Wedged between the Lakshadweep Sea to the west and the Western Ghats to the east, Kerala is a narrow strip of land in southwestern India. Its physical geography is remarkably diverse for its size, characterized by an extensive coastline, an intricate network of interconnected canals and lakes known as the Kerala Backwaters, and dense tropical rainforests.
The state's geography is traditionally divided into three distinct regions: the eastern highlands (consisting of the rugged, forested Western Ghats), the central midlands (rolling hills and valleys cultivated with cash crops), and the western lowlands (coastal plains featuring beaches, backwaters, and coconut groves). Natural resources include rich deposits of monazite, ilmenite, and rutile along the coast, alongside abundant timber and hydroelectric potential.