Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Ritiks · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Settlement type	Union territory
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name	India
Established title	Established
Established date	1956
Seat type	Capital
Seat	Port Blair
Area total km2	8249
Population total	380,520
Population as of	2011
Iso code	IN-AN

Andaman and Nicobar Islands are an archipelago in the Bay of Bengal comprising over 500 islands, islets, and rocks, administered as a union territory of India. The islands lie near the Andaman Sea and the Malacca Strait, strategically positioned between Myanmar and Indonesia, and host diverse indigenous communities including the Jarawa, Sentinelese, and Onge alongside settlers from Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. The territory's administrative capital is Port Blair, a historic port linked to the colonial-era Cellular Jail and maritime routes to Colombo and Singapore.

Geography

The archipelago stretches from the Ten Degree Channel in the north to the Great Nicobar Island in the south and includes major islands such as South Andaman Island, North Andaman Island, Middle Andaman Island, Little Andaman, Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep), and Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep). It lies on the Andaman and Nicobar rainforest ecoregion near the boundary of the Indo-Australian Plate and experiences seismicity related to the Sunda Trench and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami region's tectonics, with notable events including the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Maritime channels such as the Ten Degree Channel, Preparis Channel, and Great Channel shape navigation to ports like Port Blair and anchorages near Mayabunder and Diglipur. The climate is tropical monsoon influenced by the Southwest monsoon and Northeast monsoon, producing mangrove-fringed coasts, coral reefs, and evergreen forests.

History

The islands have archaeological and anthropological ties to ancient migrations across the Bay of Bengal and to Austroasiatic and Austronesian interactions evidenced by contacts with populations linked to Neolithic dispersals. Europeans first charted the archipelago during expeditions by the Portuguese Empire and later by the British Empire, which established colonial outposts and the penal colony at Port Blair with the Cellular Jail for Indian independence activists including detainees associated with the Indian independence movement and figures connected to the Quit India Movement. During World War II, the islands were occupied by the Imperial Japanese Navy and became operational zones connected to the Burma Campaign and convoys between Rangoon and Singapore. Post-independence, the islands were integrated into the Republic of India with administrative changes linked to policies derived from acts enacted by the Parliament of India, and strategic developments have involved the Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, and cooperative security dialogues with United States Navy and Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force in the Indian Ocean region.

Demographics

The population comprises indigenous tribes such as the Great Andamanese, Jarawa, Onge, and Sentinelese, alongside migrants from Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Mizoram. Languages include Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and indigenous languages classified within the Austroasiatic languages and Andamanese languages families. Religious communities include followers of Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam, and the demographic profile reflects influences from colonial-era settlers, labor movements tied to plantations, and post-war rehabilitation linked to the Partition of India population movements.

Administration and Governance

The territory is administered under the constitutional framework of India as a union territory with a lieutenant governor and local administration headquartered in Port Blair. Judicial matters are addressed by benches of the Calcutta High Court historically, with appeals routed to the Supreme Court of India. Strategic administration involves coordination with central agencies such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, and entities including the Indian Coast Guard and Andaman and Nicobar Command—a tri-service command established for integrated operations in the Indian Ocean Region.

Economy

Economic activity centers on tourism to islands like Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep), Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep), and Ross Island (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island), fisheries serving markets in Chennai, Kolkata, and Visakhapatnam, and agriculture involving coconut, areca nut, and spices supplied to regional hubs such as Port Blair and Mumbai. Infrastructure projects include expansion of ports at Port Blair and Campbell Bay and air links via Veer Savarkar International Airport and Chennai International Airport connections, with investment from organizations such as the Ministry of Shipping (India) and collaborations under regional initiatives involving the Indian National Shipowners' Association and maritime trade routes linking to Singapore and Colombo.

Culture and Society

Local society reflects syncretic traditions from indigenous tribes and settler communities from Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, with festivals such as Durga Puja, Pongal, and Christian celebrations on islands with churches influenced by Portuguese Empire missionary history. Cuisine features seafood preparations alongside rice dishes from Bengali cuisine, Tamil cuisine, and influences from Malayali cuisine, while handicrafts include shell work and cane furniture marketed in Port Blair bazaars frequented by visitors arriving via ferries from Chennai and Visakhapatnam. Educational institutions include colleges affiliated with ANIMS and vocational programs supported by national schemes administered by the Ministry of Education.

Environment and Biodiversity

The islands support unique ecosystems with coral reefs in the Andaman Sea, mangrove forests in estuaries near Mayabunder and Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep), and endemic species like the Andaman teal, Andaman wild pig, and flora linked to the Indomalayan realm. Protected areas include Rani Jhansi Marine National Park and Saddle Peak National Park, and conservation efforts involve the Wildlife Institute of India and the Ministry of Environment with programs addressing threats from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami and from coral bleaching linked to rising sea temperatures observed in studies by regional marine research centers and organizations such as the National Centre for Coastal Research.

Category:Union territories of India Category:Islands of the Indian Ocean