District Profile
Malappuram district with headquarters at Malappuram came into existence on June 16, 1969. Malappuram district is composed of portion of the erstwhile Palakkad and Kozhikode districts. It was carved out of Ernad taluk and portions of Tirur taluk of Kozhikode district and portions of Perinthalmannna and Ponnani taluks. Latitude of the district is 10o N - 12o N and longitude is 75o E - 77o E.
Demography
According to the 2011 census, Malappuram district has a population of 41,12,920. The district has a population density of 1,158 inhabitants per sq. km. Its growth rate of population over the decade 2001-2011 was 13.39 per cent. Malappuram has a sex ratio of 1096 and a literacy rate of 93.55 per cent. Malapuram has the highest fertility rate in Kerala. Muslims (68.53 per cent) constitute the majority of the population, followed by the Hindu (29.17 per cent) and Christian (2.22 per cent) communities. Malayalam is the main language of the district.
| Total Population | 41,12,920 |
| Males | 19,60,328 |
| Females | 21,52,592 |
| Sex Ratio | 1,096 |
| Literacy Rate | 93.55 per cent |
| Density | 1,158 |
| Boundaries | North - Wayanad and Kozhikode districts South – Thrissur and Palakkad districts West- Arabian Sea East- Nilgiri Hills |
Administration
At present Malappuram district consists of two Revenue Divisions and seven taluks. The Revenue divisions are Tirur and Perinthalmanna. Seven taluks are Ernad, Perinthalmanna, Tirur, Ponnani, Tirurangadi, Nilambur and Kondotty. The district is further divided into 138 villages which together form seven sub districts. Malappuram district consists of 94 Gram Panchayats, 15 Block Panchayats, one District Panchayat and 12 Municipalities.
| Headquarters | Malappuram Up Hill |
| Revenue Divisions | 2- (Tirur and Perinthalmanna) |
| Taluks | 7- (Perinthalmanna, Nilambur, Ernad, Ponnani, Tirur, Thirurangadi and Kondotty) |
| No. of Villages | 138 |
| No. of Municipalities | 12 |
| No. of Block Panchayats | 15 |
| No. of Grama Panchayats | 94 |
| No. of District Panchayat | 1 |
Geography
Bounded by the Nilgiris hills on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west, the district of Malappuram is remarkable for its unique natural beauty. The district lies in northern Kerala and is bounded on the north by Wayanad and Kozhikode districts, on the northeast by Tamil Nadu, on the southeast and south by Palakkad district, on the southwest by Thrissur district, on the west by the Arabian Sea, and on the northwest by Kozhikode district. The district has a geographical area of 3550 sq. km, which is 9.13 per cent of total area of the State and ranks 3rd in the State. The district is located at 75oE - 77oE longitude and 10oN - 12oN latitude on the geographical map. Four important rivers of Kerala flow through Malappuram district. They are Chaliyar, Kadalundippuzha, Bharathapuzha and Tirurpuzha. Sea Coast of the district extends to 70 km with a minor port at Ponnani.
Brief History
Before Indian independence in 1947, Malappuram was a part of Malabar district in the Madras Presidency of British India. The area covered by the present district was administered as a part of Kozhikode, Ernad taluk, Valluvanad taluk and Ponnani taluk. On November 1, 1956, Malabar district was merged with Travancore-Cochin to form the State of Kerala. The new district of Malappuram was formed with four taluks, Ernad taluk, Perinthalmanna taluk, Tirur taluk and Ponnani taluk. Three more taluks, namely Tirurangadi taluk, Nilambur taluk and Kondotty taluk, were formed later.
Agriculture
According to the statistics of 2016-17, the gross cropped area in the district is 237,860 hectares, and the net cropped area is 173,178 hectares. The cropping intensity of the district is 137 hectares. The most produced crop in 2016-17 was tapioca (185,880 metric tonnes), followed by banana (58,564 MT), and rubber (40,000 MT). 878 million coconuts and 19 million jackfruits were produced in 2016-17.
Malappuram district comprises a vast wildlife collection and a number of small hills, forests, little rivers and streams flowing to the west, backwaters and paddy, areca nut, cashew nut, pepper, ginger, pulses, coconut, banana, tapioca, and rubber plantations. Conolly's plot, the world's oldest teak plantation, is located at Nilambur in the district. Nilambur is also known for Teak Museum. Tirur Vettila, a type of Betel found in Tirur, has obtained geographical indication tag. Out of the 3,554 sq. km area of district, 1,034 sq. km (399 sq mi) (29 per cent) constitutes forest area. The northeast part of district has a vast forest area of 758.87 sq. km (293.00 sq mi). In this, 325.33 sq. km (125.61 sq mi) is reserved forests and the rest is vested forests.
Legislative Assembly Constituencies
There are 16 Legislative Assembly Constituencies in district. These are included in 3 Lok Sabha constituencies. Malappuram has the highest number of assembly constituencies in State. Ernad, Nilambur and Wandoor assembly constituencies together form a part of Wayanad (Lok Sabha constituency – Sri Rahul Gandhi MP), whereas Tirurangadi, Tanur, Tirur, Kottakkal, Thavanur and Ponnani are included in Ponnani (Lok Sabha constituency- Sri E T Mohammed Basheer MP). The remaining seven assembly constituencies together form Government Malappuram (Lok Sabha constituency - Sri P K Kunhalikutty MP). Sri P VAbdul Wahab is the Rajya Sabha MP of Malappuram district.
16 Legislative Assembly Constituencies are:
- Kondotty - Sri TV Ibrahim MLA
- Ernad - Sri PK Basheer MLA
- Nilambur - Sri P VAnvar MLA
- Wandoor - Sri AP Anil Kumar MLA
- Manjeri - Adv M Ummer MLA
- Perinthalmanna - Sri Manjalamkuzhi Ali MLA
- Mankada - Sri TA Ahmed Kabir MLA
- Malappuram - Sri P Ubaidulla MLA
- Vengara - Adv KNA Khader MLA
- Vallikkunnu - Sri P Abdul Hameed MLA
- Tirurangadi - Sri PK Abdu Rabb MLA
- Tanur - Sri V Abdurahiman MLA
- Tirur - Sri C Mammutty MLA
- Kottakkal - Sri KK Abid Hussain Thangal, MLA
- Thavanur - Dr KT Jaleel (Minister for Higher Education)
- Ponnani - Sri P Sreeramakrishnan (Kerala Speaker)
Education
The University of Calicut is located at Thenjipalam. Aligarh Muslim University, Malappuram Centre is situated at Chelamala in Elamkulam Grama Panchayat. Another prominent institution is Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan Malayalam University located at Thunchan. Government Medical College, Manjeri and M.E.S Medical College, Perinthalmanna, Ayurvedic Medical College - VPSV Ayurveda College, Kottakkal, Moulana Hospital, MES Medical College, Al-Shifa Hospital and EMS Co-operative Hospital Moulana Hospital, MES Medical College, Al-Shifa Hospital and EMS Co-operative Hospital are the main medical institutions in district. Kottakkal has three main hospitals-the world famous Arya Vaidya Sala, Malabar Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS) and Al-Mas.
Industries
There is one major industrial estate (16 Industries and 8 mini industrial estate in the district – 51 working units) in the district. There is an industrial growth centre – INKEL - in 250 acres (1.0 km2) near Panakkad, Kinfra Food Park and IT park at Kakkancherry. There is also a rubber based common facility centre and industrial estate at Payyanad.
Educational Institutions
Calicut University, Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University, Aligarh Muslim University Malappuram Centre, Government Medical College, Manjeri, KINFRA Industrial Park, Agricultural Research Station, Anakkayam, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tavanur, Kottakal Arya Vaidya Sala are the important educational institutions in the district.
