Karnataka is a state in south western region of
India. It was
formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the
States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as the
State of Mysore, it was renamed
Karnataka in 1973. The capital and largest city is
Bangalore (Bengaluru). Karnataka is bordered by the
Arabian Sea and the
Laccadive Sea to the west,
Goa to the north west,
Maharashtra to the north,
Telangana to the North east,
Andhra Pradesh to the east,
Tamil Nadu to the south east, and
Kerala to the south west. The state covers an area of , or 5.83 per cent of the total geographical area of India. It is the
seventh largest Indian state by area. With 61,130,704 inhabitants at the 2011 census, Karnataka is
the eighth largest state by population, comprising 30
districts.
Kannada is the most widely spoken and official language of the state.