Andaman and Nicobar Islands


Location: Bay of Bengal 92 deg. to 94 deg. Longitude 6 deg. to 14 deg. North Latitude
Area: Andamans District: 6,408 Sq.Kms.
Nicobars District : 1,841 Sq. Kms.
Total Area: 8,249 Sq. Kms.
Altitude: Varies from sea level to 732 meters
Capital: Port Blair
Population:277,989 People per sq km-34
Principal Language: Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and other tribal languages
Literacy rate:73.74%
Airports: PortBlair
Temperature: Mean minimum 23 deg C, Mean maximum 30 deg C.
Rainfall: 3000 mms (May to Mid-September & November to January).
Relative Humidity: 70% to 90%.
Forest cover: 86%.
STD Code:03192

Andaman and Nicobar Islands with its administrative headquarters at Port Blair, appears in history as old as the period of Lord Rama. Hanumanji is believed to have landed here on the way to Sri Lanka, in search of Mata Sita. The islands were inhabited until mid 19th century by aboriginal tribes whose main occupation was hunting using bows and arrows.

The Andamans are a group of more than 500 islands many of which are still uninhabited. The islands stretch into the territory of some 750 km from north to south in the Bay of Bengal. These islands are now being developed and will soon be major tourist centres.

The islands have brilliant tropical flora. The islands are endowed with evergreen thick forests and tropical trees with mangrove swamps on the water's edge. Part of the islands are hilly. The beaches have white sand and coral reef , unpolluted sparkling clear water which is excellent for snorkeling.
 

Andaman & Nicobar Islands is a Union Territory, stretched over an area of more than 700 Kms. from north to south with 36 inhabited islands. Once a hill range extending from Burma (Myanmar) to Indonesia, these undulating islands are covered with dense forests and endless variety of exotic flowers and birds.