Why this matters now
Islands are tested for: A&N 836 islands (4 main groups: Great Andaman, Little Andaman, Nicobar Islands, A&N Atolls), Port Blair capital; Lakshadweep 36 islands, Kavaratti capital, only Aminidivi+Lakshadweep+Minicoy groups, Maliku Atoll (Minicoy); volcanic Barren Island (active) + Narcondam (dormant); North Sentinel Sentinelese tribe; New Moore Island Bangladesh dispute; Indira Point southernmost Indian land (Great Nicobar) submerged after 2004 tsunami; Andaman Trench + Nicobar Plate; UN Heritage; Lakshadweep Marine National Park.
Andaman & Nicobar (836 islands)
Geography: 836 islands; only 38 inhabited. Area 8,249 sq km. Capital Port Blair. Stretch 800 km N-S in Bay of Bengal.
4 main groups:
- Great Andaman — North Andaman, Middle Andaman, South Andaman (Port Blair).
- Little Andaman — south of Great Andaman; separated by 10° Channel from Nicobar.
- Nicobar Islands — Car Nicobar (capital Nicobar), Camorta, Katchall, Trinkat, Nancowry, Great Nicobar (largest 1,045 sq km).
- A&N Atolls + Smaller islands.
Volcanic islands:
- Barren Island — India’s only active volcano; erupted 1991+1994-95+2017-18+2018-19; uninhabited; 3 km dia crater.
- Narcondam Island — dormant volcano; ~50 sq km; Narcondam hornbill endemic.
Indira Point — southernmost tip of India at Great Nicobar, sank 1.25 m after 2004 tsunami.
Tribes: Great Andamanese + Onge + Jarawa + Sentinelese + Shompen + Nicobarese. North Sentinel Island: hostile Sentinelese tribe; uncontacted; killed John Allen Chau (US missionary) 2018.
History: Cellular Jail (Kala Pani) Port Blair — British penal colony; Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Batukeshwar Dutt + freedom fighters held. Subhas Chandra Bose hoisted Tricolour at Port Blair on 30 Dec 1943 (1st Indian-controlled territory).
2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami: 26 Dec 2004; Sumatra-Andaman 9.1 quake; ~10,000+ A&N killed.
Great Nicobar Development Project 2022-onwards — Rs 72,000 cr; Tashi Choe deep-water port + airport + township; environmental concerns.
Lakshadweep (36 islands)
Geography: 36 islands; only 10 inhabited (Agatti, Amini, Andrott, Bitra, Chetlat, Kadmat, Kalpeni, Kavaratti, Kiltan, Minicoy). Area only 32 sq km. Capital Kavaratti. Smallest UT by area.
3 sub-groups:
- Aminidivi Islands — northern: Amini, Kadmat, Kiltan, Chetlat, Bitra.
- Lakshadweep Proper (Cannanore Islands) — central: Andrott (largest), Kalpeni, Kavaratti, Agatti.
- Minicoy (Maliku) Atoll — southernmost; Mahl language (Dhivehi).
Formation: Coral atoll — islands on submerged volcanic seamounts; depth 1,500-4,000 m all around.
9-Degree Channel — separates Minicoy from rest of Lakshadweep. 8-Degree Channel — separates Lakshadweep from Maldives.
Population: ~64,000 (97%+ Sunni Muslim). Closest mainland city Kochi 220-440 km.
2024 row: PM Modi’s Lakshadweep visit Jan 2024 (Bangaram+Agatti); social media row with Maldives President Muizzu (3 ministers suspended); Indian boycott of Maldives.
Lakshadweep Marine NP; Pitti Bird Sanctuary (sooty terns); coral bleaching concerns.
Other islands
- New Moore (South Talpatti) Island — in Hariabhanga River mouth; disputed with Bangladesh; submerged 2010 due to sea-level rise. Permanent Court of Arbitration 2014 awarded the area to Bangladesh.
- Sagar Island — in Hooghly River mouth, West Bengal; Gangasagar Mela.
- Diu Island — off Gujarat; Portuguese 1535-1961.
- Salsette Island — Mumbai metropolitan region.
- Majuli — world’s largest river island, in Brahmaputra Assam (covered in Brahmaputra page).
- Sriharikota — ISRO SHAR Range, AP coast; SDSC Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
UPSC angle
Know ISLANDS OF INDIA — ~1382 islands 2 clusters; ANDAMAN & NICOBAR 836 islands 38 inhabited 8249 sq km Bay of Bengal Port Blair capital, 4 GROUPS Great Andaman (N+Middle+S Andaman Port Blair) + Little Andaman + Nicobar Islands (Car Nicobar capital, Camorta, Katchall, Trinkat, Nancowry, GREAT NICOBAR largest 1045 sq km) + A&N Atolls; 10-DEGREE CHANNEL separates Andaman from Nicobar; BARREN ISLAND India’s only ACTIVE VOLCANO erupted 1991+1994-95+2017-18+2018-19 uninhabited 3 km crater; NARCONDAM dormant volcano Narcondam hornbill endemic; INDIRA POINT southernmost tip India Great Nicobar sank 1.25 m post-2004 tsunami; TRIBES: Great Andamanese+Onge+Jarawa+SENTINELESE (North Sentinel uncontacted killed John Allen Chau US missionary 2018)+Shompen+Nicobarese; HISTORY: CELLULAR JAIL KALA PANI Port Blair British penal colony Savarkar+Batukeshwar Dutt; SUBHAS CHANDRA BOSE hoisted Tricolour Port Blair 30 Dec 1943 1st Indian-controlled; 2004 INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI 26 Dec 2004 Sumatra-Andaman 9.1 quake ~10000+ A&N killed; GREAT NICOBAR DEVELOPMENT PROJECT 2022 Rs 72000 cr Tashi Choe deep-water port+airport+township; LAKSHADWEEP 36 islands 10 inhabited (Agatti+Amini+Andrott+Bitra+Chetlat+Kadmat+Kalpeni+KAVARATTI capital+Kiltan+Minicoy) area 32 sq km smallest UT, 3 SUB-GROUPS Aminidivi (northern)+Lakshadweep Proper (Andrott largest)+MINICOY Maliku southernmost Mahl language Dhivehi; 9-DEGREE CHANNEL separates Minicoy from rest, 8-DEGREE CHANNEL separates Lakshadweep from Maldives; CORAL ATOLL on submerged volcanic seamounts 1500-4000 m depth around; pop ~64000 97% Sunni Muslim, mainland Kochi 220-440 km; PM MODI LAKSHADWEEP JAN 2024 Bangaram+Agatti, MUIZZU social media row 3 ministers suspended Indian Maldives boycott; LAKSHADWEEP MARINE NP + Pitti Bird Sanctuary sooty terns + coral bleaching; NEW MOORE / SOUTH TALPATTI Hariabhanga River Bangladesh dispute SUBMERGED 2010 sea-level rise, PCA 2014 awarded area Bangladesh; SAGAR ISLAND Hooghly Gangasagar Mela; DIU Gujarat Portuguese 1535-1961; Salsette Mumbai; MAJULI world’s largest river island Brahmaputra Assam; SRIHARIKOTA ISRO SHAR Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
Frequently asked questions
How many islands does India have?
Approximately 1,382 islands — 836 in Andaman & Nicobar (Bay of Bengal) + 36 in Lakshadweep (Arabian Sea), plus river islands.
Where is India’s only active volcano?
Barren Island in the Andaman group — uninhabited, 3 km diameter crater. Latest eruptions: 1991, 1994-95, 2017-18, 2018-19.
What is the 10-Degree Channel?
The body of water that separates the Andaman Islands from the Nicobar Islands. The 9-Degree Channel separates Minicoy from rest of Lakshadweep; 8-Degree Channel separates Lakshadweep from Maldives.
What happened to New Moore Island?
It was a small island in the Hariabhanga River mouth disputed between India and Bangladesh. It submerged in 2010 due to sea-level rise. Permanent Court of Arbitration 2014 awarded the maritime area to Bangladesh.