Nilgiris District is situated on the beautiful
Western Ghats. It is the most beautiful district in the state of
Tamil Nadu. Nilgiris District is bordered by
Coimbatore and
Erode districts, and the neighboring states of
Karnataka and
Kerala. It has an area of 2,473 sq km, with cloud-kissing peaks, dense forests, rushing streams, undulating emerald green plains, breath-taking view of sudden drops, valleys and glades.
Badaga,
Tamil,
Malayalam,
Hindi and English are the languages spoken. The temperature varies from 5
o C to 25
o C.
Ooty, also known as Uhagamandalam, is the headquarters. Nilgiris District includes 4 hill stations: Ooty,
Coonoor, Kotagiri and Gudalur. It has a population of over 1 million. Agriculture is the main occupation of the people. Potato, paddy, ragi, samba wheat and barley are the main crops. Tea, coffee, cinchona,
eucalyptus and geranium are also cultivated. Kurumbas,
Todas, Badagas and Irulas are the scheduled tribes in Nilgiris District.
Ooty Botanical Gardens, Lake and Doddabetta peak (highest peak in South India) in Ooty, Sim’s Park, Pasture Institute, Pomological Station, Lamb’s Rock in Coonoor and
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary are the main tourist attractions.
Nilgiris District is well connected with other parts of the country by road and rail. Coimbatore is the nearest airport, 100 km from Ooty.
