<!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Indian cities for details -->
Coonoor or Kunnur (), is a taluk and a municipal town of the Nilgiris District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. As of 2011, the town had a population of 45,494. The town, located in the Nilgiri plateau, is at the head of the Coonoor Ghat, the principal pass connecting the Nilgiris to the plains. It is 363 miles (584 km) by rail from Chennai and 12 miles (19 km) from Ooty. The town is built within the picturesque Jackatalla valley (Jagathala), surrounded by wooded hills.
History
left|thumb|120px|"1 MILE FROM THE BUNGALOW" historic milestone below Coonoor
Since the time of British rule, Coonoor has served as the terminus of the Nilgiri branch of the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways (formerly under the Madras South-Western Railway). In its early years, the town featured a sub-magistrate's court, a hospital, three churches, several schools, a library, as well as various shops and hotels catering to Europeans. Surrounded by tea and coffee estates, Coonoor is one of the principal hill stations of then Madras Presidency, second only to Ooty in natural advantages. The European settlement was located on the upper plateau, while the native quarter was situated on the lower slopes of the valley.
In the early 1800s, travelers from the plains reached Coonoor and Ooty via the Old Ooty Road. Coonoor had an Inspection Bungalow where travelers could rest. A historic milestone where the Old Ooty Road approached Coonoor was inscribed with "1 MILE FROM THE BUNGALOW". This marker indicated the distance to the Inspection Bungalow in Coonoor. The rock was unearthed in June 2025. Local historians speculate that the marker might date from the 1830s.
Geography
Coonoor sits at the south-east corner of the Nilgiri plateau, and at the head of the Coonoor Ghat, the principal pass connecting the Nilgiris to the plains. It is located at . It has an average elevation of 1,850 metres (6,070 feet) above sea level. It is by rail from Chennai, the state capital, and from Ooty, the district headquarters.
Climate
Coonoor has a sub-tropical highland climate (Koppen;Cfb) due to its high altitude.
thumb|Gandhipuram locality and tea plantation in south Coonoor