2. Key Industries – Tourism
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Tourism is a primary economic activity in Kerala. The sector
contributes about 9 per cent to the GDP of the state.
In 2010-11, total number of foreign and domestic tourists visiting
the state were 659,265 and 8,595,075, respectively.
Kerala Tourism has won many national and international
awards. The state has been voted the ‘Best Asian Holiday
Destination 2010’ by SmartTravelAsia.com ahead of other
destinations such as Bali, Phuket and Maldives.
Some of the popular tourist destinations in Kerala include
beaches of Kovalam, Varkala, Marari, Bekal and Kannur;
backwaters of Kumarakom, Alappuzha, Kollam, Kochi and
Kozhikode; and hill stations of Ponmudi, Munnar, Wayanad and
3. Kerala Fact file
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Kochi, Kozhikode, Kollam, Thrissur,
Alappuzha,
Palakkad,
Thalassery,
Ponnani and Manjeri are some of the
key cities in the state.
There are 44 rivers flowing through
Kerala, the major ones being the
Periyar (244 km), the Bharathapuzha
(209 km), and the Pamba (176 km).
Thiruvanant
Capital
hapuram
Geographical
area (sq km)
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Kerala is located along the coastline,
to the extreme South-West of the
Indian peninsula, flanked by the
Arabian Sea on the West and the
mountains of the Western Ghats on the
East. The state has a coastline of 580
km.
Kerala has the highest literacy rate
Administrative
districts (No)
38,863
14
Population
density (persons
per sq km)*
859
Total population
(million)*
33.38
Male
population
(million)*
16.02
