Kerala

Kerala is a state on the tropical Malabar Coast of southwestern India, famed for its palm-lined backwaters, beaches and high human development. Its capital is Thiruvananthapuram. Known as Gods Own Country, it leads India in literacy and health and is a top destination for wellness tourism.

Kerala is a narrow strip between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats, threaded by a network of lagoons, rivers and backwaters, with beaches on the coast and tea and spice plantations in the cool highlands. The climate is tropical monsoon, very wet in season.

Kerala has a distinctive culture expressed in Kathakali dance, Ayurveda, snake-boat races and a cuisine rich in coconut and spices. It has remarkable religious diversity among Hindus, Muslims and Christians, and the highest literacy rate in India.

A center of the ancient spice trade that drew Romans, Arabs and Europeans, Kerala saw early arrivals of Christianity and Islam. Formed as a state on linguistic lines in 1956, it became known for high social development and a strong tradition of left politics.