LACCADIVE ISLANDS

[s. 404] : A group of 14 islands, only 9 of which are inhabited, lying in the Indian Ocean, about 200 miles off the west coast of Madras, India. Population (1891), 14,473, called Moplas. They are of mixed Hindu and Arab descent, and in religion are Mohammedan. The Malayalam language is spoken, but Arabic 386 310 miles S. W. of Chang-te in Hunan, at the sources of important affluents of the Yangtse River. It has considerable commercial importance. Station of the CIM (1877), with (1903) 4 mi ionaries, 2 wives of mi ionaries, 2 mi ionary women, and 5 native workers. KYELANG. See Kailang. KYOTO. See Kioto. characters are used in writing. Coconuts are the principal agricultural product, and coir forms the principal article of trade. Its manufacture is carried on mainly by the women. The northern portion of the islands is attached to the coUectorate of South Kanara, and the remainder to Malabar district, for administrative purposes. 404