Ernakulam is the major industrial, financial and commercial hub of Kerala. The Cochin Port, Cochin Shipyard, Info Park, etc. has facilitated the faster growth of the city. Tourism has also contributed heavily to the economy of the district. The city with its temples, old churches and its culture is ranked first in the number of domestic tourists visiting Kerala.  Cohin international air port is located in northern part of the district at Nedumbasseri village in Angamaly. Owing to the international airport, water ways, railways, and road ways, Ernakulam is one of the most connected districts in the state.

Kochi is a shopping hub for the central Kerala. The higher GDP and per-capita income promotes the retail business. The major retail ventures in Kochi are in gold, textile, Furniture and Home Accessories and Home Appliance. Kochi houses the most number of shopping malls in Kerala. Oberon Mall is the first mall started in the city. Gold Souk Grande Kochi, Abad Nucleus Mall, Bay pride mall, Central Square mall are the major malls in the district.  Apart from these, the Lulu Cochin Mall, the largest shopping mall in India, located in Edapally town  of Kochi, Kerala. Kochi is home to the International Pepper Exchange, where black pepper is globally traded. The Spices Board of India is also headquartered at Kochi. The Cochin fishing harbour, located at Thoppumpady is a major fishing port in the state and supplies fish to the local and export markets. Central Government establishments like the Coconut Development Board, the Coir Board, the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) ,Central Institute of Fisheries Technolology(CIFT),Centre for Bio Polymer Sciecnce and Technology(CBPST) and the Spices Board are also located in the city.

Location and extent

Ernakulam district formed on 1^st April 1958 carving areas of erstwhile Travancore-Kochi-Malabar kingdoms. The present Ernakulam District include Paravur, Aluva, Kochi, Kanayannoor, Muvattupuzha, Kunnathunadu, Kothamangalam Taluks which come under Fortkochi and  Muvattupuzha  Revenue Sub Division.  Its headquarters is located at Kakkanad, a suburb of Kochi city.  The borders of the district are the Arabian Sea in the West, Thrissur District in the North, Idukki District in the East and Alappuzha and Kottayam District in the South. Kochi is the Municipal Corporation and there are 13 Municipalities namely Aluva, Angamaly, Kalamassery, Kothamangalam, Muvattupuzha, North Paravoor, Maradu, Perumbavoor, Thrikkakara,Thripunithura ,Piravom ,Koothattukulam and Eloor. In Ernakulam there are 15 Development Blocks and 84 Panchayats.

Ernakulam district covers an area of 305826 hectare located on the Western Coastal Plains of India. The Periyar River, Kerala's second longest, flows through all the taluks except Muvattupuzha. The Muvaattupuzha River and a branch of Chalakkudy River also flow through the district. The district has a moderate climate, and mostly falls within the Malabar Coast moist forests eco region, while the highlands are part of the South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests eco region. The district includes the largest metropolitan region namely, Greater Cochin and hence is the highest revenue yielding district in the state and is also known as the commercial capital of Kerala. The district provides excellent infrastructural facilities.

DISTRICT AT A GLANCE

 വ്യവസായ പ്രദേശം/ ഭാഗം-എറണാകുളം ജില്ല (DA/DP)