I construct a near-IR star count map of the LMC and demonstrate , using the viewing angles derived in Paper I , that the LMC is intrinsically elongated .
I argue that this is due to the tidal force from the Milky Way .

The near-IR data from the 2MASS and DENIS surveys are ideally suited for studies of LMC structure , because of the large statistics and insensitivity to dust absorption .
The survey data are used to create a star count map of RGB and AGB stars .
The resulting LMC image shows the well-known bar , but is otherwise quite smooth .
Ellipse fitting is used for quantitative analysis .
The radial number density profile is approximately exponential with a scale-length r _ { d } \approx 1.3 – 1.5 \ > { kpc } .
However , there is an excess density at large radii that may be due to the tidal effect of the Milky Way .
The position angle and ellipticity profile both show large radial variations , but converge to { PA } _ { maj } = 189.3 ^ { \circ } \pm 1.4 ^ { \circ } and \epsilon = 0.199 \pm 0.008 for r \gtrsim 5 ^ { \circ } .
At large radii the image is influenced by viewing perspective ( i.e. , one side of the inclined LMC plane being closer to us than the other ) .
This causes a drift of the center of the star count contours towards the near side of the plane .
The observed drift is consistent with the position angle \Theta = 122.5 ^ { \circ } \pm 8.3 ^ { \circ } of the line of nodes inferred in Paper I .

The fact that \Theta differs from { PA } _ { maj } indicates that the LMC disk is not circular .
Deprojection shows that the LMC has an intrinsic ellipticity \epsilon ^ { \prime \prime } = 0.31 in its outer parts , considerably larger than typical for disk galaxies .
The outer contours have a more-or-less common center , which lies \sim 0.4 \ > { kpc } from the center of the bar .
Neither agrees with the kinematic center of the HI gas disk .
The LMC is elongated in the general direction of the Galactic center , and is elongated perpendicular to the Magellanic Stream and the velocity vector of the LMC center of mass .
This suggests that the elongation of the LMC has been induced by the tidal force of the Milky Way .

The position angle of the line of nodes differs from the position angle \Theta _ { max } of the line of maximum line of sight velocity gradient .
Results from HI gas and discrete tracers indicate that \Theta _ { max } - \Theta = 20 ^ { \circ } – 60 ^ { \circ } .
This could be due to one or more of the following : ( a ) streaming along non-circular orbits in the elongated disk ; ( b ) uncertainties in the transverse motion of the LMC center of mass , which can translate into a spurious solid-body rotation component in the observed velocity field ; ( c ) an additional solid body rotation component in the observed velocity field due to precession and nutation of the LMC disk as it orbits the Milky Way , which is expected on theoretical grounds .