Geography of Kochi
Encyclopedia
Kochi
is a city in the India
n state of Kerala
. Kochi is located in the district of Ernakulam
. Old Kochi loosely refers to a group of islands including Willingdon Island
, Fort Kochi
and Mattancherry
. Today Kochi includes Ernakulam
, old parts of Kochi, Kumbalangi, and outlying islands. For many centuries up to and during the British Raj
, the city of Kochi was the seat of the eponymous princely state
— the Kingdom of Cochin
, which lay between 9.48° and 10.50° latitude and 76.5° and 76.58° E longitude.
Kochi is located on the southwest coast of India, in the southern state of Kerala. The city lies at the sea mouth of seven major rivers which start from the Western Ghats
and travel through Kerala’s midlands, lowlands and coastal areas, to drain out into the Arabian Sea
.
Earlier, Kochi was used to refer to the region encompassing Mattancherry
, Fort Kochi
, Palluruthy and Thoppumpadi. Today, Kochi comprises the mainland Ernakulam
, old Kochi, Kadavanthra, the suburbs of Edapally and the exurbia of Kalamassery
and Kakkanad
to the northeast; Tripunithura to the south east; and a group of islands closely scattered in the Vembanad lake
.
of rivers draining from the Western Ghats. As a result, Kochi is a natural harbour.
Much of Kochi lies at the sea level, and the entire city spans an area of 87.5 km². The city has a seacoast of about 30 miles. Willingdon Island is a large artificial island
, created by dredging the Vembanad Lake under the direction of Lord Willingdon.
The city has a rich network of backwater
s, which has been declared as National Waterways by the Central Government
.
s (Alluvium
, Teri’s, Brown sands etc.). Hydromorphic saline soils are also found in the areas surrounding the backwaters. The major rock types are Archaean-basic dyke
s, Charnockite
s and Gneiss
es.
Kochi’s climate is generally tropical
, with no harsh extremities. Under Koppen's climate classification
, the city features a tropical monsoon climate
. Surface temperatures range between 20–35 °C (68–95 °F). The current record high temperature is 38 °C; the lowest is 17 °C. Heavy rains accompanied by thunder are common from June to September due to the South-West monsoon
. Light showers are experienced from October to December due to the North-West monsoon. The average annual rainfall is about 350 cm with an average 132 rainy days annually; the bulk of the rainfall stems from the South-West monsoon. The winds are moderate, with slight increase during summer and the monsoon seasons.
, Ipomoea
, Portulaca
, Hydrocotyle
, Spinifex
, Lippia
, Moniera, Cynodon
, Digitari, Cyperus
etc. Mangrove
formations are also common.
Though much of the city is urbanised, the city retains an ecologically sensitive area right at its centre — the Mangalavanam. Mangalavanam is a nesting ground for a vast variety of migratory birds and supports many varieties of mangrove
s. This rare ecosystem in the heart of the city has helped mitigate Kochi’s pollution problems. The Mangalavanam is also a protected bird sanctuary.
The backwaters also harbour many different types of fishes. Aquatic mammals like dolphin
s are aplenty in the backwaters of Kochi.
Kochi (India)
Kochi , formerly Cochin, is a major port city on the west coast of India by the Arabian Sea. Kochi is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala. Kochi is often called by the name Ernakulam, which refers to the western part of the mainland Kochi...
is a city in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. Kochi is located in the district of Ernakulam
Ernakulam district
-Economy:Agriculture constitutes the most important segment of the district’s economy and it is the biggest source of employment. Of the geographical 235319 hectares, crops are grown in 0 hectares. Coconut is the principal crop followed by rubber, paddy, and tapioca...
. Old Kochi loosely refers to a group of islands including Willingdon Island
Willingdon Island
Willingdon Island is an island, which forms part of the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. Much of the present Willingdon Island was claimed from the Lake of Kochi, filling dredged soil around a previously existed, but tiny natural island...
, Fort Kochi
Fort Kochi
Fort Kochi is a region in the city of Kochi in the state of Kerala, India. This is part of a handful of water-bound regions toward the south-west of the mainland Kochi, and collectively known as Old Kochi or West Kochi. Adjacent to this is Mattancherry...
and Mattancherry
Mattancherry
Mattancherry is the western part of city of Kochi, India. It is said that the name Mattancherry is drawn from "Ancherry Mattam", a Namboodiri illam which then the foreign traders pronounced it as Matt-Ancherry, gradually became Mattancherry. It is about 9 km from Ernakulam town. There are...
. Today Kochi includes Ernakulam
Ernakulam
Ernakulam refers to the downtown area or the western part of the mainland of Kochi city in Kerala, India. The city is the most urban part of Kochi and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Ernakulam is called the commercial capital of the state of Kerala and is a main nerve of business in...
, old parts of Kochi, Kumbalangi, and outlying islands. For many centuries up to and during the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
, the city of Kochi was the seat of the eponymous princely state
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
— the Kingdom of Cochin
Kingdom of Cochin
Kingdom of Cochin was a late medieval Hindu kingdom and later Princely State on the Malabar Coast, South India...
, which lay between 9.48° and 10.50° latitude and 76.5° and 76.58° E longitude.
Location
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
and travel through Kerala’s midlands, lowlands and coastal areas, to drain out into the Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
.
Earlier, Kochi was used to refer to the region encompassing Mattancherry
Mattancherry
Mattancherry is the western part of city of Kochi, India. It is said that the name Mattancherry is drawn from "Ancherry Mattam", a Namboodiri illam which then the foreign traders pronounced it as Matt-Ancherry, gradually became Mattancherry. It is about 9 km from Ernakulam town. There are...
, Fort Kochi
Fort Kochi
Fort Kochi is a region in the city of Kochi in the state of Kerala, India. This is part of a handful of water-bound regions toward the south-west of the mainland Kochi, and collectively known as Old Kochi or West Kochi. Adjacent to this is Mattancherry...
, Palluruthy and Thoppumpadi. Today, Kochi comprises the mainland Ernakulam
Ernakulam
Ernakulam refers to the downtown area or the western part of the mainland of Kochi city in Kerala, India. The city is the most urban part of Kochi and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Ernakulam is called the commercial capital of the state of Kerala and is a main nerve of business in...
, old Kochi, Kadavanthra, the suburbs of Edapally and the exurbia of Kalamassery
Kalamassery
Kalamassery is a suburban region of the city of Kochi and a Municipality in the District of Ernakulam of Kerala state, India. It is a concentrated region of industrialization with several factories manufacturing chemicals and fertilizers, as well as IT companies...
and Kakkanad
Kakkanad
Kakkanad is a region in the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. This is the part of Kochi where much of its IT industry is based in. It is also the administrative headquarters of the District of Ernakulam ....
to the northeast; Tripunithura to the south east; and a group of islands closely scattered in the Vembanad lake
Vembanad Lake
Vembanad Lake is the longest lake in India, and the largest lake in the state of Kerala. It is also one of the largest lakes, in India. A lake spanning several districts in the state of Kerala, it is known by different names in different localities viz. Punnamada Lake in Kuttanad, Kochi Lake in...
.
List of islands
Most of the islands of Kochi are very small, varying in extent from 4 square miles (10.4 km²) to less than a square mile. The major islands in Kochi are :- Bolghatty Island (Ponjikkara)
- Willingdon Island
- Vypeen Island
- RamanthuruthuRamanthuruthuRamanthuruthu is one of the smallest islands that make up the city of Kochi, Kerala, India. The hamlet is nearly an untrekkable terrain, and is sparsely populated.Ramanthuruthu was the smallest polling booth in central Kerala during the 2006 State Elections....
- VallarpadamVallarpadamVallarpadam is one among the group of islands, that form part of the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. It is situated in the Vembanad_Lake known here as Lake of Kochi and has a population of over 10,000...
- KumbalamKumbalamKumbalam is a region in the urban agglomeration of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. A water bound country-side, bound by the Vembanad Lake, as well as the fast encroaching city of Kochi, Its just 5 Minutes ferry ride to Kochi city.Kumbalam is progressively being transformed into an urban...
- CheraiCheraiCherai is a region in the island of Vypin, a suburb of the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. It is at a distance of about 25km from the High Court Junction, Kochi. Cherai has the longest beach in Kochi - the Cherai beach. The beach is located towards the centre-north of the Vypin...
- Cheranelloor
Geographical features
Kochi lies at the northern end of a narrow neck of land, about 19 km long and less than 1.6 km wide in many places, and is separated from the mainland by inlets from the Arabian sea and by the estuariesEstuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
of rivers draining from the Western Ghats. As a result, Kochi is a natural harbour.
Much of Kochi lies at the sea level, and the entire city spans an area of 87.5 km². The city has a seacoast of about 30 miles. Willingdon Island is a large artificial island
Artificial island
An artificial island or man-made island is an island or archipelago that has been constructed by people rather than formed by natural means...
, created by dredging the Vembanad Lake under the direction of Lord Willingdon.
The city has a rich network of backwater
Backwater (river)
A backwater is a part of a river in which there is little or no current. It refers either to a branch of a main river which lies alongside it and then rejoins it or to a body of water in a main river which is backed up by an obstruction such as the tide or a dam.-Alternative channel:If a river has...
s, which has been declared as National Waterways by the Central Government
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
.
Soil and rock
The soil consists mainly of recent sedimentSediment
Sediment is naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of fluids such as wind, water, or ice, and/or by the force of gravity acting on the particle itself....
s (Alluvium
Alluvium
Alluvium is loose, unconsolidated soil or sediments, eroded, deposited, and reshaped by water in some form in a non-marine setting. Alluvium is typically made up of a variety of materials, including fine particles of silt and clay and larger particles of sand and gravel...
, Teri’s, Brown sands etc.). Hydromorphic saline soils are also found in the areas surrounding the backwaters. The major rock types are Archaean-basic dyke
Dike (geology)
A dike or dyke in geology is a type of sheet intrusion referring to any geologic body that cuts discordantly across* planar wall rock structures, such as bedding or foliation...
s, Charnockite
Charnockite
Charnockite is applied to any orthopyroxene-bearing granite, composed mainly of quartz, perthite or antiperthite and orthopyroxene , as an end-member of the charnockite series.-Charnockite series:...
s and Gneiss
Gneiss
Gneiss is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from pre-existing formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks.-Etymology:...
es.
Climate
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Kochi’s climate is generally tropical
Tropics
The tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...
, with no harsh extremities. Under Koppen's climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
, the city features a tropical monsoon climate
Tropical monsoon climate
Tropical monsoon climate, occasionally also known as a tropical wet climate or tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate in climate classification, is a relatively rare type of climate that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category "Am."Tropical monsoon climates have monthly...
. Surface temperatures range between 20–35 °C (68–95 °F). The current record high temperature is 38 °C; the lowest is 17 °C. Heavy rains accompanied by thunder are common from June to September due to the South-West monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
. Light showers are experienced from October to December due to the North-West monsoon. The average annual rainfall is about 350 cm with an average 132 rainy days annually; the bulk of the rainfall stems from the South-West monsoon. The winds are moderate, with slight increase during summer and the monsoon seasons.
Flora and fauna
The flora of the region is predominantly tropical. Common vegetation in the region include LaunaeaLaunaea
Launaea is a genus of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family.It contains the following species:* Launaea arborescens* Launaea crepoides* Launaea glomerata* Launaea nudicaulis* Launaea quercifolia* Launaea resedifolia...
, Ipomoea
Ipomoea
Ipomoea is the largest genus in the flowering plant family Convolvulaceae, with over 500 species. Most of these are called "morning glories", but this can refer to related genera also. Those formerly separated in Calonyction are called "moonflowers"...
, Portulaca
Portulaca
Portulaca is the type genus of the flowering plant family Portulacaceae, comprising about 40-100 species found in the tropics and warm temperate regions. They are also sometimes known as Rose Moss or more commonly Moss Roses....
, Hydrocotyle
Hydrocotyle
Hydrocotyle sometimes called water pennywort, Indian Pennywort, Marsh Penny, Thick-leaved Pennywort and even White Rot...
, Spinifex
Spinifex
Spinifex may refer to:* Spinifex , a genus of grass which is indigenous to the coastal areas of Australasia and Indonesia* Triodia , a hummock grass of arid Australia, covering twenty percent of the Australian continent ** Spinifex resin* Spinifex people, or Pila Nguru, an Australian...
, Lippia
Lippia
Lippia is a genus of flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. It was named after Augustus Lippi, a French traveler. The genus contains roughly 200 species of tropical shrubs that are found around the world. Plants are fragrant due to their essential oils, which vary between species but...
, Moniera, Cynodon
Cynodon
Cynodon is a genus of nine species of grasses, native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Old World. The genus as a whole as well as its species are commonly known as Bermuda Grass or Dog's Tooth Grass.-Species:...
, Digitari, Cyperus
Cyperus
Cyperus is a large genus of about 600 species of sedges, distributed throughout all continents in both tropical and temperate regions. They are annual or perennial plants, mostly aquatic and growing in still or slow-moving water up to 0.5 m deep. The species vary greatly in size, with small species...
etc. Mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
formations are also common.
Though much of the city is urbanised, the city retains an ecologically sensitive area right at its centre — the Mangalavanam. Mangalavanam is a nesting ground for a vast variety of migratory birds and supports many varieties of mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
s. This rare ecosystem in the heart of the city has helped mitigate Kochi’s pollution problems. The Mangalavanam is also a protected bird sanctuary.
The backwaters also harbour many different types of fishes. Aquatic mammals like dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
s are aplenty in the backwaters of Kochi.