94.88 km2
The tourist season in this city is from August to February. Cochin Carnival and Christmas celebrations in December attract maximum numbers
As of 2012, the population was 6,12,343.
0484
Kochi or Cochin is a bustling cosmopolitan city in Kerala. This ancient port city has been the battleground for all European powers in India. Titled as the ‘Queen of the Arabian Sea’, Kochi has been an important port, especially for spice traders. It is referred to as the commercial capital of Kerala. This city has been ranked sixth best tourist destination in India by a travel magazine. McKinsey Global Institute placed Kochi amongst the 440 emerging global cities that will have a 50% share of the world GDP by 2025.
The city has a well-established infrastructure that adds to the economy, with special focus on tourism, sea trade and information technology. Kochi has a vibrant cultural diversity of not just domestic nature but also from influences of Portuguese, Dutch, Arab, Chinese, and Japanese who were prominent trade partners in old days. Tourists can witness this impact at many destinations during their visit here.
With a coastline of 48km along the Arabian Sea, this city is situated in the south-western India. The city is almost at sea level with no elevation. Kochi has sprawling backwaters and several islands. The soil types found here are alluvium, brown sands, etc.
Kochi experiences a tropical monsoon climate. Summer months of March and April are very hot. The rest of the summers and winters are moderate. Rain showers from both south-west and north-east monsoon fall heavily in the city.
Cochin International Airport is one of the busiest airports of India. It has regular flights from Middle-East and South-East Asia. It has a good frequency of flights to and from many major cities of India. Ernakulam Junction and Ernakulam Town railway stations are located within the city. Many express and passenger trains halt here. Kochi is part of the North-South corridor connected through NH47, NH66 and NH49.
For local travelling Kochi Metro is under construction. The current modes of travel are taxis, autos, bus services, ferries, rented cars and bicycles etc. None of these modes are costly to avail.