A part of Indiaonline network empowering local businesses
Home city guide geography of kanyakumari

Geography of Kanyakumari

Kanyakumari is the southernmost territorial dominion in the southern state of Tamil Nadu and is fondly called as Kumari Mavattam in the local language of Tamil. Kanyakumari district gets its name from the Goddess Kanniya Kumari Amman temple situated at the southmost point of the mainland Republic of India, Kanyakumari.
Kanyakumari Geography

Once known as Cape Comorin, Kanyakumari district has a full-ranging surface features with ocean on three sides and the land mass that projects well above its surroundings of the Western Ghats abutting the northern face. With respect to geology, the land mass of the territorial dominion is very much newer when equated to the other regions of the country.

Location of Kanyakumari District

Located just 699 km away from the state capital city Chennai, the territorial dominion of Kanyakumari lies at geographical co-ordinates between 77° 15' and 77° 36' east and 8° 03' and 8° 35' north. The district is located at the southerly point of Peninsular India. Furthermore, Kanyakumari is bordered by Tirunelveli district in the east and north side and Thiruvananthapuram district (Kerala) in the west, the Laccadive Sea on the southeast, the south and the southwest sides. Kanyakumari district is often cited as 'Land's end'.

While talking about the location specifics of Kanyakumari district, it is almost impossible to neglect the terrific expanse of scenery the district offers! Kanyakumari lies right in the hands of nature that offer breathtaking views to the tourists who come from all over the world. The wondrous mountains, the fantastic seacoasts, the green fields, the shining rivers and what not, Kanyakumari is truly awe-inspiring.

Population of Kanyakumari District

According to the 2011 census of India (15th Indian census), Kanyakumari district had a population of 1,870,374. The sex-ratio followed 1,019 females for every 1,000 males, which is much above the national average of 929. A total number of 182,350 were under six years of age, comprising 92,835 males and 89,515 females.

Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (historically deprived people acknowledged in the Constitution of Republic of India) were calculated for 3.97% and .39% of the district population. The mean literacy rate of the Kanyakumari district was 82.8%, likened to the national average of 72.9%.
  • Number of Households: 483,539
  • Number of Cultivators: 12,229
  • Number of Main Agricultural Labourers: 51,350
  • Number of Workers in Household Industries: 21,078
  • Number of Other Workers: 468,001
  • Number of Marginal Workers: 126,962
  • Number of Marginal Cultivators:  3,381
  • Number of Marginal Agricultural Labourers: 21,517
  • Number of Marginal Workers in Household Industries: 14,711
  • Number of Other Marginal Workers: 87,353

Climatic Conditions of Kanyakumari District

The general climatic conditions of the territorial dominion of Kanyakumari are moderate. The credit goes to the south-west and northeast monsoon currents of air, the nearness of the sea and the breathtaking altitudes of Western Ghats majorly influence the district's climate. Based on the last five decades of recorded climatic data of Kanyakumari district, it is ascertained that during the northeast monsoon that is between the months of October and December, rainfall of 549 mm is experienced in twenty-four showery days and during the southwest monsoon that is between the months of June to September, 537 mm of rainfall is experienced in 27 showery days.

In summertime, 332 mm of rain is received in 11 showery days between the months of March and May. The yearly mean rainfall in the Kanyakumari district is estimated as 1,465 mm with an upper limit of roughly 247 mm during the month of October and a lower limit of 21 mm during the month of February. Proportional humidness in the district compasses between 60 to 100%.

Rivers of Kanyakumari District

The most important river of Kanyakumari district is Thamirabarani River (also written as Tamaraparani, Tamiraparani and Thamiravaruni) and fondly called as Kuzhithuraiar in the local language. The river springs up from the celebrated Agastyarkoodam peak in the Western Ghats and the river merge with Arabian Sea near Thengapattanam which is located just 56 km west of Kanyakumari.

The Thamirabarani River features two significant tributaries that is to say Paralayar and Kodayar with Pechiparai and Perunchani dams constructed across them. The Kodayar River has a lot of tributaries with Chittar River I and II are the most important ones. Besides, the Pahrali River, originating from the Mahendragiri hills, streams through the Kanyakumari district with the world famous Mathur Aqueduct, the most eminent and longest hanging trough in Asia, was constructed over it.

Forests in Kanyakumari District

It is believed that the woodlands in Kanyakumari territorial dominion are approximately 75 million years old. According to the district administration accounts, Kanyakumari has 504.86 sq.km. of government forests which can be calculated as 30.2 percent of the total area of the territory. The forests of the Kanyakumari district are administrated by the Kanyakumari Forest Division, with central office at Nagercoil municipality. From luxuriant tropical wet evergreen forest to tropical thorn forests, Kanyakumari district is the home of almost fourteen types of forests. Rainfall in the forest region of Kanyakumari alters from 103 cm to 310 cm altitude from sea level to 1829 m.

Also, 52% of the Kanyakumari's woodlands are assorted as dense forests, following Dharmapuri district with 58%. Some of the important species, timbers, forest products, wildlife of the forests in Kanyakumari include Bischofia Javanica, cardamom, assortment of orchidaceous plants, lemon grass, rosewood, Terminalia chebula, Dillini, numerous meditative plants, soft wood, types of mammals, birds, fishes, reptilians and amphibians and so on.

Some of the important reserve forests in Kanyakumari District include Velimalai, Therkumalai, Poigaimalai, Asambu, Old Kulasekaram, Mahendragiri, Thadagaimalai and so on.

Major Cities You Must Know

Are you a Business Owner?

Add the products or services you offer

Promote your business on your local city site and get instant enquiries

+ LIST YOUR BUSINESS FOR FREE