Palakkad is the gateway to Kerala due to the presence of the Palakkad Gap, in the Western Ghats. The total area of the district is which is 11.5% of the state's area which makes it the largest district of Kerala. Out of the total area of , about of land is covered by forests. Most parts of the district fall in the midland region (elevation ), except the Nelliampathy-Parambikulam area in the Chittur taluk in the south and Attappadi-Malampuzha area in the north, which are hilly and fall in the highland region (elevation > ).