Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Kozhikode
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Images
Map of South Asia highlighting the location of Kozhikode on the southwestern coast of India, near the Arabian Sea. Neighboring countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives are labeled, with disputed boundary areas in northern India also indicated.
Quizzes
Tower Bridge over the Thames River in London, England. Opened in 1894. Remains an Important Traffic Route with 40,000 Crossings Every Day.
Guess the City by Its River Quiz
Chandigarh. Statuettes at the Rock Garden of Chandigarh a sculpture park in Chandigarh, India, also known as Nek Chand's Rock Garden. Created by Nek Chand Saini an Indian self taught artist. visionary artist, folk artist, environmental art
Explore India Quiz
Jodhpur. Rajasthan. Jaswant Thada an architectural landmark in Jodhpur, India. A white marble memorial, built in 1899, by Sardar Singh in memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. Indian architecture
Discover India
Quick Facts
Also called:
Calicut
See all related content
Britannica AI Icon
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Map of South Asia highlighting the location of Kozhikode on the southwestern coast of India, near the Arabian Sea. Neighboring countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives are labeled, with disputed boundary areas in northern India also indicated.
Kozhikode, India

Kozhikode

India
Also known as: Calicut
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
Last updated
•History

News •

Two arrested with 2.55 grams of suspected MDMA • Nov. 1, 2026, 7:49 AM ET (The Hindu)
IMD scouting for land to set up wind profiler radars in Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram under ‘Mission Mausam’ • Oct. 31, 2026, 3:00 AM ET (The Hindu)

Kozhikode, city, northern Keralam state, southwestern India. It is situated on the Malabar Coast, 414 miles (666 km) west-southwest of Chennai (Madras) by rail.

Kozhikode was once a famous cotton-weaving center, and it is remembered as the place of origin of calico, to which it gave its name (i.e., Calicut). The place was an early focus for Arab traders, who first settled there in the 7th century. Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese discoverer of the sea route to India, reached Kozhikode in 1498. The Portuguese built a fortified trading post there in 1511, but it was abandoned in 1525.

An English expedition visited Kozhikode in 1615, but not until 1664 did the British East India Company found a trading post there. The French followed in 1698 and the Danes in 1752. Hyder Ali, the 18th-century Indian ruler and military commander of Mysore (now Karnataka state), captured the town in 1765 and destroyed it. In 1790 the British occupied Kozhikode, and it passed into their hands by treaty in 1792, when the inhabitants returned and rebuilt the city.

Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.
By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Tower Bridge over the Thames River in London, England. Opened in 1894. Remains an Important Traffic Route with 40,000 Crossings Every Day.
Britannica Quiz
Guess the City by Its River Quiz

Kozhikode’s port is virtually closed during the summer monsoon season, and ships must lie 3 miles (5 km) offshore at other times of the year. Besides coconut products, the city exports pepper, ginger, coffee, tea, and other crops. Its industries include sawmills and tile making, coffee curing, and hosiery works. Kozhikode is the seat of the University of Calicut (1968), which includes colleges of arts and sciences, medical and teacher-training colleges, and a marine research institute. Pop. (2001) city, 436,556; urban agglom., 880,247; (2011) city, 431,560; urban agglom., 2,028,399.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Shabnam Dohutia.