Keralam
Where is Keralam located?
What are the main geographical features of Keralam?
What is the climate of Keralam?
What are the major religions in Keralam?
What are some key economic activities in Keralam?
Why was Kerala renamed Keralam?
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Keralam, southwestern coastal state of India. It constitutes only about 1 percent of the total land area of the country. Keralam stretches for about 360 miles (580 km) along the Malabar Coast, varying in width from roughly 20 to 75 miles (30 to 120 km). It is bordered by the states of Karnataka (formerly Mysore) to the north and Tamil Nadu to the east and by the Arabian Sea to the south and west; it also surrounds Mahe, a segment of the state of Puducherry, on the northwestern coast. The capital is Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum). Formerly called Kerala, the state was officially renamed Keralam in 2026.
Although separated from the Indian interior by the mountainous belt of the Western Ghats, Keralam has been exposed to many foreign influences via its long coastline; consequently, the state has developed a unique culture within the subcontinent, not only with a diverse religious tradition but also with its own language, Malayalam. Also notable is the high social status that continues to be accorded to women of Keralam, owing in part to the historical strength of a matrilineal kinship system called marumakkathayam. Area 15,005 square miles (38,863 square km). Pop. (2011) 33,387,677.
Land
Relief and drainage
Keralam is a region of great natural beauty. In the eastern part of the state, Anamudi (8,842 feet [2,695 meters]), the highest peak of peninsular India, rises in the southern Western Ghats, a long mountain range running parallel to the western coast of India. Descending from the rocky highlands westward toward the coastal plain is a stretch of farmlands, with different crops cultivated at different elevations. Along the coast, a linked chain of lagoons and backwaters forms an extensive inland water system. Among the more important rivers that flow to the Arabian Sea are the Bharatapuzha, Periyar, Chalakudi, and Pamba. Most of the state’s rivers are short, swift-flowing, and dependent on monsoon rains.
Climate
In Keralam the Western Ghats intercept monsoon winds and force their uplift, thereby influencing the climate. Keralam’s tropical climate varies little from season to season. Throughout the year daily temperatures usually rise from the low 70s F (low 20s C) into the 80s F (27 to 32 °C). The state is among the first regions in India to receive the southwest monsoon, which prevails from early June through September, and it also receives rain from the reverse (northeast) monsoon, which blows in October and November. Precipitation averages about 115 inches (3,000 mm) annually statewide, with some slopes receiving more than 200 inches (5,000 mm). Since the late 20th century, rainfall patterns have shown increasing variability, directly influencing extreme precipitation events such as floods and landslides, a trend that has been partly attributed to climate change. Notable incidents include severe floods in 2018, which were triggered by heavy monsoon rainfall, and deadly landslides in Wayanad district in 2024.
Plant and animal life
The watery coastal zones of Keralam are interspersed with coconut palm groves, while much of the Western Ghats is covered with rainforests and tropical deciduous forests, and riverine areas support dense riparian vegetation. Rolling grasslands are typical of the upland region. This region forms part of the Western Ghats biodiversity hot spot and is home to an extraordinary array of wildlife. Mammals include sambar deer, gaurs (wild cattle), Nilgiri tahrs (wild goatlike animals; Hemitragus hylocrius, or, by some classifications, Nilgiritragus hylocrius), elephants, leopards, tigers, bonnet monkeys, rare lion-tailed macaques (Macaca silenus), and gray and Nilgiri langurs (Semnopithecus entellus and Trachypithecus johnii, respectively). King cobras (Ophiophagus hannah) are among the notable reptiles, while peacocks and hornbills are common birds. The state has several national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, among which the Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve is the largest.
People
Population composition
The Malayalis, a group of people of mixed ethnic heritage who speak Malayalam, a Dravidian language, constitute the majority of the population of Keralam. They represent a historically diverse population shaped by centuries of migration and cultural interaction largely within the Indian subcontinent. Over the millennia there has been much exchange between peoples speaking Dravidian and Indo-Aryan languages. Elements of Indo-Aryan ancestry remain strongest among the Nambudiri, a prominent caste of orthodox Hindus. Also living in Keralam is a significant minority of Tamils, a neighboring people of Dravidian ancestry.
More than half of Keralam’s residents, including most of the Malayalis, follow Hinduism. About one-fourth of the population practices Islam, with the Mappila (Moplah) people of the Malabar Coast constituting the state’s largest Muslim community. Christians, who account for nearly one-fifth of the population, belong broadly to the Syrian Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches as well as to various Protestant denominations. Many of the long-established Christian communities, particularly those of the Syrian tradition, share a common set of early Christian traditions unique to the Malabar Coast. They are referred to collectively as St. Thomas (Mar Thoma) Christians in allusion to the tradition that St. Thomas the Apostle first evangelized the region. Other Christian groups such as the Latin Catholics trace their origins to conversions during the European colonial period. Keralam also has tiny Jain, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jewish communities. The Cochin Jews were historically centered in the region of Kochi, where several synagogues were established, notably the Paradesi Synagogue in 1568 in Mattancherry. The Jewish presence in Keralam dates back many centuries but has declined sharply since the mid-20th century owing to emigration, particularly to Israel.
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Settlement patterns and demographic trends
Keralam is one of the most densely populated states in India. While only about one-fourth of the population was reported as urban in the early 21st century, such statistics are deceptive because of the proximity of rural houses, especially in the coastal plain. Indeed, in parts of the state there are densely populated rural equivalents of urban megalopolises. The major urban centers and industrial complexes include Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Kollam (Quilon), Alappuzha (Alleppey), Thrissur (Trichur), and Thalassery (Tellicherry).
Keralam’s population is characterized by a demographic profile that includes a relatively higher proportion of older people than most other Indian states. Migration to other countries from Keralam has also influenced population dynamics in the state. Beginning in the 1970s, workers from Kerala migrated in waves to the Persian Gulf region, particularly to Gulf Arab states, in search of employment, in what is often called the “Gulf Boom.” Although migration to the Persian Gulf region still continues, there has been a slow shift in migration patterns, especially among the younger population, to other parts of the world. Since the early 21st century, Keralam has also seen an increasing population of migrant workers from other Indian states.
Economy
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
Agriculture is an important economic activity. Commercial plantings on less than half of the total land under cultivation earn a sizable amount of foreign exchange but have necessitated the importation of food for local consumption. Keralam’s principal cash crops are rubber, coffee, and tea, which are cultivated in plantations on the slopes of the foothills, as well as areca nut, cardamom, cashew nut, coconut, ginger, and pepper. The major food crops are rice, pulses (e.g., peas and beans), sorghum, and tapioca. Commercial poultry farming is well developed.
The forests yield valuable timbers such as ebony, rosewood, and teak. In addition, Keralam’s woodlands supply industrial raw materials such as bamboo (used in the paper and rayon industries), wood pulp, charcoal, gums, and resins. The state is also an important center of fish production. Sardines, tunas, mackerels, and prawns are among the principal products of the industry.