Floating in splendid, east of the
Indian mainland is the archipelago of 5272 emerald island, islets and rocks
known as Andaman & Nicobar Islands. This Union Territory is 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. The topography of the islands is hilly and
abounds in evergreen forests. The sandy beaches on the edge of meandering
coastline are fringed with coconut-palms that sway to the rhythm of the sea.
The sea around the islands offer excellent scope for water sports. The rare
flora and fauna, underwater marine life and corals, with crystal clear water
and mangrove-lined creeks, offer a dream-view of the rare gifts of
nature-lover, who seek absolute peace and tranquility in the lap of mother
nature. Adventure tourism like trekking, island camping, snorkeling, scuba
diving etc.. are the real attractions. A visit to these islands is a
memorable lifetime experience.

Mythologically,
the name Andaman was presumed to be derived from Hanuman, who was known to
the Malays as Handuman. Since pre-historic times, these islands were the
home of aboriginal tribes. The tribes of the Andaman group of islands were
the home of aboriginal tribes. The tribes of the Andaman group of islands
are the Great Andamanese, Onges, Jarawas, and Setinalese, all of Negrito
origin, while the tribes of Nicobars are the Nicobarese and Shompens, both
of Mongoloid stock. The first settlement by the British took place in 1789,
which was later abandoned in 1796.
The second settlement was
basically a penal settlement, taken up in 1858, after the First War of
Independence, followed by the settlement of convicts, Moplas, come criminal
tribes from Central and United Provinces, refugees from erstwhile East
Pakistan, Burman and Sri Lanka as well ex-servicemen. In these islands
people of all faiths - Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs etc., and of all
languages like Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, Nicobari
etc., live together in complete peace and harmony. Inter-religion and
inter-regional marriages are common. This amazing racial and cultural mix is
correctly described as Mini-India. Forests are the green gold of the
islands. The reserved and protected forests extend over 86% area of the
territory and the forest cover is more than 92%. About 50% of the forests
has been set aside as Tribal Reserves, National parks and Wildlife
Sanctuaries, Which are inviolate. Luxuriant mangroves, perhaps the richest
in the world, occupy nearly 11.5 % of the territory. More than 150 plant and
animal species are endemic in nature. Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park is
rich in corals, varieties of coloured fishes, sea turtles etc., beside other
out of which 39 are endemic. Megaopde, Swiflet, Hornbaill and Pigeon are
some of the specialities of the Andanman & Nicobar Islands.
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Major Tourist Attractions of KavarattiHeadquarters of the
Lakshadweep Administration, Kavaratti is the most developed of all the
islands. Apart from its official significance, it is home to 52 mosques of
which Ujra mosque stands out. People visit the mosque to be cured by the
magical waters of a well nearby. Glass bottomed boats in the lagoons and the
well-stocked aquatic museum provide insight into the diverse sea life of the
union territory of Lakshadweep.