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Malappuram district (), is one of the 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala, with a coastline of . The most populous district of Kerala, Malappuram is home to around 13% of the total population of the state. The district was formed on 16 June 1969, spanning an area of about . It is the third-largest district of Kerala by area. It is bounded by Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea on either side. The district is divided into seven Taluks: Eranad, Kondotty, Nilambur, Perinthalmanna, Ponnani, Tirur, and Tirurangadi.
Malayalam is the most spoken language. The district has witnessed significant emigration, especially to the 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. Malappuram was the first e-literate as well as the first cyber literate district of India. The district has four major rivers, namely Bharathappuzha, Chaliyar, Kadalundippuzha, and Tirur Puzha, out of which the first three are also among the five longest rivers in Kerala.
Malappuram metropolitan area is the fourth largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi, Calicut, and Thrissur urban areas and the 25th largest in India with a total population of 1.7 million. 44.2% of the district's population reside in the urban areas according to the 2011 census of India. Being home to 4 universities in the state, including the University of Calicut, Malappuram is a hub of higher education in Kerala. The district comprises 2 revenue divisions, 7 taluks, 12 municipalities, 15 blocks, 94 Grama Panchayats, and 16 Kerala Legislative Assembly constituencies in it.
During British Raj, Malappuram became the headquarters of foreign and Indian troops and later of the Malabar Special Police (M.S.P), formerly known as Malappuram Special Force formed in 1885, which is also the oldest armed police battalion in the state. The oldest Teak plantation in the world at Conolly's plot is situated at Chaliyar valley in Nilambur. The oldest Railway line in the state was laid from Tirur to Chaliyam in 1861, passing through Tanur, Parappanangadi, and Vallikkunnu. The midland area of district is characterised by several undulating hills such as Arimbra hills, Amminikkadan hills, Oorakam Hill, Cheriyam hills, Pandalur hills, and Chekkunnu hills, all of which lie away from the Western Ghats. However, the coconut-fringed sandy coastal plain is an exception for the general hilly nature.
History
thumb|Tyndis (Tondis) on [[Tabula Peutingeriana|Peutinger Table (north of Templ Augusti and Lacus Muziris)]]
left|thumbnail|Names, routes and locations of the [[Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (1st century CE)]]
The remains of pre-historic symbols including Dolmens, Menhirs, and Rock-cut caves have found from various parts of district. Rock-cut caves have found from Puliyakkode, Thrikkulam, Oorakam, Melmuri, Ponmala, Vallikunnu, and Vengara. The ancient maritime port of Tyndis, which was then a centre of trade with Ancient Rome, is roughly identified with Ponnani, Tanur, and Kadalundi-Vallikkunnu-Chaliyam-Beypore region. Tyndis was a major center of trade, next only to Muziris, between the Cheras and the Roman Empire. Pliny the Elder (1st century CE) states that the port of Tyndis was located at the northwestern border of Keprobotos (Chera dynasty). The region, which lies north of the port at Tyndis, was ruled by the kingdom of Ezhimala during Sangam period. According to the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, a region known as Limyrike began at Naura and Tyndis. However the Ptolemy mentions only Tyndis as the Limyrikes starting point. The region probably ended at Kanyakumari; it thus roughly corresponds to the present-day Malabar Coast. The value of Rome's annual trade with the region was estimated at around 50,000,000 sesterces. Pliny the Elder mentioned that Limyrike was prone by pirates. The Cosmas Indicopleustes mentioned that the Limyrike was a source of peppers. The river Bharathappuzha (River Ponnani) had importance since Sangam period (1st–4th century CE), due to the presence of Palakkad Gap which connected the Malabar coast with Coromandel coast through inland.
thumbnail|[[Kurumathur inscription (871 CE)]]
The Kurumathur inscription found near Areekode dates back to 871 CE. Three inscriptions written in Old Malayalam those date back to 932 CE, those were found from Triprangode (near Tirunavaya), Kottakkal, and Chaliyar, mention the name of Goda Ravi of Chera dynasty. The Triprangode inscription states about the agreement of Thavanur. As a reward by the Zamorin, the port at Ponnani became an important trade and cultural centre of middle eastern sailors. It seems that the Muslim judge of Kozhikode offered all help in "money and material" to the Samoothiri to strike at Tirunavaya. The Zamorin continued his conquest to Valluvanadu and conquered the regions of Kottakkal, Malappuram, Manjeri, and Nilambur. It was thus that Perumpadappu and a larger portion of Valluvanad came under the rule of Zamorin. Thus Zamorin became the Raksha Purusha of Mamankam, and the ruler of Tirunavaya, neighbouring Triprangode, and Ponnani. Parappanangadi (Barburankad), Tirurangadi (Tiruwarankad), Tanur, and Ponnani (Funan) were also important among the trade settlements under the rule of the Zamorin, according to the 16th-century historical work Tuhfat Ul Mujahideen. Malappuram was the headquarters of Para Nambi, who was a local chieftain of the Zamorin. Other Kovilakams of Zamorin included the Kizhakke Kovilakam at Kottakkal, Manjeri Kovilakam at Manjeri, and Nilambur Kovilakam at Nilambur. Parappanad Kovilakam at Parappanangadi and Tanur Kovilakam at Tanur were vassal royal houses of the Zamorin. However the Mankada Kovilakam at Mankada near Angadipuram was the seat of ruling family of the Valluvanad Rajas. Azhvanchery Mana, which was the headquarters of Azhvanchery Thamprakkal, who was the supreme head of the Nambudiri Brahmins of Kerala, is located at Athavanad near Kuttippuram, in Tirur Taluk. Azhvanchery Thamprakkal and the lord of Kalpakanchery in Kingdom of Tanur were usually present at the Ariyittu Vazhcha (Coronation) of a new Zamorin.
thumbnail|Zamorin's empire in 1498
left|thumbnail|The second residence of Zamorin was at Thrikkavil Kovilakam in [[Ponnani]]
left|thumb|The path [[Vasco da Gama took to reach Kozhikode (black line) in 1498, which was also the discovery of a sea route from Europe to India, and eventually paved way for the European colonisation of Indian subcontinent. At that time, the Zamorin of Calicut was residing at Thrikkavil Kovilakam in Ponnani.]]
The squadron of Vasco da Gama left Portugal in 1497, rounded the Cape and continued along the coast of East Africa, where a local pilot was brought on board who guided them across the Indian Ocean, reaching Calicut in May 1498. At the time of the arrival of Vasco da Gama and his Portuguese fleet at Calicut, the Zamorin of Calicut was residing at Ponnani. The Zamorin had provided the Portuguese all facilities for trade. However, the allegiance of the Mappila merchants in Tanur region still stayed under the Zamorin of Calicut. Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan, who is considered as the father of modern Malayalam literature, was born at Tirur (Vettathunadu) during Portuguese period.
In 1507, the Portuguese Viceroy Francisco de Almeida raided Ponnani and started building a fortress there in 1585. Tanur town was one of the earliest Portuguese colonies in the Indian subcontinent. The towns of Ponnani and Parappanangadi were burnt by the Portuguese in the years 1525 and 1573–74 respectively. It was first printed and published in Lisbon. A copy of this edition has been preserved in the library of Al-Azhar University, Cairo. In 1532 with the help of the ruler of Tanur, a chapel was built at Chaliyam, together with a house for the commander, barracks for the soldiers, and store-houses for trade. Diego de Pereira, who had negotiated the treaty with the Zamorin, was left in command of this new fortress, with a garrison of 250 men; and Manuel de Sousa had orders to secure its safety by sea, with a squadron of twenty-two vessels.) to break with the Portuguese, even going to war against them. The continuous wars led by the Portuguese on one side and the Zamorin who had the support of the Arab merchants, and the local Chekor and Mappila forces on the other side, ultimately led to the decline of Arab monopoly of foreign trade in the coastal towns. Unmindful of Portuguese opposition, the Zamorin entered into a treaty with the Dutch East India Company on 11 November 1604. When the Samutiri Kovilakam at Calicut was besieged by the Mysore Sultan Haidar 'Ali (18th century AD), the Zamorin sent his family members to Thrikkavil Kovilakam at Ponnani. The Battle of Tirurangadi was a series of engagements that took place between the British army and Tipu Sultan between 7 and 12 December 1790 at Tirurangadi, during the Third Anglo-Mysore War. In 1792, Tipu Sultan was defeated by English East India Company through Third Anglo-Mysore War, and the Treaty of Seringapatam was agreed. As per this treaty, most of the Malabar Region, including the present-day Malappuram district, was integrated into the English East India Company. The Koyi Thampurans of Travancore belongs to Parappanad Royal Family. It was from this family that the consorts of the Rani's Travancore family were usually selected. The first railway line in the state started its function from Tirur to Chaliyam on 12 March 1861, with the oldest railway station at Tirur.
left|thumbnail|The oldest [[Teak plantations of the world at Conolly's plot, Nilambur]]
The district was the venue for many of the Mappila revolts (uprisings against the British East India Company in Kerala) between 1792 and 1921. It is estimated that there were about 830 riots, large and small, during this period. During 1841–1921 there were more than 86 revolts against the British officials alone. The district was included in the subdistricts of Eranad, Valluvanad, and Ponnani in South Malabar during the British rule. The Malabar Special Police was headquartered at Malappuram. MSP is also the oldest armed police battalion in the state. The British had established Haig Barracks on the top of Malappuram city, at the bank of the Kadalundi River, to station their forces.
thumbnail|Kodakkal Tile Factory was run by the Commonwealth Trust at Kodakkal, [[Tirunavaya. The Tile Factory at Kodakkal, started in 1887, is the second tile-manufacturing industry in India. The first tile factory was at Feroke, which was then part of Eranad Taluk]]
The Malabar district political conference of Indian National Congress held at Manjeri on 28 April 1920 strengthened Indian independence movement and national movement in British Malabar. That conference declared that the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms were not able to satisfy the needs of British India. It also argued for land reform to seek solutions for the problems caused by the tenancy that existed in Malabar. However, the decision widened the drift between extremists and moderates within the Congress. The conference resulted in the dissatisfaction of landlords with the Indian National Congress. It caused the leadership of the Malabar district Congress Committee to come under the control of the extremists who stood for labourers and the middle class.
left|300px|thumbnail|[[Ponnani harbour in the mid-1930s]]
thumbnail|The Graves of British soldiers who had laid down their lives in the 1921 Rebellion at [[Tirurangadi Taluk Office]]
Malabar Rebellion was the last and important among the revolts. The Battle of Pookkottur adorns an important role in the rebellion. After the army, police, and British authorities fled, declaration of independence took place over 200 villages in Eranad, Valluvanad, Ponnani, and Kozhikode taluks by 28 August 1921. However less than six months after the declaration of autonomy, the East India Company reclaimed the territory and annexed it to the British Raj. The Wagon tragedy took place following the Malabar rebellion, where 64 prisoners died on 20 November 1921.
left|thumbnail|[[Calicut International Airport at Karipur, Kondotty]]
The erstwhile Madras presidency became Madras State following the independence of India in 1947. Malappuram revenue division was one of the five revenue divisions in the erstwhile Malabar District with the jurisdiction of Eranad (Manjeri) and Valluvanad (Perinthalmanna) Taluks. The other four revenue divisions in the Malabar district were Thalassery, Kozhikode, Palakkad, and Fort Cochin. On 1 November 1956, the state of Kerala was formed on linguistic basis. The district of Malappuram was formed with four subdistricts (Eranad, Perinthalmanna, Tirur, and Ponnani), four towns, fourteen developmental blocks, and 95 Gram panchayats at the time. Later, Tirur Taluk was bifurcated to form Tirurangadi Taluk, and Eranad Taluk was trifurcated to form two more Taluks namely Nilambur and Kondotty. The University of Calicut, which is also the second-oldest existing university in Kerala, and the Calicut International Airport, which is also the second-oldest existing airport in the state, started functioning at Tenhipalam and Karipur, in the years 1968 and 1988, respectively. In the 1970s, the oil reserves in the Persian Gulf countries were opened to commercial extraction and thousands of unskilled workers migrated to the gulf. They sent money home, supporting the rural economy, and by the late 20th century, the region attained First World health standards and near-universal literacy.
Historically, the Malappuram district has been a center for the preservation of the Ashtavaidya tradition, a group of eight Nambudiri Brahmin families traditionally recognized as masters of the eight branches of Ayurveda. Among these, the Pulamanthole Mooss family (associated with the Pulamanthole region near Perinthalmanna) has maintained an unbroken lineage of hereditary medical practice and Sanskrit scholarship for centuries.
The historical significance of the Pulamanthole lineage is noted in the cultural history of Kerala through its association with the Carnatic musician Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar. In 1952, after losing his voice during a performance, Chembai underwent a period of traditional Ayurvedic treatment under the Pulamanthole Mooss family. His subsequent recovery and return to the stage are well-documented in regional biographies.
The legacy of this lineage is further integrated into the regional religious history through the Sree Rudhra Dhanwanthari Temple at Pulamanthole. This historic temple, situated on the banks of the Thutapuzha river, is unique for its dual dedication to Rudra and Dhanvantari, serving as a focal point for the intersection of spiritual tradition and the Ayurvedic healing arts in the Malabar region.
Geography
left|thumb|alt=A village |Hilly area of [[Karuvarakundu]]
thumb|alt=A beach|[[Puthuponnani Munambam beach]]
Bounded by Kozhikode district to the northwest, Wayanad district to the northeast, Nilgiri hills to the east, Palakkad district to the southeast, Thrissur district to the southwest, and Arabian Sea to the west, Malappuram has a total geographical area of 3,554 km<sup>2</sup>, which ranks third in the state in terms of area. The district possesses 9.15% of the total area of the state. The district is located at 75°E – 77°E longitude and 10°N – 12°N latitude on the geographical map. Similar to other parts of Kerala, Malappuram also has a coastal area (lowland) bounded by Arabian Sea on the west, a midland at the centre, and a hilly area (highland), bounded by Western Ghats on the east. Unlike other districts of Kerala, hilly areas are widely seen in the midland area too. The 2,554 m high Mukurthi peak, which is situated in the border of Nilambur Taluk and Ooty Taluk, and is also the fifth-highest peak in South India as well as the third-highest in Kerala after Anamudi (2,696 m) and Meesapulimala (2,651 m), is the highest point of elevation in Malappuram district. It is also the highest peak in Kerala outside the Idukki district. The 2,383 high Anginda peak, which is located closer to Malappuram-Palakkad-Nilgiris district border is the second-highest peak. Vavul Mala, a 2,339 m high peak situated on the trijunction of Nilambur Taluk of Malappuram, Wayanad, and Thamarassery Taluk of Kozhikode districts, is the third-highest point of elevation in the district.
Border Taluks
Malappuram district shares its border with the following 12 Taluks of 5 districts.
- Wayanad district: Vythiri Taluk.
- Kozhikode district: Kozhikode and Thamarassery Taluks.
- Nilgiris district: Pandalur, Gudalur, Ooty, and Kundah Taluks.
- Palakkad district: Pattambi, Ottapalam, and Mannarkkad Taluks.
- Thrissur district: Chavakkad and Kunnamkulam Taluks.
Topography
On the basis of topography, geology, soils, climate, and natural vegetation, the district is divided into 5 sub-micro regions:
- Malappuram coast
- Malappuram undulating plain
- Chaliyar river basin
- Nilambur forested hills
- Perinthalmanna undulating uplands.
left|thumb|[[Chaliyar river basin at Areekode]]
thumb|Map of Malappuram District
The Malappuram coast lies all along the coastal tract of Malappuram from Vallikkunnu at the north to Perumpadappu at the south. It makes its boundaries with the Kozhikode coast to the north, Malappuram undulating plain to the east, the Thrissur coast to the south, and the Lakshadweep Sea to the west. The region is drained by the major rivers like Chaliyar, Kadalundi, Bharathappuzha, Tirurpuzha, etc. canals and backwaters. The region is coconut-fringed. The coastal plain slopes towards the west very gently. The major towns including Ponnani, Edappal, Tirur, Valanchery, Kuttippuram, Tanur, Tirurangadi, and Parappanangadi lies in this region. The maximum height of this region is located at Kalpakanchery village (104 m) in Tirur Taluk. The coastal belt of Malappuram lies in three municipal towns, namely Tanur, Ponnani, and Parappanangadi, and eight Gram panchayats namely Vallikkunnu, Tanalur, Niramaruthur, Vettom, Mangalam, Purathur, Veliyankode, and Perumbadappu. Ponnani, Tanur, Parappanangadi, and Padinjarekkara Beach, all of which lie in the western part of the district, are the major fishing centres. The sea coast of the district is filled with marine wealth. During the months of February/April, thousands of migratory birds arrive here. Located close to Ponnani is Biyyam Kayal, a placid, green-fringed waterway with a water sports facility. The Conolly Canal meets with Arabian Sea at Puthuponnani. The coastal town of Tanur was the capital of the Kingdom of Vettathunad in the early medieval period, and is known for Keraladeshpuram Temple. Parappanangadi was the seat of the ruling families of Parappanad kingdom in the early medieval period.
Rivers
thumbnail|[[Bharathappuzha at Triprangode]]
thumb|[[Kadalundi River at Malappuram]]
Major rivers flowing through the district are Chaliyar, Kadalundi River, Bharathappuzha, and Tirur River. Chaliyar has a total length of about 168 km. and a drainage area of . It passes through Nilambur, Mampad, Edavanna, Areekode, and Vazhakkad in district and then flows through Kozhikode-Malappuram district border and empties itself into the Arabian Sea at Chaliyam. Several larger and smaller tributaries of Chaliyar are there in the valley of Nilambur Taluk. Several larger and smaller tributaries and streams of the major rivers described above also flows through the district.
Four estuaries are there – Padinjarekara Azhimukham at Purathur where the rivers Bharathappuzha and Tirur River merge to join Arabian Sea, Puthuponnani promontary where Conolly Canal flows into the sea, Purappuzha Azhimukham at Tanur, and Kadalundi Nagaram Azhimukham at Vallikkunnu in the northwestern border of the district.
Climate
left|thumbnail|[[Monsoon clouds at Pandallur hills near Manjeri]]
thumbnail|Ottumpuram beach, [[Tanur, Malappuram|Tanur]]
The temperature of the district is almost steady throughout the year. It has a tropical climate. It gets significant rainfall in most of the months, with a short dry season. According to Köppen and Geiger, this climate is classified as Am. The average annual temperature in Malappuram is 27.3 °C. In a year, the average rainfall is . Summer usually runs from March until May; the monsoon begins in June and ends in September. Malappuram receives both southwest and northeast monsoons. Winter is from December to February.
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Flora and fauna
The district contains a diverse wildlife and a number of small hills, forests, rivers, and streams flowing to the west, backwaters and paddy, areca nut, cashew nut, pepper, ginger, pulses, coconut, banana, tapioca, tea, and rubber plantations. Conolly's plot, the world's oldest teak plantation, is located at Nilambur. Nilambur is also known for Teak Museum. Bamboo trees are widely seen near to the Nilambur Teak Plantations. A bioresource natural park is associated with the Teak Museum. In the old administrative records of the Madras Presidency, it is recorded that the most remarkable plantation owned by Government in the erstwhile Madras Presidency was the Teak plantation at Nilambur planted in 1844.
Out of the 3,554 km<sup>2</sup> area of district, (29%) constitutes forest area. It may be denser or less dense. The northeastern part of district has a vast forest area of . In this, is reserved forests and the rest is vested forests. Of these, 80% is deciduous whereas the rest is evergreen. The forest area is mainly concentrated in Nilambur subdistrict, which shares its boundary with the hilly district of Wayanad, Western Ghats, and the hilly areas (Nilgiris) of Tamil Nadu. Trees like teak, rosewood, and mahogany are seen in Nilambur forest area. Bamboo hills are widely seen in the forest. Karimpuzha wildlife sanctuary in the district is the largest wildlife sanctuary in the state. The New Amarambalam Reserved Forest, which is a part of the Karimpuzha Wildlife Sanctuary, has a variety of fauna. A variety of animals including elephants, deer, tigers, monkeys, bears, boars, rabbits, birds, and reptiles are found in forests. Forest products like honey, medicinal herbs, and spices are also collected from here. Nedumkayam Rainforest also exists in the Nilambur valley. Forests are protected by two divisions- Nilambur north and Nilambur south. The Kerala Forest Research Institute has a subcentre at Nilambur. Important types of fish found in the coastal and inland areas of the district include Prawn, Oil Sardine, Silver belly, Shark, Catfish, Mackerel, Skate, Chemba, Soll fish, Seer fish, and Ribbonfish. Tirur Vettila, a type of Betel found in Tirur, has also obtained GI tag. About 50 Acre of Mangroves forest is found in Vallikkunnu, located in coastal area of the district. Mangroves are widely seen in the other coastal regions too. Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary lies in Vallikkunnu Grama Panchayat of the district. Kadalundi-Vallikkunnu community reserve is the first community reserve in Kerala. It has now been declared as an eco-tourism centre. A bird sanctuary at Padinjarekkara estuary in Purathur was proposed in 2010. Tirunavaya is known for its lotus fields.
Administration
left|thumb|[[Malappuram, the administrative headquarters of the district]]
Revenue administration
The headquarters of the district administration, the Collectorate is located at Uphill, Malappuram. The district administration is headed by the District collector. He is assisted by five deputy collectors with responsibility for general matters, land acquisition, revenue recovery, land reforms, and elections. Additional District Magistrate in the rank of Deputy Collector (General) provides support to District Collector in all the administrative activities.
Malappuram revenue district has two divisions- Tirur and Perinthalmanna. The district is further divided into 138 villages which together form 7 subdistricts (taluks).
Revenue divisions
There are two revenue divisions in the district: Perinthalmanna and Tirur. The subdistricts of Ponnani, Tirur, Tirurangadi, and Kondotty are included in the Tirur revenue division whereas the remaining Nilambur, Eranad and Perinthalmanna combine to form the Perinthalmanna revenue division. The revenue divisional office is headed by a Revenue Divisional Officer / Sub Collector (RDO), who is also the sub-divisional magistrate of the revenue division. The revenue divisional offices are at Tirur and Perinthalmanna respectively.
Taluks
A taluk (sub-district) is an administrative division within a district. There are 7 taluks in Malappuram district, and each taluk is headed by a Tahsildar, who is responsible for land revenue administration and executive magisterial functions.
Nilambur is the largest subdistrict (Taluk) in Kerala.Ponnani, Tirur, and Tirurangadi subdistricts lie in the coastal region. Perinthalmanna, Eranad, and Kondotty lie in midland whereas the Nilambur subdistrict lies on the high range. Besides the Civil Station at Malappuram to coordinate the district-level administration, there are Mini-Civil Stations at Manjeri, Nilambur, Perinthalmanna, Tirurangadi, Tanur, Tirur, Kuttippuram, and Ponnani to coordinate the Taluk-level administrative activities.
thumb|left|Taluks in Malappuram
{| align="left" class="toccolours" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" style="margin-right: .5em; margin-top: .4em; font-size: 90%"
|-
|- bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top"
!Subdistrict<br/>(Taluk)
!Area<br/>(in km<sup>2</sup>)
!Total population<br/>(2011)
!Villages
!Urbanisation<br/>(2011)
|-
| Ponnani || 200 || 379,798 || 11 || 57.36%
|-
| Tirur || 448 || 928,672 || 30 || 48.73%
|-
| Tirurangadi || 290* || 631,906 || 17 || 90.40%
|-
| Kondotty || 258* || 410,577 || 12 || 43.10%
|-
| Eranad || 491* || 581,512 || 23 || 37.93%
|-
| Perinthalmanna || 506 || 606,396 || 24 || 21.73%
|-
| Nilambur || 1,343 || 574,059 || 21 || 8.08%
|-
| style="font-size: 80%" colspan=5 bgcolor="#cceeff" align="center"| Sources: 2011 Census of India, Official website of Malappuram district
|}
Revenue villages
Revenue villages are the subdivision of the taluks, and is the lowest institution of revenue administration of the district. Each taluk consists several villages in its jurisdiction. There are 138 revenue villages in the Malappuram district. The revenue villages are further divided into desoms for land revenue matters.
- List of villages in Malappuram district
- List of desoms in Malappuram district
District Planning Committee
The District Planning Committee of Malappuram consists of two members from municipalities, 10 members from the District Panchayat, and one Panchayat-nominated member besides a chairman and a Secretary. The chairman post is reserved for a District Panchayat ex-officio and the secretary post for a District Collector ex-officio.
Judiciary
thumbnail|A court complex at [[Perinthalmanna.]]
The judicial headquarters of the district is at Manjeri. 24 courts function under Manjeri judicial district including Manjeri, Malappuram, Tirur, Perinthalmanna, Parappanangadi, Ponnani, and Nilambur.
After the establishment of Malappuram District on June 16, 1969, a District Court commenced operations in Kozhikode on May 25, 1970. Subsequently, on February 1, 1974, the court was relocated to the Manjeri Court Complex.
Within the Manjeri Judicial District, there are currently 24 functioning courts distributed across various locations in the district, including Manjeri, Malappuram, Tirur, Perinthalmanna, Parappanagadi, Ponnani, Tirur, and Nilambur. The judicial headquarters of Malappuram is situated in Manjeri.
The district has three Additional District and Sessions Courts, two Family Courts (one in Malappuram and the other in Tirur), as well as two Motor Accidents Claims Tribunals (one in Manjeri and the other in Tirur). Furthermore, there are two Sub Courts—one in Manjeri and the other in Tirur. The district also accommodates two Munsiff Magistrate Courts, with one in Ponnani and the other in Perinthalmanna. Lastly, there are nine Judicial First Class Magistrate Courts functioning in Malappuram District.
Police
The Malappuram District Police, a police district of Kerala Police, is entrusted with law enforcement and investigations within the district. The District Police Office is situated in Malappuram, and headed by a District Police Chief (DPC) with the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP). There are six police sub-divisions and 36 police stations in the Malappuram district. The headquarters of these police sub-divisions are located in the following areas: Malappuram, Kondotty, Perinthalmanna, Tirur, Tanur, and Nilambur. Each police sub-division is headed by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), and each police station is overseen by a Station House Officer (SHO) with the rank of Inspector of Police.
Malappuram Police District, along with Palakkad, Thrissur City, and Thrissur rural police districts, comes under the jurisdiction of Thrissur Range Police. The District Police Office, District Special Branch, District Crime Records Bureau, District 'C' Branch, Narcotic Cell, District Police Control Room, Cyber Cell, Women Cell, and Telecommunication Unit are at Malappuram. The coastal police station is at Ponnani whereas the District Armed Reserve Camp is situated at Padinhattummuri. The Traffic Enforcement Units of Malappuram police are centered at Malappuram, Manjeri, Kondotty, Perinthalmanna, and Tirur.
The headquarters of Malabar Special Police (formed in 1884), an armed police battalion under Kerala Police, is at Malappuram. It is also the oldest armed police battalion in the state.
Local governments
Local self-government institutions are divided into two categories: Urban Local Bodies and Panchayats (Rural local bodies).
Urban Local Bodies
The district has 12 municipalities established to administer urban areas (statutory towns). Each municipality has its own elected council and is responsible for local governance, urban planning, and providing essential services within its respective jurisdiction. A chairperson and vice chairperson, elected by the councilors, heads each municipality. These municipalities are divided into 505 wards, from each of which a councilor is elected for a term of five years.
{| align="left" class="toccolours" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" style="margin-right: .5em; margin-top: .4em; font-size: 90%"
|-
|- bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top"
!
! Municipality
! Wards
! Population<br />(2011)
! Chairperson
! Political <br />Party
! Pre-poll<br/>Alliance
|-
| 1|| Manjeri || 53 || 97,102 || Abdul Majeed V || style="background-color:;" |<span style="color:white;">IUML</span> ||
|-
| 2|| Ponnani || 53 || 90,491 || C.V. Sudha|| style="background-color:;" |<span style="color:white;">CPI(M)</span> ||
|-
| 3|| Parappanangadi || 46 || 71,239 || Subaida Teacher || style="background-color:;" |<span style="color:white;">IUML</span> ||
|-
| 4|| Tanur || 45 || 69,534 || Nasla Basheer || style="background-color:;" |<span style="color:white;">IUML</span> ||
|-
| 5|| Malappuram || 45 || 68,088 || V. Rinisha || style="background-color:;" |<span style="color:white;">IUML</span> ||
|-
| 6|| Kondotty || 41 || 59,256 || U.K. Mammathissa || style="background-color:;" |<span style="color:white;">IUML</span> ||
|-
| 7|| Tirurangadi || 40 || 56,632 || Habeeba Basheer || style="background-color:;" |<span style="color:white;">IUML</span> ||
|-
| 8|| Tirur || 40 || 56,058 || Ibrahim Haji Keezhedath || style="background-color:;" |<span style="color:white;">IUML</span> ||
|-
| 9|| Perinthalmanna || 37 || 49,723 || Surayya Farooque || style="background-color:;" |<span style="color:white;">IUML</span> ||
|-
| 10|| Kottakkal || 35 || 48,342 || K.K. Nasar || style="background-color:;" |<span style="color:white;">IUML</span> ||
|-
| 11|| Nilambur || 36 || 46,342 || Padmini Gopinath || style="background-color:;" |<span style="color:white;">INC</span> ||
|-
| 12|| Valanchery || 34 || 44,437 || Haseena Vattoli || style="background-color:;" |<span style="color:white;">IUML</span> ||
|}
Rural governance
Malappuram District Panchayat serves as the apex body for rural governance in the Malappuram district. The District Panchayat has 33 divisions, with members elected from each division. The jurisdiction of the District Panchayat covers all Gram Panchayats within the district, excluding municipal areas. The District Panchayat is headed by a President and a Vice President, elected by the members, and has five standing committees for development, health and education, public works, welfare, and finance.
For block level governance,
There are 15 Block panchayats in the district. These Block Panchayats are further divided into 250 wards, each represented by an elected member. Each Block Panchayat is headed by a President and a Vice President, elected by the members. In the 2025 local elections, the UDF won 14 of the 15 Block Panchayats, while the LDF won one, the Ponnani Block Panchayat.
The rural district is divided into 94 Gram Panchayats which are included in 15 blocks namely Areekode, Kalikavu, Kondotty, Kuttippuram, Malappuram, Mankada, Nilambur, Perinthalmanna, Perumpadappu, Ponnani, Tanur, Tirur, Tirurangadi, Vengara, and Wandoor. These blocks combine to form the Malappuram District Panchayat, which is the apex district body of rural governance. Out of the 33 divisions of the District Panchayat, the UDF won all 33 seats in the 2025 elections, while the LDF won none, leaving no opposition. Malappuram District Panchayat is the largest district Panchayat as well as the largest local body in the state. The 94 Gram Panchayats are again divided into 2001 wards. Census towns (small towns with urban features) also come under the jurisdiction of Gram Panchayats. Though the draft notifications for the formation of new Gram Panchayats namely Anamangad, Ananthavoor, Arakkuparamba, Ariyallur, Chembrassery, Elankur, Karipur, Kootayi, Kurumbalangode, Marutha, Pang, Vaniyambalam, and Velimukku were published in 2015, they are yet to be formed. With their formation, the number of Gram Panchayats in the district will become 106.
{| align="left" class="toccolours" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" style="margin-right: .5em; margin-top: .4em; font-size: 90%"
|-
|- bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top"
! colspan="5" |Gram Panchayats in Malappuram District
center|250px
|- style="background:#efefef;"
! Gram Panchayat
| style="background: silver" |Area<br/>(in km<sup>2</sup>)
| style="background: silver" |Population<br/>(2011)
| style="background: silver" |Wards
| style="background: silver" |Taluk
|-
| colspan=5 style="text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white;" | Areekode Block
|-
| Areekode || 12.21 || 31,563 || 20 || Eranad
|-
| Cheekkode || 23.96 || 32,867 || 21 || Kondotty
|-
| Edavanna || 52.10 || 46,128 || 24 || Eranad
|-
| Kavanoor || 31.30 || 37,977 || 23 || Eranad
|-
| Kizhuparamba || 14.99 || 22,062 || 16 || Eranad
|-
| Kuzhimanna || 22.05 || 34,413 || 21 || Kondotty
|-
| Pulpatta || 30.12 || 42,683 || 24 || Eranad
|-
| Urangattiri || 76.09 || 40,318 || 24 || Eranad
|-
| colspan=5 style="text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white;" | Kalikavu Block
|-
| Amarambalam || 84.64 || 35,975 || 22 || Nilambur
|-
| Chokkad || 76.08 || 32,224 || 20 || Nilambur
|-
| Edappatta || 25.77 || 22,729 || 17 || Perinthalmanna
|-
| Kalikavu || 92.00 || 35,210 || 22 || Nilambur
|-
| Karulai || 131.31 || 23,277 || 17 || Nilambur
|-
| Karuvarakundu || 78.69 || 41,583 || 24 || Nilambur
|-
| Tuvvur || 31.38 || 40,297 || 19 || Nilambur
|-
| colspan=5 style="text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white;" | Kondotty Block
|-
| Chelembra || 15.91 || 34,149 || 21 || Kondotty
|-
| Cherukavu || 16.87 || 36,773 || 22 || Kondotty
|-
| Muthuvallur || 21.49 || 26,028 || 18 || Kondotty
|-
| Pallikkal || 25.96 || 46,962 || 24 || Kondotty
|-
| Pulikkal || 28.70 || 40,133 || 24 || Kondotty
|-
| Vazhayur || 21.19 || 30,262 || 20 || Kondotty
|-
| Vazhakkad || 23.89 || 35,774 || 22 || Kondotty
|-
| colspan=5 style="text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white;" | Kuttippuram Block
|-
| Athavanad || 26.77 || 41,187 || 24 || Tirur
|-
| Edayur || 30.43 || 36,498 || 22 || Tirur
|-
| Irimbiliyam || 24.06 || 30,635 || 20 || Tirur
|-
| Kalpakanchery || 16.25 || 33,721 || 21 || Tirur
|-
| Kuttippuram || 31.32 || 47,023 || 24 || Tirur
|-
| Marakkara || 27.00 || 40,404 || 24 || Tirur
|-
| colspan=5 style="text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white;" | Malappuram Block
|-
| Anakkayam || 45.23 || 50,634 || 24 || Eranad
|-
| Kodur || 18.42 || 38,258 || 23 || Perinthalmanna
|-
| Morayur || 24.57 || 25,261 || 21 || Kondotty
|-
| Othukkungal || 17.28 || 39,139 || 23 || Tirurangadi
|-
| Ponmala || 21.65 || 33,922 || 21 || Tirur
|-
| Pookkottur || 20.63 || 28,077 || 23 || Eranad
|-
| colspan=5 style="text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white;" | Mankada Block
|-
| Koottilangadi || 21.54 || 36,602 || 22 || Perinthalmanna
|-
| Kuruva || 35.77 || 45,354 || 24 || Perinthalmanna
|-
| Makkaraparamba || 11.17 || 18,702 || 15 || Perinthalmanna
|-
| Mankada || 31.00 || 32,748 || 21 || Perinthalmanna
|-
| Moorkanad || 17.60 || 36,324 || 22 || Perinthalmanna
|-
| Puzhakkattiri || 22.72 || 29,886 || 19 || Perinthalmanna
|-
| colspan=5 style="text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white;" | Nilambur Block
|-
| Chaliyar || 125.00 || 20,834 || 16 || Nilambur
|-
| Chungathara || 129.69 || 36,269 || 22 || Nilambur
|-
| Edakkara || 58.09 || 28,162 || 19 || Nilambur
|-
| Moothedam || 48.00 || 33,960 || 18 || Nilambur
|-
| Pothukal || 77.00 || 29,561 || 19 || Nilambur
|-
| Vazhikkadavu || 114.00 || 47,322 || 24 || Nilambur
|-
| colspan=5 style="text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white;" | Perinthalmanna Block
|-
| Aliparamba || 34.37 || 41,725 || 24 || Perinthalmanna
|-
| Angadipuram || 38.50 || 56,451 || 24 || Perinthalmanna
|-
| Elamkulam || 21.31 || 26,456 || 18 || Perinthalmanna
|-
| Keezhattur || 40.00 || 36,317 || 22 || Perinthalmanna
|-
| Melattur || 27.24 || 27,250 || 18 || Perinthalmanna
|-
| Pulamantol || 32.15 || 37,785 || 23 || Perinthalmanna
|-
| Thazhekode || 45.02 || 41,982 || 24 || Perinthalmanna
|-
| Vettathur || 35.84 || 37,456 || 19 || Perinthalmanna
|-
| colspan=5 style="text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white;" | Perumpadappu Block
|-
| Alamkode || 20.50 || 33,918 || 21 || Ponnani
|-
| Maranchery || 20.47 || 35,011 || 22 || Ponnani
|-
| Nannamukku || 19.35 || 28,989 || 19 || Ponnani
|-
| Perumpadappu || 15.02 || 29,766 || 19 || Ponnani
|-
| Veliyankode || 15.15 || 32,554 || 21 || Ponnani
|-
| colspan=5 style="text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white;" | Ponnani Block
|-
| Edappal || 23.70 || 32,550 || 21 || Ponnani
|-
| Kalady || 16.48 || 25,872 || 18 || Ponnani
|-
| Thavanur || 25.28 || 34,500 || 21 || Ponnani
|-
| Vattamkulam || 20.73 || 36,147 || 22 || Ponnani
|-
| colspan=5 style="text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white;" | Tanur Block
|-
| Cheriyamundam || 11.95 || 31,212 || 20 || Tirur
|-
| Niramaruthur || 9.20 || 29,846 || 19 || Tirur
|-
| Ozhur || 15.92 || 34,016 || 21 || Tirur
|-
| Perumanna-Klari || 11.48 || 27,278 || 18 || Tirur
|-
| Ponmundam || 9.16 || 25,855 || 18 || Tirur
|-
| Tanalur || 15.12 || 47,976 || 24 || Tirur
|-
| Valavannur || 15.28 || 33,159 || 21 || Tirur
|-
| colspan=5 style="text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white;" | Tirur Block
|-
| Mangalam || 12.17 || 33,442 || 21 || Tirur
|-
| Purathur || 19.50 || 31,915 || 20 || Tirur
|-
| Thalakkad || 16.30 || 35,820 || 22 || Tirur
|-
| Tirunavaya || 19.59 || 45,848 || 24 || Tirur
|-
| Triprangode || 20.67 || 41,167 || 24 || Tirur
|-
| Vettom || 13.46 || 28,104 || 22 || Tirur
|-
| colspan=5 style="text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white;" | Tirurangadi Block
|-
| Moonniyur || 22.66 || 55,535 || 24 || Tirurangadi
|-
| Nannambra || 18.35 || 40,543 || 24 || Tirurangadi
|-
| Peruvallur || 21.19 || 34,941 || 21 || Tirurangadi
|-
| Tenhipalam || 17.98 || 32,045 || 20 || Tirurangadi
|-
| Vallikkunnu || 25.14 || 48,006 || 24 || Tirurangadi
|-
| colspan=5 style="text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white;" | Vengara Block
|-
| Abdu Rahiman Nagar || 14.83 || 41,993 || 24 || Tirurangadi
|-
| Edarikode || 15.65 || 27,356 || 18 || Tirurangadi
|-
| Kannamangalam || 28.24 || 41,260 || 24 || Tirurangadi
|-
| Oorakam || 21.65 || 29,157 || 19 || Tirurangadi
|-
| Parappur || 18.50 || 36,270 || 22 || Tirurangadi
|-
| Thennala || 10.00 || 29,190 || 19 || Tirurangadi
|-
| Vengara || 18.66 || 48,600 || 24 || Tirurangadi
|-
| colspan=5 style="text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white;" | Wandoor Block
|-
| Mampad || 84.67 || 37,221 || 22 || Nilambur
|-
| Pandikkad || 57.01 || 55,213 || 24 || Eranad
|-
| Porur || 35.60 || 37,636 || 19 || Nilambur
|-
| Thiruvali || 33.83 || 27,734 || 19 || Nilambur
|-
| Trikkalangode || 59.99 || 52,090 || 24 || Eranad
|-
| Wandoor || 45.45 || 49,013 || 24 || Nilambur
|-
| style="font-size: 80%" colspan=6 bgcolor="#cceeff" align="center"| Sources: 2011 Census of India,
|}
Politics
State legislature
For the representation of Malappuram in Kerala Legislative Assembly, there are 16 legislative assembly constituencies in district. These are included in 3 Lok Sabha constituencies. Malappuram has the highest number of assembly constituencies in state. Of these, Eranad, Nilambur and Wandoor assembly constituencies together form a part of Wayanad (Lok Sabha constituency), whereas Tirurangadi, Tanur, Tirur, Kottakkal, Thavanur and Ponnani are included in Ponnani (Lok Sabha constituency). The remaining seven assembly constituencies together form Malappuram (Lok Sabha constituency).
16 out of the 140 members for the Kerala Legislative Assembly are elected from the district. In the 2026 elections, UDF won all 16 seats in the district.
|}
Parliament constituencies
Malappuram district has two Lok Sabha constituencies: Malappuram and Ponnani. The district also has a small part of Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency.
P. V. Abdul Wahab, a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha representing Kerala and belonging to the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), is also from Nilambur in Malappuram district.
{| class="toccolours" align="left" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" style="margin-right: .5em; margin-top: .4em; font-size: 90%"
|- valign="top" bgcolor="#cccccc"
!Parliamentary <br />Constituency
!Political <br />Party
!Pre-poll <br />Alliance
!Elected <br /> Representative
|-
| Wayanad (minor portion)
| style="background-color:;" |<span style="color:white;">INC</span>
|
| Priyanka Gandhi
|-
| Malappuram
| style="background-color:;" |<span style="color:white;">IUML</span>
|
| E. T. Mohammed Basheer
|-
| Ponnani (major portion)
| style="background-color:;" |<span style="color:white;">IUML</span>
|
| M. P. Abdussamad Samadani
|}
Economy
The Gross District Value Added (GDVA) of the district in the fiscal year 2018–19 is estimated as ₹ 698.37 billion, and the growth in GDVA, compared to that in the previous year was 11.30%. The district ranks third in GDVA among the districts of Kerala, after Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram, as of 2018–19. The Net District Value Added (NDVA) of the district in the year 2018–19 was ₹ 631.90 billion and the annual growth rate was 11.59%. The Per capita GDVA is calculated as ₹ 154,463 in the fiscal year. The growth rate of GDVA was 18.12% in 2017–18, 9.49% in 2016–17, 7.86% in 2015–16, 8.83% in 2014–15, 14.08% in 2013–14, and 9.70% in 2012–13. It shows a zigzag trend. Most of them work in the Middle East. They are major contributors to the district economy. The headquarters of KGB is situated at Malappuram.
250px|thumb|[[Kerala Grameena Bank|KGB is the largest regional rural banking network in Kerala]]
Economic minerals
Laterite stone is widely seen in midland area of the district. The Angadipuram Laterite has gained recognition as a National Geo-heritage Monument. Archean Gneiss is the most seen geological formation of the district. Quartz magnetite, which is seen in Porur is one among the minerals found in the district having economical importance. Quartz gneisses are seen in the regions of Nilambur, Edavanna, and Pandikkad. Garneliforus Quartz is seen in the areas of Manjeri and Kondotty. Charnockite rocks are found in Nilambur and Edavanna. Dykes consisting of plagioclase, feldspar, and pyroxene in typical laterite texture are there at Manjeri. Deposits of good quality iron ore have reported from Eranad region. The deposits of lime shells have found from the coastal areas of Ponnani and Kadalundinagaram. The coastal sands of Ponnani and Veliyankode contain a high amount of heavy minerals, ilmenite and monazite. Kaolinite have been found from the Taluks of Ponnani and Perinthalmanna. The deposits of Ball clay have found from Thekkummuri village. Parts of Nilambur subdistrict are included in the hidden goldfields of Wayanad. The Nilambur Taluk, along with the adjoining regions of Wayanad and Attappadi Valley are known for natural Gold fields. Explorations done at the valley of the river Chaliyar in Nilambur has shown reserves of the order of 2.5 million cubic meters of placers with 0.1 gram per cubic meter of gold. Karuvarakundu, which means Place of the Blacksmith, derives its name from iron-ore cutting and blacksmithy.
Industries
thumbnail|[[Manjeri, a constituent town of the Malappuram metropolitan area]]
Kodakkal Tile Factory at Tirunavaya, established in 1887, was the second tile factory in India. The first tile factory in India was at Feroke, which was then part of Eranad Taluk. According to the census conducted in 2011, there are 10,629 industrial units registered under SSI/MMSE, and 396 units among these are promoted by Scheduled castes, 83 by Scheduled tribes, and the remaining units by general category. About 1,000 people are aided annually under a self-employment program. There are KINFRA food-processing and IT industrial estates in Kakkancherry near Tenhipalam, INKEL SME Park at Malappuram for Small and Medium Industries and a rubber plant and industrial estate at Payyanad in Manjeri. INKEL Greens, spread over 168 acres at Malappuram, contains an industrial zone, 'SME Park', and an educational zone, 'Educity'.
MALCOSPIN (Malappuram Spinning Mills Limited) is one of the oldest industrial establishments in the district under the state government. Wood-related industries are common in Kottakkal, Edavanna, Vaniyambalam, Karulai, Nilambur and Mampad. Sawmills, furniture manufacturers and timber trade were the most important businesses in the district until the last decades. Tirur is a major regional trading centre for electronics, mobile phones and other gadgets. Employees' State Insurance has its branch office at Malappuram. KELTRON tool room at Kuttippuram, Edarikode Textiles at Edarikode, KSRTC body workshop at Edappal, MALCOTEX (Malabar Co-operative Textiles Limited) at Athavanad, and KELTEX (Kerala Hi-Tech Textile Cooperative Limited) at Athavanad, are other major industrial centres under public sector. The Kerala State Detergents and Chemicals Ltd. and the Kerala State Wood Industries Ltd. have their headquarters at Kuttippuram and Nilambur respectively. Popees baby care, one of the largest baby clothes manufacturer brands in the world, is primarily based at Malappuram.
Agriculture
thumb|[[Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology|KCAET at Thavanur established in 1963, the only agricultural engineering institute in the state]]
left|thumb|[[Agricultural Research Station, Anakkayam]]
thumbnail|A field at [[Edappal]]
Coconut, palms and paddy are mainly found in the Malappuram coast. Cashew, coconut, and tapioca are seen in the undulating plain. Rubber, cashew, pepper, and coconut are the important vegetation found in the Chaliyar river basin. Nilambur valley contain the cultivation of a wide variety of species. Teak is mostly seen in the region. Perinthalmanna undulating uplands contain the cultivation of species coconut, palm trees, pepper, rubber, and cashew. This region is drained by the Kadalundi River. Besides casual crops, species like mango, jackfruit, banana, etc. are also cultivated. An agricultural research station functions at Anakkayam. The Seed Garden Complex at Munderi, is said to be one of the biggest farms in Asia. State seed farms are there at Chokkad, Thavanur, and Anakkayam. A district agricultural farm functions at Chungathara and a coconut nursery functions at Parappanangadi. The KCAET at Thavanur is the only agricultural engineering institute in the state.
Transportation
Roads
thumbnail|[[Wandoor town in 2017]]
thumbnail|Muriyankanni bridge at [[Karinkallathani, Perinthalmanna]]
left|thumbnail|A boat service through River [[Chaliyar at Elamaram]]
thumb|The [[Kuttippuram bridge built in 1953]]
Malappuram is well connected by roads. There are four KSRTC stations in district. 2 National highways pass through district- NH 66 and NH 966. NH 66 reaches the district through Ramanattukara and connects the cities/towns including Tirurangadi, Kakkad, Kottakkal, Valanchery, Kuttippuram, and Ponnani and goes out from district through Chavakkad. Major cities/towns those are connected through NH 966 include Kondotty (Karipur Airport), Malappuram, and Perinthalmanna. The State Highways in the district are SH 23 (Shornur-Perinthalmanna), SH 28 (Malappuram-Vazhikadavu), SH 34 (Quilandy-Edavanna), SH 39 (Perumbilavu-Nilambur), SH 53 (Mundur-Perinthalmanna), Hill Highway, SH 60 (Angadipuram-Cherukara), SH 62 (Guruvayur-Ponnani), SH 65 (Parappanangadi-Areekode), SH 69 (Thrissur-Kuttipuram), SH 70 (Karuvarakundu – Melattur), SH 71 (Tirur-Manjeri), SH 72 (Malappuram – Tirurangadi), and SH 73 (Valanchery-Nilambur). The length of road maintained by Kerala PWD in district is 2,680 km. Out of this, 2,305 km constitute district roads. The remaining 375 km consists of State Highways. The Nadukani Churam Ghat Road connects Malappuram with Nilgiris.
The Nadukani-Parappanangadi Road connects the coastal area of Malappuram district with the easternmost hilly border at Nadukani Churam bordering Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu, near Nilambur. Beginning from Parappanangadi, it passes through other major towns such as Tirurangadi, Malappuram, Manjeri, and Nilambur, before reaching the Nadukani Ghat Road. The railway in the district comes under the Palakkad Railway Division, which is one of the six divisions under the Southern Railway. The history of railways in Kerala traces back to the district. The oldest railway station in the state is at Tirur. It was laid by the British in colonial era for the transportation of Nilambur Teak logs into United Kingdom through Kozhikode. The Nilambur–Nanjangud line is a proposed railway line, which connects Nilambur with the districts of Wayanad, Nilgiris, and Mysore. Guruvayur-Tirunavaya Railway line is another proposed project. The Ministry of Railways has included the railway line connecting Kozhikode-Malappuram-Angadipuram in its Vision 2020 as a socially desirable railway line. Multiple surveys have been done on the line already. Indian Railway computerized reservation counter is available at Friends Janasevana Kendram, Down Hill. Reservation for any train can be done from here. Malappuram city is served by the railway stations at Angadipuram ( away), Tirur, and Parappanangadi (both 26 km, 40-minute drive away).
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto"
|+Railway stations in Malappuram District
|-
| Angadipuram
| Cherukara
| Kuttippuram
|-
| Melattur
| Nilambur Road
| Parappanangadi
|-
| Pattikkad
| Perassannur
| Tanur
|-
| Thodikapulam
| Tirunnavaya
| Tirur
|-
| Tuvvur
| Vallikkunnu
| Vaniyambalam
|}
Metro rail
In Malappuram district, to solve the traffic congestion in the densely populated Malappuram metropolitan area, various agencies and legislative representatives submitted proposals for a metro rail in the years 2012, 2017 and 2025. In 2025, Tirur Assembly constituency MLA Kurukkoli Moideen presented the proposal for a Tirur-Nilambur metro in the Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Airport
thumb|Aircraft parked at [[Calicut International Airport in Karipur]]
Malappuram is served by Calicut International Airport located at Karipur, about 25 kilometre away from Malappuram City. The airport started operation in April 1988. It has two terminals, one for domestic flights and another for international flights. The airport serves as an operating base for Air India Express and operates Hajj Pilgrimage services to Medina and Jeddah from Kerala. Domestic flight services are available to major cities including Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Goa, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Mangalore and Coimbatore while International flight services connects Malappuram with Dubai, Jeddah, Riyadh, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Bahrain, Dammam, Doha, Muscat, Salalah and Kuwait. There are direct buses to the airport for transportation. Other than buses, Taxis, Auto Rickshaws available for transportation.
According to the statistics provided by the Airports Authority of India in 2019–20, it is the 17th busiest airport in the country and the third-busiest in the state.