Indian Islands: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep Islands & New Moore Island | UPSC Notes

Islands in India

  • Total 247 islands in India  204 islands in Bay of Bengal and 43 in the Arabian Sea
  • Few coral islands in the Gulf of Mannar also
  • Andaman and Nicobar Islands in Bay of Bengal consist of hard volcanic rocks
  • The middle Andaman and Nicobar Islands are the largest islands of India
  • Lakshadweep islands in the Arabian Sea are formed by corals
  • The southern – most point of India is in Nicobar Island, known as Indira Point
  • Formerly Indira point was called Pigmalion Point, it is submerged now, after 2004 Tsunami
Islands in India upsc

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Lakshadweep Islands

  • Volcanic islands representing submarine volcanism
  • Represent the surfaces of submerged folds viz. extension of Himalaya, precisely Arakan yoma fold mountains of Myanmar
  • Formed of Granite rocks & have high hills & peaks for ex. Saddle peak
  • Equatorial climate with tropical rain-forests
  • a union of coral islands, entirely different from A & N islands
  • comprises of large number of dead corals, fringing, barrier and atoll coral reefs
  • Have calcium rich soils filled with organic limestone
  • Have scattered vegetation of palm species
Islands in India maps upsc

 

Famous Islands in India

A & N Islands

Continuation of Arakan Yoma mountain range of Myanmar

Nicobar Islands

Just 147 km from Sumatra island (Indonesia)

Mazuli Island

Largest riverrine island of the world, located on Brahamaputra in Assam

New Moore Island

On Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta region & a disputed site b/w India & Bangladesh

Sagar Island

W.B – on the continental shelf of Bay of Bengal

Wheeler Island (OD)

Odisha, Integrated Missile Test Range facility | APJ Kalam Island

Hope Island (AP)

On coast of Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh

Sriharikota Island

Andhra Pradesh – Satellite launch center | Satish Dhawan Space Centre 

Narcondam Island (N)

Extinct Volcano island – Andaman Sea

Barren Island (S)

Dormant Volcano island – Andaman Sea

Katchatheevu Island

forcibly given to Srilanka by India in 1974

Salasette Island

Group of 7 islands, known as Mumbai today

Wellington Island

Naval Station  Kerala

Adam’s Bridge/ Rama’s BridgeRama Setu 

  • a chain of limestone shoals, between Pamban Island, also known as Rameswaram Island
  • Lies off the southeastern coast of Tamil Nadu, India, and Mannar Island, off the northwestern coast of Sri Lanka
ALSO READ  Family, Household, and Marriage | Sociology Optional UPSC (Notes)
Adam’s Bridge/ Rama’s Bridge/ Rama Setu