Karur has a very long history and has been sung by various sangam poets. It has been the battleground of various Tamil Kings like Chera, Chola and Pandya because of its strategic location in Kongu Nadu (Coimbatore). The district has a very rich and varied cultural heritage. The district is made fertile by the perennial flows of the Kaveri River on the northern side(Thavittupalayam, Vangal, Mayanur, Kulithalai) and also the Amaravati, Nalkasi and Noyyal rivers. Its economy is mainly agrarian. Presently, the district is famous worldwide for its handloom products.