Portal:Kerala/Selected articles/Selected article 3

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Kochi (formerly known as Cochin) is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, and one of the principal seaports of the country. According to the 2001 census, the metropolitan area of Kochi is the largest urban agglomeration in Kerala, with a population of 1,355,406 – of which 650,000 reside in the city. Kochi is located in the district of Ernakulam, about 220 km north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. Since 1102 AD, the city of Kochi was the seat of an eponymous princely state which traces its lineages to the Kulasekhara empire. Kochi was an important spice trading centre on the Arabian Sea coast since the 14th century. Kochi was the site of the first European colonial settlement in India, and remained the capital of Portuguese India till 1530, before it was moved to Goa. The city was later occupied by the Dutch, Mysore and the English. Successive waves of migration over the course of several millennia, has made Kochi a melting pot of different cultures; a blend of tradition and modernity. Kochi is the commercial hub of Kerala, and one of the fastest growing second-tier metros in India. (more...)