Tamil Nadu is the most urbanised state in India, although it still holds a major portion of its population in the rural corners. The state capital and largest city is Cennai (formerly known as Madras). The region has been the home of the Tamil civilization since at least 1500 BC, and the Tamil language dates back two millennia.
Tamil Nadu's tourism industry is the second largest in India, and has many attractions to offer, among these are: monumental ancient Hindu temples of Dravidian architecture; beautiful hill stations; national parks and wildlife sanctuaries; beach resorts, multi-religious pilgrimage sites; and eight World Heritage sites.
Tamil Nadu has a coastline of about 910 kilometers (600 mi), bordering the Bay of Bangal to the east and the Indian Ocean to the south. Marina Beach in Chennai is among the longest beaches in the world. The stretch of beaches from Chennai to Mahabalipuram are home to many beach resorts. Among other beaches are the Covelong Beach, Kanyakumari Beach, Rameshwarm Beach and Elliot's Beach, a favorite shooting location for Tamil movies in Chennai.
Tamil Nadu is rich in flora and fauna and some of its major wildlife sanctuaries like Mudumalai, Anaimalai, Madras Crocodile Bank trust and Guindy National Park are home to elephants, tigers, bisons and a variety of monkeys and deers. There are more than 3000 plant in Tamil Nadu, out of which a majority are found in the mixed forests of the region.
Tamil Nadu has some of the grandest Hindu temples of Dravidian architecture. These temples are of a distinct style renowned for their towering Gopurams (a monumental, ornate tower at the entrance to the temple). The Brihadishwara Temple in Thanjavur, the Airavateswara Temple in Darasuram and the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram have been declared as World Heritage Sites. The Rajagopuram of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam is the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world, and has the tallest Gopuram in the world. The largest Shiva Temple in Tamil Nadu is Nellaiappar Temple situated in the heart of Tirunelveli city. Madurai is home to one of the grandest Hindu temples of the world, while Kanchipuram and Palani are important pilgrimage sites for Hindus.
The climate in Tamil Nadu is tropical with little deviation in temperature in summer and winter. April and May are the hottest months with temperatures going above the 40C mark and in coastal regions it gets uncomfortable warm and humid during these months. At hill stations the temperatures are moderate and usually pleasant.
