Karnataka is the eighth largest state in India by area and the ninth largest by population. It was formerly  known as Mysore. On November 1,1973, the name Mysore was changed to Karnataka. Karnataka lies between 74^o and 78^o East longitudes and 11^o and 18^o North latitudes. It is situated on the western edge of the Deccan plateau and is surrounded by Maharashtra and Goa in the north, Andhra Pradesh in the east, and Tamil Nadu and Kerala in the south. On the west, it opens out on the Arabian Sea.The state has an equable climate particularly in those areas which are hilly or a high plateau. Climate is the chief attraction of the capital city, Bangalore.