Important Facts of Kerala

28 October, 2020 | GS-I | Physical Geography | Indian Geography | Current mapping UPSC

Capital Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum Date of Formation November 01, 1956 State Boundaries Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Puducherry (Mahe) Number of Districts 14 State Animal Elephant State Bird Great Indian Hornbill

State Flower Kanikonna or Indian laburnum or amaltus State Tree Coconut Official Language Malayalam Major cities Kochi, Kozhikode, Kollam and Thrissur Festivals Onam, Thrissur Pooram, Sabarimala, Theyyam, Payippad Jelotsavam Dances Chavittunatakam, Kathakali, Kolkli, Koothu, Kutiyattam, Theyyam, Thirvathirakali, Ottamthullal, Chakyar Koothu, Mohiniyattam Hill Station Munnar UNESCO sites Nilgiri, Agasthyamalai, Western Ghats Physical division Nilgiri – Anamalai – Cardamon (North to South) Beaches Alappuzha Beach Cherai Beach Kovalam Kozhikode Beach Muzhappilangad Beach Thirumullavaram Beach Payyambalam Beach Kannur Beach Lakes Sasthamkotta Lake Vembanad Lake Lakes of Alappuzha Pookode Lake Ashtamudi Lake Punnamada Lake Akkulam Lake Mananchira Veeran Puzha Vellayani Lake Paravur Kayal Islands Dharmadam Island, Kavvayi, Vypin, Gundu Island, Munroe Island, Valiyaparamba, Willingdon Island, Ezhumanthuruthu, Pulinkunnu Waterfalls Mulamkuzhi, Attukal, Cheeyappara, Thusharagiri, Kesari National Park Eravikulam National Park Silent Valley National Park Bird Sanctuary Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary Thattekad Bird Sanctuary Biological Park Agasthyavanam Biological Park Wildlife Sanctuary Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary Begur Wildlife Sanctuary Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary Peechi Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary Biosphere Reserve Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve Dams Malampuzha Dam Walayar Dam Banasura Sagar Dam

Parambikulam Dam Tribes Paliyan, Ulladan, Hill Pulaya, Rular, Kattunayakan, Koraga, Mudugar, Kadar Inland Waterways West Coast Canal or National Waterway No 3 Important Institution Centre for water Resources development and management Kunnamangalam – Kozhikode (Kerala) Bioinformatics Centre – Thiruvananthapuram Centre for Development Studies – Thiruvananthapuram National Centre for Earth Science Studies, Thiruvananthapuram Bharat Bhavan, Nalanda, Thiruvananthapuram Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram. Centre for Heritage Studies, Ernakulam National Transportation Planning and Research Centre – Thiruvananthapuram Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology – Thiruvananthapuram Agriculture In the hills – rubber, tea, wattle, and coffee beside teak and rose wood. Major Crops Rice, Coconut, Rubber Minerals Iron Ore, Bauxite, Silica Sand, Magnesite Wildlife animals & birds Asian Elephant, Bengal Tiger, Indian Sloth Bear, Kingfisher, Woodpecker, Jungle Fowl. Kerala Tourism tagline God’s own Country

Facts:

The first state to be declared as “Complete Digital State”. Kochi, earlier known as Cochin, is popularly known as ‘Queen of the Arabian Sea’ and is also called ‘Gateway to Kerala’. Edakkal caves in Arnbukutty Moun am have petroglyphs or rock carvings and are believed to have been made by Neolithic men. Believed to be the oldest of all martial art forms, Kalaripayattu gets its name from lalari’ or school and ‘payattu’ or practice. Kocchi is World’s first airport completely powered by solar energy Coconut produces 2/3 of total production in India (56% form Kozhikode) Black pepper – 95% of country’s production Cardamom – Kerala’s share in the national production is 75% on upland mainly form Idukki, Wayanad Tea – from 760mt to 1520mt Idduki and Wayanad Coffee – Kerala’s share in the national production is 22%; Rubber – Kerala’s share in the national production is 91%. 83% area of the Country under Rubber is in Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam Banana – Average crop duration 300 days Kerala had been ruled by many powerful dynasties like the Cheras, Cholas and Pandayas. Kerala is known to be the state with the highest literacy rate. The streams of Kerala empty themselves into these lagoons. Kozhikode is an important timber trading centre. Alleppey is the biggest weaving and exporting centre of coir. Trichur district is famous for diamond cutting and polishing industry. Perambra (Trichur)-Rubber tyres are manufactured. Vembanad Lake is designated as wet land under Ramsar convention. Asthamudi Lake is a palm shaped lake with a unique wetland ecosystem and a Ramsar site. Asthamudi Lake is the entrance to the famous backwaters of Kerala and the houseboat rides here are extremely famous. Sasthamkotta Lake is the largest freshwater lake of Kerala and a Ramsar site.

The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve was the first biosphere reserve in India established in the year 1986. The Cheraman Juma mosque is supposed to be built during 629 AD by Malik Ibn Deenar. Kannur-1st Zero landless district in the country Malappuram – First e-literate district in the country Alappuzha (Alleppey) is also known as ‘Venice of the East’ The Sasthamcotta Lake, the only major fresh water lake in the state is in Kollam District The annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race takes place on the backwaters of Punnamada in Alappuzha.