Here's a breakdown:
* India: Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and parts of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
* Sri Lanka: The Northern and Eastern provinces, and significant populations in other areas.
Tamil is also spoken in other countries like:
* Malaysia: Significant Tamil communities in Kuala Lumpur and other major cities.
* Singapore: Tamil is one of the official languages.
* Mauritius: A sizable Tamil population descended from indentured laborers.
* South Africa: Tamil communities exist in areas like Durban.
* United Kingdom: Tamil communities established in major cities.
* United States: Tamil communities particularly in the states of California, New York, and New Jersey.
* Canada: Tamil communities in major cities like Toronto and Montreal.
* Australia: Growing Tamil communities in Melbourne, Sydney, and other cities.
It's important to note that the exact numbers of Tamil speakers in each country vary and change over time. However, the vast majority of Tamil speakers reside in India and Sri Lanka.