The Indian state of Kerala borders with the states of Tamil Nadu on the south and east, Karnataka on the north and the Arabian Sea coastline on the west. The Western Ghats, bordering the eastern boundary of the State, form an almost continuous mountain wall, except near Palakkad where there is a natural mountain pass known as the Palakkad Gap. When the independent India amalgamated small states together Travancore and Cochin states were integrated to form Travancore-Cochin state on 1 July, 1949. However, Malabar remained under the Madras province. The States Reorganisation Act of 1 November 1956 elevated Kerala to statehood. The state of Kerala is divided into 14 revenue districts. On the basis of geographical, historical and cultural similarities, the districts are generally grouped into North Kerala (Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikkod, Malappuram) , Central Kerala (Palakkad, Thrissur, Eranakulam, Idukki) and South Kerala (Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam). Almost all of the districts in Kerala have the same name as the important town or city in the district, the exception being Wayanad district. The 14 districts are further divided into 62 taluks, 1453 revenue villages and 1007 Gram panchayats. Some of the districts and their towns were renamed in 1990 like Thiruvananthapuram (formerly known as Trivandrum), Kollam (Quilon), Alappuzha (Alleppey), Thrissur (Trichur or Thrishivaperur), Palakkad (Palghat), Kozhikode (Calicut) and Kannur (Cannanore).
Kerala State has been divided into 14 districts, 21 revenue divisions, 14 District Panchayats, 63 taluks, 152 CD blocks, 1453 revenue villages, 999 Gram panchayats, 5 corporations and 53 municipalities. A district is governed by a District Collector, who is an officer from Indian Administrative Service (IAS) of Kerala cadre and is appointed by the State Government of Kerala. Functionally the district administration is carried on through the various Departments of the State Government each of which has an office of its own the district level. The District Collector is the executive leader of the district administration and the District Officers of the various Departments in the district render technical advice to him in the discharge of his duties. The District Collector is a key functionary of Government having large powers and responsibilities. He has a dual role to both as the agent of the Government of the state and also as the representative of the people in the district. He is also responsible for the maintenance of the law and order of the district.
District | Headquarters | Established | Taluks | Population | Area | Density |
Alappuzha | Alappuzha | 7 Aug 1957 | Ambalapuzha Chengannur Cherthala Karthikappally Kuttanad Mavelikkara | 2,105,349 | 1,414 Km2 (546 sq mi) | 1,489/km2 (3,856/sq mi) |
Ernakulam | Ernakulam | 1 Apr 1958 | Aluva Kanayannur Kochi Kothamangalam Kunnathunad Muvattupuzha Paravur | 3,098,378 | 2,951 km2 (1,139 sq mi) | 1,050/km2 (2,719/sq mi) |
Idukki | Painavu | 26 Jan 1972 | Devikulam Peerumade Thodupuzha Udumbanchola | 1,128,605 | 4,479 km2 (1,729 sq mi) | 252/km2 (653/sq mi) |
Kollam | Kollam | 1 Nov 1956 | Karunagappally Kollam Kottarakkara Kunnathoor Pathanapuram | 2,584,118 | 2,498 km2 (964 sq mi) | 1,034/km2 (2,678/sq mi) |
Kannur | Kannur | 1 Jan 1957 | Kannur Thalassery Thalipparamba | 2,412,365 | 2,966 km2 (1,145 sq mi) | 813/km2 (2,106/sq mi) |
Kasaragod | Kasaragod | 24 May 1984 | Kasaragod Hosdurg | 1,203,342 | 1,992 km2 (769 sq mi) | 604/km2 (1,564/sq mi) |
Kottayam | Kottayam | 1 Nov 1956 | Changanasserry Kanjirappally Kottayam Meenachil Vaikom | 1,952,901 | 2,203/km2 (851 sq mi) | 886/km2 (2,295/sq mi) |
Kozhikode | Kozhikode | 1 Jan 1957 | Koyilandy Kozhikode
| 2,878,498 | 2,345 km2 (905 sq mi) | 1,228/km2 (3,181/sq mi) |
Malappuram | Malappuram | 16 Jun 1969 | Eranad Nilambur Perinthalmanna Ponnani Tirur Tirurangadi | 3,629,640 | 3,550 km2 (1,371 sq mi) | 1,022/km2 (2,647/sq mi) |
Palakkad | Palakkad | 1 Jan 1957 | Alathur Chittoor Mannarkkad Ottappalam Palakkad | 2,617,072 | 4,480 km2 (1,730 sq mi) | 584/km2 (1,513/sq mi) |
Pathanamthitta | Pathanamthitta | 1 Nov 1982 | Adoor Kozhencherry Mallappally Ranni Thiruvalla | 1,231,577 | 2,462 km2 (951 sq mi) | 500/km2 (1,295/sq mi) |
Thrissur | Thrissur | 1 Nov 1956 | Chavakkad Kodungallur Mukundapuram Thalapilly Thrissur | 2,975,440 | 3,032 km2 (1,171 sq mi) | 981/km2 (2,541/sq mi) |
Thiruvananthapuram | Thiruvananthapuram | 1 Nov 1956 | Chirayinkeezhu Nedumangad Neyyattinkara Thiruvananthapuram | 3,234,707 | 2,192 km2 (846 sq mi) | 1,476/km2 (3,823/sq mi) |
Wayanad | Kalpetta | 1 Nov 1980 | Mananthavady Sultan Battery Vythiri | 786,627 | 2,131 km2 (823 sq mi) | 369/km2 (956/sq mi) |
T O T A L | 31,841,374 | 38,863 km2 (15,005 sq mi) | 819.32/km2 (2,122/sq mi) |
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