Last reviewed 4 Nov 2026 · Facts as of 4 Nov 2026 · 3 min read
1. Location and size
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Position | South-west India, on the Deccan plateau, with the Arabian Sea on the west |
| Area | About 1.92 lakh km² (191,791 km²) — among the larger states (about 5.8 % of India) |
| Neighbours | Maharashtra, Goa (north/north-west), Telangana, Andhra Pradesh (east), Tamil Nadu (south-east), Kerala (south-west) |
| Coastline | About 320 km, along Uttara Kannada, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada |
| Capital | Bengaluru |
| Revenue divisions | Four — Bengaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi |
Exam TipCount districts with care
The number of districts changes when new ones are carved out (Vijayanagara from Ballari in 2021 made 31). Always check the current figure before an exam.
2. Three natural regions
| Region | Where | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Karavali (coastal plain) | Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada | Narrow plain between the sea and the Ghats; very heavy rain; lagoons, estuaries, laterite |
| Malnad (hill country) | Western Ghats belt — Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Hassan, parts of Uttara Kannada | Dense evergreen and moist forests, plantations (coffee, areca, pepper), source of most rivers |
| Bayaluseeme / Maidan (plains) | East of the Malnad | The Deccan plateau; northern Maidan (black soil, drier) and southern Maidan (red soil, granite hills) |