Ramanathapuram district

Ramanathapuram district இராமநாதபுரம் மாவட்டம் Ramnad Mavattam, Mugavai Mavattam
District
Aerial view of the Rameswaram island from Pamban Bridge
Location in Tamil Nadu, India
Coordinates: 9°23′N 78°45′E / 9.383°N 78.750°E / 9.383; 78.750Coordinates: 9°23′N 78°45′E / 9.383°N 78.750°E / 9.383; 78.750
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
Municipalities	Ramanathapuram Paramakudi Rameswaram Kilakarai
Largest City	Ramanathapuram
Town Panchayats	R.S.Mangalam Kamuthi Mudukulathur Abiramam Thondi Sayalgudi
Headquarters	Ramanathapuram
Talukas	Kadaladi Kamuthi Kilakarai Mudukulathur Paramakudi Ramanathapuram Rameswaram Tiruvadanai
Government
• Collector	Dr S. Natarajan,IAS
• Superintendent of Police	Manivannan
Population (2011)
• Total	1,353,445
Languages
• Official	Tamil
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	623xxx
Telephone code	04567
Vehicle registration	TN-65
Central location:	9°16′N 77°26′E / 9.267°N 77.433°E / 9.267; 77.433
Website	ramanathapuram.nic.in

Ramanathapuram District is an administrative district of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. The city of Ramanathapuram is the district headquarters. Ramanthapuram District has an area of 4123 km². It is bounded on the north by Sivaganga District, on the northeast by Pudukkottai District, on the east by the Palk Strait, on the south by the Gulf of Mannar, on the west by Thoothukudi District, and on the northwest by Virudhunagar District. The district contains the Pamban Bridge, an east-west chain of low islands and shallow reefs that extend between India and the island nation of Sri Lanka, and separate the Palk Strait from the Gulf of Mannar. The Palk Strait is navigable only by shallow-draft vessels. As of 2011, Ramanathapuram district had a population of 1,353,445 with a sex-ratio of 983 females for every 1,000 males.

According to 2011 census, Ramanathapuram district had a population of 1,353,445 with a sex-ratio of 983 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929. A total of 140,644 were under the age of six, constituting 71,705 males and 68,939 females. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 18.4% and .08% of the population respectively. The average literacy of the district was 72.33%, compared to the national average of 72.99%. The district had a total of 323,905 households. There were a total of 602,977 workers, comprising 149,959 cultivators, 103,592 main agricultural labourers, 18,546 in house hold industries, 214,053 other workers, 116,827 marginal workers, 23,808 marginal cultivators, 50,282 marginal agricultural labourers, 6,682 marginal workers in household industries and 36,055 other marginal workers.

In the early 15th century, the present territories of Ramanathapuram district, comprising taluks Tiruvadanai, Paramakudi, Kamuthi, Mudukulathur, Ramanathapuram and Rameswaram, were included in Pandyan Dynasty. For a short period, this area was under the Kings when Rajendra Chola I brought it under his territory in 1063 AD. In 1520 AD, the Nayaks of Vijayangar took over the area under their control from the Pandiyan dynasty for about two centuries, Marava chieftains-Sethupathis who were Lords under Pandiyan Kings and reigned over this part (17th century). At the beginning of the 18th century, family disputes over succession resulted in the division of Ramanathapuram. With the help of the King of Thanjavur in 1730 AD, one of the chieftains deposed Sethupathy and became the Raja of Sivaganga. Acting upon the weakness of the Nayak rules, the local chieftains (Palayakarars) became independent. Raja of Sivagangai and Sethupathy of Ramanathapuram were prominent among them. In 1730, Chand, a Sahib of Carnatic, captured Ramanathapuram. In 1741, the area came under the control of the Marattas and then under the Nizam in 1744 AD, Nawab’s rule made displeasure in the mind of those chieftains. That made them declare the last Nayak as ruler of Pandiya Mandalam against the Nawab in 1752 AD. By that time, throne of Carnatic had two rivals, Shanda Sahib and Mohamed Ali, and this district was part of Carnatic. The British and French supported Chanda Sahib and Mohamed Ali respectively. It paved the way for series of conflicts in the southern part of the continent.