Wedged between the Lakshadweep Sea to the west and the Western Ghats mountain range to the east, Kerala is a narrow strip of land in southwestern India. It shares borders with Karnataka to the north and northeast, and Tamil Nadu to the east and south. The state is divided into three distinct climatic and geographical regions: the eastern highlands (rugged and cool mountains), the central midlands (rolling hills and valleys), and the western lowlands (coastal plains).
The state's geography is defined by a dense network of 44 rivers—the longest being the Periyar, Bharathappuzha, and Pamba—most of which originate in the Western Ghats and flow westward into the Arabian Sea. Kerala is also famous for its backwaters, an interconnected system of brackish lakes, canals, and estuaries lying parallel to the coast, with Vembanad Lake being the largest. The state is rich in biodiversity, housing numerous wildlife sanctuaries and national parks within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.