About kerala

Kerala, regionally referred to as Keralam, is a state in the south-west region of India onthe Malabar Coast.It was formed on 1 November 1956 as per the States Reorganisation Act bycombining various Malayalam-speaking regions.Spread over 38,863 km2 (15,005 sq mi) it isbordered by Karnataka to the north and north east, Tamil Nadu to the east and south, andthe Lakshadweep Sea to the west. With 33,387,677 inhabitants as per the 2011 census, Keralais the twelfth largest state by population and is divided into 14 districts. Malayalam is the mostwidely spoken and official language of the state.The state capital is Thiruvananthapuram; othermajor cities include Kochi, Kozhikode, Thrissur, and KollamThe region was a prominent spice exporter from 3000 BCE to 3rd century.The CheraDynasty was the first powerful kingdom based in Kerala, though it frequently struggled againstattacks from the neighbouring Cholas and Pandyas.During the Chera period Kerala remained aninternational spice trading center.

Later, in the 15th century, the lucrative spice trade attractedPortuguese traders to Kerala, and eventually paved the way for the European colonisation of thewhole of India.After independence, Travancore and Cochin joined the Republic of IndiaandTravancore-Cochin was given the status of a state. Later, the state was formed in 1956 bymerging the Malabar district, Travancore-Cochin (excluding four southern taluks), and the talukof Kasargod, South Kanara. Kerala is the state with the lowest positive population growth rate in India (3.44%) and has adensity of 819 people per km 2. The state has the highest Human Development Index (HDI) (0.790) in the country according to the Human Development Report 2011.It also has the highest literacyrate 95.5,the highest life expectancy (Almost 77 years) and the highest sex ratio (as defined bynumber of women per 1000 men: 1,084 women per 1000 men) among all Indian states. Keralahas the lowest homicide rate among Indian states, for 2011 it was 1.1 per 100,000.A survey in2005 by Transparency International ranked it as the least corrupt state in the country.Kerala haswitnessed significant emigration of its people, especially to the Gulf states during the GulfBoom during the 1970s and early 1980s, and its economy depends significantlyonremittances from a large Malayali expatriate community. Hinduism is practised by more thanhalf of the population, followed by Islam andChristianity.The culture of the state traces its rootsfrom 3rd century CE.It is a synthesis of Aryan and Dravidian cultures, developed over centuriesunder influences from ot her parts of India and abroad.Production of pepper and natural rubber contributes to a significant portion of the total nationaloutput. In the agricultural sector, coconut, tea, coffee, cashew and spices are important.The state'scoastline extends for 590 kilometres (370 mi), and around 1.1 million people of the state aredependent on the fishery industry which contributes 3% of the state's income. The state's 145,704kilometres (90,536 mi) of roads, constitute 4.2% of all Indian roadways. There are three existingand two proposed international airports.Waterways are also used as a means of transportation.Thestate has the highest media exposure in India with newspapers publishing in nine differentlanguages; mainly English and Malayalam.Kerala is an important tourist destination,with backwaters, beaches, Ayurvedic tourism, and tropical greenery among its major attractions.