Location of Kerala

Fringing along the south western part of India lies the State of Kerala between 8° 18' and 12° 48' North latitude and between 74° 52' and 77° 24' East longitude. It has a total area of 38,864 sq. km. and a coastline of about 580 kilometres. On the basis of physical features the state may be divided into the lowland, midland and highland. The lowland is made up of the long and narrow coastal belt with extensive sand and backwaters. Paddy is extensively cultivated and coconut plantations grow luxuriantly in this region. The midland is between the lowland and the highland. Here the soil is laterite.

This segment is interspersed with valleys, hills and plains. The major crops of this region are paddy, tapioca spices and cashew. Besides jack and mango trees, tamarind and coconut are also grown on a large scale. The higher reaches of this region are eminently suited for tea and cardamom plantations, while pepper, rubber and ginger abundantly grow at lower levels. The Western Ghats represent the highland covered largely by thick forests, punctuated by plantations particularly at lower altitudes.