Indian Islands - Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar

Lakshadweep  is a group of islands in the Laccadive Sea, 200 to 440 km (120 to 270 mi) off the southwestern coast of India. The archipelago is a Union Territory and is governed by the Union Government of India. They were also known as Laccadive Islands, although geographically this is only the name of the central subgroup of the group. 

• Lakshadweep islands are coral islands formed by the agglomeration of skeletons and calcium carbonate secretions of tiny marine  animals called Polyps.
  
•  They live in colonies in symbiotic relationship with algae and zooxanthalae bacteria which gives vibrant colours to coral reefs and made the most productive and vegetative regions of the oceans .
  
• Salient features of Lakshadweep Islands:
  
• 1) Originated as coral islands and agricultural productivity is low due to infertile soil. 
  
• 2) Existence of atolls, corals etc., made it as one of the tourist destination.
  

•  India has 2 main island groups, namely Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar island.
  
• The Lakshadweep consists of many small islands located opposite the Kerala coast in the
  
• Arabian Sea. The islands of this group are formed of coral deposits called ‘atolls’ in  Malayalam which refer to their ring or ‘horse-shoe’ shape.
  
• 
  
•  The Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
  
• on the other hand, are larger in size. They are more in number and more widely scattered.
  
• There are about 200 islands in the Andaman group and 19 islands in the Nicobar group.
  

• Lakshadweep is a tropical archipelago of 36 atolls and coral reefs in the Laccadive Sea, off the coast of Kerala, India. Not all of the islands are inhabited, and only a few are open to visitors (permits required).
  
•  Kavaratti, one of the more developed islands, is home to dozens of mosques, including the ornately decorated Ujra Mosque, as well as Kavaratti Aquarium, showcasing regional fish, shark and coral species.
  
• Lakshadweep is one of the worlds most spectacular tropical island systems. Thirty- two sq. km of land spread over 36 islands surrounded by 4200 sq. km of lagoon rich in marine wealth.
  

Great Nicobar is the southernmost and largest of the Nicobar Islands of India,  which is situated North of Sumatra. The island of Sumatra is located 180 km to the south of Great Nicobar. The island covers 921 $km^2$ but is sparsely inhabited.

The Andamans are separated from the Nicobar group by a channel (the Ten Degree Channel) some 150 km  wide. The highest point is located in North Andaman Island (Saddle Peak at 732 m ). The Andaman group has 325 islands which cover an area of $ 6,170 km^2$ while the Nicobar group has only 24 islands with an area of $1,765 km^2$ .

Ten Degree Channel is between Little Andaman and Car Nicobar, about 77 miles to the S, is deep and clear. The Channel is approximately 150 km wide, running essentially along an east-west orientation. It is so named as it lies on the 10-degree line of latitude, north of the equator.

The Lakshadweep Islands are situated in Arabian Sea. Lakshadweep, formerly (1956–73) Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi Islands, union territory of India. It is a group of some three dozen islands scattered over some 30,000 square miles (78,000 square km) of the Arabian Sea off the southwestern coast of India.

Indonesia is in east of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The total coastline of India, including the mainland and the island groups (Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar), is 7,516.6 km.

The two volcanic islands in the Indian territory are Narcondam and Barren. Narcondam is a small volcanic island located in the Andaman Sea. The island's peak rises to 710 m above mean sea level, and it is formed of andesite. It is part of the Andaman Islands, the main body of which lie approximately 124 km (77 mi) to the west. Barren Island is an island located in the Andaman Sea, dominated by Barren Volcano, the only confirmed active volcano in South Asia, and the only active volcano along a chain of volcanoes from Sumatra to Myanmar.

Pondicherry has the largest size of the given options. It has four administrative divisions: four districts, viz. Pondicherry , Mahé, Yanam and Karaikal. Pondicherry district has the largest area and population.

The largest southernmost single island in India is Great Nicobar Island. Indira Point is the name of the southernmost point of Republic of India. It is situated on Great Nicobar Island in the Nicobar Islands, which are located in the eastern Indian Ocean at 6°45'10″N and 93°49'36″E.

The continental shelves of Lakshadweep are originated due to coral reefs. 2. The continental shelves of western coast are due to faulting and submergence.

Barren Island, one of the most easterly of the Andaman Islands, is the only confirmed active volcano in India. The island along with the rest of the Andamans is the the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and lies some 135 kms northeast of the territory's capital, Port Blair.

Port Blair is the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is located in South Andaman. They belongs to the South Andaman administrative district, part of the Indian union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The southernmost point of Indian Union called Indira point. Indira Point is a village in the Nicobar district of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. It is located in the great Nicobar Tehsil.

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands constitute the largest island group in India in terms of total land area.

Among the options provided, Lakshadweep is the smallest union territory and island group in terms of land area.

• Kavaratti is the capital of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep in India.
• Kavaratti is a census town as well as the name of the atoll upon which the town stands.
•  It is well known for its pristine white sand beaches and calm lagoons, which makes it a popular tourist destination.
•  It has a distance of 404 km (251 mi) west of the city of Kochi.

• Lakshadweep Islands, also known as Laccadives islands, formerly is the smallest Union Territory of Indian government. 
  
• The capital of this Union Territory is Kavaratti. 
  
• The Union territory is majorly ruled by Islamic principles followed up by many other religions as well.
  
•  After India got her independence, in 1956, Lakshadweep was marked as a separate Union territory in India. 
  
• There are around 40 islands which together make the Lakshadweep islands. 
  

• Lakshadweep Islands, also known as the Laccadives islands, formerly is the smallest Union Territory of the Indian government. 
  
• Lakshadweep formerly known as the Laccadive, Minicoy, amindivi  is a group of islands 
  
• The capital of this Union Territory is Kavaratti. 
  
• The Union territory is majorly ruled by Islamic principles followed up by many other religions as well.
  
•  After India got her independence, in 1956, Lakshadweep was marked as a separate Union territory in India. 
  
• There are around 40 islands that together make the Lakshadweep islands. 

• On 1 November 1956, during the reorganization of Indian states, the Lakshadweep islands were separated from Madras organized into a separate union territory for administrative purposes.
  
•  The new territory was called 'Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi Islands before adopting the Lakshadweep name on 1 November 1973.
  
• Kavaratti  is the capital of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep in India. 
  
• Administration Secretariat was shifted from Kozhikode to Kavaratti in March 1964.
  
• The administrative headquarter; Kavaratti is the most developed island. 52 mosques are spread out over the island including the most beautiful Ujra mosque.
  

• Corals are marine invertebrates in the class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria.
  
• They typically live in compact colonies of many identical individual polyps.
  
• Coral, a sessile animal, relies on its relationship with plant-like algae to build the largest structures of biological origin on Earth.
  

Coral polyps are short lived microscopic organisms which lives in colonies. They flourish in shallow, mud free and warm waters. They secrete calcium carbonate

• Barren Island is an island located in the Andaman Sea. It is the only confirmed active volcano in South Asia.
  
•  Along with the rest of the Andaman Islands, it is a part of the IndianUnion Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and liesabout 138 km (86 mi) northeast of the territory's capital, Port Blair.
  
• Barren Island houses the only active volcano in India.
  

• Lakshadweep formerly known as the Laccadive, Minicoy, and Aminidivi Islands, is a group of islands in the Laccadive Sea, 200 to 440 kilometres (120 to 270 mi) off the south western coast of India.
  
• The Laccadives, Minicoy and Aminidivi group of islands were renamed as Lakshadweep (literally means one lakh islands) in 1973.
  
• On 1 November 1956, Maliku was incorporated into the Union Territory of Laccadive, Minicoy, and Aminidivi Islands, renamed Lakshadweep in 1973.
  

• Length of coastline of India including the coastlines of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal and Lakshwadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea is 7517 km.
  
• Length of Coastline of Indian mainland is 6100 km.
  
•  Length of coastline (in km) (i) Gujarat 1214.7 (ii) Maharashtra 652.6(iii) Goa, Daman and Diu 160.5 (iv) Karnataka 280.0 (v) Kerala 569.7 (vi) Tamil Nadu 906.9 (vii) Pudducherry 30.6 (viii) Andhra Pradesh 973.7 (ix) Odisha 476.4 (x) West Bengal 157.5 (xi) Lakshadweep Islands 132.0 (xii) Andaman & Nicobar Islands 1962.0Total Coastline 7516.6.
  

• Andaman and Nicobar islands are near to the equator.
  
• As the sun rays fall directly on the equator first (due to earth's tilt) the difference between day and night is less.
  
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands has a humid Weather and has no winter season.

Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago, consisting of over 17,000 islands.

• It comprises two island groups, the Andaman Islands and the Nicobar Islands, separated by the 10°N parallel, with the Andamans to the north of this latitude, and the Nicobars to the south. 
  
• The Andaman Sea lies to the east and the Bay of Bengal to the west.
  
• Geographically located at 11° 41' N and 92° 46' E, these islands are a part of the Bay of Bengal
  
• Two groups of islands, the Andaman and the Nicobar islands lie towards the Southeastern part of the Indian mainland.
  

Saddle Peak or Saddle Hill is located on North Andaman Island in India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands. At 731 m, it is the highest point of the archipelago in the Bay of Bengal. It is surrounded by Saddle Peak National Park. It is located near Diglipur, a town in North Andaman Island.

A group of islands is collectively called Archipelago. An island is a piece of land that is surrounded on all sides by water. Most archipelagoes are made of oceanic islands. So the islands were formed by volcanoes erupting from the ocean. The islands are considered part of a larger land mass. Places such as Hawaii and the Virgin Islands are considered to be archipelagos.

The 13th major seaport is established in India at Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Port Blair is the 13th and youngest major port of India declared so in 2010. The port is of strategic importance to India and is close to two international shipping lines viz. Saudi Arabia - Singapore and US- Singapore. Port Blair (Andaman) is situated at the Juncture of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. This island port is connected to Indian mainland through flight and ship. This port is the principal hub for shipping in the Andaman Islands. It is known for its scuba diving, water sports, and virgin beaches.

• Maldives is a country of South Asia, situated in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India. 
  
• It consists of approximately 1,190 coral islands grouped in a double chain of 26 atolls, spread over roughly 90,000 square kilometers, making this one of the most disparate countries in the world.
  
• The Maldives officially the Republic of Maldives is a South Asian island country, located in  the India Ocean.
  
• The Maldives forms a terrestrial ecoregion, together with the Chagos and the Lakshadweep.
  

• Atoll which is also called as coral atoll is a ring shaped reef including rim which is present around a lagoon. These can be either circular or horse shoe shaped.
  
• Most of the world’s atolls are located in Pacific Ocean. The Saya de Malha Bank is the largest atoll that is present in western Indian Ocean.
  

• Barren Island is an island located in the Andaman Sea.
  
• It is the only confirmed active volcano in South Asia. 
  
• It is a part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and lies about 138 km (86 ml) northeast of Port Blair.
  

Narcondam is a small volcanic island located in the Andaman Sea. The island's peak rises to 710 m above mean sea level, and it is formed of andesite. Narcondam islands are supposed to be dormant volcano whereas Barren is still active. India’s only active volcano is the Barren Islands volcano located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

 Duncan pass is located between South and little Andaman. Duncan Passage is a strait in the Indian Ocean. It is about 48 km (30 mi) wide; it separates Rutland Island (Great Andaman) to the north, and Little Andaman to the south.

India's smallest Union Territory Lakshadweep is an archipelago consisting of 36 islands with an area of 32 sq km.

The Onge  are one of the Andamanese indigenous peoples of the Andaman Islands. Traditionally hunter-gatherers, they are a designated as a Scheduled Tribe of India.

The Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar islands are two major archipelagos of India. They are classified as Union Territories (UTs). The Lakshadweep islands lie in the Arabian Sea off the Kerala Coast and have a total area of 32 km making them the smallest UT in India.

Indira Point, the southernmost point of India, is located on Great Nicobar Island.

Barren Island, located in the Andaman Sea, is the only active volcano in India.

Duncan Passage is located between Little Andaman and Car Nicobar Island. Duncan Passage is a strait in the Indian Ocean. It is about 48 km (30 mi) wide; it separates Rutland Island (part of Great Andaman) to the north, and Little Andaman to the south.

In Andaman and Nicobar Islands Union Territories, people of the Onge tribe live. The Onge are one of the Andamanese indigenous peoples of the Andaman Islands. Traditionally hunter-gatherers, they are a designated as a Scheduled Tribe of India.

Lakshadweep Islands are the product of Reef formation. Lakshadweep is an archipelago of twelve atolls, three reefs and five submerged banks, with a total of about thirty-nine islands and islets.

Statement 1 and 2 are correct.

Nine Degree Channel separates Lakshadweep and Minicoy. The Nine Degree Channel is a channel in the Indian Ocean between the Laccadive Islands of Kalpeni and Suheli Par, and Maliku Atoll. These two subgroups of islands, together with the Amindivi Subgroup, form the Indian Union Territory (UT) of Lakshadweep.

South Andaman,

The smallest Union Territory is Lakshadweep. India's smallest Union Territory Lakshadweep is an archipelago consisting of 36 islands with an area of 32 sq km.

Rameshwaram Indian islands lies between India and Sri Lanka. This chain extends between Dhanushkodi on Pamban Island (also known as Rameswaram Island) in Tamil Nadu and Mannar Island in Sri Lanka. The island of Rameswaram is linked to the Indian mainland by the Pamban Bridge.

An active volcano was reported at Barren Island, Andaman and Nicobar Islands India in 1991. The Barren Island volcano, located 140-km north-east of Port Blair, dormant for more than 150 years started erupting in 1991 and has since then shown intermittent activity," CSIR-NIO said in a statement".

Lakshadweep Island group is lying close to the Malabar coast of Kerala in the Arabian Sea. It is also known as the Coral Islands. Earlier it was known as Laccadive Minicoyand Amindive. In 1973 these were renamed as Lakshadweep. It covers a small area of 32  sq. Km. Kavaratti Island is the administrative headquarters of Lakshadweep. Pitti island has a bird sanctuary.

India has been divided into 29 states and 7 union territories for administrative convenience.

Indira Point is the name of the southernmost point of Republic of India. It is situated on Great Nicobar Island in the Nicobar Islands, which are located in the eastern Indian Ocean at 6°45'10″N and 93°49'36″E. This is not on the Indian mainland, but within the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Tribal groups of Andaman and Nicobar are divided into two categories -  Negrito and Mongoloid.

The Lakshadweep islands are coral atolls, formed by the accumulation of coral reefs.

B.  Pitti Island:-

The Lakshadweep Archipelago forms a terrestrial ecoregion together with the Maldives and the Chagos. It has over 600 species of marine fishes, 78 species of corals, 82 species of seaweed, 52 species of crabs, 2 species of lobsters, 48 species of gastropods, 12 species of bivalves, 101 species of birds. It is one of the four coral reef regions in India. The corals are a major attraction for the tourist. Pitti Island, is an important breeding place for sea turtles and for a number of pelagic birds such as the brown noddy  lesser crested tern  and greater crested tern . The island has been declared a bird sanctuary.

The Duncan Passage is a strait in the Indian Ocean. It is located between South Andaman and Little Andaman. It is about 48 km wide. It separates Rutland Island (part of Great Andaman) to the North and Little Andaman to the South.

The Jarawa people are an indigenous tribe native to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.