The district of Ernakulam includes areas of the former
Travancore,
Kochi and Malabar kingdoms. With an area of 900 sq km, it is bounded by the
Arabian Sea in the west,
Thrissur District in the north,
Idukki District in the east and
Alappuzha District and
Kottayam District in the south.
Periyar and Muvattupuzha are the main rivers. The heavy rainfall, moderate temperature and fertile soil support luxuriant vegetation. The midland region is mainly occupied by coconut palms. The lower slopes of the highland region are under teak and rubber cultivation. The eastern part has dense forests.
The population is over 3 million. The important religious groups are Hindus, Christians and Muslims. About 70% of the geographical area is under cultivation. Rice, coconut, lemon grass, rubber, pepper, ginger, mango, and cashew nut are the important farm products.
Ernakulam leads
Kerala in the field of industry. The availability of transport facilities such as road, rail, canal, and sea is a positive factor. The sea and the backwaters abound in fish offering enormous opportunities for both marine and inland fishing. Cochin Port is one of India's major ports. It lies on the direct route to Australia and the Far East from Europe.
