# List of districts of Karnataka

The southern Indian state of Karnataka consists of 31 districts grouped into 4 administrative divisions, viz., Belagavi, Bengaluru , Gulbarga, and Mysore. Geographically, the state has three principal variants: the western coastal stretch, the hilly belt comprising the Western Ghats, and the plains, comprising the plains of the Deccan plateau.

## History

Karnataka took its present shape in 1956, when the former states of Mysore and Coorg were unified into a linguistically homogenous Kannada-speaking state along with agglomeration of districts of the former states of Bombay, Hyderabad, and Madras as part of the States Reorganisation Act of 1956. The unified Mysore State was made up of ten districts, viz., Bangalore, Kolar, Tumkur, Mandya, Mysore, Hassan, Chikkamagalur, Shimoga, Chitradurga, and Ballari which had been transferred from Madras Presidency to Mysore State earlier in 1953, when the new state of Andhra Pradesh was created out of Madras' northern districts. Coorg State became Kodagu district, South Canara was transferred from Madras State, North Canara, Dharwad, Belgaum, and Bijapur from Bombay State. Bidar, Gulbarga, and Raichur from Hyderabad State. The state received its new name of Karnataka in the year 1973.

### Formations of districts

Chronology of formation of new districts :
| Date | New district | Formerly part of | Administration |
| 15 August 1986 | Bengaluru Urban | Bengaluru | Ramakrishna Hegde's ministry |
| 15 August 1986 | Bengaluru Rural | Bengaluru | Ramakrishna Hegde's ministry |
| 25 August 1997 | Chamarajanagara | Mysuru | J. H. Patel's ministry |
| 25 August 1997 | Davanagere | Chitradurga, Ballari and Shivamogga | J. H. Patel's ministry |
| 25 August 1997 | Bagalakote | Vijayapura | J. H. Patel's ministry |
| 25 August 1997 | Gadaga | Dharwad | J. H. Patel's ministry |
| 25 August 1997 | Udupi | Dakshina Kannada | J. H. Patel's ministry |
| 25 August 1997 | Koppala | Raichur | J. H. Patel's ministry |
| 21 June 2007 | Ramanagara | Bengaluru Rural | H.D. Kumaraswamy's ministry |
| 21 June 2007 | Chikkaballapura | Kolar | H.D. Kumaraswamy's ministry |
| 30 December 2009 | Yadagiri | Kalaburagi | B.S. Yediyurappa's second ministry |
| 18 November 2020 | Vijayanagara | Ballari | B.S. Yediyurappa's fourth ministry |

### Proposed districts

| Proposed District | Proposed Headquarters | Current District |
| Chikkodi | Chikkodi | Belagavi |
| Gokak | Gokak | Belagavi | Tiptur | Tiptur | rowspan="2"|Tumakuru} Currently there are demands to carve out the following district, Bailhongala, Kitturu, Chikkodi and Gokak from Belagavi (largest district) Tipaturu from Tumakuru Sirsi from Uttara Kannada Jamakhandi from Bagalkote Madhugiri from tumakuru Administrative structure 4 Divisions of Indian State of Karnataka. 31 Districts of Indian state of Karnataka. A district of an Indian state is an administrative geographical unit, headed by a Deputy Commissioner (DC), an officer belonging to the Indian Administrative Service. The deputy commissioner is assisted by a number of officers belonging to the Karnataka Administrative Service. The Deputy Commissioner is also the Collector and District Magistrate of the district. The deputy commissioner/collector is assisted by assistant commissioners and tahsildars, who are incharge of subdivisions and taluks respectively. A Superintendent of Police (SP), usually an officer belonging to the Indian Police Service (IPS), is entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining law and order and related issues of the district. He is assisted by the officers of the Karnataka Police Service and other Karnataka Police officials. Big cities like Bengaluru, Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad, Kalaburagi, Mangaluru and Mysuru are headed by a Commissioner of Police holding the rank of Additional Director General of Police(ADGP) for Bengaluru, Inspector General of Police (IGP) for Mysuru and Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) for Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad, Kalaburagi and Mangaluru. They are assisted by officers belonging to the Karnataka Police Service (KSPS). A Deputy Conservator of Forests, an officer belonging to the Indian Forest Service selected through the UPSC examination is responsible for managing the forests, the environment and wildlife of the district. He is assisted by the officers of the Karnataka Forest Service selected through the KPSC examination. Sect-oral development is looked after by the district head of each development department such as Public Works, Health, Education, Agriculture, Animal husbandry, etc. These officers belong to the various state services. Administrative divisions Belagavi DivisionBengaluru DivisionKalaburagi DivisionMysuru Division Bagalkote Belagavi (Headquarters) Dharwada Gadaga Haveri Uttara Kannada Vijayapura Bengaluru Rural Bengaluru Urban (Headquarters) Chikkaballapura Chitradurga Davanagere Kolar Ramanagara Shivamogga Tumakuru Ballari Bidar Kalaburagi (Headquarters) Koppala Raichuru Vijayanagara Yadagiri Chamarajanagara Chikkamagaluru Dakshina Kannada Hassan Kodagu Mandya Mysuru (Headquarters) Udupi Alphabetical listing of districts Code District Headquarters Established Subdivisions(Taluka) Population(As of 2011) Area Population density(As of 2011) Map BAG Bagalkote Bagalkote 15 August 1997 Badami Bagalkote Bilagi Ilkal Hunagunda Halavagalu Rabkavi Banhatti Terdal Guledgudda Jamkhandi Mudhol 1,889,752 6,575 km$^2$ (2,539 sq mi) 288/km$^2$ (750/sq mi) BEU Bengaluru Urban Bengaluru 1 November 1956 Anekal Yelahanka Bengaluru City 9,621,551 2,190 km$^2$ (850 sq mi) 4,393/km$^2$ (11,380/sq mi) BER Bengaluru Rural Bengaluru 15 August 1986 Devanahalli Doddaballapura Hosakote Nelamangala 990,923 2,259 km$^2$ (872 sq mi) 431/km$^2$ (1,120/sq mi) BEL Belagavi Belagavi 1 November 1956 Athni Bailhongal Belgaum Chikodi Gokak Hukkeri Khanapur Kagawad Mudalagi Nippani Kittur Raybag Ramdurg Saundatti Yaragatti 4,779,661 13,415 km$^2$ (5,180 sq mi) 356/km$^2$ (920/sq mi) BAL Ballari Ballari 1 November 1956 Bellari Kampli Kurugodu Sanduru Siruguppa 1,400,970 4,252 km$^2$ (1,642 sq mi) 290/km$^2$ (750/sq mi) BID Bidar Bidar 1 November 1956 Bidar Basavakalyan Kamalnagar Hulasuru Chitgoppa Bhalki Homnabad Aurad 1,703,300 5,448 km$^2$ (2,103 sq mi) 313/km$^2$ (810/sq mi) VIJ Vijayapura Vijayapura 1 November 1956 Vijayapura Indi Muddebihal Babaleshwar Nidagundi Tikota Devara Hippargi Talikote Chadchan Kolhar Sindgi Basavana Bagevadi Almel 2,177,331 10,498 km$^2$ (4,053 sq mi) 210/km$^2$ (540/sq mi) CHA Chamarajanagar Chamarajanagar 15 August 1997 Chamarajanagar Gundlupet Kollegal Hanur Yelandur 1,020,791 5,101 km$^2$ (1,970 sq mi) 181/km$^2$ (470/sq mi) CHI Chikkaballapura Chikballapura 10 September 2007 Bagepalli Chikballapur Chintamani Gauribidanur Gudibanda Sidlaghatta Manchenahalli 1,255,104 4,524 km$^2$ (1,747 sq mi) 296/km$^2$ (770/sq mi) CHK Chikkamagaluru Chikkamagaluru 1 November 1956 Chikmagalur Kadur Koppa Mudigere Kalasa Narasimharajapura Sringeri Ajjampura Tarikere 1,137,961 7,201 km$^2$ (2,780 sq mi) 158/km$^2$ (410/sq mi) CHT Chitradurga Chitradurga 1 November 1956 Challakere Chitradurga Hiriyur Holalkere Hosadurga Molakalmuru 1,659,456 8,440 km$^2$ (3,260 sq mi) 197/km$^2$ (510/sq mi) DAK Dakshina Kannada Mangaluru 1 November 1956 Bantwal Beltangadi Mangalore Moodabidri Kadaba Puttur Sulya 2,089,649 4,560 km$^2$ (1,760 sq mi) 430/km$^2$ (1,100/sq mi) DAV Davanagere Davanagere 15 August 1997 Channagiri Davanagere Harihar Honnali Jagalur Nyamati 1,643,494 4,460 km$^2$ (1,720 sq mi) 370/km$^2$ (960/sq mi) DHA Dharwad Dharwad 1 November 1956 Annigeri Alnavara Dharwad Hubli Hubli City Kalghatgi Kundgol Navalgund 1,847,023 4,260 km$^2$ (1,640 sq mi) 434/km$^2$ (1,120/sq mi) GAD Gadag Gadag 24 August 1997 Gadag-Betigeri Mundargi Nargund Gajendragad Lakshmeshwar Ron Shirhatti 1,064,570 4,656 km$^2$ (1,798 sq mi) 229/km$^2$ (590/sq mi) KAL Kalaburagi Kalaburagi 1 November 1956 Afzalpur Aland Chincholi Chitapur Kalaburagi Kamalapura Kalagi Jevargi Sedam Shahbad Yedrami 2,566,326 10,951 km$^2$ (4,228 sq mi) 234/km$^2$ (610/sq mi) HAS Hassan Hassan 1 November 1956 Alur Arkalgud Arsikere Belur Channarayapattana Hassan Holenarsipur Sakleshpur 1,776,421 6,814 km$^2$ (2,631 sq mi) 261/km$^2$ (680/sq mi) HAV Haveri Haveri 24 August 1997 Byadgi Hangal Haveri Hirekerur Ranibennur Rattihalli Savanur Shiggaon 1,597,668 4,823 km$^2$ (1,862 sq mi) 331/km$^2$ (860/sq mi) KOD Kodagu Madikeri 1 November 1956 Madikeri Kushalanagar Virajpet Somvarpet Ponnampet 554,519 4,102 km$^2$ (1,584 sq mi) 135/km$^2$ (350/sq mi) KL Kolar Kolar 1 November 1956 Bangarapet Kolar Kolar Gold Fields Malur Mulbagal Srinivaspur 1,536,401 3,969 km$^2$ (1,532 sq mi) 386/km$^2$ (1,000/sq mi) KOP Koppal Koppal 24 August 1997 Gangawati Kanakagiri Kuknur Karatagi Koppal Kushtagi Yelbarga 1,389,920 7,189 km$^2$ (2,776 sq mi) 250/km$^2$ (650/sq mi) MAN Mandya Mandya 1 November 1956 Krishnarajpet Maddur Malavalli Mandya Nagamangala Pandavapura Shrirangapattana 1,805,769 4,961 km$^2$ (1,915 sq mi) 364/km$^2$ (940/sq mi) MYS Mysuru Mysuru 1 November 1956 Heggadadevana kote Hunsur Krishnarajanagara Mysore Nanjangud Piriyapatna Saragur T.Narsipur 3,001,127 6,854 km$^2$ (2,646 sq mi) 476/km$^2$ (1,230/sq mi) RAI Raichur Raichur 1 November 1956 Devadurga Lingsugur Manvi Maski Raichur Sindhnur Sirwar 1,928,812 8,440 km$^2$ (3,260 sq mi) 228/km$^2$ (590/sq mi) RAM Ramanagara Ramanagara 10 September 2007 Ramanagara Bidadi Channapatna Kanakapura Harohalli Kodihalli Magadi Kudur Huliyurdurga Kunigal 1,082,636 3,556 km$^2$ (1,373 sq mi) 308/km$^2$ (800/sq mi) SHI Shivamogga Shivamogga 1 November 1956 Bhadravati Hosanagara Sagar Shikaripura Shimoga Sorab Thirthahalli 1,752,753 8,477 km$^2$ (3,273 sq mi) 207/km$^2$ (540/sq mi) TUM Tumakuru Tumakuru 1 November 1956 Chiknayakanhalli Gubbi Huliyar Koratagere Kunigal Madhugiri Pavagada Sira Tiptur Tumkur Turuvekere 2,678,980 10,597 km$^2$ (4,092 sq mi) 253/km$^2$ (660/sq mi) UDU Udupi Udupi 25 August 1997 Udupi Brahmavara Karkal Kapu Kundapura Hebri Byndoor 1,177,361 3,880 km$^2$ (1,500 sq mi) 329/km$^2$ (850/sq mi) UTK Uttara Kannada Karwara 1 November 1956 Ankola Bhatkal Dandeli Haliyal Honnavar Joida Karwar Kumta Mundgod Siddapur Sirsi Yellapur 1,437,169 10,291 km$^2$ (3,973 sq mi) 140/km$^2$ (360/sq mi) VIJ Vijayanagara Hospet 18 November 2020 Harapanahalli Hagaribommanahalli Hoovina Hadagali Hospete Kottur Kudligi 1,353,628 5,644 km$^2$ (2,179 sq mi) 240/km$^2$ (620/sq mi) YAD Yadgiri Yadgiri 30 December 2009 Gurumitkal Hunasagi Shahpur Shorapur Vadagera Yadgir 1,174,271 5,234 km$^2$ (2,021 sq mi) 224/km$^2$ (580/sq mi) Proposed districts Proposed District Proposed Headquarters Current District Tiptur Tiptur Tumakuru Chikkodi Chikkodi Belagavi Gokak Gokak See also List of taluks of Karnataka References ↑ "Petition against transfer of Bellary dismissed". Indian Express. 30 September 1953. Retrieved 17 December 2010. ↑ Chinnappa, Jeevan (15 November 2005). "Did reorganisation panel ignore Kodava leaders' plea?". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 12 December 2006. Retrieved 17 December 2010. ↑ "2 new districts notified in Bangalore". The Times of India. 6 August 2007. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2007. ↑ "Creation of Yadgir district". Online Edition of The Hindu, dated 2009-12-30. Chennai, India. 30 December 2009. ↑ "Vijayanagar to be Karnataka's 31st district, BSY Cabinet gives in-principle nod". The New Indian Express. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020. ↑ "NIC Policy on format of e-mail Address: Appendix (2): Districts Abbreviations as per ISO 3166–2" (PDF). Ministry Of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India. 18 August 2004. pp. 5–10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 September 2008. Retrieved 24 November 2008. 1 2 "Know India – Districts of Karnataka". Government of India portal. Retrieved 16 November 2010. ↑ Here 'Established' means year of establishment as a district of Karnataka. If the district was formed earlier to the formation of district in the state of Karnataka, 1 November 1956 will be considered as the day of establishment of the district. ↑ "STATES REORGANISATION ACT 1956 - Formation of a new Mysore State". Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 17 November 2010. 1 2 "List of districts of Karnataka". 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "A Handbook of Karnataka – Administration" (PDF). Government of Karnataka. pp. 354, 355. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2010. ↑ "District Profile". Archived from the original on 29 November 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2010. ↑ "District Profile – Area and population". Archived from the original on 25 November 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2010. ↑ "Kolar district at a glance" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 March 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2010. ↑ Note: This date means the day when the district was initially formed, even before the formation of the state of Karnataka (Mysore). Hence 1 November 1956 will be considered as the day of formation of district in the state of Karnataka ↑ "Formation of Mandya district". Archived from the original on 2 August 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2010. 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