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Ernakulam district എറണാകുളം ജില്ലാ | |
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 Old map from 1998 to 2023 | |
 Interactive map of Ernakulam district | |
| Coordinates:10°00′N76°20′E / 10.00°N 76.33°E /10.00; 76.33 | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Kerala |
| Established | 1 April 1958 |
| Headquarters | Kakkanad, Kochi |
| Subdivisions | Revenue Divisions: 2
Taluks: 7
|
| Government | |
| • Collector | G. Priyanka, IAS |
| • Commissioner & DIG (Kochi) | Putta Vimaladitya, IPS |
| • S.P (Ernakulam Rural) | K.Karthik, IPS |
| • DFO | A. Renjan, IFS |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,408 km2 (930 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 8th |
| Population (2018) | |
• Total | 3,427,659[2] |
| • Density | 1,119/km2 (2,900/sq mi) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Malayalam |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| ISO 3166 code | IN-KL-KO, IN-KL |
| Vehicle registration |
|
| HDI (2025) |  0.827[3]very high |
| Website | ernakulam |
Ernakulam district (IPA:[erɐɳɐːguɭɐm]ⓘ;ISO:Eṟaṇākuḷaṁ) is one of the14 districts in theIndian state ofKerala, and takes its name from theeponymous city division inKochi. It is situated in the central part of the state, spans an area of about 2,408 km2 (930 sq mi), and is home to over 9% of Kerala's population. Its headquarters are located atKakkanad. The district includes Kochi, also known as the commercial capital of Kerala, which is famous for its ancientchurches,Hindu temples,synagogues andmosques.
The district includes the largest metropolitan region of the state:Greater Cochin. Ernakulam district yields the highest revenue and the largest number of industries in the state.[4] Ernakulam is the second most populous district in Kerala, afterMalappuram (out of14 districts).[5] The district also hosts the highest number of international and domestic tourists in Kerala state.
The most commonly spoken language in Ernakulam isMalayalam. English is widely used, mostly in business circles. Ernakulam became India's first district to have 100 percent banking or full "meaningful financial inclusion" in 2012.[6][7]
Ernakulam has a highHuman Development Index of 0.801 (UNDP report 2005), which is one of the highest in India and is the highest of the 14 districts in Kerala.[8]
The word Ernakulam has a varied derivation, with some references to mythology and others to temples. According toKomattil Achutha Menon, the wordErangiyal got its start from a particular kind of mud. In the past, Lord Shiva was referred to asErayanar inChennai. This was done in Kerala as well, and it became known as Eranakulam after that. There are also other opinions about the origin of the name, saying that Rishinagakulam became Eranakulam after losing it, but that the word Ernakulam came from Eranakulathappan Temple, and that it came from the word Kulam (Pond) for a long time because it was full of water bodies.[9]
Ernakulam has played a part in the political history ofsouth India since ancient times. TheJews,Syrians,Arabs, Chinese, Dutch, British, andPortuguese seafarers followed the sea route to theKingdom of Cochin and left their impressions on the town. The port atKozhikode held superior economic and political position in medieval Kerala coast, whileKannur,Kollam, andKochi, were commercially important secondary ports, where the traders from various parts of the world would gather.[10] In 1664, the municipality ofFort Kochi was established byDutch Malabar, making it the first municipality inIndian subcontinent, which got dissolved when the Dutch authority got weaker in 18th century.[11] In 1896, the Maharaja of Cochin initiated local administration by forming a town council in Ernakulam. Initially, The district's headquarters were located in the portion of the city known asErnakulam, which gave the district its name; the headquarters was relocated afterwards toKakkanad.
In the year 1998,Kuttampuzha village was added to the district fromIdukki district following which the district got a political boundary with neighbouring state ofTamil Nadu. There is no interstate road that connects the district with the neighbouring state through this border.
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The Ernakulam district covers an area of 2,408 km2 (930 sq mi) on the Western Coastal Plains of India. It is surrounded by theThrissur District to the north, theIdukki District andCoimbatore District to the east,Alappuzha andKottayam to the south and theLaccadive Sea to the west. The district is divided geographically into highland, midland, and coastal area. The altitude of the highlands is about 300 m (980 ft). ThePeriyar River, Kerala's longest, flows through all thetaluks exceptMuvattupuzha. TheMuvattupuzha River and a branch of theChalakkudy River also flow through the district. The average yearly rainfall in the district is 3,432 mm (135.1 in). The district has a moderate climate and mostly falls within theMalabar Coast moist forests ecoregion, while the highlands are part of theSouth Western Ghats moist deciduous forests ecoregion.Some parts of the Idamalayar Reserve Forest and Mankulam Forest Division haveSholas but these parts are inaccessible by road. The Idamalayar Reserve Forest, andEdamalakkudy. Many types of sand, soil, and rocks are abundant here. Cochin International Airport is located in the northern part of the district atNedumbassery, Kochi.
The district houses two Urban Agglomerations,Kochi andKothamangalam. Kochi is the largest city in the state, and 17th most populous in the country according to theMinistry of Housing and Urban Affairs rankings based on the 2011 Census, with an area of over 843km2 and 2.12 million population.
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The district is divided into three parts: lowland, midland, and the highland that consist of seaboard, plains, and hills and forests respectively. 20 percent of the total area are lowlands. The forests in the eastern part of the district are mostly remote, forming a part of theAnamalais. The midland consists mainly of plain land and a group of islands that naturally drain water via backwaters and canals. The hilly or eastern portion is formed by a section of theWestern Ghats.Muvattupuzha andKothamangalam taluks, which were initially parts of theKottayam district and constitute the highlands.Muvattupuzha andPeriyar are the main rivers, of which the latter flows throughMuvattupuzha,Aluva,Kunnathunad andParur taluks. During the rainy season these rivers are full and heavy floods affect the low-lying areas on the banks, but in the summer season, they generally go dry and narrow. The Periyar is stretched over a length of 244 km (152 mi).[12]
The flora of this district is tropical. The heavy rainfall combined with moderate temperatures and fertile soil support abundant vegetation. Many of the common plants are found in the coastal area, which forms the lowland region. The midland region is occupied by coconut palms, paddy, tapioca, pepper, pineapple and pulses. The lower slopes of the highland region have teak and rubber.
Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary is located at the centre ofKochi. It covers 2.74 ha (6.8 acres),[13] supports many species ofmangroves and is a nesting ground for a variety ofmigratory birds. The Managalavanam is called the "green lung of Kochi",[14] considering its role in controlling the city's air pollution.[15]
Thattekad Bird Sanctuary lies on the northern bank of thePeriyar River and covers about 25 km2 (10 sq mi). It was founded by ornithologistSalim Ali. The sanctuary is 80 km (50 miles) from Kochi. Birds found here include falcons, jungle fowl, water hens, andhornbills. The flora of this area consists mainly of plantations ofteak,rosewood, and mahogany. Further on the road,Pooyamkutty forest of theAnamalais is reached.
| Climate data for Kochi | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 35 (95) | 37 (99) | 37 (99) | 34 (93) | 35 (95) | 33 (91) | 35 (95) | 35 (95) | 38 (100) | 35 (95) | 34 (93) | 33 (91) | 38 (100) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30 (86) | 31 (88) | 31 (88) | 31 (88) | 31 (88) | 28 (82) | 28 (82) | 28 (82) | 28 (82) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23 (73) | 25 (77) | 26 (79) | 26 (79) | 26 (79) | 25 (77) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 23 (73) | 25 (77) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 17 (63) | 18 (64) | 20 (68) | 21 (70) | 22 (72) | 21 (70) | 21 (70) | 20 (68) | 22 (72) | 20 (68) | 20 (68) | 19 (66) | 17 (63) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 21.9 (0.86) | 22.9 (0.90) | 35.3 (1.39) | 124.0 (4.88) | 395.7 (15.58) | 720.7 (28.37) | 697.2 (27.45) | 367.8 (14.48) | 289.4 (11.39) | 302.3 (11.90) | 175.1 (6.89) | 48.3 (1.90) | 3,228.3 (127.10) |
| Source 1:[16] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2:[17] | |||||||||||||
Ernakulam district is the richest district in Kerala[18] and is the biggest commercial centre in the state ofKerala.[19] It contributes the most to the state exchequer in terms of GSVA and tax revenues.[20] The total literacy rate of Ernakulam district was 95.89% in 2011.[21] It has the highest per capita income in the state,[22] along with having the greatest number of commercialised banks, startups and large-scale industries & MSMEs in the state. Its M.G. Road is home to some ofKerala's most prestigious enterprises. Kochi is also the headquarters of some large companies likeFederal Bank,Geojit,V-Guard, andMuthoot.[23][24][25]
The sea along the entire coast of the district and its backwaters are the habitat of various kinds of fish that supply both marine and inland fisheries.
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The eastern part of Ernakulam is primarily agrarian in nature.Rice is the principal crop cultivated in the wetlands. The district is the largest producer ofnutmeg andpineapple in the state: more than 55% of pineapples produced in the state is cultivated in the district.Rubber is the most cultivated plantation crop in the district and the district is the second-largest producer of rubber in the state behind Kottayam. Other important crops cultivated in the district aretapioca,black pepper,areca nut,coconut,turmeric,banana, andplantain.
Ernakulam is the first district in India to have 100 percent literacy by 1990. In fact Kochi has the highest literacy rate for any city in the country with over 20 lakhs population.Pothanikkad is the first village in India that achieved 100 percent literacy according to state literacy programme is in this district.[citation needed]
There are three prominent universities in Ernakulam:Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit inKalady,Cochin University of Science and Technology inKalamassery, andKerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies inKochi. The district has the most educational institutions in the state; as of 2019, there are 476 fully high-tech schools in Ernakulam.[26]
In 2017, Ernakulam district administration launched the Roshni project, which aims to provide Malayalam education to migrant children. It supported 1,265 migrant workers' children from lower primary to high school.[27]
The district administration is headed by theDistrict Collector and handles land revenue, disaster management, elections, and law and order. The district is divided into revenue divisions under a Revenue Divisional Officer/Sub Collector, further into taluks under Tahsildars, and then into revenue villages. The district has tworevenue divisions—Fort Kochi and Muvattupuzha—along with 7taluks and 124revenue villages.
The district has the most taluks in Kerala, with a total of seven, grouped under two revenue divisions —Fort Kochi andMuvattupuzha. Each revenue division is headed by aRevenue Divisional Officer (RDO), while each taluk is administered by atehsildar.
These taluks are further divided into 124revenue villages for land revenue and related administrative matters.[28]
TheKochi Municipal Corporation is the governing body responsible for administering the city of Kochi and its suburbs. It is headed by a Mayor and a Deputy Mayor.
Interestingly, Ernakulam district has the most municipalities in the state.
A criticism that has been centered around this fact is that despite municipalities like Aluva, Kalamassery, Thrikkakara, Maradu, Tripunithura and Eloor becoming assimilated into Kochi city, they still exist as individual municipalities instead of being underKochi Corporation. Surprisingly the corporation has not amended its limits for over half a century, since 1967 to be precise. The corporation was the largest in area and population when it was formed, and all these regions were panchayaths back then. Instead of adding them to the corporation when these regions started developing due to the urban expansion of Kochi city, they were made into separate municipalities thus largely handicapping the corporation. Now the call to expand these outdated limits for a better unified administration for the entire city of Kochi is a strong public demand.[29]
Ernakulam district’s rural local self-government is organised into a three-tier system comprising onedistrict panchayat, 14block panchayats, and 82gram panchayats. This structure functions under the Kerala Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 to plan and implement development programmes, deliver basic services, and promote participatory governance in rural areas.[30]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 646,235 | — |
| 1911 | 735,267 | +1.30% |
| 1921 | 789,311 | +0.71% |
| 1931 | 982,731 | +2.22% |
| 1941 | 1,172,292 | +1.78% |
| 1951 | 1,393,679 | +1.74% |
| 1961 | 1,702,740 | +2.02% |
| 1971 | 2,170,820 | +2.46% |
| 1981 | 2,549,255 | +1.62% |
| 1991 | 2,840,279 | +1.09% |
| 2001 | 3,105,798 | +0.90% |
| 2011 | 3,282,388 | +0.55% |
| 2018 | 3,427,659 | +0.62% |
| source:[31] | ||
According to the2018 Statistics Report, Ernakulam has apopulation of 3,427,659.[2] The2011 census of India reports that the district is ranked 104th most populous in India out of 640.[5] The district has a population density of 1,072 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,780/sq mi).[5] Itspopulation growth rate in 2001–2011 was 5.69%.[5] Ernakulam has asex ratio of 1027females for every 1000 males,[5] and aliteracy rate of 95.89%. 68.07% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 8.18% and 0.50% of the population respectively.[5]
According to the2011 census, 96.70% of the population spoke Malayalam, 0.97% Konkani and 0.94% Tamil as their first language.[32]
This district is listed as the "most advanced" district in Kerala. It had a resident population of 3,105,798 as of 2001, excluding the commuters from neighbouring districts.[33]
According to the 2011 Census of India, Ernakulam District also houses the largest city (UA) in the state (17th largest in the country) –Kochi Urban Agglomeration. Kochi UA spans across 843km2 with a population of 2,119,724 (2.12 million),[34] thereby housing approximately two thirds of the population of Ernakulam District. Government of Kerala have also marked Kochi UA as the only "first order UA" in the state, which has its influence spread across the entire state unlike the other smaller cities.
The district also houses another smaller urban agglomeration –Kothamangalam, which has an area of 81.42 km2 housing over 1,14,639 people. The towns ofKothamangalam andMuvattupuzha form a major chunk of the Kothamangalam UA.
| Religion | Percent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hinduism | 45.99% | |||
| Christianity | 38.03% | |||
| Islam | 15.67% | |||
| Other or not stated | 0.31% | |||
| Talukas | Hindus | Christians | Muslims | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kunnathunad | 45.32 | 35.39 | 19.16 | 0.13 |
| Aluva | 37.78 | 44.64 | 17.29 | 0.29 |
| Paravur | 56.69 | 28.93 | 14.13 | 0.25 |
| Kochi | 41.74 | 41.15 | 16.67 | 0.44 |
| Kanayannur | 53.16 | 34.49 | 11.91 | 0.44 |
| Muvattupuzha | 40.53 | 45.14 | 14.12 | 0.21 |
| Kothamangalam | 36.16 | 41.82 | 21.77 | 0.25 |
Hindus (46%) accounts for the largest community, followed byChristians (38%) (Latin Catholic,Syro-Malabar,Jacobites,Pentecostals andMalankara Orthodox) andMuslims (15.7%).[35] A small population ofJains,Jews, andSikhs reside in Kochi.[36] Ernakulam once had a vibrant Jewish population, withseveral synagogues, known as theMalabar Jews who used to dominate the trade and commercial activities in the district. After the state of Israel was formed in 1945, the entire community madealiyah to Israel in the 1950s. Today they number 8000 in Israel but very few Jews remain in the district. After a direct flight service was established betweenKochi andTel Aviv they have retained ties with the state with annual visits and gatherings.
Ernakulam also has a significantKonkani Hindu population who migrated from Goa during theGoa Inquisition.[37] There is a smallJain community in Ernakulam district, concentrated mainly in Kochi city.[38] TheSikh community in Ernakulam is also concentrated mainly in Kochi. There are more than 25 Sikh families inKochi and there is onegurdwara.[39]
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TheAluva Sivarathri festival at theAluva Mahadeva Temple (situated on the banks of river Periyar) in Aluva attracts people from around the country.
St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Piravom is believed to be founded in 405 A.D. and was the headquarters ofArchdeacon and St Thomas until the 18th century.
Adi Shankaracharya was born inKalady, which is considered to be a major pilgrimage centre forHindus around the world.
Kallil Kshethram is a famousJain temple nearPerumbavoor.
Puthencruz is theregional seat ofSyriac Orthodox Church in India, and is whereSaint Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Malayattoor is located.
The eight-day lent (Ettunombu) festival atSt Mary's Jacobite Syrian Valiyapally, Thamarachal attracts many people from all over the state. St. George Orthodox Syrian Church at Kadamattam nearMuvattupuzha is very old and was founded by Mar Abo Syrian Metropolitan in the 5th century A.D. He brought a cross from Persia, which is preserved in the church. The festival at the Latin church of Vallarpadam on 24 September attracts people belonging to all religions. The icon ofVirgin Mary in this church is credited with many miracles.St. George's Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church, Edappally was founded in 593 A.D.
Important pilgrimage sites in Ernakulam are Koonan Kurish St George Orthodox Pilgrim church,Mattancherry; Vadakken Paravoor St Thomas Catholic Church, Malayattoor Pally; and Mor ThomanJacobite Church,Kothamangalam; andThrikkunnathu St Mary's Seminary Church, Aluva. The relics ofGregorios Abdul Jaleel are preserved at the St. Thomas Jacobite churchNorth Paravur. Thousands of pilgrims from Kerala culminate on 27 April for the Dhukrono of the Saint. The Feast ofEldho Mor Baselios is celebrated in the tomb church Mor Thoman Church at Kothamangalam every year on 2 and 3 October. The Feast ofPaulose Mar Athanasius on 26 January atThrikkunnathu St Mary's Seminary Church, Aluva, where he is entombed, also attracts thousands.
Gheevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumala, also known asParumala Thirumeni, the first saint ofMalankara Orthodox Syrian Church from India was born and brought up inMulanthuruthy.
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Three major national highways pass through Ernakulam, namelyPanvel - Kochi - Kanyakumari Highway or National Highway 66,National Highway 66 or Kochi - Salem Highway (part ofthe NSEW corridor), &Kochi - Madurai - Thondi Highway or National Highway 85.
Ernakulam has 17 railway stations.Ernakulam Junction,Ernakulam Town andAluva are the major stations. Other stations includeAngamaly,Tripunithura,Edapally,Mulanthuruthy, Karakutty,Chowara,Kalamassery,Nettoor,Kumbalam, Chottanikkara Road,Kanjiramattom andPiravom Road. The rail routes travel viaThrissur, Kottayam, Cochin H.T.,Alappuzha, and Vallarpadam. The Angamaly-Erumely Sabarimala route passes through the district.Kochi Metro runs in Kochi.
Ernakulam district has two airports: Naval airport in W.island (Old Cochin airport) andCochin International Airport (CIAL). CIAL is the fourth largest airport in the country afterMumbai,Delhi, andChennai, and serves International passengers.
Ernakulam lies in the flat delta region of the Periyar and Moovattupuzha rivers. Water transport is prominent in the district via rivers and lagoons.
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