Kerala is a narrow strip of land located on the south western edge of the Indian subcontinent. It is sandwiched between the Lakshwadeep Sea and the Western Ghats.It is a bustling little green-and-silver, coconuts-and-water state on the west coast of India With the Arabian Sea in the west, the Western Ghats towering 500 - 2700mtrs. in the east and networked by 44 rivers, Kerala enjoys unique geographical features that have made it one of the most sought after tourist destinations in Asia.

The entire state of Kerala is a tourist destination and at every corner of this state, one can experience something new. It is not without any reason that the Keralites call their state the 'God's Own Country'. Backwaters, historical structures, culture, wildlife, and natural beauty, the state has all these and more

The coconut palms, green paddy fields, plantations, and innumerable lakes and beaches in between, makes kerala the greenest and the most beautiful place. It will always remain in the heart of those who visit here with its beauty and its culture. The festivals like onam, vishu, various art forms like Kathakali, ottam thullal, Kaikottikali, Mohiniyattom and Koodiyattam, martial arts like Kalaripayattu, wildlife sanctuaries, ancient pilgrim places like sabarimala, malayatoor church,etc also makes Kerala the most attractive place for the tourists. The very old medical system, AYURVEDA, is now world famous and tourists from all over the world are now experiencing the magic of Kerala’s Exclusive AYURVEDA Treatment.

Geologists says that Kerala was formed much later than the rest of the subcontinent. Submarine earth movements probably pushed up the land against the curve of the Western Ghats to form this wonderful land. Also it is believed from the olden days that an avathar of Lord Vishnu called PARASHURAMAN threw his axe into the sea in a wide arc and carved a land and it is called Kerala.

Geographically Kerala is one of the smallest states in India covering merely 1.3% of total area of the country. Kerala is situated on the southwestern tip of the Indian mainland on the Arabian Sea. Kerala is bound by the Arabian Sea on the west, Karnataka on the north and northeast, and Tamil Nadu on the east. The landscape varies from long golden beaches to cool hill stations and dense green jungle to bustling cities. Its unique feature is the 1,900km of palm fringed backwaters. Physically the state can be divided in to three natural divisions, the sandy costal region with coconut groves, paddy fields, back waters and sea. The midland region made up of fertile reddish hills and valleys that grow most of Kerala's agricultural crops. Peaks extensive ridges and ravines of the Western Ghats, where sandalwood, tea, coffee, rubber and most of Kerala's exotic spices are grown.

Kerala enjoys balmy Weather almost all through out the year. It is neither too cold in the winter months nor too hot in summer. The best time to visit is November to February, where the air bracing and on some morning there is a light mist.

Every district in Kerala has it's own unique culture and characteristics. Thiruvananthapuram is known for it's beach - Kovalam, the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple and various museums and palaces; Alapuzha for it's backwaters, Trichur, the cultural capital, Kottayam for it's ancient churches, Kozhikode for it's old world charm and the entrancing Ponmudy or Golden valley.

Kerala, is India's most advanced society. A hundred percent literate people, World-class health care systems, India's lowest infant mortality and highest life expectancy rates, the highest physical quality of life in India, Peaceful and pristine. All these made kerala so. For administrative purpose, the state of Kerala is divided into fourteen districts. Most of these districts offer all the tourism products typical of the State.

Kerala has a very cosmopolitan history graced by visitors like St. Thomas, the Apostle who established the earliest Christian Colony in Kerala in 52 A.D. Kerala is a land which always encouraged trading and traders. The fame of Kerala Spices brought the Romans in 30 AD who were followed by the Greeks, Arabs, Chinese. The spices trade brought Vasco da Gama to Kappad near Calicut in 1498 which paved the way for a new trading history. Christians, Muslims and Jews all found a welcome in Kerala, as did the early Phoenician, Greek and Roman Traders. Kerala is the the meeting place of many cultures, Hindu and Muslim, Christian and Jewish. Kerala has a particularly rich heritage of dance and drama. The language and culture is fairly universal.

Standing mute witness to the multi-layered international history are the ancient Hindu Temples standing serenely side by side, the gaily painted colonial style churches and splendid mosques. There is also a synagogue built in 1568 in Cochin, reflecting a small but significant Jewish presence.

Historians believe that civilization existed in one form or the other in Kerala as early as 5000 BC to 3000 BC. Original inhabitants were animists, followed by the Dravidians. The Indo-Arabians (erroneously often referred to as Aryans) seems to have gained in substantial numbers by 2000-1500 BC. Many came here to exploit the rich land, and the whole of Malabar become a scene of rivalry between the foreign traders for trade and territory. At last Malabar Malabar passed into the hands the British in 1792. 9 years after the Indian independence, on 1st November 1956, Travancore, Cochin and Malabar were merged into one state and thus Kerala State came into existence. Trivandrum is the capital of Kerala State and it is a sea-side city.

Area: 38,863sq.km
Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
Language: Malayalam
Districts: 14
Population: 3,18,41,374
Literacy: 94.59% (1991 census)