Page 26 - SST Class 04
P. 26
Islands
In addition to the mainland, India’s territory comprises a number of islands. An island
is a piece of land surrounded by sea on all sides. We can divide these Indian islands
into two groups : Andaman and Nicobar group of islands in the Bay of Bengal and
Lakshadweep group of islands in the Arabian Sea.
1. Andaman and Nicobar Group of Islands
The Andaman and Nicobar group of islands is located in the deep Bay of Bengal about
1353 kilometres from Chennai. This group comprises 350 big and small islands. These
islands are in the form of a cluster. The northern cluster forms Andaman and
comprises 204 islands. The southern cluster is Nicobar which is made up of 19 islands.
These two clusters together form the union territory of Andaman and Nicobar with the
capital at Port Blair .
Some of these islands are not inhabited. The
southernmost point of India, Indira Point , is located
in these islands. The Barren Island , India’s only active
volcano, is located in this group.
Abundant rain in these islands has resulted in much
greenery here. The weather is pleasant. So, tourism
has become the chief industry in these islands.
Fishing is an important occupation.
An island
2. Lakshadweep Group of Islands
Located about 972 kilometres from Mumbai, Lakshadweep is a group of 27 islands in
the Arabian Sea. These islands are formed from coral deposits and are hardly 4 to 5
metres above the sea level. All these islands are small and flat. 17 of these islands are
not inhabited. These islands together form the union territory of Lakshadweep with
the capital at Kavaratti . The weather is pleasant and the chief occupation of people is
fishing.
coastal plain : a plain located along the seacoast.
aground : when a ship is struck on the underwater rocks and cannot move, it is said to have run
aground.
lighthouse : a tall tower near the coast to warn and guide ships in the sea.
lagoon : a lake of salt water separated from the sea by rock or sand.
uninhabited : without population.
26 Contemporary Social Science-4
