[1] Its total area is 103.58 square kilometres (39.99 sq mi) Tamano is located in southern Okayama Prefecture.

It faces the Seto Inland Sea to the south, and parts of the city are within the borders of the Setonaikai National Park.

Following the Meiji restoration, the area was organized into villages within Kojima District, Okayama with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889.

Tamano has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 19 members.

In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Okayama 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.