Kerala forms a narrow, coastal strip along the southwestern edge of the Indian peninsula. Geographically, it is divided into three distinct climatic and topological regions: the eastern highlands (rugged and cool mountains), the central midlands (rolling hills), and the western lowlands (coastal plains).
The state is crisscrossed by 44 rivers, 41 of which flow westward into the Arabian Sea. The most prominent rivers include the Periyar, Bharathappuzha, and Pamba. These waterways feed into the famous Kerala Backwaters, a sprawling, interconnected system of brackish lakes, canals, and estuaries that runs parallel to the coast, most notably including Vembanad Lake.
Kerala's eastern border is defined by the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the world's eight "hottest hotspots" of biological diversity. The state is rich in natural resources, including heavy mineral sands (ilmenite, rutile) along the coast, and dense tropical forests that cover nearly a third of its total land area.