81-878: The Nilgiri Mountains form a part of the Western Ghats in northwestern Tamil Nadu , southern Karnataka and eastern Kerala in South India . They are located at the trijunction of the three states and connect the Western Ghats to the Eastern Ghats . At least 24 of the Nilgiri Mountains' peaks are above 2,000 m (6,600 ft), with the highest peak being Doddabetta at 2,637 m (8,652 ft). The word Nilgiri, comes from Tamil words neelam (blue) + giri (mountain), has been in use since at least 1117 CE. In Tamil literature it
162-530: A legislative council , composed partly of official and partly of nominated members, of which the former had a narrow permanent majority. The work of administration, both in the colony and in the Federated Malay States , was carried on by means of a civil service whose members were recruited by competitive examination held annually in London. Penang and Malacca were administered, directly under
243-451: A 2010 report, following is the distribution of faunal species in the Western Ghats apart from more than 6,000 insect species. The Western Ghats region has one of the highest tiger population, estimated at 985 in 2022. The Western Ghats ecoregion has the largest Indian elephant population in the wild, with an estimated 11,000 individuals across eight distinct populations. Other mammals include endangered and vulnerable species such as
324-408: A 2014 report, at least 227 species of reptiles are found in the Western Ghats. The major population of the snake family Uropeltidae is restricted to the region. Several endemic reptile genera and species occur here, with the region having a significant population of mugger crocodiles . The amphibians of the Western Ghats are diverse and unique, with a high proportion of species being endemic to
405-810: A group of British territories located in Southeast Asia . Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company , the Straits Settlements came under control of the British Raj in 1858 and then under direct British control as a Crown colony in 1867. In 1946, following the end of World War II and the Japanese occupation , the colony was dissolved as part of Britain's reorganisation of its Southeast Asian dependencies in
486-552: A large number of artifacts unearthed by excavators. A particularly important collection from the region can be seen in the British Museum , including those assembled by colonial officers James Wilkinson Breeks , Major M. J. Walhouse and Sir Walter Elliot . The first recorded use of the word Nila applied to this region can be traced back to 1117 CE. In the report of a general of Vishnuvardhana , King of Hoysalas , who in reference to his enemies, claimed to have "frightened
567-574: A tenth of the whole area was covered by low hills with thick jungle. Large quantities of rice were grown by the Malay inhabitants, and between October and February, there was snipe-shooting in the paddy fields. A railway from Butterworth, opposite Penang, runs into Perak, and then via Selangor and Negri Sembilan to Malacca, with an extension via Muar under the rule of the Sultan of Johor, and through Johor to Johor Bahru , opposite Singapore. Singapore became
648-468: A treaty with Siam and in 1874 with the Treaty of Pangkor . It was administered by a district officer, with some assistants, answering to the resident councillor of Penang. Province Wellesley consisted, for the most part, of a fertile plain, thickly populated by Malays, and occupied in some parts by sugar-planters and others engaged in similar agricultural industries and employing Chinese and Tamil labour. About
729-464: A unique type of stunted tropical montane forest found in the valleys between the mountains. Earlier sources indicated about four to five thousand vascular plant species of which nearly one-third was endemic to the region. Later studies and publications have recorded 7,402 species of flowering plants occurring in the Western Ghats of which 5,588 were described as indigenous, 376 are naturalized exotics, and 1,438 species are cultivated or planted. Among
810-432: Is about 8 km southeast of Udhagamandalam. Vellangiri (Silvery Hill) (2,120 metres (6,955 ft)) is 16 km west-northwest of Udhagamandalam. The highest waterfall, Kullakamby Fall, north of Kolakambai hill, has an unbroken fall of 400 ft (120 m). Nearby is the 150 ft (46 m) Halashana falls. The second highest is Catherine Falls , near Kotagiri , with a 250 ft (76 m) fall, named after
891-737: Is in the south of Doddabetta range. Kulakombai (1,707 metres (5,600 ft)) is east of the Devashola. The Bhavani Valley and the Lambton's peak range of Coimbatore district stretch from here. Muttunadu Betta (height: 2,323 metres (7,621 ft)) 11°27′N 76°43′E / 11.450°N 76.717°E / 11.450; 76.717 ( Muttunadu Betta ) is about 5 km, north northwest of Udhagamandalam. Tamrabetta (Coppery Hill) (height: 2,120 metres (6,955 ft)) 11°22′N 76°48′E / 11.367°N 76.800°E / 11.367; 76.800 ( Tamrabetta )
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#1732771892414972-517: Is interesting due to its association with the engineer Major G. C. Law who supervised building of the Coonoor Ghat road . Over 2,800 species of flowering plants, 160 species of fern and fern allies, countless types of flowerless plants, mosses, fungi, algae, and land lichens are found in the sholas of the Nilgiris. No other hill station has as many species. It is also home to mammals like
1053-890: Is located with respect to the Indian mainland. Ghat , a term used in the Indian subcontinent , depending on the context, could either refer to a range of stepped hills such as the Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats, or a series of steps leading down to a body of water or wharf . As per linguist Thomas Burrow , the word Ghat was derived from similar words used in various Dravidian languages such as kattu (mountain side, ridge, or dam) in Tamil , katte (dam), gatta (mountain), and gattu (bank or shore) in Kannada , and katta (dam), and gatte (shore or embankment) in Telugu . The ancient name for
1134-657: Is mentioned as Iraniyamuttam It is thought that the bluish flowers of kurinji shrubs gave rise to the name. The Nilgiri Hills are separated from the Karnataka Plateau to the north by the Moyar River . Three national parks border portions of the Nilgiri mountains. Mudumalai National Park lies in the northern part of the range where Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu meet, covering an area of 321 km (124 sq mi). Mukurthi National Park lies in
1215-478: Is the northern extent of the range. Club Hill (2,448 metres (8,031 ft)) and Elk Hill (2,466 metres (8,091 ft)) 11°23′55″N 76°42′39″E / 11.39861°N 76.71083°E / 11.39861; 76.71083 ( Elk Hill ) are significant elevations in this range. Snowdon, Club Hill and Elk Hill with Doddabetta, form the impressive Udhagamandalam Valley. Devashola (height: 2,261 metres (7,418 ft)), notable for its blue gum trees,
1296-706: Is the only place in South India to have the white tiger . The dominant type of habitat is tropical rainforest . Montane forests and tropical moist forests are also found here. Much of the forest habitats have been much disturbed or destroyed by extensive tea plantations, easy motor-vehicle access, extensive commercial planting and harvesting of non-native eucalyptus and wattle ( Acacia dealbata , Acacia mearnsii ) plantations, and cattle grazing. The area also features one large and several smaller hydro-electric impoundments. Scotch broom has become an ecologically damaging invasive species . Threatened plants of
1377-574: The Arabian Sea . The Western Ghats play an important role in determining the climate and seasons in India. It blocks the rain-bearing monsoon winds flowing eastward from the Arabian Sea, resulting in rainfall along the western coast. By the time the air rises above the mountains, it becomes dry, forming a rain shadow region with very little rainfall on the leeward side towards the interior of
1458-765: The Australian Indian Ocean Territories . The Dindings — named after the Dinding River in present-day Manjung District — which comprised Pangkor Island and the town of Lumut on the mainland , were ceded by Perak to the British government under the Pangkor Treaty of 1874 . It was hoped that its excellent natural harbour would prove to be valuable. This did not come to be with the territory being sparsely inhabited and altogether politically and financially unimportant. It
1539-709: The Bengal tiger , Indian elephant , Indian leopard , chital deer , gaur , sambar deer , dhole , golden jackal , Indian boar , Nilgiri tahr , Indian spotted chevrotain , black buck , Asian palm civet , sloth bear , four-horned antelope , Nilgiri marten , Indian crested porcupine , Malabar giant squirrel , honey badger , Indian grey mongoose , Indian pangolin , Indian fox , smooth coated otter , and painted bat . The Indian python , king cobra , common krait , Indian cobra , Malabar pit viper , Nilgiri keelback , Oriental garden lizard , Eryx whitakeri and mugger crocodile are reptiles found here. Primates include
1620-624: The Cyprinids (72 species), hillstream loaches (34 species; including stone loaches , now regarded a separate family), Bagrid catfishes (19 species), and Sisorid catfishes (12 species). The region is home to several ornamental fishes like the Denison (or red line torpedo) barb , melon barb , several species of Dawkinsia barbs, zebra loach , Horabagrus catfish, dwarf pufferfish and dwarf Malabar pufferfish . The rivers are also home to Osteobrama bakeri , and larger species such as
1701-422: The Eastern Ghats at Nilgiris before continuing south. The Western Ghats have many peaks that rise above 2,000 m (6,600 ft), with Anamudi (2,695 m (8,842 ft)) being the highest peak. The Western Ghats form one of the major watersheds of India, feeding many perennial rivers. These major river systems drain almost 40% of the land area of the country. The major river systems originating in
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#17327718924141782-585: The Great Trigonometrical Survey , a sub-assistant named Keys and an apprentice named McMahon ascended the hills by the Danaynkeucottah (Dannayakana Kote) Pass, penetrated into the remotest parts, made plans, and sent in reports of their discoveries. As a result of these accounts, Messrs. Whish and Kindersley, two young Madras civilians, ventured up in pursuit of some criminals taking refuge in the mountains, and proceeded to observe
1863-467: The Indomalayan realm , with the northern portion of the range generally drier than the southern portion. These include the following: Other types of ecosystems include dry deciduous forests on the leeward rain shadow region, scrub forests at the foothills, peat bogs , and swamps . Montane grasslands are found in high altitude locations in the south Western Ghats interspersed with sholas ,
1944-667: The Malabar snakehead , and Malabar mahseer . A few are adapted to an underground life, including some Rakthamichthys swamp eels, and the catfish Horaglanis and Kryptoglanis . 97 freshwater fish species were considered threatened in 2011, including 12 critically endangered, 54 endangered, and 31 vulnerable. The reservoirs in the region are important for their commercial and sport fisheries of rainbow trout , mahseer , and common carp . There are more than 200 freshwater fish species including 35 also known from brackish or marine water. Several new species have been described from
2025-523: The Penang dollar . In 1837, the Indian rupee was made the sole official currency in the Straits Settlements, as it was administered as part of India . However, Spanish dollars continued to circulate and 1845 saw the introduction of coinage for the Straits Settlements using a system of 100 cents = 1 Straits dollar , with the dollar equal to the Spanish dollar or Mexican peso . In 1867, the administration of
2106-786: The Thodas , driven the Kongas underground, slaughtered the Poluvas, put to death the Maleyalas, terrified Chieftain Kala Nirpala and then proceeded to offer the peak of Nila Mountain.(presumably Doddabetta or Rangaswami peak of Peranganad in East Nilgiris) to Lakshmi , Goddess of Wealth. Neelagiri was ruled by Baduga King Kala Raja before 1117 CE." A hero stone ( Veeragallu ) with a Kannada inscription at Vazhaithottam (Bale thota) in
2187-448: The crimson-backed sunbird . There is a higher fish species richness in the southern part of the Western Ghats. There are 13 genera entirely restricted to the Western Ghats ( Betadevario , Dayella , Haludaria , Horabagrus , Horalabiosa , Hypselobarbus , Indoreonectes , Lepidopygopsis , Longischistura , Mesonoemacheilus , Parapsilorhynchus , Rohtee , and Travancoria ). The most species-rich families are
2268-608: The late Jurassic and early Cretaceous periods when India separated from the African continent. The mountains can be roughly divided into three parts: the northern section with an elevation ranging from 900–1,500 m (3,000–4,900 ft), the middle section starting from the south of Goa with a lower elevation of less than 900 m (3,000 ft), and the southern section where the altitude rises again. The Western Ghats have several peaks that rise above 2,000 m (6,600 ft), with Anamudi (2,695 m (8,842 ft)) being
2349-500: The lion tailed macaque , Nilgiri langur , gray langur and bonnet macaque . The birds found here are Indian peacock , Nilgiri laughing thrush , Nilgiri flycatcher , grey junglefowl , Malabar pied hornbill , Malabar parakeet , great hornbill , Nilgiri wood pigeon , Indian vulture , black-hooded oriole , grey-headed bulbul and Malabar grey hornbill . Amphibians on the list are the purple frog , Silent valley brush frog , Malabar gliding frog , Beddomixalus and many more. It
2430-431: The lion-tailed macaque , Nilgiri tahr , leopard , Nilgiri langur , dhole , and gaur . The endemic Nilgiri tahr, which was on the brink of extinction, has recovered and had an estimated 3,122 individuals in 2015. Smaller endemic species include the Malabar large-spotted civet , Nilgiri marten , brown palm civet , stripe-necked mongoose , Indian brown mongoose , small Indian civet , and leopard cat . As per
2511-447: The tropical rainforests of India . New frog species have continued to be discovered in the 21st century. Frogs of the genera Micrixalus , Indirana , and Nyctibatrachus , toads like Pedostibes , Ghatophryne , and Xanthophryne , arboreal frogs like Ghatixalus , Mercurana , and Beddomixalus , and microhylids like Melanobatrachus are endemic to this region. There are at least 19 species of birds endemic to
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2592-503: The 334 Western Ghats butterfly species, 316 species have been reported to occur in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve . The Western Ghats are home to 174 species of odonates (107 dragonflies and 67 damselflies ), including 69 endemics. Most of the endemic odonate are closely associated with rivers and streams, while the non-endemics are typically generalists . There are several species of leeches found all along
2673-481: The Arabian Sea is known as the Western Coastal Plains . The mountains can be roughly divided into three parts: the northern section with an elevation ranging from 900–1,500 m (3,000–4,900 ft), the middle section starting from the south of Goa with a lower elevation of less than 900 m (3,000 ft), and the southern section where the altitude rises again. The Western Ghats meet with
2754-471: The Deccan plateau. The Western Ghats region is a biodiversity hotspot . It contains a large number of different species of flora and fauna, most of which are endemic to this region. At least 325 globally threatened species occur in the Western Ghats. The region was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012. The name Western Ghats derives from the word ghat and the cardinal direction in which it
2835-616: The Nilgiri District, dated to 10th century CE, has been discovered. A Kannada inscription of Hoysala king Ballala III (or his subordinate Madhava Dannayaka's son) from the 14th century CE has been discovered at the Siva (or Vishnu) temple at Nilagiri Sadarana Kote (present-day Dannayakana Kote), near the junction of Moyar and Bhavani rivers, but the temple has since been submerged by the Bhavani Sagar dam . In 1814, as part of
2916-549: The Nilgiris and the southern extent of the range is Doddabetta Peak (2,637 metres (8,652 ft)), 4 km east southeast of Udhagamandalam , 11°24′10″N 76°44′14″E / 11.40278°N 76.73722°E / 11.40278; 76.73722 ( Doddabetta Peak ) . Closely linked peaks in the west of Doddabetta range and nearby Udhagamandalam include: Snowdon (height: (2,530 metres (8,301 ft)) 11°26′N 76°46′E / 11.433°N 76.767°E / 11.433; 76.767 ( Snowdon )
2997-497: The Nilgiris include: Western Ghats The Western Ghats , also known as the Sahyadri , is a mountain range that stretches 1,600 km (990 mi) along the western coast of the Indian peninsula . Covering an area of 160,000 km (62,000 sq mi), it traverses the states of Gujarat , Maharashtra , Goa , Karnataka , Kerala , and Tamil Nadu . The range forms an almost continuous chain of mountains along
3078-579: The Straits Settlements was separated from India and the dollar was made the standard currency. The revenue of the colony in 1868 amounted to $ 1,301,843. In 1906 revenue was $ 9,512,132, exclusive of $ 106,180 received for land sales. Of this sum, $ 6,650,558 was derived from import duties on opium , wines, and spirits, and licences to deal in these articles, $ 377,972 from land revenue, $ 592,962 from postal and telegraphic revenue, and $ 276,019 from port and harbour dues. Expenditures, which in 1868 amounted to $ 1,197,177, rose in 1906 to $ 8,747,819. The total cost of
3159-571: The Western Ghats are the Godavari , Kaveri , and Krishna . Most rivers flow eastwards towards the Bay of Bengal owing to the steeper gradient moving from east to west, and many smaller streams drain the region, often carrying a large volume of water during the monsoon months. The streams and rivers give rise to numerous waterfalls in the region. The rivers have been dammed for hydroelectric and irrigation purposes, with major reservoirs spread across
3240-510: The Western Ghats including the endangered rufous-breasted laughingthrush , the vulnerable Nilgiri wood-pigeon , white-bellied shortwing , and broad-tailed grassbird , the near threatened grey-breasted laughingthrush , black-and-rufous flycatcher , Nilgiri flycatcher , and Nilgiri pipit , and the least concern Malabar (blue-winged) parakeet , Malabar grey hornbill , white-bellied treepie , grey-headed bulbul , rufous babbler , Wayanad laughingthrush , white-bellied blue-flycatcher , and
3321-852: The Western Ghats were severely fragmented due to clear-felling for plantations. The introduction of non-native species threatened the rare endemic species and habitat specialists, which depleted faster than other species. Complex and species-rich habitats like the tropical rainforests are much more adversely affected than other habitats. The primary threats to fauna were not only from habitat loss , but also from overexploitation , illicit grazing , mining , poaching , and introduced species . The Government of India has established many protected areas , including two biosphere reserves , 13 national parks to restrict human access, several wildlife sanctuaries to protect specific endangered species, and many reserve forests . The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve , comprising 5,500 km (2,100 sq mi) of
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3402-563: The Western Ghats, but the actual number is likely higher. This includes 28 endemics. Among the threatened freshwater molluscs are the mussel species Pseudomulleria dalyi , which is a Gondwanan relict, and the snail Cremnoconchus , which is restricted to the spray zone of waterfalls. According to the IUCN, four species of freshwater molluscs are considered endangered and three are vulnerable. An additional 19 species are considered data deficient. There are roughly 6,000 insect species. Of
3483-443: The Western Ghats. Historically, the Western Ghats were covered in dense forests. which formed the natural habitat for wildlife along with the native tribal people . Its inaccessibility made it difficult for people from the plains to cultivate the land and build settlements. After the establishment of British colonial rule in the region, large swathes of territory were cleared for agricultural plantations and timber. The forests in
3564-722: The area. The Straits Settlements originally consisted of the four individual settlements of Penang , Singapore , Malacca , and Dinding . Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands were added in 1886. The island of Labuan , off the coast of Borneo , was also incorporated into the colony with effect from 1 January 1907, becoming a separate settlement within it in 1912. Most of the territories now form part of Malaysia , from which Singapore separated in 1965. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island were transferred from Singapore to Australian control in 1955 and 1958 respectively. Their administrations were combined in 1996 to form
3645-458: The equator receive lower annual rainfall and have rain spells lasting several months in a year. The Western Ghats region is a biodiversity hotspot . It consists of nearly 30% of all the species of flora and fauna found in India, most of which are endemic to this region. At least 325 globally threatened species occur in the Western Ghats. The Western Ghats consist of four tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf terrestrial ecoregions of
3726-659: The forests, forms the largest contiguous protected area in the Western Ghats. In August 2011, the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), appointed by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to assess the biodiversity and environmental issues of the Western Ghats, designated the entire region as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) and assigned three levels of Ecological Sensitivity to its different regions. Subsequent committees formed have recommended various suggestions to protect
3807-691: The governor, by resident councillors . In 1886, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands (which were settled and once owned by the Scottish Clunies-Ross family ) and Christmas Island , formerly attached to Ceylon , were transferred to the care of the government of the Straits Settlements in Singapore. In 1907, the former Crown Colony of Labuan , in Borneo, which for a period was vested in the British North Borneo Company ,
3888-436: The highest peak. The average elevation is around 1,200 m (3,900 ft). The Western Ghats form one of the major watersheds of India, feeding many perennial river systems that drain almost 40% of the land area of the country. Because of the higher elevation of the Deccan plateau on the west, most rivers flow from eastwards towards the Bay of Bengal , resulting in chiselled eastern slopes and steeper western slopes facing
3969-555: The indigenous species, 2,253 species are endemic to India and of them, 1,273 species are exclusively confined to the Western Ghats. 645 tree species were recorded with a high endemic ratio of 56%. There are 850 – 1000 species of bryophytes including 682 species of mosses (28% endemic) and 280 species of liverworts (43% endemic), 277 species of pteridophytes and 949 species of lichens (26.7% endemic). The Western Ghats are home to thousands of species of fauna, including at least 325 globally threatened species . As per
4050-420: The interior. They soon saw and felt enough favorable climate and terrain to excite their own curiosity, and that of others. After the early 1820s, the hills were developed rapidly under the British Raj , because most of the land was already privately owned by British citizens. It was a popular summer and weekend getaway for the British during the colonial days. In 1827, Ooty became the official sanatorium and
4131-544: The majority of the rainfall to the plains up north. Climate in the mountains shows variations with altitude across the range. Due to its physical proximity to the equator and the Arabian Sea, the region experiences a warm and humid tropical climate throughout the year. Mean temperatures range from 20 °C (68 °F) in the south to 24 °C (75 °F) in the north. Subtropical or temperate climates, and occasional near-zero temperatures during winter are experienced in regions with higher elevations. The coldest period in
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#17327718924144212-530: The mountain range is Sahyadri , derived from Sanskrit , meaning benevolent or tolerant mountain. The Western Ghats are the mountainous faulted , and eroded edge of the Deccan Plateau . Geologic evidence indicates that they were formed during the break-up of the super-continent of Gondwana . After the break-up, the Deccan plateau was formed by basalt rocks, which caused the western side to rise at an elevation. Geophysical evidence indicates that
4293-438: The mountains came along the west coast of India somewhere in the late Jurassic and early Cretaceous periods when India separated from the African continent. Several faults triggered the formation of Western Ghats, then interspersed with valleys and river gorges. Because of the elevation of the Deccan plateau on the west, most rivers flow from west to east, resulting in chiselled eastern slopes and steeper western slopes facing
4374-423: The new Malayan Union (a predecessor of modern-day Malaysia ). Labuan was briefly annexed to Singapore, before being attached to the new colony of North Borneo (and ultimately detacheded to become a Federal Territory ). The following are the area and population, with details of race distribution, of the colony of the Straits Settlements, the figures being those of the census of 1901: The population, which
4455-711: The population reached 1,370,300. In the early nineteenth century, the most common currency used in the East Indies was the Spanish dollar , including issues both from Spain and from the New World Spanish colonies, most significantly Mexico, due to market circulation from the Spanish East Indies ( Spanish Philippines ). Locally issued coinages included the Kelantan and Trengganu keping , and
4536-409: The region are the wettest monsoon period in the southern part of the mountain range. Annual rainfall in this region averages 100 cm (39 in) to 900 cm (350 in), with an average rainfall of 250 cm (98 in). The total amount of rain does not depend on the spread of the area; areas in northern Maharashtra receive heavy rainfall followed by long dry spells, while regions closer to
4617-428: The region since the last decade (e.g., Dario urops and S. sharavathiensis ). Seasonal rainfall patterns in the Western Ghats necessitate a period of dormancy for its land snails , resulting in their high abundance and diversity, including at least 258 species of gastropods from 57 genera and 24 families. A total of 77 species of freshwater molluscs (52 gastropods and 25 bivalves ) have been recorded from
4698-416: The region. The Western Ghats play an important role in determining the climate and seasons in India. During the dry summer months of April – May, heat builds up on the land, which draws air from the sea. The air, which picks up moisture along the way and flows eastward from the Arabian Sea, is blocked by the Western Ghats. The rising air cools and brings about orographic precipitation along
4779-541: The region. In 2006, India applied to the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) for the Western Ghats to be listed as a protected World Heritage Site . In 2012, 39 sites divided into seven clusters across the Western Ghats, were declared as World Heritage Sites. [REDACTED] Media related to Western Ghats at Wikimedia Commons Straits Settlement The Straits Settlements were
4860-798: The sea. The Western Ghats extend from the Satpura Range south of the Tapti River in the north and runs approximately 1,600 km (990 mi) to the southern tip of the Indian peninsula, where it ends at the Marunthuvazh Malai at Swamithoppe in Kanyakumari district . It covers an area of 160,000 km (62,000 sq mi), traversing across the Indian states of Gujarat , Maharashtra , Goa , Karnataka , Kerala , and Tamil Nadu . The Western Ghats form an almost continuous chain of mountains running parallel to
4941-610: The settlements answerable directly to the Colonial Office in London instead of the Government of India in Calcutta. Earlier, on 4 February 1867, letters patent had granted the settlements a colonial constitution. This allocated much power to the settlements' governor , who administered the colony of the Straits Settlements with the aid of an Executive Council , composed wholly of official (i.e., ex-officio) members, and
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#17327718924145022-546: The settlements were largely Chinese, with a tiny but important European minority. Their capital was moved from George Town , the capital of Penang , to Singapore in 1832. Their scattered nature proved to be difficult and, after the company lost its monopoly in the china trade in 1833, expensive to administer. During their control by the East India Company , the settlements were used as penal settlements for Indian civilian and military prisoners, earning them
5103-489: The settlements' press reacted with anger, classing it as something that subverted "every principle of liberty and free discussion". As there was little or no vernacular press in the settlements, such an act seemed irrelevant: it was rarely enforced and ended in less than a year. On 1 April 1867, the Straits Settlements were transferred to the British Colonial Office and became a Crown colony , making
5184-613: The site of a British trading post in 1819 after its founder, Stamford Raffles , successfully involved the East India Company in a dynastic struggle for the throne of Johor . Thereafter the British came to control the entire island of Singapore, which was developed into a thriving colony and port. In 1824, the Dutch conceded any rights they had to the island in the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 , and from 1832, Singapore
5265-544: The southwest part of the range, in Kerala, covering an area of 78.5 km (30.3 sq mi), which includes intact shola-grassland mosaic, habitat for the Nilgiri tahr. Silent Valley National Park lies just to the south and contiguous with those two parks, covering an area of 89.52 km (34.56 sq mi). The high steppes of the Nilgiri Hills have been inhabited since prehistoric times, demonstrated by
5346-912: The summer capital of the Madras Presidency . Many winding hill roads were built. In 1899, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway was completed by influential and enterprising British citizens, with venture capital from the Madras government. In the 19th century, when the British Straits Settlement shipped Chinese convicts to be jailed in India, the Chinese men settled in the Nilgiri mountains near Naduvattam after their release and married Tamil Paraiyan women, having mixed Chinese-Tamil children with them. They were documented by Edgar Thurston . The highest point in
5427-609: The title "Botany Bays of India". There were minor uprisings by convicts in Singapore and Penang in 1852 and 1853. Upset with East India Company rule, in 1857 the European population of the settlements sent a petition to the British Parliament asking for direct rule; but the idea was overtaken by the Indian Rebellion of 1857 . When a "Gagging Act" was imposed to prevent the uprising in India from spreading,
5508-469: The various settlements during 1906 was: Singapore 176,587 Chinese; Penang 56,333 Chinese and 52,041 natives of India; and Malacca 598 Chinese. The total number of immigrants for 1906 was therefore 285,560, against 39,136 emigrants, mostly Chinese returning to China. In 1867, the date of the transfer of the colony from the East India Company to the Crown, the total population was estimated at 283,384. In 1939,
5589-399: The western coast of India along the Arabian Sea . The average elevation is around 1,200 m (3,900 ft). There are three gaps in the mountain range: the northernmost Goa Gap , formed 65–80 million years ago (Mya), the oldest and widest Palghat Gap , formed 500 Mya, and the southernmost, narrowest Shencottah Gap . The narrow coastal plain between the Western Ghats and
5670-400: The western coast. This signifies the onset of the monsoon season in June. By the time the air rises above the mountains, it becomes dry, resulting in a rain shadow region with very little rainfall on the leeward side towards the interior of the Deccan plateau. The monsoon winds rounding up the peninsula and moving from the east from the Bay of Bengal pass over the Eastern Ghats and bring
5751-419: The western edge of the Deccan Plateau , from the Tapti River to Swamithoppe in Kanyakumari district at the southern tip of the Indian peninsula. The Western Ghats meet with the Eastern Ghats at Nilgiris before continuing south. Geologic evidence indicates that the mountains were formed during the break-up of the supercontinent of Gondwana . The mountains came along the west coast of India somewhere in
5832-461: The whole, was composed of 261,412 males and only 77,671 females, and a comparatively small number of the latter were married women and mothers of families. Male Europeans also outnumbered females by about two to one. Among the Malays and Eurasians, who alone had a fair proportion of both sexes, infant mortality was excessive due to early marriages and other causes. The number of immigrants landing in
5913-495: The wife of M.D. Cockburn , believed to have introduced coffee plantations to the Nilgiri Hills. The Upper and Lower Pykara falls have falls of 180 ft (55 m), and 200 ft (61 m), respectively. The 170 ft (52 m) Kalhatti Falls is off the Segur Peak. The Karteri Fall, near Aruvankadu had the first power station which supplied the original Cordite Factory with electricity. Law's Fall, near Coonoor ,
5994-399: Was 22–18, 20–82 and 21–57; while the number of registered deaths for 1896–1900 gave a ratio per 1000 of 42–21, 36–90, 30–43, 31–66 and 36-25 respectively, the number of deaths registered during 1900 being 23,385. The cause to which the excess of deaths over births is to be attributed is to be found in the fact that the Chinese and Indian population, which numbered 339,083, or over 59 per cent of
6075-424: Was 306,775 in 1871 and 423,384 in 1881, had in 1901 reached a total of 572,249. As in former years, the increase was solely due to immigration, especially of Chinese, though a considerable number of Tamils and other natives of India settled in the Straits Settlements. The total number of births registered in the colony in 1900 was 14,814, and the ratio per 1,000 of the population during 1896, 1897, and 1898 respectively
6156-509: Was effected, a resident-general , responsible to the high commissioner, was placed in charge of all the British protectorates in the peninsula. During World War II (specifically the Pacific War ), the Japanese invaded Malaya and the Straits Settlements by landing on Kelantan on 8 December 1941. On 16 December, Penang became the first Straits Settlement to fall into Japanese hands, followed by Malacca on 15 January 1942. Singapore
6237-504: Was resumed by the British government and was vested in the governor of the Straits Settlements. The governor was also High Commissioner for the Federated Malay States on the peninsula, for British North Borneo , the sultanate of Brunei and Sarawak in Borneo. British residents controlled the native states of Perak, Selangor , Negri Sembilan , and Pahang , but on 1 July 1896, when the federation of these states
6318-524: Was returned to Perak in February 1935. The Dutch colony of Malacca was ceded to the British in the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 in exchange for the British possession of Bencoolen and for British rights in Sumatra . Malacca's importance was in establishing an exclusive British zone of influence in the region, and was overshadowed as a trading post by Penang, and later, Singapore. The first settlement
6399-458: Was the Penang territory, in 1786. This originally comprised Penang Island , then known as the ' Prince of Wales Island ' . This was later extended to encompass an area of the mainland, which became known as Province Wellesley (now Seberang Perai ). The first grant was in 1800, followed by another in 1831. Further adjustments to Province Wellesley's border were made in 1859, in 1867 with
6480-601: Was the last settlement to fall on 15 February, following the Battle of Singapore . The Straits Settlements, along with the rest of the Malay Peninsula , remained under Japanese occupation until the end of the war in August 1945. After the war, the colony was dissolved with effect from 1 April 1946, with Singapore becoming a separate Crown colony (and ultimately an independent republic ), while Penang and Malacca joined
6561-538: Was the seat of government of the Straits Settlements for 114 years until its dissolution in 1946. The establishment of the Straits Settlements followed the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 , by which the Malay Archipelago was divided into a British zone in the north and a Dutch zone in the south. This resulted in the exchange of the British settlement of Bencoolen (on Sumatra) for the Dutch colony of Malacca and undisputed control of Singapore. The population of
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