South Canara was a district of the Madras Presidency of British India, located at 13.00°N 75.40°E / 13.00; 75.40. It covered the areas of the present-day districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi of Karnataka and the Kasaragod District of Kerala. The district was one of the most heterogeneous of Madras Presidency with , Tulu, Kannada Konkani and Malayalam being the principal languages spoken.