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In 1102 AD, Kochi became the seat of the Kingdom of Cochin, a princely state which traces its lineage to the Kulasekhara Empire. Heralded as the Queen of Arabian Sea, Kochi was an important spice trading centre on the Arabian Sea coast since the 14th century. Occupied by the Portuguese in 1503, Kochi was the site of the first European colonial settlement in India. It remained the capital of Portuguese India until 1530, when they opted for Goa as their capital. The city was later occupied by the Dutch and the British, though the Kingdom of Kochi remained simultaneously independent under paramountacy of British. Kochi entered a period of economic growth after 2000, leading to a spurt in the city's development. The city is the home of Indian Navy's Southern Command and Indian Coast Guard. Kochi's major development attributes to presence of several major industries like Cochin Shipyard, Port of Kochi, FACT as well as with academic centres like Cochin University and Marine research bodies. Kochi hosts one of the oldest Special Economic Zones of India, which recorded a turnover of 17124 crores of exports in FY 2009-10, making it ranking the second in the entire country. The Cochin Special Economic Zone is a multi product zone, with companies operating in gem and jewellery, electronics hardware, software and engineering services, food processing and textiles. This diverse portfolio of products that generate employment potential to the widest rungs of the society has contributed to the overall economic growth of the city and the suburban area. |
