Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland. Referred to by Mahatma Gandhi as the "Evergreen city of India", the city is characterized by its undulating terrain of low coastal hills and busy commercial alleys. With almost 745,000 inhabitants as per the 2001 census, it is the largest and most populous city in Kerala; the wider urban agglomeration having a population of about one million.
The city is the state capital and houses many central and state government offices, organizations and companies. Apart from being the political nerve centre of Kerala, it is also a major academic hub and is home to several educational institutions including the University of Kerala, and to many science and technology institutions, the most prominent being the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Technopark and IIST.
Previously the name of the district was Trivandrum. The district lies in the southern part of the state. The geographical location of the district is between 8o 17" and 8o 54" north latitudes and between 76o 41" and 77o 17" east longitudes. The area of Thiruvananthapuram is 2,192 sq km. The total population of the district is 29,38,533, as per the census of 2001.
It houses numerous notable tourist sites such as Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Anjengo, Agasthyakoodam, Neyyar Dam, Lion Safari Park and Neyyar Wild Life Sanctuary among others.
