Basic Facts about Kerala: For PSC Exams

May 2020|🟢Current|8 min read|179 entries

Key Takeaway

Kerala is one of India's most beautiful states, with its stunning backwaters, coconut palms, exotic wildlife, turquoise Arabian sea, expansive and verdant tea plantations, clean hamlets, colorful f...

Last verified: 12 Feb 2026·Source: www.pscarivukal.com

Basic Facts about Kerala: For PSC Exams(179)

This article is all about rare, unknown, religious, historical, amazing and interesting facts about Kerala. This is also a part of the syllabus for upcoming Kerala PSC 10th level, plus two level and degree prelims as well as main exams.An overview of KeralaState Symbols
Click hereState Festival–Onam
Chief Minister*
Pinarayi Vijayan (25 May 2016)
Governor*
Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar (January 2, 2025)
Chief Justice*
Justice S. Mani Kumar
Formed on
1 November 1956
Total Area
38,863 km2Area Rank– 21(1.18% of total land area)
Capital
Thiruvanathapuram (old name: Ananthapuri)
Official Languages
Malayalam (Script: Vattezhuthu) & English
Epithets of Kerala
God's Own Country, Land of Coconuts
Boundaries & Bordering States:North
Karnataka
South-East
Tamil Nadu
West
Arabian Sea
East
Western Ghats
District sharing boundaries with two states
Wayanad (Karnataka & Tamil Nadu)
Panchayath sharing boundaries with two states
Noolpuzha(Wayanad)
Districts sharing no borders with other states
Kottayam, Ernakulam, Alappuzha & Kozhikode
Administrative Divisions:Local Self Government Institutions:DistrictGrama PanchayatBlock PanchayatDistrict PanchayatMuncipalityCorporationThiruvananathapuram7311141Kollam6811141Pathanamthitta53814-Alappuzha721216-Kottayam711116-Idukki52812-Ernakulam82141131Thrissur8616171Palakkad881317-Malappuram9415112-Kozhikode7012171Wayanad23413-Kannur7111191Kasaragode38613-Total94115214876Districts
14
Largest District*
Idukki.**(as of January 2024)Due to the annexation of a parcel of land (12,718.509 hectare) in Kuttampuzha village of Ernakulam district, to Edamalakudi village of Idukki district.2nd Largest District in Kerala– Palakkad
Smallest District
Alappuzha
Southernmost District
Thiruvananthapuram
Northernmost District
Kasarcode
Districts withMost no. of Municipalities
Ernakulam (13)
Least no. of Municipalities
Idukki (2)
Most no. of Block Panchayaths
Thrissur (16)
Least no. of Block Panchayaths
Wayanad (4)
Most no. of Grama Panchayaths
Malappuram (94)
Least no. of Grama Panchayaths
Wayanad (23)
Largest Grama Panchayath
Kumily (Idukki)
Smallest Grama panchayath
Valapattanam (Kannur)
SouthernmostGrama Panchayath
Vellarada, Parasala
Northernmost Grama Panchayath
Manjeswaram
Most no. of local self-governing bodies
Malappuram
Largest Forest Area
Idukki
Smallest Forest Area
Alappuzha
Maximum no. of Industries
Ernakulam
Most no. of Post Offices
Thrissur
Most no. of Railway Stations
Thiruvanthapuram.No railway linesin Kerala –Wayanad & Idukki
Railway divisions in Kerala
2 (Thiruvananthapuram & Palakkad)Municipalities– 87
Corporations
6
First Corporation in Kerala
Thiruvanthapuram (1940)
First Corporation formed after the independence of India
Kozhikode (1962)
LargestCorporation in Kerala
Thiruvanthapuram (214.86 sq. km)
Lastly formedCorporation in Kerala
Kannur (2015)
Taluks
78
Largest Taluk
Eranad (Malappuram)
Smallest Taluk
Kunnathur (Kollam)
Southernmost Taluk
Neyyattinkara
Northern most Taluk
Manjeswaram
District with least no. of Taluks
Wayanad
District with most no. of Taluks
Ernakulam & Malappuram
Taluk with the least no. of villages
Kunnathur (Kollam)
Taluk having border with two states
Sulthan Bathery (Wayanad)
Villages
1674
Northern most Village
Thalapady (Kasarcode)
Southernmost Village
Kaliyikkavila (Thiruvananthapuram)
Statutory towns*
59Township–1 (Guruvayoor- upgraded to municipality)
Cantonments
1 (Kannur)
Assembly seats
140
Southernmost Assembly Constituency
Parasala
Northernmost Assembly Constituency
Manjeswaram
Total number of reserved assembly Constituciency forScheduled Caste
14
Total number of reserved assembly Constituciency forScheduled Tribe
2
Sulthan Bathery &Mananthavady (Wayanad)Loksabha seats
20.No. of Seats reserved for SC–2
Southernmost Loksabha Constituency
Thiruvananthapuram
Northernmost Loksabha Constituency
Kasarcode
Rajya Sabha seats
9
Demographics:Kerala is thethirteenth-largestIndian state by population, with 33,406,061 residents according to the 2011 Census.(As per 2011 Census)Population
3,33,87,667
Population Rank
13th
Population Density
860/Sq Km
Population Growth Rate
4.86%
Life Expectancy
77 years
Sex Ratio
1084:1000 (Females:Males)
Highest
Kannur (1136:1000)
Lowest
Idukki (1006:1000)
DistrictMost densely populated district
Thiruvanathapuram(1506 sq.km)
Least densely populated district
Idukki(254 sq.km)
Most populated district
Malappuram
Least populated district
Wayanad
PanchayathMost populated Panchayath
Thanur
Least populated Panchayath
Idamalakkudi
Hindu
54.73%Highest–Thiruvananthapuram
Highest percentage
Alappuzha
Lowest percentage
MalappuramMuslim –26.56%Highest –Malappuram
Highest percentage
Malappuram
Lowest percentage
Pathanamthitta
Christian
18.38%Highest–Ernakulam
Highestpercentage
Kottayam
Lowestpercentage
Malappuram
Jains
0.01%Highest–Wayanad
Literacy rates
94.00 %Highest–Kottayam(97.21%).2nd highest –Pathanamthitta(96.55%)
Lowest
Wayanad(89.03%)
Scheduled CastesDistrict with highest number of Scheduled Castes population
Palakkad
District with lowest number of Scheduled Castes population
Wayanad
Scheduled Tribes
Paniyar, Ulladan, Hill Pulaya, Irula, Kattunayakan, Koraga, Adiyan, Mudugar, Kadar
Population
4,84,839 (1.5 % of the total population)
The Largest tribal group in Kerala
Paniyar
District with highest number of tribal population
Wayanad
District with lowest number of tribal population
Alappuzha
GeographyLatitude
8°18' N - 12°48' N
Longitude
74°52' E - 77°22' E
Area
38,863 km²
Mean Width
67 km21st largest state in India
Highest Peakin Kerala
Anamudi (2,695 km)
SecondHighest Peak in Kerala
Meesapulimala (2,640 km)
Total area of wetlands in Kerala
12,730.07 Hectare
Total Coast Line
580 km.No. ofdistricts with coastal area–9.No. of districts having no coastal area –5 (Wayanad, Palakkad, Kottayam, Idukki & Pathanamthitta)
Longest Coastline District
Kannur
Shortest Coastline District
Kollam
Longest Coastline Taluk
Cherthala.A corporation with no coastline –Thrissur
Beaches
Kovalam, Varkala, Vizhinjam, Shankumukham (Trivandrum) & Payyambalam (Kannur)
The longest beach in Kerala
Muzhappilangad Drive-in Beach, Kannur (4km)
Brackish Water Area
6250 sq km
Backwaters
Alapuzha, Kollam, Veli, Kochi, Kumarakom.No. of Rivers–44
East Flowing rivers
41
West Flowing rivers
3
Main Rivers
Periyar,Pamba,Bharathapuzha
Lakes
34
Main Lakes
Vembanad,Sasthamcotta, Ashtamudi
Islands
Munroe Island, Vypin, Dharmadam Island, Willingdon Island,  Kavvayi, Gundu Island, Valiyaparamba, Ezhumanthuruthu, Pulinkunnu
Waterfalls
Athirapally, Meenmutty, Vazhachal & Palaruvi
Dams
Idukki, Mullaperiyar, Kakkayam, Idamalayar, Neyyar, Parambikulam
National Parks
Eravikulam National park, Periyar National Park, Silent valley,Mathikettan Shola National Park, Anamudi Shola National Park & Pampadum Shola National Park
Wildlife Sanctuaries
Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary
Biosphere Reserves
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve & Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve
Tiger Reserves
Periyar Tiger Reserve & Parambikulam Tiger Reserve
Bird Sanctuaries
Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, Pathiramanal Bird Sanctuary, Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary
Hill Stations
Munnar, Nelliyampathy
Mountain Passes
Palakkad Gap, Thamarassery Churam, Aryankavu Pass, Kambam Pass, Arambadi Pass, Bodi Naickanur Churam, Perambadi Pass
Largest pass in Kerala
Palakkad Gap
Southern-most pass in Kerala
Aralvaimozhi Pass
Sports, Arts & CultureClassical Dance
Kathakali
Folk Dances
Mohiniattam, Theyyam, Thullal.UNESCO recognized art forms of Kerala–Kathakali & Koodiyattam
Festivals
Onam, Vishu, Christmas & Aluva Shivratri
Famous Pilgrimage Centers
Sabarimala,Guruvayoor, Sree Padmanabha Temple, Vaikom Temple
Temples
Sabarimala, Guruvayoor, Sree Padmanabha Temple, Vaikom TempleMuseums–Napier Museum, Pazhassi Museum, Malayalam Literature MuseumStadiums –EMS Stadium,Fort Maidan, Rajiv Gandhi International Indoor Stadium, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
EconomyMost industrialized district
Ernakulam (2nd: Palakkad)
District with the highest per capita income
Ernakulam
District with the lowest per capita income
Malappuram
District having most number of small scale industries
AlappuzhaMain Industries –Coir, Cashew nuts, Handloom & Handicraft, Bamboo, Tourism
Mineral Resources
Limonite, Rutile, Kaolin, Limestone
Agriculture Products
Rubber, Pepper, Coconut, Tapioca, Paddy, Tea, Ginger, Coffee, Banana, Arecanut & Lemongrass oil
Thermal Power Plants
NTPC Kayamkulam, Brahmapuram Diesel Power Plant, Nallalam Diesel Power Station
Hydroelectric Power Plants
Idukki, Mattupetty, Sabarigiri, Idamalayar, Pallivasal, Peppara, Malampuzha
Seaports
Kochi Port, Vizhinjam International Seaport, Valiyathura, Beypore Port
International Airports
4
The world's first airport that is entirely powered by solar energy
Cochin International AirportNo. of National Highways –11.No. of National Waterways in Kerala –1 (National Waterway 3: Kollam-Kottappuram)
The first Metro Rail of Kerala
Kochi Metro
Opened to public on
17 June 2017
First e-literate district in the country
Malappuram
India's first Biological Park
Agasthyavanam
India's first Defence Industrial Park
Ottapalam
India's first DNA barcoding center
Thiruvanthapuram
First State in India to have an IT Park
Thiruvanthapuram
First State in India to have Electronic Voting Machine
North Paravoor (1982)
Total Literacy Rate
1991 April 18.100% primary education –2016 January 13 (Hamid Ansari)
First District in India to achieve 100% family planning
Ernakulam
First Eco tourism Project in India
Thenmala (Kollam)
First State in India to have state-run chit funds
KSFE (1969)
First State in India to have welfare scheme for NRIs
'Pravasi Kshema Nidhi.'First Indian State to have a separate department for expatriates/NRIs
First Church in India
St. Thomas Catholic Church, Palayur, Thrissur (52 AD)
Established by
St. Thomas
First Jewish Synagogue in India
Paradesi Synagogue (1568)
Established by
Samuel Castiel, David Belila & Joseph Levi
First Mosque in India
Cheramaan Juma Mosque Kodungallur, Thrissur (629 AD)
Established by
Malik Deenar
First South Indian State in which President's rule was imposed for maximum no. of times
7.ISRO's First Indigenous Titanium Sponge Plant in India –Kerala Minerals & Metals Ltd (KMML), Chavara
The first World Ocean Science Congress held at Kerala
Kochi
First State in India to have a state-run National Film Academy
Kerala State Chalachitra Academy (1998)
First State in India to provide free cancer treatment
'Sukrutham' (launched by Oommen Chandy)
First State in India to launch Sex Offender Registry, National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO)First Zero landless district in India
Kannur
The exponent of the tagline ‘Kerala-God’s Own Country’ for Kerala Tourism
Walter Mendez
Highest peak in the Western Ghats
Anamudi
The Western Ghats
1600 km in length, spans over6 states (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamilnadu & Kerala), 44 districts, & 142 taluks.13 National parks.UNESCO world heritage site on 1 July 2012
Oommen V. Oommen Committee
Committee appointed by the Kerala government to review Kasturirangan Report
Autobiography of Madhav Gadgil
A Walk Up the Hill: Living with People and Nature(Malayalam translation:പശ്ചിമഘട്ടം ഒരു പ്രണയകഥ)
Anamudi
Munnar (Eravikulam National Park), Devikulam Taluk, Idukki
Union Territory with highest Female to Male ratio in India
Pondicherry
The district in Kerala which receives least amount of rainfall
Thiruvananthapuram
The taluk in Kerala where Black Soil is found
Chittur

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