List of districts of Karnataka
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The southern Indian state of Karnataka consists of 31 districts grouped into 4 administrative divisions, viz., Belagavi, Bengaluru , Gulbarga, and Mysore. Geographically, the state has three principal variants: the western coastal stretch, the hilly belt comprising the Western Ghats, and the plains, comprising the plains of the Deccan Plateau.
| Districts of Karnataka | |
|---|---|
 Districts of Karnataka | |
| Category | Districts |
| Location | Karnataka |
| Number | 31 districts |
| Populations | Kodagu – 554,519 (lowest); Bengaluru Urban – 9,621,551 (highest) |
| Areas | Bengaluru Urban – 2,190 km2 (850 sq mi) (smallest); Belagavi – 13,415 km2 (5,180 sq mi) (largest) |
| Government | |
| Subdivisions | |
History
Karnataka took its present shape in 1956, when the former states of Mysore and Coorg were unified into a linguistically homogenous Kannada-speaking state along with agglomeration of districts of the former states of Bombay, Hyderabad, and Madras as part of the States Reorganisation Act of 1956. The unified Mysore State was made up of ten districts, viz., Bangalore, Kolar, Tumkur, Mandya, Mysore, Hassan, Chikkamagalur, Shimoga, Chitradurga, and Ballari which had been transferred from Madras Presidency to Mysore State earlier in 1953, when the new state of Andhra Pradesh was created out of Madras' northern districts.[1] Coorg State became Kodagu district,[2] South Canara was transferred from Madras State, North Canara, Dharwad, Belgaum, and Bijapur from Bombay State. Bidar, Gulbarga, and Raichur from Hyderabad State. The state received its new name of Karnataka in the year 1973.
Formations of districts
| Date | New district | Formerly part of | Administration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 August 1986 | Bengaluru Urban | Bengaluru | Ramakrishna Hegde's ministry |
| Bengaluru Rural | |||
| 25 August 1997 | Chamarajanagara | Mysuru | J. H. Patel's ministry |
| Davanagere | Chitradurga, Ballari and Shivamogga | ||
| Bagalakote | Vijayapura | ||
| Gadaga | Dharwad | ||
| Udupi | Dakshina Kannada | ||
| Koppala | Raichur | ||
| 21 June 2007 | Ramanagara | Bengaluru Rural | H.D. Kumaraswamy's ministry[3] |
| Chikkaballapura | Kolar | ||
| 30 December 2009 | Yadagiri[4] | Kalaburagi | B.S. Yediyurappa's second ministry |
| 18 November 2020 | Vijayanagara[5] | Ballari | B.S. Yediyurappa's fourth ministry |
Administrative structure
District administration
A district of an Indian state is an administrative geographical unit, headed by a Deputy Commissioner (DC), an officer belonging to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). The Deputy Commissioner reports to the Regional Commissioner. The Deputy Commissioner is also the Collector and District Magistrate of the district. The Deputy Commissioner is assisted by an Additional Deputy Commissioner at the district headquarters. The deputy commissioner is assisted by a number of officers belonging to the Karnataka Administrative Service. The deputy commissioner/collector is assisted by assistant commissioners and tahsildars, who are incharge of subdivisions and taluks respectively. The district (revenue district) is divided into subdivisions. Each subdivision consists of several talukas under its administrative purview. Each subdivision is headed by a Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO), who holds the designation of Assistant Commissioner and Sub-Divisional Magistrate. Each taluka is headed by a Tahsildar. These subdivisions and talukas are established for land revenue and land administration purposes. Each taluk contains hobli and villages, headed by Revenue Inspectors and Village Accountants respectively.
Police administration
A Superintendent of Police (SP), usually an officer belonging to the Indian Police Service (IPS), is entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining law and order and related issues of the district. He is assisted by the officers of the Karnataka Police Service and other Karnataka Police officials. Big cities like Bengaluru, Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad, Kalaburagi, Mangaluru and Mysuru are headed by a Commissioner of Police holding the rank of Additional Director General of Police(ADGP) for Bengaluru, Inspector General of Police (IGP) for Mysuru and Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) for Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad, Kalaburagi and Mangaluru. They are assisted by officers belonging to the Karnataka Police Service (KSPS).
Forest
A Deputy Conservator of Forests, an officer belonging to the Indian Forest Service selected through the UPSC examination is responsible for managing the forests, the environment and wildlife of the district. He is assisted by the officers of the Karnataka Forest Service selected through the KPSC examination.
Other department
Sectoral development is looked after by the district head of each development department such as Public Works, Health, Education, Agriculture, Animal husbandry, etc. These officers belong to the various state services.
Administrative divisions
Alphabetical listing of districts
| Code[6] | District | Headquarters[7] | Established[8][9] | Subdivisions (Taluka) | Population[10](As of 2011[update]) | Area[7] | Population density[10](As of 2011[update]) | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
BAG |
Bagalkote | Bagalkote | 15 August 1997[11] | 1,889,752 | 6,575 km2 (2,539 sq mi) | 288/km2 (750/sq mi) | .svg) | |
| BEU | Bengaluru Urban | Bengaluru | 1 November 1956 | 9,621,551 | 2,190 km2 (850 sq mi) | 4,393/km2 (11,380/sq mi) |  | |
| BEN | Bengaluru North | Doddaballapura | 15 August 1986[12] |
|
990,923 | 2,259 km2 (872 sq mi) | 431/km2 (1,120/sq mi) |  |
| BES | Bengaluru South | Ramanagara | 10 September 2007[11] | 1,082,636 | 3,556 km2 (1,373 sq mi) | 308/km2 (800/sq mi) |  | |
| BEL | Belagavi | Belgaum | 1 November 1956 | 4,779,661 | 13,415 km2 (5,180 sq mi) | 356/km2 (920/sq mi) |  | |
| BAL | Ballari | Ballari | 1 November 1956 | 1,400,970 | 4,252 km2 (1,642 sq mi) | 290/km2 (750/sq mi) |  | |
| BID | Bidar | Bidar | 1 November 1956 | 1,703,300 | 5,448 km2 (2,103 sq mi) | 313/km2 (810/sq mi) |  | |
| VIJ | Bijapur | Bijapur | 1 November 1956 | 2,177,331 | 10,498 km2 (4,053 sq mi) | 210/km2 (540/sq mi) |  | |
| CHA | Chamarajanagara | Chamarajanagara | 15 August 1997[11] | 1,020,791 | 5,101 km2 (1,970 sq mi) | 181/km2 (470/sq mi) |  | |
| CHI | Chikkaballapura | Chikkaballapur | 10 September 2007[11] | 1,255,104 | 4,524 km2 (1,747 sq mi)[13] | 296/km2 (770/sq mi) |  | |
| CHK | Chikmagalur | Chikmagalur | 1 November 1956 | 1,137,961 | 7,201 km2 (2,780 sq mi) | 158/km2 (410/sq mi) |  | |
| CHT | Chitradurga | Chitradurga | 1 November 1956 | 1,659,456 | 8,440 km2 (3,260 sq mi) | 197/km2 (510/sq mi) |  | |
| DAK | Dakshina Kannada | Mangaluru | 1 November 1956 | 2,089,649 | 4,560 km2 (1,760 sq mi) | 430/km2 (1,100/sq mi) |  | |
| DAV | Davanagere | Davanagere | 15 August 1997[11] | 1,643,494 | 4,460 km2 (1,720 sq mi) | 370/km2 (960/sq mi) |  | |
| DHA | Dhārawaḍa | Dhārawaḍa | 1 November 1956 | 1,847,023 | 4,260 km2 (1,640 sq mi) | 434/km2 (1,120/sq mi) | .svg) | |
| GAD | Gadag | Gadag | 24 August 1997[11] | 1,064,570 | 4,656 km2 (1,798 sq mi) | 229/km2 (590/sq mi) |  | |
| KAL | Kalaburagi | Kalaburagi | 1 November 1956 | 2,566,326 | 10,951 km2 (4,228 sq mi) | 234/km2 (610/sq mi) |  | |
| HAS | Hassan | Hassan | 1 November 1956 | 1,776,421 | 6,814 km2 (2,631 sq mi) | 261/km2 (680/sq mi) |  | |
| HAV | Haveri | Haveri | 24 August 1997[11] | 1,597,668 | 4,823 km2 (1,862 sq mi) | 331/km2 (860/sq mi) |  | |
| KOD | Kodagu | Madikeri | 1 November 1956 | 554,519 | 4,102 km2 (1,584 sq mi) | 135/km2 (350/sq mi) |  | |
| KL | Kolāra | Kolāra | 1 November 1956 | 1,536,401 | 3,969 km2 (1,532 sq mi)[14] | 386/km2 (1,000/sq mi) |  | |
| KOP | Koppal | Koppal | 24 August 1997[11] | 1,389,920 | 7,189 km2 (2,776 sq mi) | 250/km2 (650/sq mi) |  | |
| MAN | Mandya | Mandya | 1 November 1956[15][16] | 1,805,769 | 4,961 km2 (1,915 sq mi) | 364/km2 (940/sq mi) |  | |
| MYS | Mysuru | Mysuru | 1 November 1956 | 3,001,127 | 6,854 km2 (2,646 sq mi) | 476/km2 (1,230/sq mi) |  | |
| RAI | Raichur | Raichur | 1 November 1956 | 1,928,812 | 8,440 km2 (3,260 sq mi) | 228/km2 (590/sq mi) |  | |
| SHI | Shivamogga | Shivamogga | 1 November 1956 | 1,752,753 | 8,477 km2 (3,273 sq mi) | 207/km2 (540/sq mi) |  | |
| TUM | Tumakuru | Tumakuru | 1 November 1956 | 2,678,980 | 10,597 km2 (4,092 sq mi) | 253/km2 (660/sq mi) |  | |
| UDU | Udupi | Udupi | 25 August 1997[11] | 1,177,361 | 3,880 km2 (1,500 sq mi) | 329/km2 (850/sq mi) |  | |
| UTK | Uttara Kannada | Karwar | 1 November 1956 | 1,437,169 | 10,291 km2 (3,973 sq mi) | 140/km2 (360/sq mi) |  | |
| VIJ | Vijayanagara | Hosapete | 18 November 2020 | 1,353,628 | 5,644 km2 (2,179 sq mi) | 240/km2 (620/sq mi) |  | |
| YAD | Yadgiri | Yadgiri | 30 December 2009 | 1,174,271 |
5,234 km2 (2,021 sq mi) |
224/km2 (580/sq mi) |  |
Proposals for new districts
In Karnataka, demands for the administrative bifurcation of large or highly populated districts have been raised by various local committees and political representatives. As of early 2026, the state government has been evaluating proposals to divide several existing districts to reduce travel distances to administrative headquarters and streamline the delivery of public services.[17]
| Administrative Division | Current District | District | Headquarter | Expected Area of Jurisdiction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belagavi | Bagalkote | Jamkhandi district | Jamkhandi | Northwastern tracts of Bagalkote district. |
| Belagavi | Belagavi | Chikkodi district | Chikkodi | Northern tracts of Belagavi district. |
| Belagavi | Belagavi | Gokak district | Gokak | Eastern tracts of Belagavi district. |
| Belagavi | Uttara Kannada | Gokarna or Kumta district | Kumta | Southeasstern costal taluks of Uttara Kannada district. |
| Belagavi | Uttara Kannada | Karwar district | Karwar | Northern taluks of Uttara Kannada district. |
| Belagavi | Uttara Kannada | Sirsi district | Sirsi | Malenadu (hill) region and eastern interior talukas of Uttara Kannada district. |
| Belagavi | Vijayapura | Indi district | Indi | Northeastern tracts of Vijayapura district. |
| Belagavi | Vijayapura | Muddebihal district | Muddebihal | Southern blocks of Vijayapur district. |
| Bengaluru | Chikkaballapura and Kolar | Chintamani district | Chintamani | Eastern blocks of Chikkaballapura district and northeastern blocks of Kolar district. |
| Bengaluru | Shivamogga | Sagara district | Sagara | Northeastern tracts of Shivamogga district. |
| Bengaluru | Shivamogga | Shikaripura district | Shikaripura | Northern tracts of Shivamogga district. |
| Bengaluru | Tumakuru | Madhugiri division | Madhugiri | Northern blocks of Tumakuru district. |
| Bengaluru | Tumakuru | Pavagada district | Pavagada | Pavagada taluk of Tumakuru district. |
| Bengaluru | Tumakuru | Tiptur district | Tiptur | Western blocks of Tumakuru district. |
| Kalaburagi | Bidar | Basavakalyana district | Basavakalyana | Southwastern tracts of Bidar district. |
| Kalaburagi | Kalaburagi | Sedam district | Sedam | Eastern tracts of Kalaburagi district. |
| Kalaburagi | Koppal and Raichur | Sindhanur district | Sindhanur | Wastern taluks of Raichuru district and a eastern taluk of Koppala district. |
| Kalaburagi | Yadagiri | Shahapura district | Shahapura | wastern taluks of Yadagiri district. |
| Mysuru | Dakshina Kannada | Mangaluru district | Mangaluru | Wastern tracts of Dakshina Kannada district. |
| Mysuru | Dakshina Kannada | Puttur or Sullia district | Puttur or Sullia | Eastern tracts of Dakshina Kannada district. |
| Mysuru | Mysuru | Hunsur district | Hunsur | Western inland talukas of Mysuru district. |
| Mysuru | Udupi | Kundapura district | Kundapura | Northern tracts of Udupi district. |
