Kuzhithurai is a city in Kanniyakumari district in the Tamil Nadu state. It is the administrative headquarters of Vilavancode taluk. It has a historical seaport which is mentioned in the ancient Indian maps.
On Dec. 22, 2014, Pope Francis erected the diocese of Kuzhithurai out of territory from the neighboring diocese of Kottar and named Father Jerome Dhas Varuvel, S.D.B., as its first bishop. It has 264,222 Catholics and is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Madurai.
Population
According to 2016 census, Kuzhithurai had a population of 825,359 with a sex-ratio of 1,022 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929. Scheduled castes and scheduled tribes account for 1.45 percent and .02 percent of the population, respectively.
Language
People speak both Tamil and Malayalam languages.
Transportation
The diocesan area is well connected by roads and railway. Kuzhithurai railway station is busy place leading to Trivandrum. Trivandrum International Airport is the nearest airport which is 34 km from the city.
Geography
Kuzhithurai municipality spreads over an area of 5 km². The Thamiraparani River flows through Kuzhithurai.
Culture
The cultural landscape in the diocese is a mixture of Tamil and Malayalam traditions. Hinduism and Christianity are the major religions in the town.
Literacy
The average literacy of the town is 85.99 percent compared with the national average of 72.99 percent.
