Idukki District - General Information

• Geographical Area - 4358 Sq.Km.
  
  
• Taluks - 4 Nos.
  
  
• Revenue Villages - 64 Nos.
  
  
  
• Municipalities - 1 No.
  
  
• Development Blocks - 8 Nos.
  
  
• Panchayats - 51 Nos.
  
  
• Post Office/ Lakh population - 27.62 Nos.
  

Located in the middle part of Kerala, the District is bound on the East by Madurai District of Tamil Nadu State while on the West by Ernakulam and Kottayam Districts of Kerala. In the South it is the Pathanamthitta District, while on the North it is bound by Trichur and Coimbatore Districts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu States respectively.

It lies between 9 degree 15' and 10 degree 21' of north latitude and 76 degree 37' and 77 degree 25' of east longitudes.

With an area of 5,087 sq.km. Idukki ranks first among the districts in the state in respect of area, forming 13 percent of the total area of the state. It extends by 115km. from south to north and 67km. from east to west.

Idukki has many unique topographical and geographical characteristics. Idukki is the largest District of Kerala with an area of 5105.22 sq.km. About 97 percent of the total area of the District is covered by rugged mountains and forests. There is only a strip of Middle land (3%) in the western part of the district. Low land area is totally absent in the district. More than 50% of the area of the district is covered by forest.

The important rivers of the district are Periyar, Thodupuzhayar and Thalayar. Periyar which is 277km. long is the second longest river of Kerala. It originates from Sivagiri in the southeast part of the district and touches all the taluks of the district. The Periyar is harnessed at various points in its course for generating electricity and for irrigation purpose. Mullaperiyar dam, Idukki Hydro-electric project, Idamalayar Hydro electric project and the proposed lower periyar are constructed across the Periyar.

Kundala Dam, Mattupetty Dam, Munnar head works, ponmudi dam and the kallarkutty Dam are constructed across the various tributaries of Periyar. There are a few natural lakes in the district. They are Eravikulam and Devikulam lakes in Devikulam taluk, Elavizhapunchira, in Thodupuzha taluk. Two types of the soil are found in the district. The highland area is covered by forest soil(Alluvial soil) and the other parts by laterite soil.

The climate in the district undergoes a sudden variation as we go from West to East. The western parts of the distirct comprising midland area experiences moderate climate, temperture varying between 21degree C to 27degreeC with minimum seasonal variation. The eastern parts of the district located in the highland have a comparitively cold climate with temperature varying between minus 1 degreeC to 15 degree C in november/january and 5 degree C to 15 degree C during March/April.

The district receives plenty of rains from both the South- West monsoon during June-August and the North- East monsoon during October - November. The normal rainfall is 3265 mm. As common to other parts of the state, the Idukki districtt also experiences both the south-west monsoon (Edavappathy) and North-East Monsoon (Thulavarsham) during June-July and October -November respectively. The former is more predominat with June experiencing the maximum rainfall. The annual rainfall in the district varies from 250 to 425 cms. The western region of Devicolam taluk gets more rainfall which goes even upto 500cms. The Eastern and North-eastern regions of the district get very low rainfall normally upto 150 cms. Munnar, Devikulam Pallivasal, Vellathooval etc. are places getting high rainfall.