General Information of Cochin/Kochi

A city tucked in the beauty of coconut palms and endless blue waters is one of the important towns in South India, with a natural harbour. It is the commercial hub of Kerala. Kochi is a dynamic city with soaring land prices and rapidly industrializing suburbs. A trading port since Roman times, it lies on the main trade route between Europe and China. The town has three main parts- Fort Kochi, Willingdon Island and Ernakulam. This city is home to the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth as well as numerous old churches and temples. Half the fun of visiting Kochi is moving around on local ferries.

Area - 95 sq. km.

Population - 1.2 million.

Location - 9° 58"N, 76° 17"E

Time Zone - Indian Standard Time (IST) - UTC +5:30.

Altitude - Sea level

Rainfall - 350cm annually

Temperature - 20°C-35°C (68°F-95°F)

Seasons - Monsoon season: June - September (heavy rains)
Mild winter: October - February (cool, dry with occassional rain)
Summer: March - May (hot and humid)

Languages -State language: Malayalam
English is widely understood. Hindi and Tamil are used occasionally.

Religions -Being a city in a secular country, almost all major religions are represented including
Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Jewism, Jainism and Buddhism.

Main Occupation -Trading, fishing, heavy industry and information technology

Airport code -IATA: COK, ICAO: VOCC

Telephone -+91 484

Emergency numbers -Police: 100, Fire: 101, Ambulance: 102.

Power supply -230V, 50Hz

Currency -Indian Rupee (INR), 1 Rupee = 100 paise.
Approximate rates: $1 = Rs 45, £1 = Rs 85, €1 = Rs 58

Population -The city of Cochin has a population near 600,000 but the agglomeration of towns - called Kochi - that is greater Cochin, is home to 1.2 million.

Port -Cochin is home to a fine natural harbor that sees heavy commercial and military use.

Language -Malayalam is the official language of the area (India has a total of 15!), but English and Hindi are common in Cochin as well.

Currency -Indian rupee. You should be aware that Indian currency circulates until it's falling apart, and sometimes if you offer an old, tattered bill it will be refused. Just save it for tips and substitute a cleaner one. You're within your rights to refuse such notes in your change, so just hand them back. Banks will gladly change old notes. You are not allowed to bring Indian currency into the country, or take it with you when you leave.