Malayalam
Malayalam is the principal language of the South Indian state of Kerala and also of the Lakshadweep Islands
(Laccadives) of the west coast of India. Malayalis (speakers of Malayalam), who - males and females alike - are almost totally literate, constitute 4 percent of the population of India and 96 percent of the population of Kerala (29.01 million in 1991). In terms of the number of speakers Malayalam ranks eights among the fifteen major languages of India.
Tamil is its neighbor on the south and east and Kannada on the north and east.
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