Area and Location
The Kerala State comprises a narrow strip of land with an area of 38,863 km2, extending between North latitudes 8°17'30" and 12°27'40' and East longitudes 74°51 '57" and 77°2447". The Western Ghats, with the magnificent array of sky-scraping peaks on the east, and the Arabian sea washing its shore on the west are the natural boundaries of the State providing it distinctive physical features. Dakshin Kannada, Kodagu and Mysore districts of Karnataka bound its northern and northeastern political borders, while the Tamil Nadu districts of Nilgiri, Coimbatore Madurai, Ramanadhapuram , Tirunalveli and Kanyakumari define il eastern and southeastern boundaries.
The shape of Kerala resembles a scalene triangle with its base on the long coast (560 km) and its apex on the Western Ghats. Widlh of the State ranges from a minimum of 11 km to a maximum t 124km.
On the basis of the microliths discovered at Calicut and cochin. It is claimed that Kerala had become the the abode of man in about B.C.400. Kerala was known to the Greeks and Romans and is mentioned in the inscription of Asoka, in Kautilya's Arthasastra., in the great epics of Ramayana and Mahabharatha and in the works of Kalidasa. The earliest epigraphic record that mentions Kerala is Asoka's Rock Edict II of B.C.257. In it the name of the country is called Keralaputa. This name corresponds to Pliny's celobotras and Ptolemy's Kerobotres.
Megasthenes, the Greek Ambassador in the Court of Chandragupta Maurya speaks of Kerala as the land of the Cheraman.
Based on detailed study of physiographic and slop maps of Kerala ,the State can be classified into five physiographic zones.Mountains and peaks above 1800m within the Western Ghats constitute only 0.64% of the total area of the State. In the northern stretch of the Ghats within Kerala, peaks rising above 1800 m are limited in number.
6-10 |
Coastal plains and lagoons |
16.40 |
10-300 |
Lowland |
54.17 |
300-600 |
Midlands |
8.44 |
600-1800 |
Highlands |
20.35 |
>1800 |
Mountain peaks |
0.64 |
Highlands: Highlands occupying 20.35% of the area of the State form and important physiographic province (Table 1) From the extreme north, the ranges run parallel to the coast as far as Vavalmalai to the east of Kozhikode.
Midlands: It covers nearly 8.44% of the total area of the State. While the midlands constitute most of the eastern parts ofCannanore (kannur) District their area shrinks towards the west of Wayanad plateau where they occupy a narrow strip, coinciding with the steep slopes.
Lowlands: The area falling under the altitudinal range of 10-300m, and consisting of dissected peneplains constitute the lowlands. The altitudinal range is quite asymmetric with the maximum area of 54.17% falling within this unit. Numerous flood plains, alluvial terraces, valley, colluviums and sedimentary formation are parts of the lowlands.
Coastal plains and lagoons: The vast low lying area fringing the coast, is not only an Important physiographic unit of the State, but also important in terms of economic activity and demographic distribution. It constitutes 16.40% of the area of the State.
Soils
The soils of Kerala have been classified into ten broad groups based on Ihe morphological features and physico-chemical properties. They are (i) red loams, (ii) lateritic soil, (iii) coastal alluvial soil, (iv) riverianalluvial soil, (v) greyish Onattukara soil (vi) brown hydromorphic soil ,hydromorphic saline soil, (viii) acid saline soil, (ix) black soil (x) forest loams.
Drainage
The state of Kerala is drained by 44 rivers, of which 3 are east flowing.
The five major rivers, namely Periyar, Bhaiathapuzha. Pamba, Chaliyar and Chulakudi Ar together drain about 40% of the geographical area of the State. Their brief descriptions are given below:
Periyar
Periyar having a length of 244 km is the longest river in Kerala. It is also the largest in potential, with a drainage urea of 5398 km, of which 114 km: lies in Tamil Nadu. The catchment area spreads over the districts of Idukki and Ernakulam. It passes through several gorges, the important one being the Idukki gorge.
Barathapuzha
This is the second longest river ill Kerala (209 km) with a catchment area of about 4400 km' within Kerala. It originates from the Anaimalai hills.. This is formed of four tributaries, namely (I ) Gayatripuzha, (2) Kannadipuzha (3) Kalpalhipnzha and 4, Thutha-puzha.
Chaliyar
The third largest river in Kerala, on account of its catchment area (2923 km2) after Periyar and Bharathapu/ha, is ihe C'haliyai. Rising in the Ilambaleri hills in Wayanad at an elevation of 2068 m, it flows through the districts of Malappuram and Kozhikode.
Pamba
This is the third longest river (176 km) in Kerala, and has the fourth largest catchment area (2235 km2). It rises in the hill ranges of Pathanamthitta district and the adjoining Pirumed plateau.
Chalakudi
Five streams - Parambikulam, Kuriakutty, Sholayar, Karapara and Anakkayam form the Chalakudi river. Of these, Parambikulam and Sholayar rise in the Anaimalai hills at elevations above 1733 m and 1332 in, respectively.
Backwaters-Estuaries and Lagoons (KAYALS)
A chain of water bodies, locally known as "kayals" (backwaters) running parallel/oblique to the coastline is a characteristic feature of the Kerala coast. These are mostly inter-connected by natural or man-made canals, facilitating internal navigation almost for the entire length of the Kerala coast. A kayal can be generally described as a body of brackish, marine or hypersaline water, impounded by a sandy barrier and having an inlet connecting it with the open sea |
