Major Islands of India

A portion of the land that is surrounded by water is known as an island. A total of 1,382 seaward distinct islands exists in India. India's mainland is quite large and diverse. The Lakshadweep Islands (in the Arabian Sea) and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (in the Bay of Bengal) are the two major island groups. These islands contain coral deposits, beaches, equatorial vegetation, and convectional rainfall. They also have coral deposits and beaches.

Features of Major Islands of India

Here are the descriptions of major islands of India −

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

The Andamans are made up of more than 500 islands. The total land area of the islands is approximately 8,249 km2. At the confluence of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea are the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a union territory of India made up of 571 islands, 37 of which are inhabited. The principal islands include Landfall Island, Interview Island, the Sentinel Islands (where the Sentinelese people reside), Ritchie's Archipelago, and Rutland Island. North, Middle, and South Andaman are generally referred to as Great Andaman.

Little Andaman in the south and the Nicobar Islands are divided by a 10-degree canal that is roughly 145 km long. There are 19 islands in the Nicobars. Car Nicobar in the north, Camorta, Katchall, and Nancowry in the chain's middle, and Great Nicobar in the south are some of the most notable. The northwest tip of Sumatra, Indonesia, is located about 90 miles to the southwest of Great Nicobar.

The Andaman and Nicobar groups are both a part of a vast island arc and are created by the above-sea extensions of undersea mountain ridges. Saddle Peak on North Andaman, with 2,418 feet as its highest peak, is followed in height by Mount Thullier on Great Nicobar, with 2,106 feet, and Mount Harriet on South Andaman, with 1,197 feet. The Andaman Sea is home to South Asia's only known active volcano, a barren island. On Barren Island, there have been volcanic eruptions in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

The terrain of the Andaman Islands is harsh, with hills and short longitudinal valleys, and it was formed from sandstone, limestone, and shale that was Cenozoic in age (that is, it was formed over the last 65 million years). Only a few valleys, like the Betapur on the Middle Andaman and the Diglipur on the North Andaman, have flat ground. Few rivers are perennial.

Compared to the Andamans, the Nicobar has a more varied terrain. The flat coral surfaces and offshore coral formations on several of the Nicobar Islands, such Car Nicobar, make it difficult for most ships to anchor. Some islands, like Great Nicobar, are steep and have a lot of swift-moving streams. The only island in the region having a sizable volume of fresh surface water is Great Nicobar.

Lakshadweep Islands

India's Lakshadweep is a union territory. It is a 36-island archipelago in the Arabian Sea, 200 to 440 km off the Malabar Coast. The islands' combined surface size is roughly 32 km2, making them the smallest union territory of India. The territorial seas are 20,000 km2, the lagoon is 4,200 km2, and the exclusive economic zone is 400,000 km2. Kavaratti, Agatti, Minicoy, and Amini are the major islands. According to the 2011 census, there are 64,473 people living in the territory as a whole. There are direct flights from Kochi to Agatti's airport.

Lakshadweep is an archipelago made up of around 36 islands and islets in total, divided across twelve atolls, three reefs, and five submerged banks. The reefs are actually atolls as well, despite being mostly submerged and having only a few tiny, vegetated sand cays above high tide. Atolls that have sunk are the submerged banks. The majority of the atolls are oriented northeast-southwest, with the islands located on the eastern rim and a lagoon-enclosing reef on the western rim. It has five underwater reefs, linked islets, four freshly formed islets, 17 deserted islands, and ten inhabited islands.

New Moore Islands

A small abandoned offshore sandbar island in the Bay of Bengal, off the coast of the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta region, was known as New Moore as well as South Talpatti and Purbasha Island. Following the Bhola cyclone in November 1970, it first arrived in the Bay of Bengal and vanished around March 2010. The island was situated south of the Hariabhanga river, which flows between the Satkhira district of Bangladesh and the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, India, in the shallow, coastal Bay of Bengal. It is currently submerged in the Bay of Bengal's waves.

Both India and Bangladesh asserted sovereignty over the island despite the fact that it was uninhabited and lacked any permanent settlements or installations due to the possibility that it contained oil and natural gas. The distance between the island and the Hariabhanga River mouth was only two km. The island's formation was spotted by an American satellite in 1974, which revealed that it had a surface size of 2,500 square meters. Later, numerous remote sensing studies revealed that the island had steadily grown to have a low tide area of roughly 10,000 square meters, including a number of typically submerged shoals. The island's highest point was never more than two meters above sea level.

Conclusion

There are numerous islands in India, each with own qualities and attributes. The Bay of Bengal's Andaman and Nicobar Islands are made up of more than 500 islands with breath-taking scenery, active volcanoes, and a diverse range of wildlife. In the Arabian Sea, the Lakshadweep Islands provide serene lagoons, colourful coral reefs, and lovely beaches. These islands serve as a display for India's maritime ecosystems' ecological significance and natural beauty.

New Moore Island, which was the site of a territorial dispute between Bangladesh and India but is now underwater, is another example of the intricate dynamics underlying resource claims in the area. In general, the islands of India are outstanding travel destinations that draw tourists to their cultural relevance and natural wonders.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many islands are there in India?

India has about 1,382 distinct islands.

How many islands are in Andaman and Nicobar Island?

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands comprise a total of 572 islands, out of which 37 are inhabited.

How many islands are in Lakshadweep Island?

Lakshadweep consists of a total of 36 islands, including 12 atolls, 3 reefs, and 5 submerged banks.

What are the major island groups in India?

The major island groups in India are the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal and the Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea.

What are the key features of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands?

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands comprise over 300 islands, with stunning landscapes, active volcanoes, diverse terrain, and a rich variety of flora and fauna.

What are the highlights of the Lakshadweep Islands?

The Lakshadweep Islands offer a picturesque archipelago with turquoise lagoons, vibrant coral reefs, and pristine beaches.

What was New Moore Island?

New Moore Island, also known as South Talpatti, was a small sandbar island in the Bay of Bengal that submerged in 2010. It was a subject of territorial dispute between India and Bangladesh due to potential oil and gas resources.