List of Important Islands Of India

List Of Important Islands Of India

The major islands groups of India are Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago (A chain of islands similar in origin) in Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep islands in Arabian Sea.

• Andaman and Nicobar Islands were formed due to collision between Indian Plate and Burma Minor Plate (part of Eurasian Plate).
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands are southward extension of Arakan Yoma range (Myanmar)(Arakan Yoma in itself is an extension of Purvanchal Hills).
• Lakshadweep Islands are coral islands.

LAKSHADWEEP ISLANDS

• Lakshadweep is the smallest Union Territory of India and is a coral island located in the Arabian Sea with Kavaratti as its capital.
• There are three types of islands.
  1. Amindivi Islands
  2. Laccadive Islands
  3. Minicoy Island.

Important Facts about Lakshadweep Islands

• In Lakshadweep, Most of the islands are horseshoe shaped and makeup of atolls (coral deposits).
• The Lakshadweep consisted of 36 islands. But currently there are 35 islands, as the Parali 1 island submerged in water due to sea erosion.
• The islands north of 11°N are known as Amindivi Islands while south of this latitude is called Cannanore Islands.
• Andrott island is the largest island and Bitra is the smallest of all having only a population of around 300.
• Amendivi Islands are the northernmost while the Minicoy island is the southernmost.
•  Minicoy is separated from rest of the Lakshadweep by Nine Degree Channel whereas Lakshadweep group separated from the Maldives by Eight Degree Channel.
• An important point to note here is that there are no forests in these Islands.

Andaman and Nicobar islands

The main islands under the Andaman and Nicobar Islands group are:

• Andaman Islands
  • North Andaman
  • Middle Andaman
  • South Andaman
  • Little Andaman
• Nicobar Islands
  • Car Nicobar
  • Little Nicobar
  • Great Nicobar
    

Facts about Andaman and Nicobar Islands

• Andaman and Nicobar Islands situated in the Bay of Bengal, run like a narrow chain in the north-south direction extending between  6° 45′ N to 13° 45′ N and from 92° 10′ E to 94° 15′ E.
• This archipelago is composed of 265 big and small islands [203 Andaman islands + 62 Nicobar Islands].
• Port Blair, located in South Andaman is the administrative capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• The region consists of dense tropical rain forests whereas the coastal regions have mangrove forest.
• Duncan passage separates Little Andaman from South Andaman.
• The Great Andaman group of islands in the north is separated by the Ten Degree Channel from the Nicobar group in the south.
• Port Blair, the capital of Andaman Nicobar Islands lies in the South Andaman.
• Among the Nicobar islands, the Great Nicobar is the largest. It is the southernmost island and is very close to Sumatra island of Indonesia. The Car Nicobar is the northernmost.
• Most of these islands are made of tertiary sandstone, limestone and shale resting on basic and ultrabasic volcanoes [Similar to Himalayas].
• THE BARREN AND NARCONDAM ISLANDS, north of Port Blair, are volcanic islands [these are the only active volcanoes in India][There are no active volcanoes in main land India].
• Some of the islands are fringed with coral reefs. Many of them are covered with thick forests. Most of the islands are mountainous.
• Saddle peak (737 m) in North Andaman is the highest peak.

Recently the government has renamed the names of some Islands of Andaman and Nicobar which are

1. Ross Island Be Renamed As Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island
2. Neil Island Renamed As Shaheed Dweep
3. Havelock Island Is Renamed As Swaraj Dweep

Other Important Islands of India

1. New Moore Island :
   • New Moore, also known as South Talpatti  and Purbasha Island, was a small uninhabited offshore sandbar island in the Bay of Bengal, off the coast of the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta region. It emerged in the Bay of Bengal in the aftermath of the Bhola cyclone in November 1970, and disappeared around March 2010.
2. Sriharikota Island: 
   • It is located between Pulicat Lake and the Bay of Bengal in the Nellore district of the state of Andhra Pradesh. Sriharikota is one of the satellite launching stations of the Indian Space Research Organisation.
3. Abdul Kalam Island/ Wheeler Island:
   •  The Abdul Kalam Island is located off the Odisha coast. It is India’s most advanced missile testing site. The island was earlier named after an English commandant Lieutenant Wheeler.
4. Pamban Island
   • It is located between India and Sri Lanka in the Gulf of Mannar and in the Ramanathapuram district of the state of Tamil Nadu. It is also known as Rameswaram Island. Most of Pamban Island is covered with white sand and hence is not suitable for
5. Majuli Island
   • It is located in the state of Assam. It is a large river island in the Brahmaputra river. It is the world s largest river island. The livelihoods of people on the island are dependent on agriculture. The island is under severe ecological threat due to the extensive soil erosion on its banks.
6. Diu Island
   • It is located off the south coast of Kathiawar. Diu Island is famous for the historical Diu fort and beautiful beaches.
7. Sagar Island
   • It is located in the Ganga delta in the Bay of Bengal. It is a large island. It is also an important place of Hindu pilgrimage.
8. Halliday Island
   • It is located in the state of West Bengal and is part of the Sunderbans region. It is located in the river Malta. It is also designated as a wildlife sanctuary.
9. Phumdis/Floating Islands
   • They is located in the state of Manipur. It is part of the Keibul Lamjao National Park. It is famous for the Eld’s deer/ Sangai.

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