Thoothukudi
Tuticorin (colonial) | |
|---|---|
City | |
       | |
| Nickname(s): Pearl City, Salt Capital of Tamil Nadu and Sea Gateway of Tamil Nadu. | |
  Thoothukudi Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu  Thoothukudi Thoothukudi (India) | |
| Coordinates: 8°48′20″N 78°08′42″E / 8.80556°N 78.14500°E | |
| Country |  India |
| State |  Tamil Nadu |
| District | Thoothukudi |
| Former name | Tuticorin |
| Region | Pandya Nadu |
| Named for | Macaroon, Parotta, Pearl and Salt |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal corporation |
| • Body | Thoothukudi City Municipal Corporation |
| • Mayor Corporation Commissioner | N. Jagan Periyasamy Dinesh Kumar C., I.A.S. |
| • Lok Sabha Constituency | Thoothukkudi |
| • State Assembly Constituency | Thoothukkudi |
| Area | |
| • Metro | 90.663 km2 (35.005 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 8 |
| Elevation | 29 m (95 ft) |
| Population (2024)[2] | |
• City | 628,000 |
| • Rank | 8th in Tamil Nadu |
| • Metro | 411,628 [1] |
| Demonym | Thoothukudian |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Tamil |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 628 0xx |
| Telephone code | +91-461 |
| Vehicle registration | TN-69, TN-92, TN-96 |
| Literacy | 92.10[1] |
| Climate | BSh (Köppen) |
| Coastline | 40 kilometres (25 mi) |
| Website | thoothukudi www |
Thoothukudi (formerly called Tuticorin) is a port city, a municipal corporation, and an industrial city in Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The city lies on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. Thoothukudi is the capital and headquarters of Thoothukudi district. It is located about 590 kilometres (367 miles) southeast of Chennai, 190 kilometres (118 miles) northeast of Thiruvananthapuram, and 580 kilometres (360 miles) southeast of Bengaluru. According to the Confederation of Indian Industry, Thoothukudi has the second highest Human Development Index in Tamil Nadu, next to Chennai.[3] Thoothukudi City serves as the headquarters of Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Limited, one of the leading private sector banks in India. Major educational establishments in the city include the Government Thoothukudi Medical College, Fisheries College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Maritime Academy,[4] V.O. Chidambaram College, Kamaraj College, Anna University (Thoothukudi Campus), and Government Polytechnic College.[5] The V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority is one of the major ports in India. Thoothukudi is an emerging energy and industrial hub of South India.[6]
Thoothukudi is known as "Pearl City" due to the pearl fishing carried out in the town. It is a commercial seaport that serves the inland cities of southern India and is one of the sea gateways of Tamil Nadu. It is also one of the major seaports in India, with a history dating back to the 6th century CE. The city is believed to be of significant antiquity and has been ruled, at different times, by the Early Pandyas, Medieval Cholas, Later Cholas, Later Pandyas, Ma'bar Sultanate, Tirunelveli Sultanate, Vijayanagar Empire, Madurai Nayaks, Chanda Sahib, Carnatic kingdom, Portuguese, Dutch, and the British. Thoothukudi was settled by the Portuguese, Dutch, and later the British East India Company.
The city is administered by the Thoothukudi Municipal Corporation, which covers an area of 353.07 km2 (136.32 sq mi) and had a population of 628,000 in 2024.The urban agglomeration had a population of 986,000 as of 2011[update].[1] The majority of the people of the city are employed in salt pans, sea-borne trading, fishing, and tourism.
The 21 islands between Thoothukudi and Rameswaram shores in the Gulf of Mannar are noted as the first Marine Biosphere Reserve of India and have around 36,000 species of flora and fauna. This protected area is called the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park. Our Lady of the Snows Basilica festival is celebrated annually in August. This and the Shiva temple festivals, including Adi Amavasai, Sasti, and Chittirai chariot festivals, are the major festivals of the area. Roadways are the major mode of transport to Thoothukudi, while the city also has rail, air, and sea transport.
- ^ a b c "Archived copy". Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Provisional population totals of UA 2011" (PDF). Census of India. 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
- ^ "Thoothukudi Vision 2025" (PDF). thoothukudi.tn.nic.in. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016.
- ^ "New Marine Training Academy at Tuticorin". The Times Of India. 27 July 2013.
- ^ "List of Polytechnic Colleges in Tamil Nadu - Polytechnic College List". Polytechnic College List. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
- ^ "Pearl City Tuticorin Emerging As 'Energy And Industrial Hub' Of South India 6000 Mw Of Power Plants In The Pipeline | Press Release | Solarplaza | The global solar energy (PV) platform". Archived from the original on 2 July 2010.