About Tamil Nadu: Tourism, Industries, Economy, Agriculture, Climate, Geography

Tamil Nadu is the fourth largest state of India. Located in the southernmost part of the country, Tamil Nadu is surrounded by Andhra Pradesh from the north, Karnataka and Kerala from the west, Indian Ocean from the south, and Bay of Bengal from the east.

Tamil Nadu has a diversified manufacturing sector and features among the leaders in several industries like automobiles and auto components, engineering, pharmaceuticals, garments, textile products, leather products, chemicals, plastics, etc. It ranks first among the states in terms of number of factories and industrial workers.

Between 2011-12 and 2020-21, Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) expanded at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.05 per cent to Rs 20.92 trillion (US$ 299.32 billion) whereas the Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) expanded at a CAGR of 11.45 per cent to about Rs 14.41 trillion (US$199.69 billion) between 2011-12 and 2018-19.

 In 2018-19, the tertiary sector contributed 54.48 per cent to the state’s GSVA at current prices, followed by the secondary sector at 32.46 per cent and primary sector at 13.06 per cent.

According to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), cumulative FDI inflows in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry during April 2000 to September 2019 stood at US$ 31.96 billion.

During 2018-19, total merchandise exports from the state stood at US$ 30.52 billion.

Tamil Nadu has a well-developed infrastructure with an excellent road and rail network, three major ports, 15 minor ports, and seven airports across the state providing excellent connectivity. As of February 2020, the state had a total installed power generation capacity of 32.97 GW.

Key Sectors:

• As of November 2019, the state had 54 formally approved SEZs, 50 notified SEZs and four with in- principle approval SEZs and has total 40 exporting SEZs.
• Tamil Nadu is the largest producer of cotton yarn, accounting for 41 per cent of India’s production. During October-September 2019-20(E), the state is estimated to produce 600,000 bales** of cotton.
• As of March 2019. IT & ITeS exports from Tamil Nadu have increased to Rs 1.39 lakh crore (US$ 19.9 billion) in 2018-19, at a growth rate of 10 per cent year-on-year.
• Tamil Nadu’s tourism industry increased in terms of tourist arrivals to reach 349.92 million in 2017, at a CAGR of 16.48 per cent between 2011 & 2017. Tamil Nadu ranks first in terms of domestic tourist arrivals and second in terms of foreign tourist arrival in 2017(P).

Note: P – Provisional, ** - of 170 kgs each, E - Estimated