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Major Islands

India has two major island groups: the Lakshadweep Islands, composed of coral islands in the Arabian Sea, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which are volcanic and located in the Bay of Bengal. The islands hold strategic, economic, and environmental significance, contributing to India's maritime security and biodiversity. However, they face risks from global warming and rising sea levels, highlighting the need for sustainable development.

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Deepak Pandey
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10 views

Major Islands

India has two major island groups: the Lakshadweep Islands, composed of coral islands in the Arabian Sea, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which are volcanic and located in the Bay of Bengal. The islands hold strategic, economic, and environmental significance, contributing to India's maritime security and biodiversity. However, they face risks from global warming and rising sea levels, highlighting the need for sustainable development.

Uploaded by

Deepak Pandey
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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India has two major island groups: the Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea

and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. The Lakshadweep
Islands are coral islands, while the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are volcanic.
Lakshadweep Islands:
 Located in the Arabian Sea, west of the Kerala coast.
 Composed of coral islands.
 Includes the Aminidivi Islands, Minicoy Islands, and others.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands:
 Located in the Bay of Bengal.
 An archipelago of volcanic islands.
 Comprises the northern Andaman Islands and the southern Nicobar Islands.
 Includes islands like Havelock Island (Swaraj Island), and Netaji Subhash Chandra
Bose Island.
 Home to the uncontacted Sentinelese people on the Andaman Islands.

The Indian Islands refer to the group of islands, scattered across the Indian
Ocean, the Arabian Sea, and the Bay of Bengal, which form parts of the territory of
India. Together, they constitute one of the 5 physiographic divisions of India.

They are, broadly, categorized into two main groups of islands:

 The Andaman and Nicobar Islands


 The Lakshadweep Islands

The Andaman and Nicobar Group of Islands

 Location: They are a group of islands of India, located in the Bay of


Bengal.
 Extent: These islands form an arcuate chain (convex to the west) and
extend from 6° 45′ N to 13° 41′ N and from 92° 12′ E to 93° 57′ E.
o They stretch for a distance of about 590 km with a maximum width of
about 58 km.
 Major Islands in the Group: This archipelago is composed of more than
500 big and small islands, which are divided into two distinct groups of
islands – The Andaman Islands and the Nicobar Islands.

The Andaman Islands


 Area: The Andaman is a closely-knit group of islands in India with a length
of around 260 km and a width of around 30 km.
 Sub-groups: These islands are divided into three major sub-groups –
North Andaman, Middle Andaman, and South Andaman.
o The two major archipelagos of this group of islands – the Little
Andaman and the Great Andaman – are separated from each other
by the 50 km wide Duncan Passage.
o The capital city of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Port Blair is
located in South Andaman.
 Habitation: Only around 24 islands are inhabited in this group of islands.

The Nicobar Islands

 Area: This group of islands in India are scattered over a length of 262 km
with a maximum width of 58 km covering an area of 1,653 sq km.
 Sub-groups: These islands are divided into three major sub-groups
– Northern Group, Central Group, and Southern Group. The prominent
islands in each subgroup are:
o Northern Group: Car Nicobar and Battimalv.
o Central Group: Chowra, Chaura or Sanenyo, Teressa or Luroo,
Bompuka or Poahat, Katchal, Camorta, Nancowry or Nancowrie,
Trinket, Laouk or “Isle of Man”, Tillangchong, etc.
o Southern Group: Great Nicobar (the largest island of the Nicobars),
Little Nicobar, Kondul Island, Pulo Milo or Pillomilo (Milo Island),
Meroe, Trak, Treis, Menchal, Kabra, Pigeon and Megapod.
 The Great Nicobar is the largest and the southernmost
island in the group, which is only 147 km away from Sumatra
island of Indonesia.
 India’s southernmost point ‘Indira Point’ is located at
the southern tip of the Great Nicobar.
 Habitation: Only around 12 islands are inhabited in this group of islands.
o The indigenous ethnic groups are the Nicobarese and the Shompen.
 Other Features:
o The waterbody named ‘Ten Degree Channel’ separates
the Andaman Islands in the north from the Nicobar Islands in the
south.
o Most of these islands have a volcanic base and are made of tertiary
sandstone, limestone, and shale.
 The Barren and Narcondam islands, north of Port Blair,
are volcanic islands.
 Some of the islands are fringed with coral reefs.
o Most of the islands are mountainous and reach considerable heights.
 Saddle Peak (737 m) in North Andaman is the highest
peak in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
o The names of the following three islands were changed in 2018:

1. Ross Island – renamed as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep


2. Neil Island – renamed as Shaheed Dweep
3. Havelock Island – renamed as Swaraj Dweep

The Lakshadweep Islands


 Location: They are a group of islands of India, located in the Arabian Sea,
close to the Malabar coast of Kerala.
 Extent: This group of islands in India are widely scattered over an area of
108.78 sq. km. extending from 8° N to 12°20′ N and 71°45′ E to 74 °E.
 Major Islands in the group: Though the term Lakshadweep literally means
one lakh islands, the Lakshadweep Islands, actually, consist of a group of
only 25 small islands. These islands are divided into three groups as
follows:
Amindivi Islands

 The islands north of 11° N are known as Amindivi Islands.

Cannanore Islands

 The islands south of 11° N are called Cannanore Islands.

Minicoy Islands

 It is located in the extreme south.


 It is the largest and the most advanced island in the group of Lakshadweep
Islands.

 Composition: All the islands in this group are of coral origin and are
surrounded by fringing reefs.
 Topography: Their topography is flat and there is almost complete absence
of any major relief features such as hills, streams, valleys, etc.
o Shallow lagoons are seen on their western side, while on the eastern
seaboard, the slopes are steeper.
 Capital: The capital city of the Lakshadweep Islands is Kavaratti.

Significance of the Indian Islands

 Strategic Significance: The locations of the islands of India are such that
they are of great strategic importance for the country:
o The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, located close to the Strait of
Malacca, offer India significant strategic leverage in the Indian
Ocean Region.
o These islands in India serve as a forward operating base for the
Indian Navy, enhancing India’s maritime security and surveillance
capabilities in the region.
 Economic Significance: The islands of India contribute to the nation’s
economy through tourism, fisheries, and agriculture.
 Environmental Significance: The Indian Islands experience an equatorial
climate and have thick forest cover. Their forests are home to a great
diversity of flora and fauna.

Much more than just a geographical feature, the Islands of India carry multiple
significance. Apart from providing strategic leverage to India, they are a source of
many other resources. Of late, the islands in India are facing the risk of inundation
due to global warming and the probable rise in sea level. Ensuring the
sustainability of these islands is not just crucial for India but for the marine
ecology of the subcontinent. Sustainable development is the way forward.

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