ABOUT KERALA

With the Arabian Sea in the west, the Western Ghats towering 500-2700 ms 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. An equable climate. A long shoreline with serene beaches. Tranquil streches of emerald backwaters. Lush hill stations and exotic wildlife. Waterfalls. Sprawling plantations and paddy fields. Ayurvedic health holidays. Enchanting art forms. Magical festivals. Historic and cultural monuments.

Its coastline is on the Arabian Sea ( part of the Indian Ocean) and its eastern border with the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu is the top of the majestic Western Ghat mountains. 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.An exotic cuisine... All of which offer you a unique experience. And what's more, every one of these charming destinations is only a two hour drive from the other. A singular advantage no other destination offers.

Kerala, 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, Kerala is also India's cleanest state.

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.

Money
There is no limit to the amount of foreign currency that visitors can bring.

Banks
Banks are open for transaction on all days except Sundays and declared holidays.

Best time to visit
High season: October to April - Monsoon.

Rejuvenation programmes: May to September

Travel wear
Cotton outfits, hats, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion etc.

Credit cards
Main hotels, restaurants and shopping centres honour major credit cards.

Currency
Indian Rupee (INR)

Drugs
Heavy punishments including imprisonment are imposed for possession of narcotic drugs.

Food
All standard restaurants offer a variety of cuisines including Continental, Chinese, Indian and typical Kerala fare.

Emergency numbers
Police control room: 100

Fire station: 101

Ambulance: 101

Time
(Hours fast (+), slow (-) on IST)

USA: -10.30, Germany: - 4.30, Canada: - 10.30, France: - 4.30, Australia: + 4.30, Spain: -4.30, UAE: - 1.30

Water
Eventhough tap water is purified, it is better to drink bottled drinking water or drinking water from houses/restaurants. It is not advisable to drink water from slow moving streams, lakes or dams. Mineral water is available in sealed bottles.

Temple codes
Footwear inside the temple and entry into the sanctum sanctorum is banned in all the temples.

Other customs and codes of conduct and dress in temples across the state vary from each other.

Some temples do not permit entry to non-Hindus, while some do. Shirts for men and pants are banned from some temples and allowed in some others. Where they are banned, men have to be in mundus and women, in saris, half-saris or long skirts.

Nudity
Nudity is not allowed in any Kerala beach.

Smoking

Smoking is banned in public places

Footwear in houses
Visitors to most Kerala houses leave their footwear outside before entering the house.

Ayurvedic treatment
If you wish to undergo Ayurvedic treatment, it is very important to ensure that you go to an authorised centre.

Demonstrativeness in public
Behaviour demonstrating affection in public like hugging or kissing is not an accepted practice in Kerala.

Wildlife sanctuaries
To visit a wildlife sanctuary, prior permission has to be taken from the concerned authority of the sanctuary.

Location	:	Southwestern tip of India.
Area	:	38, 863 sq km.
Population	:	3,18,38,619
Capital	:	Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)
Language	:	Malayalam;English is widely spoken.
Religion	:	Hinduism, Christianity, Islam
Time	:	GMT +5:30
Currency	:	Indian Rupee
Climate	:	Tropical.
Summer	:	February - May (24 - 330C)
Monsoon	:	June - September (22 - 280C)
Winter	:	October - January (22 - 320C)
Names of Districts
Old		New
Trivandrum		Thiruvananthapuram
Quilon		Kollam
Alleppey		Alappuzha
		Pathanamthitta
		Kottayam
		Idukki
		Ernakulam
Trichur		Thrissur
Palghat		Palakkad
		Malappuram
		Wayanad
Calicut		Kozhikode
Cannanore		Kannur
		Kasaragod
Major Cities	:	Thiruvananthapuram,Kochi (Ernakulam district)and Kozhikode.
Taluks	:	61
Revenue Villages	:	1452
City Corporations	:	5
Grama Panchayat	:	991
Block Panchayat	:	152
District Panchayat	:	14
Population
Population	:	318.39 lakhs as per the latest 2001 Census (31.839 Millions)
Density of Population	:	819 per sq kms
Kerala's Share in the National Population	:	3.1 per cent
District Average	:	22.74 lakhs (2.274 millions)
Sex Ratio	:	1058 women for 1000 men
Literacy
Literacy Rate	:	90.92 per cent.
Male Literacy Rate	:	94.20 per cent
Female Literacy Rate	;	87.86 per cent
Educational Infrastructure
Lower Primary Schools (First - Fourth classes)	:	6712
Upper Primary Schools (Fifth - Seventh classes)	:	2951
High Schools (Eighth - Tenth classes)	:	2608
Total number of Schools	:	12271
Higher Education
Higher Education Universities	:	7
Arts and Science Colleges	:	286
Physical Quality of Life Index (PQLI)
Kerala has had a commendable record in terms of the Physical Quality of Life Index. Indicators of PQLI like infant mortality (11%), female literacy (87.86%), and life expectancy at birth for males (68.23) and females (73.62), are well above all India levels. The major reason for this achievement is Kerala's focus on the service sector. About 37% of the total annual expenditure of the State is earmarked for health and education. Another reason for this is the existence of a larger network of hospital infrastructure under the Directorate of Health Services with 933 primary health centres and 5094 sub-centres
Health Care Infrastructure
Immunisation has been near total in the year 2002 - 03.
T.T for Pregnant Women	:	86.1%
T.T for 5 year old	:	89.2%
T.T for 10 year old	:	98.1%
T.T for 16 year old	;	95%
DPT	:	95.8%
BCG	:	103%
Polio	:	95.3%
Anti-measles	:	90.6%
Rate of Diseases per 1000 People -
Leprosy	:	0.66
Malaria	:	0.36
Filaria	:	1.28
Tuberculosis	:	0.70
Transport
Air: There are three international airports in the state. They are at Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Nedumbassery (Kochi) and operate international flights and domestic flights. Road and Rail : The state is well connected by rail and road.
Seaports	:	Major : Kochi Minor : Beypore (Kozhikode), Alappuzha, Kollam.
Major Beaches	:	Kovalam, Varkala, Fort Kochi, Kappad and Bekal.
Major Wild Life Sanctuaries	:	Thekkady (Periyar), Parambikkulam, Wayanad, Silent Valley, Aralm, Peechi-Vazhani, Chimani, Shenduruny, Idukki, Chinnar, Peppara, Neyyar.
Bird Sanctuary	:	Thattekad, Kumarakom.
Major Hill Stations	:	Ponmudi, Peerumade, Thekkady, Munnar and Wayanad.
Farm / Cash Crops	:	Rubber, Coffee, Tea, Spices, Pepper, Cashew, Coconut, Arecanut and rice.
Exports	:	Marine, Coir, Handicrafts, Spices, Food and other Products.
Major Industries	:	Tourism, Information Technology, Fertilizer, Oil Refining and Power Generation, Ship Building, Machine Tools, Electronics, Cables, Rubber.