Karnataka, state SW India, bordering on the Arabian Sea. It is bordered on the
north by the states of Goa and Maharashtra, on the east by Andhra Pradesh, on
the south by Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and on the west by the Arabian Sea. The
capital is Bangalore. Karnataka is a state of charming contrasts, with the modern
blending harmoniously with the old. It has, also, some of the most magnificent
monuments, temples, palaces and beaches in the country.
Most of the area is a plateau traversed by the upper Kaveri, Tunga, and Bhadra rivers, flowing east. These plus its many
other rivers are used for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation. Coffee
is the major crop, but cotton, millet, sugarcane, rice, and fodder are also
grown. The state has the most valuable sandalwood forests in India. Karnataka
produces nearly all of India's gold and chromite and has considerable deposits
of iron ore and manganese. There is an excellent road and railway system, and
the state manufactures steel and steel products, computer components and
software, automobiles, and airplanes.
The population is largely Hindu and speaks Kannada (Kanarese). The linguistic uniformity of the state and its excellent
education system contribute to one of India's highest literacy rates. Karnataka
is governed by a chief minister and cabinet responsible to a bicameral
legislature (with one elected house) and by a governor appointed by the
president of India.
The enchanting perfume of sandal and agarbattis (incense
sticks), the aroma of fresh, roasted coffee beans, the heady fragrance of the
"Mysore Mallige" and a thousand roses blooming... Karnataka is truly
a land of fragrance. A land that has all the ingredients of a great holiday
site. A relaxed length of the Arabian Sea coastline, the majestic rocks of the
Deccan, thick, lush tropical forests, an unimaginable variety of trees, plants,
flowers, animals and birds. And above all, a sense of history and culture that
is all pervasive.
The State consists of a narrow coastal strip backed by the
monsoon-drenched Western Ghats and a drier cooler interior plateau that turns
arid in the far north. It's a major producer of coffee, spices and betel nut and
supplies 60% of the country's silk.