Southern India

• Holidays
• Introduction
• Key Facts
• Climate

• Capital of Kerala: Thiruvanathapuram
• Population of Kerala: 34.8m (2012)
• Size of Kerala: 38,863 km sq
• Currency: Indian Rupee
• Power supply: 220-240v
• Sockets: Two pin sockets or Indian three-round pin variety, which are larger than European size
• Language: Malayalam
• Time difference: GMT +5.5 hours
• Visas: British nationals require a visa to visit India which must be obtained in advance.
• Religion: Buddhist (official) 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)
• Popular dishes: Rice and fish curries are the most popular Keralan dishes often featuring coconut as one of the main ingredients.
• Popular drinks: Chai (tea) is the most popular drink in the region although coffee is also widely drunk in Kerala. Masala Chai is a tasty version of traditional tea made with ginger, pepper and cardamoms.
• Did you know: The traditional rice barges of Kerala are made from planks of angelin wood, lashed together using cotton and coir ropes soaked in resin - the hull is then waterproofed with cashew oil. No nails or other artificial materials are used in their construction.
• FCDO advice: FCDO advice for India