The Andaman–Nicobar Islands is an archipelago in the Bay of Bengal. The Islands is the extended part of the Arakan Yoma mountain ranges of Myanmar into the sea. The islands are known by different names like “The Islands of the Marigold sun” and “The Bay Islands”. There are about 572 islands in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago covering the area of 8279 sq. km. But including all the Islands, smaller Islets and rocky outcrops they are 836 in number. (Andaman Government Website). The two main groups i.e. Andaman Islands and Nicobar Islands are separated by the 160 km wide Ten Degree Channel.
Andaman Islands -
In the Andaman group of Islands, the central islands have been divided into three i.e. North Andaman, Middle Andaman and South Andaman. South of these three islands there are Rutland Island followed by Little Andaman. Baratang is another main Island east of Middle Andaman Island. Ritchie’s Archipelago is another group of smaller Islands, NNE of Port Blair in Andaman Sea, including important tourist islands like Havelock, Neil and Henry Lawrence Island. These Islands are separated by passage and straits like –
Duncan Passage - Little Andaman from Great Andaman.
The Austin Strait - The Middle and North Andaman;
The Humphrey Strait - The Middle and Baratang islands;
The Middle Strait - Baratang and South Andaman;
The Macpherson Strait - The South Andaman and Rutland islands.
Nicobar Islands -
Lying south of the Andaman Islands, separated by Ten Degree Channel are the Nicobar Group of Island covering an area of 1841 km2. Moving from north to south, the main islands in the group are Car Nicobar Island in the North; followed by Katchal, Camorta, Nancowry and other smaller Islands; and Little Nicobar and Great Nicobar further south. Indira Point on the south coast of Great Nicobar Island is the southernmost point on India’s territory.
Physiography of Andaman and Nicobar Island –
Andaman Islands has most of the relief in the eastern part whereas the western part has gentle and low elevation. Great and Little Nicobar have hilly topography. The highest point in the Andaman–Nicobar Group is Saddle Peak (733 m from sea level) on North Andaman. Mount Thullier (642 m) on Great Nicobar Island is another higher peak.
Barren Island, the only active volcano of India, is an Island in Andaman Group located in Andaman Sea. Andaman Islands also have presence of Karst landscapes in the Neil Island and Baratang Island.
References –
Bandopadhyay, Dr. P. & Carter, Andrew. (2017). Chapter 2 Introduction to the geography and geomorphology of the Andaman–Nicobar Islands. Geological Society, London, Memoirs. 47. 9-18. 10.1144/M47.2. Available at -https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313266512_Chapter_2_Introduction_to_the_geography_and_geomorphology_of_the_Andaman-Nicobar_Islands. Assessed on 25/01/2021.
Census of India 2011: Andaman and Nicobar Islands - District Census Handbook , New Delhi: Office of the Registrar General, India, 2005. Available at -https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/3500_PART_B_DCHB_ANDAMAN%20&%20NICOBAR%20ISLANDS.pdf.
NASA/METI/AIST/Japan Space Systems, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. ASTER global digital elevation model V003, 2018, distributed by NASA EOSDIS Land Processes DAAC, https://doi.org/ 10.5067/ASTER/ASTGTM. 003.
