Kottayam (District)
| Kottayam District | |
|---|---|
|
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| State | Kerala |
| Administrative headquarters : | Kottayam |
| Area : | 2,208 km² |
| Residents : | 1,979,384 (2011) |
| Population density : | 896 inhabitants / km² |
| Website : | kottayam.nic.in |
The district of Kottayam is a district in the southern Indian state of Kerala . The administrative seat is the eponymous city of Kottayam . Because of its high literacy rate, the numerous rubber plantations and its location in the backwaters , the district of Kottayam has the popular nickname of land of letters, latex and lakes .
geography
The district of Kottayam is located inland in the southern half of Kerala and has an area of 2,208 square kilometers. Neighboring districts are Alappuzha in the west, Ernakulam in the north, Idukki in the east and Pathanamthitta in the south. The Kottayam District is divided into the five taluks Vaikom, Meenachil, Kottayam, Changanassery, and Kanjirappally.
The west of the Kottayam district is part of the flat hinterland of the Malabar coast and is criss-crossed by the backwaters , an extensive network of canals, rivers and lagoons. In the west, Lake Vembanad , part of the backwaters, forms the border with the Alappuzha district . In the east the terrain rises towards the Western Ghats .
Due to its location near the coast, the climate is tropical to relatively temperate (inland). The humidity levels can rise to an average of 90% during the rainy season . The main rainy season lasts from June to August during the south-west monsoon , but the north-east monsoon also brings quite abundant rainfall from October to November; the annual average is 1600 mm. The rest of the year the weather stays dry. The annual average temperature is 27.5 degrees Celsius , January and February are cooler. From March to May the temperature can rise to 38.5 ° C (April 6, 1998); the lowest temperature was measured on December 13, 2000 at 16 ° C.
history
The name Kottayam is said to derive from Malayalam "Kotta Akam" and mean "within the fort". Before its incorporation into the state of Kerala, Kottayam belonged to the Kingdom of Travancore .
population
The Kottayam district has a population of 1,979,384 according to the 2011 census. The population density of 896 inhabitants per square kilometer corresponds to the average of the densely populated state of Kerala. The literacy rate is above the already high average in Kerala. At 96.4%, it is the second highest in the state and one of the highest of all districts in India.
The main religions in the Kottayam district are Hinduism and Christianity . According to the 2001 census, 49.3% of the population of the district are Hindus, 44.6% profess Christianity. This means that the Kottayam district has the highest Christian population in the Kerala districts. Muslims are a smaller minority at 6.0%.
economy
Benjamin Bailey , English missionary and founder of a mission station in Kottayam, introduced the printing press in Kerala in 1821 and was the first to translate and print the Bible in Malayalam, as well as the first English-Malayalam dictionary in 1846. In 1829 he founded CMS Press ; since then the district capital has played a leading role in Kerala's newspaper and publishing industry.
Attractions
Attractions in Kottayam city include mostly Shiva consecrated temple as the Thirunakkara Mahadeva Temple, probably from the late 10th century Thazhathangadi- Mosque (Jama Masjid) (one of the oldest Muslim buildings in India) and two Christian churches , known as Cheriya Palli and Valiya Palli, from the 16th century. The St. Mary's Church in Kuravilangad is said to go back to the year 355.
The Holy Cross Forane Church in Cherpunkal is a place of pilgrimage for Christians from and outside the district.
Cities
| city | Population (2001) |
|---|---|
| Changanassery | 51,960 |
| Erattupetta | 29,675 |
| Kottayam | 60,725 |
| Palai | 22,640 |
| Perumbaikad | 42,984 |
| Vaikom | 22,637 |
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Census of India 2011: Provisional Population Totals India, Kerala State and Districts. (PDF; 37 kB)
- ↑ Website Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Kottayam ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (English)
- ^ Census of India 2001: Basic Data Sheet: District Kottayam (10), Kerala (32). (PDF; 55 kB)
- ^ Census of India 2001: Population, population in the age group 0-6 and literates by sex - Cities / Towns (in alphabetic order). ( Memento from June 16, 2004 in the Internet Archive )
