Tamils
Dravidian ethnic group with over two millennia of written history.
The Tamils, or Tamilar, are a Dravidian people whose native language is Tamil and whose roots lie mainly in southern India. Their language is one of the world’s oldest living tongues, with a written record stretching back over two thousand years to the Sangam period, which ran from around 300 BCE to 300 CE. Today, Tamils make up roughly 5.7% of India’s population and are the majority in the state of Tamil Nadu and the union territory of Puducherry. Significant Tamil communities also live in Sri Lanka (15.3% of the population), Malaysia (7%), and Singapore (5%). Since the 1800s, Tamils have spread across the globe, with sizable groups now in South Africa, Mauritius, Fiji, and other parts of Southeast Asia, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and the Western world.
Archaeological digs in Tamil Nadu show humans have lived there continuously for more than 3,800 years. During the Sangam era, the region known as Tamilakam was ruled by the Three Crowned Kings—the Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas—alongside smaller Velir chieftains who managed their own territories and kept ties with the larger kingdoms. Coastal towns grew more urban and trade-focused in the later Sangam period, with Tamils playing a key role in Indian Ocean commerce. Excavated goods reveal early trade links with the Romans. Later, the Pallavas (3rd–9th century CE) and the Vijayanagara Empire (14th–17th century CE) were the major powers in the area.
Sri Lanka faced repeated invasions from the Indian mainland, and in the 10th century CE, the Cholas extended their influence across the island and into parts of Southeast Asia. This spread Tamil culture and helped shape the Indianisation of the region. Scripts brought by Tamil merchants, such as Grantha and Pallava, influenced the development of many Southeast Asian writing systems. From the 13th to the 17th century, the Jaffna Kingdom controlled the Tamil areas in northern Sri Lanka. European colonisation began in the 1600s and lasted for two centuries, ending in the mid-1900s.
With such a long history, Tamil culture has absorbed many influences and grown diverse. Tamil visual art includes a unique style of architecture, sculpture, and other forms, ranging from stone carvings in temples to detailed bronze icons. The ancient Tamil country had its own musical system, Tamil Pannisai. Performing arts include the theatre form Koothu, puppetry called Bommalattam, th
- Population in India
- 5.7% of Indian population
- Majority region
- Tamil Nadu and Puducherry
- Population in Sri Lanka
- 15.3%
- Population in Malaysia
- 7%
- Population in Singapore
- 5%
- Language
- Tamil
- Known for
- Last surviving classical civilization
Lore & Background
Archaeological evidence from Tamil Nadu indicates a continuous history of human occupation for more than 3,800 years. In the Sangam period, Tamilakam was ruled by the Three Crowned Kings of the Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas. Smaller Velir kings and chieftains ruled certain territories and maintained relationship with the larger kingdoms. Urbanisation and mercantile activity developed along the coasts during the later Sangam period with the Tamils influencing the regional trade in the Indian Ocean region. Artifacts obtained from excavations indicate the presence of early trade relations with the Romans. The major kingdoms to rule the region later were the Pallavas (3rd–9th century CE), and the Vijayanagara Empire (14th–17th century CE).
Reader's Guide
The Tamils are significant for their enduring classical civilization, which historian Michael Wood called the last surviving classical civilization on Earth, because the Tamils have preserved substantial elements of their past regarding belief, culture, music, and literature despite the influence of globalization. Their language, Tamil, has over two thousand years of written history, dating back to the Sangam period. The Tamils influenced regional trade in the Indian Ocean and had early trade relations with the Romans. Their scripts, such as Grantha and Pallava, induced the development of many Southeast Asian scripts. Tamil culture includes distinct architecture, sculpture, music (Tamil Pannisai), performing arts (Koothu, Bommalattam, Bharatanatyam), and cuisine. Hinduism is the major religion, with smaller numbers of Christians, Muslims, Jains, and Buddhists. The legacy of the Tamils includes their role in the cultural Indianisation of Southeast Asia and their continued presence as a diaspora worldwide.
Did You Know?
- Tamil is one of the longest-surviving languages, with over two thousand years of written history.
- Archaeological evidence from Tamil Nadu indicates a continuous history of human occupation for more than 3,800 years.
- The Hathigumpha inscription from the second century BCE describes a confederacy of Tamil rulers.
- Roman coins and potsherds with Tamil writing have been found along the Red Sea, indicating Roman commerce with ancient Tamilakam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the Tamils?
The Tamils (also called Tamilar) are a Dravidian ethnic group native to southern India, with Tamil as their mother tongue. They form the majority in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, and also hold significant populations in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore.
How old is the Tamil language?
Tamil is one of the oldest continuously spoken languages on Earth, with a written record stretching back more than two thousand years. Its earliest literary era, the Sangam period, spans roughly 300 BCE to 300 CE.
Where do Tamils live today?
In India, Tamils make up about 5.7% of the total population and dominate the state of Tamil Nadu and the union territory of Puducherry. Outside India, they represent roughly 15.3% of Sri Lanka's population, 7% in Malaysia, and 5% in Singapore.
What is the Sangam period?
The Sangam period (around 300 BCE–300 CE) marks the earliest known written era of Tamil literature and culture. It is the foundational stretch of Tamil history that gives the language its two-thousand-year written legacy.
Why are the Tamils culturally significant?
As a Dravidian group with an unbroken literary tradition exceeding two millennia, the Tamils contribute one of the world's longest continuous written-language histories. Their spread across South and Southeast Asia also makes them a major cultural force in the region.
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