Coimbatore [key], city, Tamil Nadu state, SE India. Commanding the eastern approach to the Palakkad, or Palghat, Gap, the major pass through the Western Ghats, it was important in the wars of Haidar Ali and Tippoo Sahib. The British obtained undisputed possession of Coimbatore in 1799. The city is a district administrative center and a junction of rail lines linking India's east and west coasts. It is the second most industrialized region of Tamil Nadu state, manufacturing processed foods, cotton, and transport equipment. Coimbatore is also a market for tea, cotton, cardamom, cinchona, and teak.
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