Kankavli



Kankavli is a city in Sindhudurg district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is in the center of the Sindhudurg district, between two rivers.

Etymology
The name Kankavli is derived from the Sanskrit Kanakavalli (Devanagari: कनकवल्लि) which means "golden land".

Location and weather
Kankavli is located in south-west Maharashtra. It has an elevation of 42 metres. Kankavli is situated on the banks of two Rivers, the Gad River and the Janavli River. It is surrounded by villages like Janavli, Aashiye, Harkul Budruk, Nagawe, Bidwadi, Kalmath, and Halval. It is an important railway station on the Konkan Railway route as major trains stop here. Kankavli city is 441 km from Mumbai along the NH 66 and 125.1 km from Ratnagiri.

Kankavli's climate is a blend of coastal and inland climate of Maharashtra. The temperature has a relatively narrow range between 20 °C to 40 °C. Weather in Kankavli from October to May is humid. Maximum temperatures rarely exceed 40 °C and typically range between 33 and 35 °C. Lows during this season are around 20 °C to 26 °C. The city receives abundant rainfall from June to September due to its proximity to the Western Ghats and Arabian Sea. Temperatures are low in the rainy season and range between 19 °C to 30 °C. The winter temperatures are a bit higher compared to other towns. Lows range from 12 °C to 18 °C while highs are in the range of 26 °C to 32 °C. Humidity is low in this season making weather much more pleasant. Flooding is not a problem as Kankavli lies on a higher altitude than the sea level.

Demographics
India census, Kankavli had a population of 16,398. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Kankavli is the third biggest city in Sindhudurg District after Sawantwadi and Malvan. Kankavli has an average literacy rate of 77%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 79%, and female literacy is 74%. In Kankavli, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Politics
Kankavli is a Vidhansabha (state legislative) constituency of former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Narayan Rane. Kankavli has its own Nagarpanchayat (Municipal Council) (local authority), a Panchayat Samitee office, Tehsildar Office, Taluka Court, and other administrative offices. Vinayak Raut is the MP (ShivSena) from the Ratnagiri - Sindhudurg Loksabha Constituency. Nitesh Narayan Rane is the MLA (BJP) from the Kankavli-Devgad Vidhansabha Constituency.