Family : Dravidian

Countries : India, Malaysia, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Reunion

Official Status : India, Sri Lanka, Singapore

India : It is the first language to be declared as classical by the
government in 2004

First Language Users: more than 66 Million

Years : more than 2000 year history

Newspapers : 1863 Tamil Newspapers

Nearest Relative : Malayalam

Insciptions : more than 30,000 - largest in South Asia

Periods : Old Tamil (300 BC - 700 CE), Middle Tamil (700 - 1600) and
Modern Tamil (1600-present)

Early Script : Brahmi

Current Script : Vatteluttu

Earliest Work : Tolkapiyam - a work on poetics and grammar

Sangam Works : Thirukkural, Silappadikaram, Manimegalai, Sivakachintamani,
Valayapati, Kundalakesi

Religious Works : Kamba Ramayanam, Tevaaram, Periyapuraanam

English words with Tamil Root: cash (kaasu), Cheroot (suruttu), Mango (Manga), Mulligatawny (Milagu tanneer), Ginger (Ingi), Curry(Kari), catamaran (Kattu Maram), Pandal (Pandal), Coir (Kayar)