Karunadu, is a state in the southwestern region of India.

Karnataka is the only southern state to have land borders with all of the other four southern Indian sister states.

Karnataka is derived from the Kannada words karu and nādu, meaning "elevated land". Karu Nadu may also be read as karu, meaning "black" and nadu, meaning "region", as a reference to the black cotton soil found in the Bayalu Seeme region of the state.

It is the sixth-largest Indian state by area. Kannada, one of the classical languages of India, is the most widely spoken and official language of the state.

Karnataka is home to around 150 languages belonging to different language families. Though Kannada is the major language of the state, Urdu, Konkani, Kodava, Lambadi and Tulu are also widely spoken.

The two main river systems of the state are the Krishna and its tributaries, the Bhima, Ghataprabha, Vedavathi, Malaprabha and Tungabhadra in North Karnataka, and the Kaveri and its tributaries, the Hemavati, Shimsha, Arkavati, Lakshmana Thirtha and Kabini, in South Karnataka.

The highest point in Karnataka is the Mullayanagiri hills in Chikmagalur district which has an altitude of 1,925 m (6,316 ft).

Karnataka experiences four seasons. The winter in January and February is followed by summer between March and May, the monsoon season between June and September and the post-monsoon season from October till December.

Karnataka is home to a variety of wildlife. It has a recorded forest area of 38,720 km2 (14,950 sq mi) which constitutes 12.3% of the total geographical area of the state.These forests support 25% of the elephant and 10% of the tiger population of India.

The Indian roller and the Indian elephant are recognised as the state bird and animal while sandalwood and the lotus are recognised as the state tree and flower respectively.

Karnataka has five national parks: Anshi, Bandipur, Bannerghatta, Kudremukh and Nagarhole.

Adi Shankara (788–820 CE) chose Sringeri in Karnataka to establish the first of his four mathas (monastery).

Mysore Dasara is celebrated as the Nada habba (state festival) and this is marked by major festivities at Mysore. Bangalore Karaga, celebrated in the heart of Bangalore, is the second most important festival celebrated in Karnataka. Ugadi (Kannada New Year), Makara Sankranti (the harvest festival), Ganesh Chaturthi, Gowri Habba, Ram Navami, Nagapanchami, Basava Jayanthi, Deepavali, and Balipadyami are the other major festivals of Karnataka.

Yakshagana of Tulu Nadu, Uttara Kannada, and Malnad regions Karnataka, a classical dance drama, is one of the major theatrical forms of Karnataka.

Karnataka's smallest district, Kodagu, is a major contributor to Indian field hockey, producing numerous players who have represented India at the international level.

Note: Above informations are sourced from Wikipedia. Thanks to Wikipedia.