Kerala is a state.
Kerala . Malayalam is the most widely spoken language and is also the official language of the state . The state has witnessed significant emigration , especially to Arab states of the Persian Gulf during the Gulf Boom of the 1970s and early 1980s , and its economy depends significantly on remittances from a large Malayali expatriate community . The state 's coastline extends for 595 km , and around 1.1 million people in the state are dependent on the fishery industry which contributes 3 % to the state 's income .