Kerala at a glance
|
Language |
Malayalam; English
and Hindi are also spoken. |
|
Number of
Districts |
14 (A district is
equivalent to a county in the U.S) |
|
Area |
38, 863 sq kms
(forms 1.27 % of India's total land area) |
|
Location |
Southwest tip of
the Indian main land |
|
Time |
GMT + 5:30 |
|
Currency |
Indian Rupee |
|
Weather |
Tropical |
|
Summer |
February - May (24oC
- 33oC). |
|
Winter |
October - January
(22oC - 28oC). |
|
Monsoon |
June - September
(22oC - 28oC). |
|
Visiting Season |
December - May. |
|
Monsoon
Rejuvenation Programs (Ayurvedic therapy) |
June - November. |
Population
|
Population |
31,838,619 as per
the 2001 Census |
|
Density of
Population |
819 per sq kms
|
|
Kerala's Share in the National Population |
3.44% |
|
District Average |
22,74,187.07 |
|
Sex Ratio |
1058 women per 1000 men |
|
Study Prediction |
9.42 growth in one decade |
|
Average Size of Family |
5.3 persons |
Literacy
|
Literacy Rate |
90.92 4% |
|
Male Literacy Rate |
94.20% |
|
Female Literacy Rate |
87.86% |
Higher Education
|
Medium of
Instruction(Colleges/Universities) |
English. |
|
Universities
|
7 |
|
Arts and Science Colleges |
186 |
|
Enrolment in Arts and Science Colleges
|
3.43 lakhs (0.343
millions) |
Physical Quality of Life Index (PQLI)
|
Physical Quality of Life Index (P.Q.L.I.) |
|
Kerala has had a commendable record in terms of the
Physical Quality of Life Index. Indicators of P.Q.L.I like infant mortality
(13%), female literacy (87.86%), life expectancy for males (69) and females
(72) are well above all Indian 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 is the existence of a larger network of health infrastructure with
961 Primary Health Centers and 5094 sub-centers. |
Health Care Infrastructure
|
Immunisation has
been near total in the year 1996 - 97. |
|
T.T for Pregnant Women |
87% |
|
DT for 5 year old |
63.9% |
|
T.T for 10 year old |
61.4% |
|
T.T for 16 year old |
59.1% |
|
DPT, BCG, Polio for Infants |
100% |
|
Anti-measles |
91.5% |
|
Availability of
patient beds (inclusive of government, private and
co-operative sectors) |
377 per 100,000 patients. |
|
Rate of Diseases per 1000 People - |
--- |
|
Leprosy |
0.22 |
|
Malaria |
0.36 |
|
Filaria |
0.34 |
|
Tuberculosis |
0.13 |
Transport
|
The State Transport
System |
|
The public transport system in the state consists of
government and private buses, taxis and auto rickshaws. Almost every corner
of the state is connected by a well developed network of roads. The Three
National Highways - NH 47 and NH 17 - link the state with other parts of the
country. There are around 200 railway stations and 101 train services
connecting the state to almost all major cities of India. Inland water
transport system is available throughout the districts of Kollam, Alappuzha,
Kottayam and Ernakulam. Boats form an important mode of transport in
certain areas for public transport. An inland waterway project linking the
southern and northern tips of the state is presently under consideration.
Airports in the state are the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, the
Kochi International Airport and the Karipur International Airport at
Kozhikode. The Indian Airlines and other private airlines too operate
services to different destinations from these airports. |
Sea Route
|
Major Seaport |
Kochi |
|
Minor Seaports |
Vizhinjam (Thiruvananthapuram district), Neendakara (Kollam
district), Beypore (Kozhikode district) and Azhikkod (Kannur) |
Highlights
 |
A hundred percent literate society
|
|
|
|
World-class health care systems
|
|
|
|
India’s lowest infant mortality and highest life expectancy rates
|
|
|
|
The highest Physical Quality of Life in India
|
|
|
|
India’s cleanest and most peaceful state. |
|
”Kerala is a bizarre anomaly among developing nations, a place that offers
real hope for the future of the Third World. Consider: This small state in
India, though not much larger than Maryland, has a population as big as
California’s and a per capita annual income of less than $300. But its infant
mortality rate is low, its literacy rate among the highest on earth and birth
rate below America’s and falling faster. Kerala’s citizens live nearly as long
as Americans or Europeans. Though mostly a land of paddy-covered plains,
statistically Kerala stands out as the Mount Everest of social development……”
Bill Mckibben National geographic Traveler, October 1999.
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