Kollam (Malayalam: ), often anglicized as Quilon, is a city in the Indian state of Kerala. The city lies on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake on the Arabian sea coast and is situated about 71 kilometres (44mi) north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram. It is the headquarters of Kollam district and a prominent trade and commercial city. Kollam is the fifth-largest city in Kerala, after Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, and Thrissur {The new population is taken as city agglomeration} and is the smallest corporation (58.18 square kilometres (22.46sqmi)) in Kerala on the basis of area. It is known for cashew processing and coir manufacturing. It is considered to be the southern gateway to the backwaters of Kerala and is a prominent tourist destination. The Kollam urban area comprises the fast developing suburban towns such as Kottiyam in the south, Kundara in the east, and Chavara in the north of the city. Other important towns in the city suburbs are Paravur, Eravipuram,...
