Tag: to our own islands

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.
  

The difference in a rock formation is responsible for the variation in the color of the soil in different parts of India. Rocks are made up of different minerals. Soils are dynamic, forming continuously over a long period of time. Soil types differ, depending on the parent materials from which they came and from the surrounding environment. Soil is a complex mixture of minerals (approximately 45%), organic matter (approximately 5%), and empty space (approximately 50%, filled to varying degrees with air and water). The mineral content of soils is variable but is dominated by clay minerals and quartz, along with minor amounts of feldspar and small fragments of rock.

• 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.