page_title: Geography of Tamil Nadu
section_title: Terrain
hierarchical_section_title: Geography of Tamil Nadu / Terrain
caption_attribution_description: English: The Agasthiyamalai range of the western ghats as seen from the rainshadow region of Tirunelveli, India. The southwest monsoon brings rain up to the ghats in Kerala while the other side in Tamil Nadu remains dry. Français&#160;: La chaine du mont Agasthiyamalai, au sud des Ghâts occidentaux, vue depuis la région de Tirunelveli, dans le Tamil Nadu, en Inde. Cette région constitue un désert d'abri: les masses d'air humide de la mousson s'élèvent le long des Ghâts occidentaux, et produisent des pluies qui s'abattent sur l'état du Kérala, à l'ouest. A l'est de la montagne, la plaine reste sèche.
context_page_description: Tamil Nadu is the eleventh largest state in India and covers an area of 130,058 square kilometres. It is bordered by Kerala to the west, Karnataka to the northwest, Andhra Pradesh to the north, the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Indian Ocean to the south. Cape Comorin, the southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula which is the meeting point of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean.
context_section_description: The western, southern and the north-western parts are hilly and rich in vegetation. Tamil Nadu is the only state in India which has both the Western Ghat and the Eastern Ghat mountain ranges which both meet at the Nilgiri hills. The Western Ghats dominate the entire western border with Kerala, effectively blocking much of the rain bearing clouds of the South West Monsoon from entering the state. The eastern parts are fertile coastal plains. The northern parts are a mix of hills and plains. The central and the south-central regions are arid plains.
caption: A semi-arid wasteland near Tirunelveli. Monsoon winds are prevented by the Agasthyamalai Range of the Western Ghats
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