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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
Kerala is a state in the south-western part of
India.
It was created on 1 November 1956, with
the passing of the States Reorganisation Act bringing
together the areas where Malayalam was the dominant
language.
The state has an area
of 38,863 km2 (15,005 sq mi) and is bordered by
Karnataka to the north, Tamil Nadu to the south
and the east and the Arabian Sea on the west.
The major cities in Kerala are Thiruvananthapuram,
Kochi and Kozhikode. Kerala is also known for
its many small towns that are scattered across
the state, thus creating a higher density of population.
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Kerala is a popular tourist destination famous
for its backwaters, Ayurvedic treatments and tropical
greenery.
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Kerala
has a higher Human Development Index than all
other states in India.
The state has a literacy rate of 94.59 percent,
the highest in India. A survey conducted in 2005
by Transparency International ranked Kerala as
the least corrupt state in the country.
Kerala has witnessed
significant migration of its people, especially
to the Persian Gulf countries during the Kerala
Gulf boom, and is heavily dependent on remittances
from its large Malayali expatriate community |
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Kerala
is wedged between the Lakshadweep sea and the
Western Ghats.
Lying between north latitudes 8°18' and 12°48'
and east longitudes 74°52' and 77°22',
Kerala experiences the humid equatorial tropic
climate. The state has a coast of length 590 km
(367 mi) and the width of the state varies between
35 and 120 km (22–75 miles).
Geographically, Kerala
can be divided into three climatically distinct
regions: the eastern highlands (rugged and cool
mountainous terrain), the central midlands (rolling
hills), and the western lowlands (coastal plains).
Located at the extreme
southern tip of the Indian subcontinent, Kerala
lies near the centre of the Indian tectonic plate;
hence, most of the state is subject to comparatively
little seismic and volcanic activity. Pre-Cambrian
and Pleistocene geological formations compose
the bulk of Kerala’s terrain. |
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Kerala
has the highest life expectancy in the country
which is nearly 75 years and 78 years respectively
for males and females.
The life expectancy of Kerala is similar to developed
nations in the world that shows the facilities
for treatment and health. Kerala's healthcare
system has garnered international acclaim.
The United Nations Children's
Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organisation
designated Kerala the world's first "baby-friendly
state" because of its effective promotion
of breast-feeding over formulas. For example,
more than 95% of Keralite births are hospital-delivered.
Aside from ayurveda (both
elite and popular forms), siddha, and many endangered
and endemic modes of traditional medicine, including
kalari, marmachikitsa and vishavaidyam, are practiced.
These propagate via gurukula discipleship, and
comprise a fusion of both medicinal and supernatural
treatments, and are partly responsible for drawing
increasing numbers of medical tourists. |
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Kerala's culture is
derived from both a Tamil-heritage region known
as Tamilakam and southern coastal Karnataka.
Later, Kerala's culture was elaborated upon through
centuries of contact with neighboring and overseas
cultures.
Native performing arts
include koodiyattom (a 2000 year old Sanskrit
theatre tradition, officially recognised by UNESCO
as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage
of Humanity, kathakali—from katha ("story")
and kali ("performance")—and its
offshoot Kerala natanam, Kaliyattam -(North Malabar
special), koothu (akin to stand-up comedy), mohiniaattam
("dance of the enchantress"), Theyyam,
thullal NS padayani. Kathakali and Mohiniattam
are widely recognized Indian Classical Dance traditions
from Kerala.
This
information on Kerala is provided from Wikipedia
and can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerala |
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