Nestled among the mountains of the Western Ghats, lies Wayanad, which can be considered as the biggest hill station of Kerala. This green paradist, located at a distance of 76 kms. from the coast of Kozhikode, lies at a height of 700-2100 m. above sea level. The name Wayanad is believed to have been derived from the word, Vayalnadu, meaning the land of paddy fields. It is house to unique patented varieties of rice such as "Jeerakasala" and "Gandhakasala" whose potential export market is still waiting to be captured. The present district of Wayanad was carved out, from parts of Kozhikode and Kannur districts and came into being on the 1st November 1980 as the 12th district of Kerala. This backward district is, perhaps one of the biggest foreign exchange earners of the State, thanks to its cash crops like pepper, cardamom, coffee, tea, spices and other condiments. Most of the reserve forests in the State are in this district. The loamy soil generally show wide variation in depth and texture with a very high content of organic matter. A large percentage of the population in this region are tribals. The native Adivasis mainly consist of various sects like Paniyas, Kurumas, Adiyars, Kurichiyars, Ooralis, Kattunaickens etc.
