Kannada, one of the classical languages of India, is the most widely spoken and official language of the state. With 61,130,704 inhabitants at the 2011 census, Karnataka is the eighth-largest state by population, comprising 31 districts. It is the sixth-largest Indian state by area. The state covers an area of 191,791 km 2 (74,051 sq mi), or 5.83 percent of the total geographical area of India. It is the only southern state to have land borders with all of the other four southern Indian sister states. Karnataka is bordered by the Lakshadweep Sea to the west, Goa to the northwest, Maharashtra to the north, Telangana to the northeast, Andhra Pradesh to the east, Tamil Nadu to the southeast, and Kerala to the southwest. Its capital and largest city is Bengaluru (Bangalore). The state was part of the Carnatic region in British terminology. It was formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, and renamed Karnataka in 1973. Karnataka ( / k ər ˈ n ɑː t ə k ə/ ISO: Karnāṭaka, Kannada:, also known as Karunāḍu), is a state in the southwestern region of India. (Victory to You Mother Karnataka, Daughter of Mother India)
