Tamilnadu is lying on a low plain along the southeastern coast of the Indian peninsula, bounded by the Eastern Ghats in the north and Nilgiri, Annamalai Hills, and Palakkad on the west. Tamil Nadu has a long coastline that stretches nearly a 1000 kms. The Coromandel Coast, along the Bay of Bengal, boasts of many ideal locations for sun and surf. Golden sands of the beach are dotted with coconut palm and casuarina groves.

The state has large fertile areas along the Coromandel coast, the Palk strait, and the Gulf of Mannar. The fertile plains of Tamil Nadu are fed by rivers such as Kaveri, Palar, and Vaigai, and by the northeast monsoon. Traditionally a manufacturing state, Tamil Nadu is also a leading producer of agricultural products.

Art and culture of Tamiladu are among the oldest in the world. Great literature, music, dance and architecture have evolved from Tamil Nadu over the past two millennia. Tamil Nadu provided the cradle in which the rich musical tradition of Carnatic music evolved. Many of the great composers such as Tyagaraja lived and flourished in Tamil Nadu. The film industry has also had a long history, its movies enjoying widespread popular support.

Tamilnadu is a land of varied beauty. It is mostly famous for its numerous Hindu temples based on the Dravidian architecture. The most famous temple is the Brihadisvara Temple in Thanjavur that is about 1000 years old and is on the UNESCO's World Heritage Site list.