Coimbatore (Tamil: கோயம்புத்தூர்; [koaɪmbaːʈoɾi]), also known as Kovai (Tamil: கோவை; pronounced [koʋaːaɪ]), is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu with a metropolitan population of over 2 million. It is a major commercial centre and has often been referred to as the "Manchester of South India".