Karaikal district

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Karaikal district

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =

| other_name =

| settlement_type = District

| image_skyline = File:Puducherry_Map.svg

| image_alt =

| image_caption =

| pushpin_map = India Tamil Nadu#India

| pushpin_label_position =

| pushpin_map_alt =

| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Puducherry's Karaikal district within Tamil Nadu##Location of Karaikal district in India

| coordinates = {{coord|11|01|00|N|79|52|00|E|display=inline,title}}

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = {{IND}}

| subdivision_type1 = Union Territory

| subdivision_name1 = Puducherry

| subdivision_type2 = District

| subdivision_name2 = Karaikal

| established_title =

| established_date =

| founder =

| named_for =

| government_type =

| governing_body =

| unit_pref = Metric

| area_footnotes = {{Cite web |url=http://www.karaikal.gov.in/ |title=Official website of Karaikal District, Puducherry UT |access-date=2016-09-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160912111440/http://www.karaikal.gov.in/ |archive-date=2016-09-12 |url-status=dead }}

| area_rank =

| area_total_km2 = 161

| elevation_footnotes =

| elevation_m =

| population_total = 200,222

| population_as_of = 2011

| population_rank =

| population_density_km2 = auto

| population_demonym =

| population_footnotes =

| demographics_type1 = Languages

| demographics1_title1 = Official

| demographics1_info1 =Tamil,{{cite web |title=The Pondicherry Official Languages Act, 1965 |url=http://www.lawsofindia.org/pdf/puducherry/1965/1965Pondicherry3.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200503022028/http://www.lawsofindia.org/pdf/puducherry/1965/1965Pondicherry3.pdf |archive-date=3 May 2020 |website=lawsofindia.org |publisher=Laws of India |url-status=usurped |access-date=10 June 2019}} English,

| demographics1_title2 = Additional

| demographics1_info2 = French,{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SbHeDwAAQBAJ|title=The Legacy of French Rule in India (1674-1954): An investigation of a process of Creolization|author= Animesh Rai|publisher= Institut français de Pondichéry|year=2020|isbn=9791036549892 }}

| timezone1 = IST

| utc_offset1 = +5:30

| postal_code_type = PIN

| postal_code = 609 602

| area_code_type = Telephone code

| area_code = 91 (0)4368

| registration_plate = PY-02

| website = {{URL|http://Karaikal.gov.in/}}

| footnotes =

}}

Karaikal district (French: District de Karikal) is one of the four districts of the Union Territory of Puducherry in India.

Geography

Karaikal district occupies an area of {{convert|160|km2|sqmi}}.{{cite book | editor1 = Srivastava, Dayawanti | title = India 2010: A Reference Annual | chapter = States and Union Territories: Pondicherry: Government | edition = 54th | publisher = Additional Director General, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), Government of India | year = 2010 | location = New Delhi, India | pages = 1222 | isbn = 978-81-230-1617-7}}

Karaikal is a small coastal enclave of territory which was formerly part of French India. Together with the other former French enclaves of Pondicherry, Yanam, and Mahé, Karaikal forms the Union Territory of Puducherry. Karaikal is bounded on the North by Mayiladuthurai district, on the South by Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu state, on the west by Tiruvarur district (also belonging to Tamil Nadu), and on the East by the Bay of Bengal.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Karaikal district has a population of 200,222,{{cite web | url = http://www.census2011.co.in/district.php | title = District Census 2011 | access-date = 2011-09-30 | year = 2011 | publisher = Census2011.co.in}} roughly equal to the nation of Samoa.{{cite web | author = US Directorate of Intelligence | title = Country Comparison:Population | url = https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070613004507/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 13 June 2007 | access-date = 2011-10-01 | quote = Samoa 193,161

}}

This gives it a ranking of 589th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of {{convert| 1252 |PD/sqkm|PD/sqmi}} . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 17.29%. Karaikal has a sex ratio of 1048 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 87.83%.

Tamil is the principal language spoken and Tamils are the predominant linguistic group in the district.

Hindus formed the majority of the population at 83.41% of the population followed by Christians at 10.70%, Muslims at 6.46% and others at 0.12%.{{Cite web |url=http://www.karaikal.nic.in/Administration/People/MnPeople.htm |title=New Page 1 |access-date=2009-11-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090716221650/http://karaikal.nic.in/Administration/People/MnPeople.htm |archive-date=2009-07-16 |url-status=dead }}

Transportation

;Air

The nearest airport is in Trichy (Tiruchirappalli). Karaikal Airport is a greenfield airport under construction. It will be the first airport in the country to be built entirely with private capital.{{cite news|title=Coimbatore firm to build India's first private airport in Karaikal |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-13/coimbatore/31159347_1_greenfield-airports-private-airport-karaikal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510005733/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-13/coimbatore/31159347_1_greenfield-airports-private-airport-karaikal |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 May 2013 |date= 13 March 2012 |work=The Times of India |access-date=3 July 2012}}{{better source needed|date=July 2021}}

;Train

Karaikal railway station is a railway terminus, situated in the town of Karaikal in the Union Territory of Puducherry, India.{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/article2209764.ece?css=print | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | title=Nagore-Karaikal BG line inspection by September | date=8 July 2011}}

;Port

Karaikal Port Private Limited (KPPL), a private port developed by the Chennai-based MARG Limited, became operational in April 2009. The port is located on the Eastern coast of India at keezhavanjore village in Karaikal District of Puducherry, around 300 km along the coast south of Chennai Port and around 360 km along the coast north of Tuticorin Port. The shoreline of the port is between 10° 50′ 56″ N and 10° 49′ 44″ N.http://www.karaikalport.com/