Chikmagalur, officially Chikkamagaluru (IPA: [t͡ʃikːɐmɐɡɐɭuːru]) is an administrative district in the Malnad subregion of Karnataka, India.

[6][7] The hills of Chikmagalur are parts of the Western Ghats and the source of Tunga and Bhadra rivers.

The area is well known for the Sringeri Mutt that houses the Dakshina Peeta established by Adi Shankaracharya.

[8] Chikmagalur is the region where the Hoysala rulers started and spent the early days of their dynasty.

[9][10] It is known that Veera Ballala II (1173 – 1220 CE), the great king of Hoysala empire, has built the Shri Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple at Yagati in Kadur Taluk and Amriteshwara temple at Amrithapura in Tarikere Taluk.

[8] The saint Baba Budan on his pilgrimage to Mecca travelled through the seaport of Mocha, Yemen where he discovered coffee.

This vast area covers higher western ghats in the west to lower semi-arid plains in the east.

According to the 2011 census, Chikmagalur district has a population of 1,137,961,[14] roughly equal to the nation of Cyprus[15] or the US state of Rhode Island.

[19] Agriculture is the economical back bone of the Chikmagalur district with coffee cultivation forming the major part of it.

Oil seeds like groundnut, sesamum, sunflower, castor and commercial crops like sugarcane, cotton, and tobacco are also grown here.

[21] Chikmagalur district unfortunately has not made good progress in terms of Industrial Development.

KIOCL was established in 1976 to develop the Kudremukh mine and to produce 7.5 million tonnes of concentrate per year.

A pelletisation plant with a capacity of 3 million tonnes per year was commissioned in 1987 for production of high quality blast furnace and direct reduction grade pellets for export.

[24] KIOCL received a massive setback when its mining licence expired and operations were stopped by the Supreme Court with effect from 31 December 2005.

[27] Hill stations in the district are: Kemmangundi, Kudremukh, Mullayanagiri, Baba Budan Giri also known as Datta Peeta, Deviramma Betta.

[35] According to 2011 census, the percentage literacy rate of Chikmagalur district is 79.25% with 85.41% of males and 73.16% of females being literate.

[36] As of 2011, there are 13 degree colleges (with 4615 students) offering graduate education in Chikmagalur district[37] which are affiliated to Kuvempu University.

As of 2001, there are 46 colleges (with 4711 students) offering Higher Secondary (Pre-University) education in Chikmagalur district.