Know your state Andaman and Nicobar Islands – Andaman and Nicobar Islands GK Notes 2021 (Part 1)

In this write-up, we are going to talk about an Indian archipelago in the Bay of Bengal- Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a union territory of India, is formed by a cluster of islands. In this blog, we will look at the cultural, geographical and political aspects of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Where is the rarest fruit Pandunus found? What is the official language of Andaman and Nicobar Islands?

Let’s get started and explore this amazing union territory of India.

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a union territory of India that consists of 572 islands. The Union territory comprises two island groups namely the Andaman Islands and the Nicobar Islands and is a paragon of beauty.

Before going in deep, first let’s look at the U.T. symbols of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Let’s study the cultural attributes of this U.T.

CULTURE Andaman and Nicobar Islands GK Notes 2021:

The Andaman Islands are home to four ‘Negrito’ tribes namely the Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarawa and Sentinelese. The Nicobar Islands are home to two ‘Mongoloid’ tribes namely the Shompen and Nicobarese.

• Subhash Mela and Island Tourism Festival in January, Beach Festival in April, Monsoon festival in August, Food festival and World Tourism day celebration in September and Film festival in November are some of the major festivals that are celebrated.
• The Andaman and Nicobar Island food is mostly Non-vegetarian as it is completely a coastal region. People mainly eat fish with rice.
• People of Andaman & Nicobar Islands don’t wear any dress, they wear aprons, bark apparel or leaves dress.
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands handicrafts industry is mainly dependent upon its shell crafts. Shells of Andaman and Nicobar Islands are one of the most beautiful and fascinating objects.
• The Andamanese are highly fond of their own music. They give importance to the originality of their music.
• Nicobari dance is one the most important and oldest traditional dances danced during the Ossuary Feast of Andaman & Nicobar.
• The most important monuments of the islands include Cellular Jail, Viper Island, Ross Island and it is also famous for its beautiful temples.
• Some of the famous temples are Sri Vetrimalai Murugan, The Rajasthan temple, Sri Shirdi Sai baba temple.
• English is the official language of this Union territory.
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands is thickly populated with Hindi-speaking people. 15% of the people have Hindi as their mother tongue and the remaining 85% of people speak other languages.
• Almost 24 languages are spoken by the people in the Islands such as Tamil, Malayalam, Urdu, Karen, Konkani, Manipuri, Bengali, Telugu, Gujarathi, Kannada, Assamese, Rajasthani, Punjabi, Nicobari, Tulu etc.

Now let’s switch to the geographical aspects of the islands.

GEOGRAPHY Andaman and Nicobar Islands GK Notes 2021:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a union territory of India that contains two groups of islands at the south-eastern edge of the Bay of Bengal.

Area: 8,250km²

• Area rank in India: 28^th

Population: 4.34 lakhs

• Population rank in India: 32^nd

Latitude extension: 6° N – 14° N

Longitudes extension: 92° E – 94° E

• The peaks of a submerged mountain range neighbours to the south and form an arc stretching southward between Myanmar and the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. The arc constitutes the boundary between the Bay of Bengal to the west and the Andaman Sea to the east.
• Andaman Nicobar islands consist of 572 small islands. Out of which only 36 are inhabited on the islands.
• The recorded forest area of this U.T. is 7,170.69 sq. km which is 86.93% of its geographical area. Further, the Reserved and Protected Forests are 78.27% and 21.73% respectively of the recorded forest area.
• The types of forests that are found in the islands are tropical wet evergreen, tropical semi-evergreen, moist deciduous, littoral, mangrove and swamp forests.
• There are 96 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 9 National Parks and 1 Biosphere Reserve in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Climate Andaman and Nicobar Islands GK Notes 2021:

The climate of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is tropical but is moderated by sea breezes. The temperatures are stable throughout the year i.e. typically rise from about 23 °C to about 30 °C. All year-round, the climate is dry from January to April and rainy from May to November due to the Indian monsoon. The territory receives roughly about 120 inches of rain annually, brought mainly by the southwest monsoon, which blows from May through September, and by the tropical cyclones that follow in October and November.

Soil type:

The soil type of Andaman and Nicobar Islands ranges from sandy clay to sandy loam. These have developed under the dominant influence of vegetation and climate over diverse parent material.

Now let’s have a look over the political aspects of the territory.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS Andaman and Nicobar Islands GK Notes 2021:

The administrative frameworks of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are similar to other Indian states and territories which are explained by the national constitution of 1950. The territory is administered by the central government by a lieutenant governor that is appointed by the president of India. The lieutenant governor is assisted by a Council of Ministers. The territory also has its own legislature with elected members. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands is divided into three districts:

1. North and Middle Andaman
2. South Andaman
3. Nicobar

Representation of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in Parliament:

• Lok Sabha: 1
• First lieutenant Governor of Islands: Manohar L. Kampani
• First Chief Secretary of Islands: Ishwari Prasad Gupta

Here comes SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ANDAMAN AMD NICOBAR ISLANDS:

• Katchal Island in Andaman and Nicobar Islands received the first sunrise of the millennium.
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands have India’s best nesting beaches for three species of marine turtles: Hawksbill, Green turtle and world’s largest sea turtle, the Leatherback.
• North Sentinel Island of Andaman and Nicobar Islands is home to one of the most isolated Palaeolithic tribes of the world.
• Pandunus or Nicobar Breadfruit is a rare fruit found and widely eaten in Nicobar.

Hope this essay made most of your facts clear about Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In our upcoming write-up, we will be discussing about other important aspects of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

What is the economic background of Andaman and Nicobar Islands? What are the historical aspects of the territory?

In our further disquisition, the factors corresponding to these questions will be answered surely.  If you don’t want to miss it, click here – Know your State ‘Andaman and Nicobar Islands’ – Part 2. We hope it will help you in the preparation of your competitive exams such SSC 10+2, SSC CGL, CDS, NDA, etc.

Thank You