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Kottayam | |
|---|---|
 Top to bottom, left to right: MC Mathew memorial at Thirunakkara, Aksharashilpam, Immaculate Heart of Mary Cathedral, Kodimatha Boat Jetty, Kottayam Government Medical College, CMS College Kottayam | |
  Kottayam Kottayam (Kerala)  Kottayam Kottayam (India) | |
| Coordinates: 9°35′29.8″N 76°31′19.9″E / 9.591611°N 76.522194°E[1] | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Kerala |
| District | Kottayam |
| Region | Central Travancore |
| Incorporated | 1921 |
| Official Language | Malayalam |
| Native Language | Malayalam |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Body | Kottayam Municipality |
| • Municipal Chairperson | Bincy Sebastian |
| Area | |
• City | 108 km2 (42 sq mi) |
| • Land | 179.54 km2 (69.32 sq mi) |
| • Water | 5.46 km2 (2.11 sq mi) |
| • Urban | 185 km2 (71 sq mi) |
| • Metro | 220 km2 (80 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 7th in Kerala |
| Elevation | 47.96 m (157.35 ft) |
| Population | |
• City | 489,615 |
| • Rank | 5 |
| • Density | 4,500/km2 (12,000/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 571,856 |
| • Urban density | 3,100/km2 (8,000/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 802,419 |
| • Metro density | 3,600/km2 (9,400/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Kottayamkar |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 686001 |
| Telephone code | Kottayam:0481 |
| Vehicle registration | KL-05 Kottayam, KL- 33 Changanassery, KL- 34 Kanjirappally, KL - 35 Pala, KL - 36 Vaikom, KL- 67 Uzhavoor |
| Sex ratio | 1075 female(s)/1000 male(s)/ ♂/♀ |
| Literacy rate |  99.66% Top |
| HDI | 0.831 Very High |
| Website | www |
Kottayam (IPA: [ko:ʈ:ayam]) is a city in the Kottayam district of Kerala, India. It is the district headquarters of the district and is located about 151 km (93.8 mi) north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 Indian census, Kottayam has a population of 489,615 people, and a population density of 4,533/km2 (11,740/sq mi). The total Kottayam Metropolitan area (the combined area of Kottayam municipality and its adjacent suburbs) has a population of 802,419 people, and a population density of 3,647/km2 (9,450/sq mi).
Kottayam is also referred to as "the City of Letters" as many of the first Malayalam daily newspapers, such as Deepika, Malayala Manorama, and Mangalam, were started and are headquartered in Kottayam, as are a number of publishing houses.[citation needed]