Tirunelveli, also known as Nellai and historically (during British rule) as Tinnevelly, is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Tirunelveli district. It is the sixth largest municipal corporation in the state after Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli and Salem. Tirunelveli is located 624 km (388 mi) southwest of the capital Chennai, 58 km (36 mi) from Thoothukudi and 73 km (45 mi) from Kanyakumari. The center is situated on the western bank of the Thamirabarani River; Its twin brother Palayamkottai is located on the eastern bank. Palayamkottai is called the Oxford of South India because it has many schools and colleges. It has several important government offices.
Tirunelveli is an ancient city said to be more than two thousand years old. It was ruled at different times by the early Pandyas, the Cheras, the medieval Cholas and the later Cholas, the later Pandyas, the Vijayanagara Empire and the British. The Polygar War, involving Palaiyakkarars led by Veerapandiya Kattabomman and troops of the British East India Company, was fought on the outskirts of the city between 1797 and 1801.
Tirunelveli is administered by the Municipal Corporation, established on June 1, 1994 by the Municipal Corporation Act. The city covers an area of 189.9 km2 (73.3 sq mi) and has a population of 473,637 in 2011. The total population taking into account the rest of the municipalities is 968,984. Tirunelveli is well connected to the rest of Tamil Nadu and India by road and rail. The nearest domestic airport is Thoothukudi Airport. The nearest international airports are Madurai International Airport and Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. The nearest sea port is Thoothukudi Port.
