Kannur facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kannur Cannanore
Metropolis
Kannur Skyline Payyambalam Beach Kannur International Airport Gandhi Circle Kuppam Bridge St. Angelo Fort Peralasseri Pond Ezhimala Hill
Nickname(s):  Land of looms and lores
Kannur Location in Kerala Show map of Kerala Kannur Location in India Show map of India Kannur Location in Asia Show map of Asia Kannur Location in Earth Show map of Earth
Country	India
State	Kerala
District	Kannur
Taluk	Kannur
Government
• Type	Municipal Corporation
• Body	Kannur Municipal Corporation
Area
• Metropolis	78.35 km2 (30.25 sq mi)
• Metro	1,003 km2 (387 sq mi)
Area rank	5
Elevation	38.78 m (127.23 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Metropolis	232,486
• Rank	6
• Density	2,967.28/km2 (7,685.2/sq mi)
• Metro	1,640,986
Demonym(s)	Kannurkaran (Male) Kannurkari (Female) Kannurkar (Plural)
Languages
• Official	Malayalam, English
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	670001
Telephone code	+91497xxxxxxx
ISO 3166 code	IN-KL
Vehicle registration	KL-13
Sex ratio	1000:1090 ♂/♀
Literacy rate	96.23%
Lok Sabha constituency	Kannur
Niyamasabha constituencies	Kannur & Azhikode
International airport	Kannur International Airport

Kannur (Malayalam: [kɐɳːuːr]), also known as Cannanore, is a lively city in the state of Kerala, India. It is the main city of the Kannur district. You can find it about 274 kilometers (170 miles) north of Kochi and 137 kilometers (85 miles) south of Mangalore.

During the time of British rule in India, Kannur was called Cannanore. It was part of the Malabar District. Today, Kannur is the fifth largest city area in Kerala. In 2011, the city had a population of about 232,486 people.

Kannur was once the capital of Kolathunadu, one of the four most important kingdoms on the Malabar Coast. Later, the Arakkal kingdom, a Muslim royal family, also ruled over Kannur and the nearby Laccadive Islands. Kannur became one of the first modern towns in Kerala with its own local government (municipality) in 1866. It was upgraded to a larger city corporation in 2015.

Did you know that Kannur Cantonment is the only military cantonment (a special area for the army) in Kerala? Also, the Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala is the largest naval academy in Asia! Kannur is also home to Muzhappilangad beach, which is Asia's longest drive-in beach. It was even listed as one of the best beaches for driving in the world by BBC Top Gear.

Exploring Kannur's Past

Ancient trade routes and ports mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (1st century CE).

The Kannur Lighthouse guiding ships.

Early Times and Ancient Kingdoms

The oldest signs of people living in Kannur are rock-cut caves and burial sites from the Neolithic age (New Stone Age). This shows that humans have lived here for a very long time! The area around Kannur, Taliparamba, and Thalassery has many ancient caves, stone circles, and tall standing stones.

During the Sangam period (1st–5th century CE), Kannur was part of a powerful kingdom based at Ezhimala. An ancient port called Naura, mentioned in old writings, is thought to be Kannur. Another port, Tyndis, was also nearby. These ports were important for trade with places like Rome.

The Ezhimala kingdom controlled two main areas: Poozhinadu (the coastal part) and Karkanadu (the hilly eastern part, including parts of Wayanad).

Middle Ages and Early Islam

According to local traditions, Kannur, along with nearby Madayi and Dharmadom, has some of the oldest mosques in India. It's believed that the first mosque in India was built in 624 AD. Many other mosques, including one in Kannur, were built around 1124 CE by a person named Malik Dinar.

Later, the Mushika dynasty ruled this area. Their descendants, the Kolathunadu kings, controlled a large region from Mangalore in the north to Kozhikode in the south. They even ruled the Lakshadweep islands!

By the 12th century, Kannur was a busy trading center. Merchants from Persia and Arabia came here to do business. While Kozhikode was the biggest port, Kannur was still an important place for traders from all over the world.

European Influence and British Rule

A letter from the minister of the Kolattiri Raja (ruler of Kannur) to Vasco da Gama in 1524.

Mappila Bay harbour at Ayikkara. You can see St. Angelo Fort (built in 1505) and Arakkal palace.

The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrived in Kerala in 1498. Soon after, in 1501, the Portuguese set up a trading post in Kannur. In 1505, Dom Francisco de Almeida, the first Portuguese Viceroy in India, built the St. Angelo Fort in Kannur.

Later, the Dutch took over the fort from the Portuguese in 1663. They made the fort stronger and added new parts. In 1772, the Dutch sold the fort to the Arakkal kingdom, the only Muslim royal family in Kerala.

By 1790, the East India Company (British) captured the fort and made Kannur one of their main military bases on the Malabar Coast. During British rule, Kannur was part of the Madras province.

The British faced strong resistance from local leaders like Pazhassi Raja. He led a guerrilla war against the East India Company, especially in the Thalassery and Wayanad regions. This fight had a big impact on Kannur's history.

In the early 1900s, new ideas about education and social change spread in Kerala. People started movements for equal rights and better representation in government. These movements helped lead to India's independence.

Geography and Weather

Vayalapra Lake near Madayi.

Muzhappilangad Beach, Asia's longest drive-in beach, is in Kannur.

Kannur is located right on the coast of the Laccadive Sea. It has a sandy coastline and is only about 1 meter (3 feet) above sea level. The city boasts an 8-kilometer (5-mile) long seashore and a 3-kilometer (2-mile) long beach at Payyambalam.

Kannur is north of Kozhikode and south of Kasaragod and Mangalore. To its west is the Laccadive Sea, and to its east are the Western Ghat mountains in Kodagu and Wayanad.

Climate in Kannur

Kannur has a very wet tropical monsoon climate. This means it gets a lot of rain, especially during the Southwest monsoon. The average yearly rainfall is about 3438 millimeters (135 inches). Most of this rain falls in the summer months.

In April and May, the temperature can reach about 35°C (95°F). The coolest months are December and January, when the temperature is around 24°C (75°F).

How Kannur City is Governed

Skyline of Kannur city.

Kannur got its first local government (municipality) on November 1, 1866. This made it one of the first modern towns in Kerala to have its own local body. In 2015, it was upgraded to a Municipal Corporation.

The city is managed by the Kannur Municipal Corporation, which is led by a Mayor. The corporation looks after an area of 78.35 square kilometers (30.25 square miles) and serves a population of about 232,486 people. For easier management, the city is divided into 55 areas, and people from these areas elect members to the corporation council every five years.

The Kannur Corporation is divided into six main zones: Kannur town, Pallikunnu, Puzhathi, Edakkad, Elayavoor, and Chelora.

Kannur Corporation is the fifth city corporation in Kerala. It was formed in 2015, and its first mayor was E. P. Latha. Kannur city has two areas for state assembly elections: Kannur and Azhikode. Both of these are part of the Kannur area for national parliament elections.

City Safety and Police

The police force in Kannur City is led by a Commissioner, who is a senior police officer. The city is divided into different zones, each with its own police officer in charge.

People of Kannur

Religions in Kannur City (2011)

source: Kannur City Census 2011 data      Hinduism (56.3%)     Islam (37.9%)     Christianity (5.0%)     Others (0.8%)

In 2011, Kannur city had a population of about 232,486 people. More than half of the population (53.8%) are females, while 46.2% are males.

Kannur has a very high literacy rate of 96.23%, which means most people can read and write. This is much higher than the average for India. About 12% of the population in Kannur is under six years old.

The Anglo-Indian community, who have mixed Indian and European heritage, mainly live in the Kannur Cantonment area and nearby places like Burnacherry. The main language spoken and used for official work in Kannur is Malayalam.

Learning and Education

The Kannur University.

Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala, Kannur, is the largest naval academy in Asia.

Government Medical College, Kannur.

Kannur is home to the Indian Naval Academy in Ezhimala. This is a huge campus of 2500 acres where naval cadets are trained to become officers. There are also five Kendriya Vidyalaya schools in the Kannur district.

Kannur University was started in 1996. It's a special university that has multiple campuses and helps provide higher education in the Kasargod and Kannur areas, as well as the Mananthavady region of Wayanad district.

Government Brennen College, established in 1862, was the first college in Kannur. It teaches over 2500 students. The Government College of Engineering, Kannur was opened in 1986 to offer engineering education in northern Kerala. It is considered one of the top engineering colleges in the state.

The Government Medical College, Kannur was set up in 1993 in Pariyaram to provide medical education and healthcare for the city and surrounding areas. Also, the thirteenth National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) campus is located near Dharmashala, Kannur, about 16 kilometers (10 miles) north of Kannur City.

Media and Entertainment

Statue of Albert Einstein at the Science Park, Kannur.

Kannur has many local cable television channels like City Channel and Kannur Vision. You can also listen to All India Radio at 101.5 MHz. There are several private FM radio stations too, such as Radio Mango 91.9, Club FM 94.3, Red FM 93.5, and Best FM 95.0.

Many newspapers are published from Kannur. Some popular ones include Malayala Manorama, Mathrubhumi, Deshabhimani, and The New Indian Express.

Delicious Kannur Cuisine

Pathiri, a pancake made of rice flour, is a common breakfast dish in Kannur.

Kallummakkaya nirachathu or arikkadukka (mussels stuffed with rice).

Halwas are popular in Kannur and Thalassery.

The food in Kannur shows its rich culture and history. It is especially famous for Malabar biriyani, a flavorful rice dish. The city is also known for its Haluva, which Europeans used to call Sweet Meat because of its texture. Another popular snack is thin, crispy banana chips.

You can find many delicious seafood dishes in Kannur, like those made with prawns, mussels, and mackerel. For vegetarians, the sadya (a traditional feast) is a must-try.

Kannur's food is a mix of traditional Kerala flavors with influences from Persia, Yemen, and Arab countries. This blend makes the dishes unique. Some other special foods include Kallummakkaya (mussels) curry, irachi puttu (meat with steamed rice cakes), parottas (soft flatbread), Pathiri (a type of rice pancake), and ghee rice. Kannur cuisine uses a lot of spices like black pepper, cardamom, and clove.

The Kerala version of biryani, also known as kuzhi mandi, is very popular and has influences from Yemen. You can try different kinds of biriyanis here, like Thalassery biriyani and Kannur biriyani.

For snacks, there are unnakkaya (fried banana paste filled with nuts and sugar), pazham nirachathu (ripe banana filled with coconut), muttamala (made from eggs), chatti pathiri (a layered dessert), and arikkadukka.

Getting Around Kannur

Fishing boats at Matool Azheekkal.

Kannur International Airport serves the city of Kannur.

Kannur has a good network of roads that connect it to cities like Mangalore, Bangalore, Mysore, Kodagu, and Cochin.

Trains

Kannur railway station.

The Kannur railway station is a major train station in the Southern Railway zone. Many trains, including important express trains, stop here. Kannur is well connected by train to Thiruvananthapuram (the capital of Kerala), Mangalore, and Kozhikode.

There are also smaller railway stations within the Kannur Corporation limits, like Kannur South and Edakkad. Only local passenger trains stop at these stations.

Flights

Kannur International Airport in Mattanur opened on December 9, 2018. It is the fourth international airport in Kerala. The airport has a very long runway (4000 meters or 13,123 feet), which is the longest in the state. It also has a modern passenger terminal. The airport is well connected by roads, and there are plans for a railway line to it in the future.

Famous People from Kannur

Writers: Sukumar Azhikode, Oyyarathu Chandu Menon, Cherusseri Namboothiri, N. Prabhakaran, T. Padmanabhan, T. K. D. Muzhappilangad

Sports Stars: Manuel Frederick, Jimmy George, V. P. Sathyan, Denson Devadas, C. K. Vineeth, Sahal Abdul Samad, Tintu Luka, Chundangapoyil Rizwan

Political Leaders: M. V. Raghavan, Pinarayi Vijayan, K. Karunakaran, E. K. Nayanar, K. K. Shailaja, E. Ahamed, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, E. P. Jayarajan, Kadannappalli Ramachandran, K. Sudhakaran

Actors: Sreenivasan, M. N. Nambiar, Malavika Mohanan, Samvrutha Sunil, Mamta Mohandas, Vineeth, Vineeth Kumar, Deepak Parambol, Sanusha, Sanoop Santhosh, Nikhila Vimal, Nivetha Thomas, Sreekala Sasidharan, Sneha Paliyeri, Anju Aravind, Athmiya Rajan, Sruthi Lakshmi, Parvathy Nambiar, Ganapathi S Poduval, Madonna Sebastian, Sana Khan, Santhosh Keezhattoor

Filmmakers: Bejoy Nambiar, Salim Ahamed, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Dhyan Sreenivasan

Music Composers:Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri, Kannur Rajan, Deepak Dev, Ifthi, Shaan Rahman, Sushin Shyam, Sayanora Philip

Singers: Vineeth Sreenivasan, Shaan Rahman, Sushin Shyam, Sayanora Philip, Arun Alat

Cinematographer: K. U. Mohanan

Dancer: Shamna Kasim

See Also

In Spanish: Cananor para niños