Andaman Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands

Andaman Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands are the group of Islands situated in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea in India respectively. 

Andaman and Nicobar Islands:

• Andaman and Nicobar islands consist of an elongated chain of islands in Bay of Bengal.
•  The islands are an elevated portion of submarine mountains.
• Latitude: 6° to 14° N latitude   
• Longitude: 92° to 94° E longitude
• The Andaman and Nicobar islands consist of 572 islands and only 38 islands are inhabited.
•  Andaman and Nicobar islands consist of three districts: North and Middle Andaman, South Andaman and Nicobar. 
• Total land areas are 467 km long and 521 km wide.

Andaman and Nicobar islands are divided into two parts:

• Andaman  islands 
• Nicobar  Islands

Andaman  islands: 

• Andaman Islands are continuation of Arakan Yoma mountain range of Myanmar and form an elevated portion of Submarine Mountains.
• Sequence of Islands from North to South: Landfall Island, Northern Andaman, Middle Andaman, South Andaman, and Little Andaman. 
• Landfall Island is the Northernmost island of Andaman and Nicobar islands. 
•  Landfall island of India is separated from the Coco Island of Myanmar through the Coco strait. 
• North Andaman: Mount Saddle Peak (732m) is the highest peak of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
•  Middle Andaman: This island is the largest island of the Andaman group of Islands.
•  South Andaman: Port Blair is the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands situated in South Andaman. Famous Cellular jail is also situated here. Bench of Kolkata High court situated.
•  Little Andaman: separated from South Andaman through Duccan Passage. 
• Great Andaman consists of North Andaman, Middle Andaman and South Andaman.

Nicobar Islands:

•  Andaman groups of Islands separated from the Nicobar Islands through a 10° channel which is 150 Km in width.
•  North to South:  Carnicobar, little Nicobar and Great Nicobar. 
• These islands are of coral origin. 
• Indira point or Pygmalion point in Great Nicobar is the southernmost point of India and submerged into sea during Tsunami in 2004.
• The Great Nicobar Island is only 150 km away from Sumatra Island of Indonesia. 
• Mount Thuillier (642m) is the highest peak in Nicobar Islands.

Swaraj Island

Natural vegetation of Andaman and Nicobar islands: There are four types of forest found in Andaman and Nicobar islands. 

• Tropical Evergreen Forest,
•  Tropical Semi-Evergreen Forest, 
• Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest and 
• Littoral and Swamps Forest.  
• Grasslands are found in Nicobar Island

National Parks:

• Campbell National Park 
• Galathea National Park 
• Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park 
• Middle Button Island National Park 
• Mount Harriet National Park 
• North Button Island National Park 
• South Button Island National Park 
• Saddle Peak National Park 
• Rani Jhansi National Park

More Information about National Park

Climate: 

• Andaman and Nicobar islands have Tropical climate with humid weather. 
• Rain occurs  in a year from the S-W monsoon and the N-E monsoon. 
• The S-W monsoon first reached Andaman and Nicobar islands earlier than the  Mainland of India.

Indigenous People:

 Indigenous People of Andaman and Nicobar islands divided into two groups:

Negrito race:

•  This group of Indigenous people live in Andaman Island.
•  It includes The Great Andamanese , Onges and Jarwa and Sentinelese.

Mongoloids Race: 

• This group of Indigenous people live in Nicobar Island. 
• It includes Shompens and Nicobarese.

Facts about Andaman and Nicobar islands:

• Only two volcanoes found in India: Extinct volcano found in Narcondam Island. 
• Only active volcano found in Barren Island. 
• Baratang in Andaman islands is the only mud volcano which found in India. 

Name of three islands changed:

• Ross Island: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
•  Neel Islands: Shaheed Island 
• Havelock Island: Swaraj Island

Read More India location 

Lakshadweep Islands:

• Lakshadweep Islands is a Sanskrit word which means “one Hundred Thousand Islands'' and also means in Malayalam. 
• Lakshadweep Islands are groups of Islands situated west of Malabar Coast of Kerala in Arabian Sea.
•  It is the smallest union territory of India and covers only 32 sq. km area. 
• All islands of Lakshadweep are of coral origin. It consists of 36 islands and only 10 for habitats. 
• One district union administration and Kavaratti is capital of Lakshadweep Islands. 
• North to South: Amindivi, laccadive and Minicoy Island. 
• Minicoy Island is the largest island in groups of Islands. 
• Minicoy Island separated from Maldives through an 8° channel.
•  Minicoy Island separated from the Laccadive through an 9° channels.  
• Agatti is the only island in this group has Airport. 
• Pitti Island is Inhabited Island, Bird Sanctuary of Pelagic birds and breeding centre for Sea turtles.
•  Main commercial crop is Coconut. 
• Indigenious people: Aminidivi, Koyas, Malmis, Malacheris. 
• No forest found in  Lakshadweep. 
• Main island : Kavarati, Agatti, Minicoy and Amini. 
• Androth is the nearest island to Kerala coast and the largest city also in   Lakshadweep Islands. 
• No floral rich Islands groups.