Nilgiris district is one of the 38 districts of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Nilgiri (English: Blue Mountains) is the name given to a mountain range that spans the borders between the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. The Nilgiri Hills are part of a larger mountain range known as the Western Ghats. Its highest point is Mount Doddabetta, with a height of 2,637 meters. The district is mainly located in the Nilgiri mountains. The administrative headquarters is located in Ooty (Ootacamund or Udhagamandalam). The district is bordered by Coimbatore to the south, Erode to the east, and Chamarajnagar district of Karnataka and Wayanad district of Kerala to the north. Being located at the intersection of three states, namely Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, there are significant Malayali and Kannadiga populations living in the district. The Nilgiris district is known for its natural gold mines, which can also be seen in other parts of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, extended to the neighboring states of Karnataka and Kerala.
The Nilgiris district ranks first in a comprehensive index of the economic environment of the districts of Tamil Nadu (except Chennai district) prepared by the Institute of Financial Management and Research in August 2009. Tea and coffee plantations have been important for the economy. In 2011, the Nilgiris district had a population of 735,394, with a sex ratio of 1,042 females for every 1,000 males. All types of single-use plastics have been banned in Nilgiris district – it is the first plastic-free district in Tamil Nadu.
