The Indian union territory of Puducherry, often spelled Pondicherry or Pondichéry, is made up of four interconnected minor districts. It was created from four former French Indian territories: Chandannagar (Chandernagore), Pondichéry (Pondicherry; now Puducherry), Karikal (Karaikal), and Mahé (now Yanam). Puducherry, the region's largest district and the former capital of French India, is the name of the region. Previously known as Pondicherry (Piccri), the region's official name was changed to Puducherry on September 20, 2006. In the southernmost region of the Indian Peninsula is the Union Territory of Puducherry. Yanam district and Mahé district are respectively bordered by the states of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, while Puducherry district and Karaikal district are bounded by the state of Tamil Nadu. Of India's 36 states and union territories, Puducherry has the 29th largest population and is the third most densely populated. It is ranked 25th in India and has a gross domestic product (GDP) of 210 billion (US$2.6 billion).
