Kerala
States of India -1 Kerala Capital: Thiruvananthapuram Area: 38.863 km² Population: 33.268.000 (2008) Altitude: 0 m Language English, Malayalam, Tamil, Tulu, Konkani, Koraga, With foreign influences as disparate as Chinese and Portuguese, Arab and Dutch, Kerala is the spice coast of India. Edged by a thread of unbroken beachline, the state’s heart is composed of intensely green paddy fields and a unique network of rivers and lagoons. Upland Kerala, relatively little visited, is composed of hills thickly wooded with teak and rubber. It is here that Kerala’s most precious spices are grown in carefully nurtured plantations: cardamom, pepper and nutmeg. Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), the state capital, an international airport, has an exceptionally fine museum set in an amusement park. 16 km away is Kovalam, one of the most popular beaches in the country. Many visitors stay at Kovalam, driving into Thiruvananthapuram for sightseeing trips, rather than the other way ro