Wayanad Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Wayanad district വയനാട് ജില്ല
District
Wayanad scenery on NH 212 Kozhikode-Kollegal
Country	India
State	Kerala
Headquarters	Kalpetta
Area
• Total	2,131 km² (823 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	816,558
• Density	383.18/km² (992.43/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Malayalam, English
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
ISO 3166 code	IN-KL-
Vehicle registration	KL-12, KL-72, KL-73

Wayanad district is the 12th district in the state of Kerala, India. It includes three main areas called Taluks: Mananthavady, Sulthanbathery, and Vythiri. The name Wayanad comes from "Vayal Nadu," which means "the land of paddy fields."

Wayanad is a high, flat area of land called a plateau. It sits between 700 and 2100 meters above sea level. You can find it in northeastern Kerala, within the Western Ghats mountains. It shares borders with the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. About 885.92 square kilometers of Wayanad is covered by forests.

Many people in Wayanad belong to different tribes. The district is also known for its beautiful nature resorts. These places offer amazing views and a peaceful atmosphere for visitors. Wayanad is very important for Kerala's economy. It earns a lot of money from growing "money-earning crops" like pepper, cardamom, coffee, tea, and other spices.

History of Wayanad
- British Rule and Formation
People of Wayanad
- Tribal Communities
- Settlers and Religions
Images for kids
See also

History of Wayanad

In very old times, kings known as the Vedar Rajas ruled Wayanad. Later, a famous ruler called Pazhassi Raja from the Kottayam Royal Dynasty took over. After that, invaders from Mysore came to the area.

British Rule and Formation

The British then took control of India, and their rule lasted for 200 years. The British fought against Pazhassi Raja. When the state of Kerala was formed in 1956, Wayanad was part of the Cannannore district. In 1957, the southern part of Wayanad was added to the Kozhikode district. The northern part stayed with Cannannore. The Wayanad district we know today was created on November 1, 1980. This happened by joining North Wayanad and South Wayanad together.

People of Wayanad

Many Adivasi people live in Wayanad. Adivasi means they are the original tribes who lived there before other groups arrived. Some of these tribes are the Paniyas, Kurumas, Adiyars, Kurichyas, Ooralis, Kadans, and Kattunaikkans.

Tribal Communities

Most of the Kurichyar tribe own small pieces of land. However, most members of other tribes work as laborers for other people. Wayanad has the largest Adivasi population of any district in Kerala. About 36% of the people in Wayanad are Adivasi. Over the last 30 to 40 years, life has become harder for these groups. This is because other people have gained more control over the area.

Settlers and Religions

Many settlers also live in Wayanad. These are people who moved to Wayanad from other parts of Kerala. They came because the farmland here is very good. Wayanad also has a small Jain community. These people are called Gowders, and they came from Karnataka. They built temples all over the district.

There are also many different kinds of Christians living in Wayanad. About one-fourth (25%) of the people in Wayanad are Christian. Another one-fourth (25%) of the population are Muslims. The rest of the people are Hindus.