelagola in Karnataka is a popular pilgrimage center for Jains. Shravanabelagola (ಶ್ರವಣಬೆಳಗೊಳ is a city located in the Hassan district, in the Indian state of Karnataka. Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. Ayyavazhi is spread significantly across the southernmost parts of South India. Ayyavazhi (aiavəɻɪ( Tamil:அய்யாவழி Ayyavali - "Path of the father") is a dharmic belief system that originated ^[37] Its followers are more densely populated in South Tamil Nadu^[38] and Kerala. Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India. Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; ^[39] There is a large Muslim community in South India, particularly in the Malabar coast, which can trace its roots to the ancient maritime trade between Kerala and Omanis and other Arabs. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Malabar (മലബാര്‍ is a region of southern India, lying between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast Christianity has flourished in coastal South India from the times of St. Thomas the Apostle who is believed to have come to Kerala and established the Syrian Christian tradition today called as Saint Thomas Christians or Nasranis. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Thomas the Apostle, also called Judas Thomas, Doubting Thomas, or Didymus, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. The Syrian Malabar Nasrani people are an Ethnoreligious group from Kerala, India. ^[40] Kerala is also home to one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world who are supposed to have arrived in the Malabar coast during the time of King Solomon. Cochin Jews, also called Malabar Jews ( Malabar Yehudan) are the ancient Jews and their descendants of the former King Solomon ( Ge'ez: ስለሞን Arabic: ar سليمان, Sulayman, all from the Triliteral root S-L-M, "peace" ^[41] The oldest surviving Jewish synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations is the Paradesi Synagogue in Kochi, Kerala. A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of Kochi Jewish Synagogue Cjpg|thumb|right|200px|Inside Jewish Synagogue]]The Paradesi Synagogue is the oldest Synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations, located in

See also

• India
• North India
• North-East India
• West India
• East India

Notes

References and bibliography

External links

• More about South India
• South India travel guide from Wikitravel
• South India at the Open Directory Project
• A list of attractions of South India