Karnataka is the largest state in Southern India. A state with great historical importance, Karnataka has helped shape various Indian traditions and customs. Below discussed are the important facts and information about Karnataka, the “state of languages”. Let’s read.
Facts about Karnataka
Geography of Karnataka
Karnataka is the sixth largest state in India in terms of area. It shares borders with 6 other states – Maharashtra, Goa, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
The state has a coastline with the Arabian Sea on the west. The Western Ghats mountain range runs parallelly along the coastline. East of the Western Ghats is the Deccan plateau. The Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats sort of meet near the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border. Karnataka is the eighth-most populous state in India.
Forest cover and National Parks in Karnataka
The total forest cover in Karnataka is 38,730 square kilometers which is 20.19 percent of the total geographical area of the state. There are 5 National Parks in Karnataka.
- Anshi National Park- 417.34 sq km
- Bandipur National Park- 874.2 sq km
- Bannerghatta National Park- 260.51 sq km
- Kudremukh National Park- 600.32 sq km
- Nagarahole (Rajiv Gandhi) National Park- 643.39 sq km
Tourism in Karnataka
Karnataka is a versatile tourist destination. It is the fourth most visited state by domestic tourists. The famous beach towns of Gokarna, Murudeshwar, and Udupi are visited by tourists from all over the world. If you are a mountain lover, Karnataka will not disappoint you. There are many hill stations and trekking trails in Karnataka. Some famous hill stations are Coorg, Chikmagalur, Agumbe, etc. Some famous trekking trails are the Kudremukh trek, Anthargange trek, etc.
The historic city of Hampi located along the Tungabhadra river is famous for its monuments and Sree Virupaksha temple. The group of monuments at Hampi are a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara empire. During the 15th and 16th centuries, Hampi was the most prosperous city in India. The stone chariot printed on the 50 Rupee note is located in Hampi.
The group of monuments at Pattadakal is another UNESCO World Heritage site in Karnataka. At Pattadakal, there are various Hindu and Jain temples of the 7th and 8th centuries build under the Chalukya dynasty.
Districts in Karnataka
Karnataka is divided into 31 districts. Belagavi district is the largest district in terms of area whereas Bangalore Urban district is the most populous district.
More interesting facts about Karnataka
- The city of Mysore (Mysuru) which was the capital of the famous Kingdom of Mysore is known for its cleanliness. The city constantly ranks among the top cleanest cities in India.
- Karnataka is the largest coffee exporting state in India. Coorg and Chikmagalur are famous for their tea and coffee gardens where the majority of production takes place.
- The capital of Karnataka, Bangalore (Bengaluru) is the second-largest city in India. It is known as the “Silicon Valley of India” because of its famous IT industry. The city has become an employment and startup hub attracting youngsters from all over India.
- The Gommateshwara statue located in Shravanabelagola, Karnataka is a 57-foot monolithic statue built in the 10th century. It is one of the highest monolithic statues in the world.
- Kannada is the most spoken language in Karnataka. Apart from Kannada, many other languages are spoken in the state. Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Tulu, Malayalam, Konkani, and Hindi are all spoken by at least 1 percent of the population.
Karnataka state basic information
| Area rank | 6 |
| Population rank | 8 |
| State animal | Asian elephant |
| State tree | Indian Sandalwood |
| Number of districts | 31 |
| State bird | Indian roller |
| Literacy rate | 75.36 % |
| Largest city | Bangalore (Bengaluru) |
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