Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh bound Tamil Nadu in the north and Kerala in the west. The waters of the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean lap the coastal eastern and southern boundaries respectively. The Point Calimere and Mudumalai wildlife sanctuaries define the eastern and western tips of the state while on the northern extreme is Pulicat Lake and the southernmost tip is Cape Camorin or Kanniyakumari - the Land's End of India.
With an area of 130,058 sq km and population over 55 million, Tamil Nadu is the 11th largest state in India. The Union Territory of Pondicherry is a small enclave in the district of South Arcot.
Traditionally, the land of Tamils has been divided into 5 major physiographic divisions - the Kurinji or mountainous region, the Mullai or forest region, the Palai or arid region, the Marudham or the fertile plains and the Neidhal or coastal region.