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| Major and Minor Tribes of Kerala/Image Source: Navaneeth Kishor |
According to the 2011 Census of India, the tribal population in Kerala stands at 4,84,839, which roughly translates into 1.5 per cent of overall Kerala population.
At district level in Kerala, Wayanad has highest tribal population, followed by Idukki, Palakkad and Kasaragod. There is no district in Kerala with more than 25 per cent tribal population.
In terms of sex ratio in tribal population, Kerala leads the nation and boast the sex ratio of 1035. It stands at 1031 in rural areas whereas 1070 in urban centers.
In terms of literacy in tribal poulation, the overall litaracy rate in tribal population of Kerala stands at 75.8. It stands at 80.8 for Men and 71.1 for women.
Among all the tribal communities in Kerala, Kanikaran has highest sex ratio (1130) and literacy rate (88.0).
Paniyan, Irula, Kattunaikan, and Adiyan are some of the major tribal communities in Kerala.
List of Major and Minor Tribal Communities in Kerala
1 Adiyan2 Aranadan
3 Ervallan
4 Hill Pulaya [Mala pulayan,Kurumba Pulayan, Karavazhi Pulayan, Pamba Pulayan]
5 Irular, Irulan
6 Kadar,[Wayanad Kadar]
7 Kanikaran, Kanikkar
8 Kattunayakan
9 Kochuvelan
10 Koraga
11 Kudiya, Melakudi
12 Kurichchan [Kurichiyan]
13 Kurumans
14 Kurumbas,[Kurumbar,Kurumban]’
15 Maha Malasar
16 Malai Arayan,[Mala Arayan]
17 Malai Pandaram
18 Malai Vedan,[Malavedan]
19 Malakkuravan
20 Malasar
21 [Malayan,Nattu Malayan, Konga Malayan (excluding the areas comprising the Kasargode Cannanore,Wayanad and Kozhikode Districts)
22 Malayarayar
23 Mannan
24 Marati
25 Muthuvan, Mudugar, Muduvan
26 Palleyan [Palliyan, Palliyar, Palliyan]’
27 Paniyan
28 Ulladan [Ullatan]
29 Uraly
30 Mala Vettuvan (in Kasargode and Kannur districts)
31 Ten Kurumban. JenuKurumban]
32 Thachanadan. Thachanadan Moopan
33 Cholanaickan
34 Mavilan
35 Karimpalan
36 Vetta Kuruman
37 Mala Panickar
Source: Statistical Profile of Scheduled Tribes in India 2013, Ministry of Tribal Affairs Statistics Division, Government of India