{"id":1481,"date":"2025-07-01T16:27:44","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T10:57:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/knowledgekart.in\/blog\/?p=1481"},"modified":"2025-07-01T16:27:50","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T10:57:50","slug":"indian-islands-andaman-nicobar-lakshadweep-new-moore-island","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/knowledgekart.in\/blog\/indian-islands-andaman-nicobar-lakshadweep-new-moore-island\/","title":{"rendered":"Indian Islands Andaman &#038; Nicobar, Lakshadweep &#038; New Moore Island"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Introduction<\/strong> India, with its vast coastline and strategic location in South Asia, is home to several islands spread across the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. These islands not only have ecological and geographical importance but also play a critical role in India&#8217;s security, culture, and biodiversity. Indian Islands Andaman &amp; Nicobar<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Indian Islands<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Andaman and Nicobar Islands<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lakshadweep Islands<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-indian-islands\">Indian Islands<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The major islands groups of India are Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago (A chain of islands similar in origin) in Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep islands in Arabian Sea.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pmfias.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Reunion-Hotspot-Volcanism-1.jpg\" alt=\"Indian Islands Andaman &amp; Nicobar, Lakshadweep &amp; New Moore Island\" class=\"wp-image-5840\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Andaman and Nicobar Islands were formed due to <strong>collision between Indian Plate and Burma Minor Plate [part of Eurasian Plate][Similar to formation of Himalayas].<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Andaman and Nicobar Islands are southward extension of <strong>Arakan Yoma range<\/strong> <strong>[Myanmar][Arakan Yoma in itself is an extension of Purvanchal Hills<\/strong>].<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lakshadweep Islands are <strong>coral islands<\/strong>. These islands are a part <strong>Reunion Hotspot volcanism. <\/strong>[Both these concepts are explained in previous posts]<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Other than these two groups there are islands in Indo-Gangetic Delta [they are more a part of delta than islands] and between India and Sri Lanka [Remnants of Adams Bridge; formed due to submergence].<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-andaman-and-nicobar-islands\">Andaman and Nicobar Islands<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Andaman and Nicobar Islands<\/strong> consist of <strong>572 islands<\/strong>, islets, and rocks. Out of these, around 38 are inhabited. These islands are located in the <strong>Bay of Bengal<\/strong>, extending from <strong>6\u00b045&#8217;N to 13\u00b045&#8217;N<\/strong> latitude and <strong>92\u00b010&#8217;E to 94\u00b015&#8217;E<\/strong> longitude. This archipelago stretches over <strong>590 km<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Origin &amp; Geology<\/strong>: Formed due to the <strong>collision between the Indian Plate and Burma Minor Plate<\/strong>, these islands are considered an extension of the <strong>Arakan Yoma range<\/strong> of Myanmar. They consist of <strong>tertiary sandstone, limestone, and shale<\/strong>, with a volcanic foundation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Divisions<\/strong>: The Andaman Islands are divided into <strong>North, Middle, and South Andaman<\/strong>. <strong>Duncan Passage<\/strong> separates Little Andaman from South Andaman. The <strong>Ten Degree Channel<\/strong> separates the Andaman group from the Nicobar group.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Capital<\/strong>: <strong>Port Blair<\/strong> is the capital city, located in South Andaman.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Notable Islands<\/strong>: Among the Nicobar group, <strong>Great Nicobar<\/strong> is the largest and southernmost island, while <strong>Car Nicobar<\/strong> is the northernmost.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Volcanic Activity<\/strong>: The <strong>Barren Island<\/strong> is India&#8217;s only active volcano, and <strong>Narcondam Island<\/strong> is a dormant volcano. Both are located north of Port Blair.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Biodiversity<\/strong>: Many islands are covered in <strong>thick tropical forests<\/strong>, with coral reefs along the shores. The highest peak is <strong>Saddle Peak (737 m)<\/strong> in North Andaman.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strategic Importance<\/strong>: The proposed <strong>Great Nicobar transshipment port<\/strong>, military installations, and surveillance systems make this group geopolitically critical.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-lakshadweep-islands\">  Lakshadweep Islands<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Lakshadweep Islands<\/strong> comprise <strong>36 islands<\/strong>, islets, and atolls located in the <strong>Arabian Sea<\/strong>, 200 to 500 km southwest of Kerala.<br><strong>Origin &amp; Structure<\/strong>: These are <strong>coral atolls<\/strong> formed due to <strong>Reunion Hotspot volcanism<\/strong>. Unlike the mountainous Andaman-Nicobar, Lakshadweep islands are <strong>flat<\/strong> and rarely exceed 5 meters above sea level.<br><strong>Divisions<\/strong>:<br><strong>Amindivi Islands<\/strong> (northernmost): Includes Amini, Kadmat, Chetlat.<br><strong>Laccadive Islands<\/strong> (central): Includes Kavaratti (capital), Kalpeni, Androth.<br><strong>Minicoy Island<\/strong> (southernmost): Known for its unique culture and language.<br><strong>Ecological Significance<\/strong>: The islands are surrounded by <strong>fringing reefs<\/strong>, and many have <strong>white sand beaches<\/strong> and rich marine biodiversity.<br><strong>Challenges<\/strong>: The low elevation makes these islands extremely <strong>vulnerable to sea-level rise<\/strong>, posing a long-term threat to their survival.<br><strong>Recent Development<\/strong>: The Indian government has been boosting infrastructure with <strong>INS Jatayu<\/strong> (a naval base) and proposals to improve connectivity and tourism.<br><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pmfias.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/New-Moore-Island-india-bangladesh-dispute.jpg\" alt=\"Indian Islands Andaman &amp; Nicobar, Lakshadweep &amp; New Moore Island\" class=\"wp-image-6455\" title=\"\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">New Moore Island<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-new-moore-island\">New Moore Island<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>New Moore Island<\/strong> is a <strong>small, uninhabited sandbar<\/strong> located in the <strong>Bay of Bengal<\/strong>, near the mouth of the <strong>Hariabhanga River<\/strong> in the <strong>Sundarbans delta<\/strong> region.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Formation<\/strong>: It emerged after the <strong>1970 Bhola cyclone<\/strong> and frequently submerged due to coastal changes and rising sea levels.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Territorial Dispute<\/strong>: Despite being uninhabited, <strong>India and Bangladesh<\/strong> both claimed the island, primarily due to <strong>potential natural gas and oil reserves<\/strong>. The dispute was linked to broader maritime boundary disagreements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Current Status<\/strong>: Satellite imagery and research show that the island <strong>no longer exists permanently above sea level<\/strong>. It remains a subject of study in marine and geopolitical discussions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other Island Types in India<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>River Islands<\/strong>: India is also home to notable river islands, the most famous being <strong>Majuli<\/strong> in Assam\u2014one of the largest inhabited river islands in the world.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Adams Bridge<\/strong>: Between India and Sri Lanka lies a chain of limestone shoals, believed to be remnants of a submerged land connection known as <strong>Adam\u2019s Bridge or Ram Setu<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/upsc.gov.in\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UPSC<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/knowledgekart.in\/blog\/how-to-become-an-ips-officer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to Become an IPS Officer<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/knowledgekart.in\/blog\/territorial-disputes-in-the-south-china-sea-must-read-topic-ias\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Territorial disputes in the South China Sea<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/knowledgekart.in\/blog\/geography-of-india-an-introduction-for-upsc-ias\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Geography of India An Introduction For UPSC IAS<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/knowledgekart.in\/blog\/the-deal-is-dead-seychelles-assumption-island-and-indian-army-base\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The deal is dead. Seychelles Assumption Island And Indian Army Base<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduction India, with its vast coastline and strategic location in South Asia, is home to several islands spread across the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. These islands not&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6356,"featured_media":1484,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[114],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-geography"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/knowledgekart.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1481","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/knowledgekart.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/knowledgekart.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knowledgekart.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6356"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knowledgekart.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1481"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/knowledgekart.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1481\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":82658,"href":"https:\/\/knowledgekart.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1481\/revisions\/82658"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knowledgekart.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/knowledgekart.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1481"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knowledgekart.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1481"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knowledgekart.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}