The Islands of India is one of the six physiographic regions of India, other five Physiographic regions of India are:
- Himalayan and northeastern mountain
- The northern plains
- Peninsular India
- The coastal plains
- The Great Indian Deserts
Physiography of the Indian Islands:
There are two major groups of islands in India.
- Lakshadweep islands in the Arabian Sea
- Andaman and Greater Nicobar groups of islands in the Bay of Bengal
Lakshadweep islands:
- Lakshadweep Islands are located in the Arabian sea and it is 280 km to 480 km from Kerala Coast or Malabar Coast.
- Lakshadweep islands are comprised of three types of islands - Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi.
- The entire Lakshadweep islands are made up of Coral deposits.
- Most of the islands have low elevation and they do not have more than 5 meters of elevation above sea level.
- Lakshadweep islands are part of the Reunion Volcanic Hotspot.
- 9 degrees channel divides "Amindivi and other Lakshadweep islands in the north" and Minicoy in the south.
- 8 degrees channel separates the Minicoy island and the Maldives
- Kavaratti Island is the administrative headquarters of Lakshadweep.
- Pitti island is uninhabited and it has a bird sanctuary.
- Minicoy is the largest island having an area of 453 square km.
- Landform features such as hills, mountains, valleys, rivers, floodplains, etc are absent in the islands.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands:
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Araman Yoma ranges in Myanmar are extensions of Purvachal hills.
- Andaman and Nicobar islands were formed by the collision of the Indian Plate and Burma Plate.
- Andaman Islands
- Nicobar Islands
Andaman Islands:
- The Andaman Islands are located on the Northern side.
- Andamans islands are further divided into three major division-North Andaman, Middle Andaman, and South Andaman.
- The highest point of the Andaman and Nicobar group of islands is Saddle's point[ 737 meters above sea level] and it is located in northern Andaman.
- Port Blair is the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and it is located in South Andaman,
- The Ten-degree channel is in between Little Andaman and Nicobar island.
- Duncan Passage is in between Little Andaman and South Andaman.
- Barren Islands are the only active volcanos in South Asia and it is located east of Middle Andaman Islands.
Nicobar Islands:
- The Nicobar Islands are located on the southern side.
- Great Nicobar is the largest island in the Nicobar group of Islands.
Strategic Importance of Islands of India:
- From the point of view of security, India can keep an eye on the Malacca Strait from the Andaman Sea.
- Great Nicobar is very close to the Sumatra Islands of Indonesia and thus it is strategically very important for India.
- Arms and other smuggling in the Indian Ocean region can be seen from these islands.
- The island promotes trade and the port is available.
- The islands are very attractive places from the point of view of tourism.
- These islands help our country monitor other activities in the Indian Ocean.
Current Problems in Indian Islands:
The following are three major problems of the Islands:
- Sea level rising: The elevation of most of the Lakshadweep Islands is not more than 5 meters above sea level and they are extremely vulnerable to sea-level rise.
- Pollution
- Erosion
Answer the following MCQs on the Islands of India:
1. Which of the following island is located in the Bay of Bengal?
a) Barren Island
b) Laccadive
b) Amindivi
d) Minicoy
Answer. a) Barren Island is the only active island in South Asia and it is located in the Bay of Bengal.
2. Which of the following peak is highest in the Andaman and Nicobar islands?
a) Mahendra Giri
b) Indira Point
c) Indira Peak
d) Saddle Point
Answer. d) Saddle's point[ 737 meters above sea level]
3. Port Blair, the capital of Andaman & Nicobar Islands is located on which island?
a) North Andaman
b) Middle Andaman
c) South Andaman
d) Nicobars
Answer. c) Port Blair is the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and it is located in South Andaman,
4. Ten-degree channel is situated between which of the following islands?
a) Maldive and Lakshadweep islands
b) North Andaman and Middle Andaman
c) Little Andaman and South Andaman
d) Little Andaman and Nicobar island
Answer. d) The Ten-degree channel is in between Little Andaman and Nicobar island.
5. Duncan Passage is situated between which of the following islands?
a) Maldive and Lakshadweep islands
b) North Andaman and Middle Andaman
c) Little Andaman and South Andaman
d) Little Andaman and Nicobar island
Answer. c) Duncan Passage is in between Little Andaman and South Andaman.
6. 9 degrees water channel divides which of the following islands?
a) Amindivi and Minicoy
b) Minicoy and the Maldives
c) Little Andaman and South Andaman
d) Little Andaman and Nicobar island
Answer. a) Amindivi and Minicoy
7. 8 degrees water channel divides which of the following islands?
a) Amindivi and Minicoy
b) Minicoy and the Maldives
c) Little Andaman and South Andaman
d) Little Andaman and Nicobar island
Answer. b) Minicoy and the Maldives
8. Which of the following islands of Lakshadweep is the largest?
a) Pitti
b) Kavaratti
c) Minicoy
d) Laccadive
Answer. c) Minicoy is the largest island having an area of 453 square km.
9. The administrative headquarters of Lakshadweep is located in which of the following island?
a) Pitti
b) Kavaratti
c) Minicoy
d) Laccadive
Answer. b) Kavaratti
10. Which of the following island of Lakshadweep is uninhabited and has a bird sanctuary.
a) Pitti
b) Kavaratti
c) Minicoy
d) Laccadive
Answer. a) Pitti
11. The Indian islands in the Arabian Sea are known as
a) Andaman and Nicobar Islands
b) Lakshadweep Islands
c) the Maldives
d) Reunion Islands
Answer. b) Lakshadweep Islands
12. Which one of the water bodies separates the Andaman from the Nicobar?
a) 11° Channel
b) Gulf of Mannar
c) 10° Channel
d) the Andaman Sea
Answer. c) 10° Channel
Try to solve the following questions:
- Discuss the strategically integrated development of Island territories in India. ( UPSC 2018)
- Write short notes on Lakshadweep Islands.
- Write short notes on Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Write short notes on the Island groups of India.
- If a person is to travel to Lakshadweep, from which coastal plain does he prefer and why?
- Make a comparison of the island groups of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
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