Uttara Kannada Pincodes

Uttara Kannada is a district in the Indian state of Karnataka known for its coastal region. It is the third largest district in Karnataka and shares its borders with Goa and Belagavi districts to the north, Dharwad and Haveri districts to the east, Shivamogga and Udupi districts to the south, and the Laccadive Sea to the west.

The district’s administrative center is Karwar, while Kumta and Sirsi serve as major commercial hubs in the area.

Uttara Kannada can be divided into two agroclimatic regions: the coastal plain, which includes Karwar, Ankola, Kumta, Honnavar, and Bhatkal taluks, and Malenadu, comprising Sirsi, Siddapur, Yellapur, Haliyal, Joida, and Mundgod taluks.

History:

In ancient times, the Chutus of Banavasi were the earliest known rulers of Uttara Kannada District. Subsequently, the Kadamba kingdom governed the region from 350 to 525, with its capital in Banavasi. Following that, various empires, including the Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas, and Vijayanagar empire, held sway. The famous Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta even resided in Honnavar under the protection of Nawayath Sultan Jamal Al-Din. In the 1750s, Uttara Kannada became a part of the Maratha Empire and later the Mysore Kingdom. Ultimately, it came under British rule after the Fourth Mysore War in 1799. Initially, it was part of the Kanara district and was later divided into North and South Kanara districts in 1859. In 1862, Uttara Kannada became a part of Bombay Presidency. After India gained independence, it became part of Karnataka in 1956.

There were places called Cintacora, Sindpur, and Chittakula known to the Portuguese. Later, when the Sadashivgad fort was built, the village got its name. The Pir fort was burnt by the Portuguese in 1510. A trading center at the mouth of the Kali River became important due to the fort. The English set up a factory in Uttara Kannada in 1638. It was a trading port for goods like muslin, pepper, and more. In 1784, there was a treaty mentioning Uttara Kannada. Bhatkal and Honnavar were key ports for Tippu Sultan. The British made Carwar the district headquarters in 1862. It was part of the Bombay Presidency until 1950.

Geography:

The district has a big mountain range called the Western Ghats that goes from north to south. Between the mountains and the sea, there’s a narrow area called the coastal strip. It can be 8 to 24 kilometers wide. Behind the coastal strip, there are hills that are 60 to 100 meters high. Behind the hills, there are more high parts of the mountains. On the other side of the mountains is a place called the Balaghat upland, which is part of a big flat area called the Deccan plateau. Rain comes from the west, and it rains a lot near the coast, but less on the other side of the mountains. There are four big rivers that flow from the mountains to the sea, and they make waterfalls. In the low areas, these rivers make wide areas of water that go several kilometers inland from the coast.

Economy:

The district of Uttara Kannada has a total economic output of 530297 Lakh Crores, and the cities of Karwar and Sirsi play a significant role in this. Sirsi has the highest income per person in the district, which is 54850, while Karwar comes next at 44326. On the other hand, Bhatkal and Haliyal have the lowest income per person.

Demographics:

In 2011, Uttara Kannada had about 1,437,169 people living there. It was ranked 346th in India in terms of population. The district had around 140 people living in each square kilometer. Over ten years, from 2001 to 2011, the population increased by 6.15%. For every 1000 males, there were 975 females in Uttara Kannada. About 29.15% of the people lived in cities.

The majority of the population in Uttara Kannada practices Hinduism, but there has been a Catholic community here since the 1500s. Bhatkal Taluk has a significant Muslim minority, with Bhatkal City having a Muslim majority. There’s also a small community of Tibetan refugees in Mundgod.

Kannada is the primary language spoken in this district, used by 55.34% of the population. Other major languages include Konkani (18.21%), Urdu (11.83%), Marathi (9.52%), and Telugu (1.36%). Marathi is mainly spoken in the northern Joida and Haliyal taluks, while Konkani is prevalent in Karwar taluk. Nawayathi, a Konkani dialect, is spoken by Nawayath Muslims in Bhatkal and nearby areas.

Most people in Uttara Kannada understand Kannada, including Konkani speakers. However, in some northern villages of Karwar taluka like Sadashivgad, Baval, and Majali, Kannada is not well understood, as Konkani is dominant due to proximity to Goa. Kannada dialects like Achchagannada and Havigannada are also spoken in the district by specific communities.