Carved out of
Thanjavur District, Nagapattinam is a unique district with all its historical and cultural significance. It has an area of 2,715 sq km. Nagapattinam District is bordered by
Cuddalore District in the north, Thanjavur and
Tiruvarur districts in the west, Palk Strait in the south and the
Bay of Bengal in the east. It lies on the shores of the Bay of Bengal and has a large coastline of 141 km. Nagapattinam District has a dry humid climate. Paddy and sugarcane are the chief crops.
Nagappattinam is mentioned as 'Padarithitha' in ancient Buddhist literature. Kodikkarai,
Nagore, Sikkal, Thirukandiyur and Velankanni are the major tourist places.