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Districts of Tamil Nadu: all 38 with headquarters
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Tamil Nadu has 38 districts as of 2026, with Chennai as the state capital. The count rose from 32 to 38 between 2019 and 2020, when five new districts were carved out in November 2019 and Mayiladuthurai was formed in 2020. In almost every district the headquarters town has the same name as the district; Nilgiris (Udhagamandalam) and Kanniyakumari (Nagercoil) are the two exceptions to learn.
List of districts with headquarters
| District | Headquarters | Key fact |
|---|---|---|
| Ariyalur | Ariyalur | Limestone and cement; Gangaikonda Cholapuram |
| Chengalpattu | Chengalpattu | Formed 2019; Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) and Kalpakkam |
| Chennai | Chennai | State capital; smallest district by area |
| Coimbatore | Coimbatore | Textiles, pumps and engineering |
| Cuddalore | Cuddalore | Neyveli lignite; Chidambaram Natarajar temple |
| Dharmapuri | Dharmapuri | Hogenakkal Falls on the Cauvery |
| Dindigul | Dindigul | Locks and leather; Palani and Kodaikanal |
| Erode | Erode | Turmeric and handlooms; Periyar's birthplace |
| Kallakurichi | Kallakurichi | Formed 2019 from Viluppuram; Kalrayan Hills |
| Kancheepuram | Kancheepuram | Silk sarees; temple city |
| Kanniyakumari | Nagercoil | Southernmost district; Vivekananda Rock |
| Karur | Karur | Home textiles; bus body building |
| Krishnagiri | Krishnagiri | Formed 2004 from Dharmapuri; Hosur industries; mangoes |
| Madurai | Madurai | Meenakshi Amman temple; jasmine |
| Mayiladuthurai | Mayiladuthurai | Newest district; carved from Nagapattinam |
| Nagapattinam | Nagapattinam | Port town; Velankanni |
| Namakkal | Namakkal | Poultry and eggs; road transport |
| Nilgiris | Udhagamandalam | Ooty; tea; Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve |
| Perambalur | Perambalur | Lowest population in the 2011 Census |
| Pudukkottai | Pudukkottai | Former princely state under the Thondaiman rulers |
| Ramanathapuram | Ramanathapuram | Rameswaram island; Gulf of Mannar |
| Ranipet | Ranipet | Formed 2019 from Vellore; leather and industrial estate |
| Salem | Salem | Steel plant; mangoes; Mettur Dam |
| Sivagangai | Sivagangai | Karaikudi and the Chettinad region |
| Tenkasi | Tenkasi | Formed 2019 from Tirunelveli; Courtallam Falls |
| Thanjavur | Thanjavur | Brihadeeswara temple; rice bowl of Tamil Nadu |
| Theni | Theni | Vaigai Dam; cardamom and grapes in the Cumbum valley |
| Thiruvallur | Thiruvallur | Pulicat Lake; Ennore industrial belt |
| Thiruvarur | Thiruvarur | Thyagaraja temple; Cauvery delta rice |
| Thoothukudi | Thoothukudi | Port; salt pans; pearl fishery history |
| Tiruchirappalli | Tiruchirappalli | Rock Fort; Srirangam; Kallanai |
| Tirunelveli | Tirunelveli | Halwa; Tamirabarani river |
| Tirupathur | Tirupathur | Formed 2019 from Vellore; Ambur and Vaniyambadi leather; Yelagiri |
| Tiruppur | Tiruppur | Knitwear exports; formed in 2009 |
| Tiruvannamalai | Tiruvannamalai | Annamalaiyar temple; Karthigai Deepam |
| Vellore | Vellore | Vellore Fort; 1806 Vellore Mutiny |
| Viluppuram | Viluppuram | Gingee Fort; Auroville |
| Virudhunagar | Virudhunagar | Sivakasi fireworks, matches and printing |
The six newest districts
Exam setters like recent changes. The five districts formed in November 2019 and the one formed in 2020 are:
| New district | Carved from | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Kallakurichi | Viluppuram | 2019 |
| Tenkasi | Tirunelveli | 2019 |
| Chengalpattu | Kancheepuram | 2019 |
| Ranipet | Vellore | 2019 |
| Tirupathur | Vellore | 2019 |
| Mayiladuthurai | Nagapattinam | 2020 |
Vellore was split three ways in 2019, which is why it appears twice as a parent. Mayiladuthurai took effect in 2020 and is the newest district on the list. If a question asks for the "38th district", the answer is Mayiladuthurai.
Short notes on most-asked items
- Southernmost, smallest and least populous. Kanniyakumari is the southernmost district. Chennai is the smallest by area. Perambalur had the lowest population in the 2011 Census, counted within its boundaries at that time.
- Older reorganisations. Krishnagiri was carved out of Dharmapuri in 2004, and Tiruppur out of Coimbatore (and Erode) in 2009.
- Coastal districts. Fourteen districts touch the sea: Thiruvallur, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Viluppuram, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari.
- Spelling variants. Older books use Tuticorin, Trichy, Tiruvallur and Kanyakumari. Questions can use either form, so recognise both.
Tamil Nadu at a glance (Census 2011)
Tamil Nadu covers about 1,30,058 sq km. Its 2011 Census population is 7.21 crore, with a sex ratio of 996 females per 1,000 males and a literacy rate of 80.09 per cent. These are census-year figures, not current estimates, and the district boundaries have changed since.
Memory tips
Group the districts by region instead of alphabetically. The north has Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu, with Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupathur and Tiruvannamalai inland. The Cauvery delta has Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai. The west has Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem and Namakkal. The south has Madurai, Theni, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari. Then match each district to its main river from the rivers of Tamil Nadu page. For a map-first approach read the TNPSC geography guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many districts are there in Tamil Nadu?
Tamil Nadu has 38 districts as of 2026. It had 32 until 2019, then gained five districts in November 2019 and Mayiladuthurai in 2020. Confirm on tn.gov.in in case a new district is notified.
Which is the newest district of Tamil Nadu?
Mayiladuthurai, formed in 2020 from Nagapattinam district, is the newest of the 38.
Which districts were created in 2019?
Kallakurichi, Tenkasi, Chengalpattu, Ranipet and Tirupathur. Kallakurichi came from Viluppuram, Tenkasi from Tirunelveli, Chengalpattu from Kancheepuram, and Ranipet and Tirupathur from Vellore.
Is the district headquarters always the same as the district name?
Almost always. The exceptions are Nilgiris, whose headquarters is Udhagamandalam (Ooty), and Kanniyakumari, whose headquarters is Nagercoil.
Official sources
- Government of Tamil Nadu portal
- Census of India for 2011 population and literacy
- TNPSC for the current syllabus
District lists can change when new districts are notified, so confirm the count on the Tamil Nadu government portal before an exam.
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