India has two groups of Island
Lakshadweep group and Andaman and Nicobar group which lies in Arabian sea and Bay of Bengal respectively.
The Lakshadweep Island group
- It lies very close to Kerala. Malabar Coast is the nearest coast to Lakshadweep Island.
- Lakshadweep Island is the smallest union territory of India.
- This is a group of small Coral island. Corals are short lived microscopic organisms lives in colonies., the flourish in shallow, mud free warm waters. They secrete calcium carbonate.
- The Lakshadweep Island group earlier called as Laccadive, Minicoy, Amindive.
- In 1973 these island were named as Lakshadweep. They cover a small area of 32 square kilometre.
- Kavaratti Island is the administrative headquarters of Lakshadweep. It is also the capital of the Lakshadweep Island.
- The Pitti island which is inhabited has bird sanctuary.
Andaman and Nicobar Island
Andaman Nicobar Island are divided into two broad cate
ories.
- Andaman’s in North
- Nicobar in the south
- Andaman and Nicobar are two groups of densely forested Islands.
- They are bigger in size and are more numerous and scattered.
- This islands are believed to be an elevated portion of submarine mountains. Submarine Mountains are the mountains which rise from ocean floor that do not reach to the water surface.
- India’s only active volcano is found on Barren Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- There is a great diversity of flora and fauna in the group of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- This Island lie close to the equator and experience equatorial climate with thick forest cover.
