Erode district

Erode District
district
Clockwise from top-left: Bannari Amman Temple, Bhavani Sangameswarar Temple, Bhavanisagar Dam, Western Ghats, Kodiveri dam, and confluence of the Bhavani and Kaveri Rivers
Location in Tamil Nadu
Erode district
Coordinates: 11°21′N 77°44′E / 11.350°N 77.733°E / 11.350; 77.733
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
Region	Kongu Nadu
Headquarters	Erode
Taluks	Anthiyur, Bhavani, Erode, Gobichettipalayam, Kodumudi, Modakurichi, Nambiyur, Perundurai, Sathyamangalam, Thalavadi
Government
• District Collector	Raja Gopal Sunkara, IAS
• Superintendent of Police	G. Jawahar, IPS
Area [1]
• Total	6,036 km2 (2,331 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	2,251,744
• Density	394/km2 (1,020/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Tamil
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	638***
ISO 3166 code	ISO 3166-2:IN
Vehicle registration	TN 33 (Erode East) TN 36 (Gobichettipalayam) TN 56 (Perundurai) TN 86 (Erode West)[2]
Largest city	Erode
Sex ratio	993/1000 ♀/♂
Literacy	72.96%
Website	erode.nic.in

Erode District is one of the 38 districts in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It was the largest district by area in the state before the formation of Tirupur district in 2009 and is the third largest by area, as of 2024. The headquarters of the district is Erode. The district is divided into two revenue divisions, Erode and Gobichettipalayam, and is further subdivided into 10 taluks.

The district is landlocked and lies towards the mid of the Indian peninsula and is bordered by the state of Karnataka to the north. Western Ghats pass through the region and is watered by Kaveri River which meets its major tributary Bhavani in the district. It covers an area of 6,036 km² (2,331 sq mi), and had a population of 2,251,744 as per the 2011 census. The major spoken language is Kongu Tamil, a dialect of Tamil. Hinduism is the major religion with nearly 94% adherents.

Archeological evidence from Kodumanal indicate that the region was ruled by the Cheras during the Sangam period (2nd century BCE to third century CE) and it formed part of a ancient Roman trade route. The region was ruled by the Pandyas before the medieval Cholas conquered it in the tenth century. The region was ruled by Vijayanagara Empire in the fifteenth century followed by the Nayaks who introduced the Palayakkarar system. In the later part of the eighteenth century, the region came under the Kingdom of Mysore and after the Anglo-Mysore Wars, the British East India Company annexed the region to the Madras Presidency in 1799. The region played a prominent role in the Second Polygar War (1801) when it was the area of operations of Dheeran Chinnamalai. The district was part of the erstwhile Coimbatore district and came into existence on 17 September 1979.

The economy of the district is based predominantly on agriculture and textiles. The district is the top turmeric producer in Tamil Nadu, making up 43% of statewide production and is also a major producer of plantain, coconuts and white silk. The district is known for handloom and ready-made textile products. Erode Turmeric and Bhavani Jamakkalam are recognized Geographical Indications.