Lakshadweep Islands Overview:
- A group of islands located in the Arabian Sea.
- Administered as a Union Territory and district of India.
- Commonly known as the Laccadive Islands.
- Kavaratti serves as the capital of the Union Territory, and the region falls under the jurisdiction of the Kerala High Court.
Geographical Features:
- The northernmost islands of the Lakshadweep–Maldives–Chagos group, rising from the Chagos-Lakshadweep Ridge, an undersea mountain range.
- Major islands include Kavaratti, Agatti, Minicoy, and Amini.
- The Lakshadweep Islands were previously known as Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi Islands.
- Renamed as Lakshadweep on November 1, 1973.
Geography and Administration:
- The islands are separated by narrow straits.
- Administered as a Union Territory with a Lt. Governor appointed by the President.
- The smallest Union Territory in India.
- Kavaratti is the administrative capital and principal town.
Island Characteristics:
- Comprising 12 atolls, three reefs, five submerged banks, and ten inhabited islands.
- The name “Lakshadweep” means ‘a hundred thousand islands’ in Malayalam and Sanskrit.
- Located 280 to 480 km off the Kerala coast.
Geological and Ecological Features:
- Part of the Reunion Hotspot volcanism.
- Entirely composed of coral deposits.
- Fishing is the primary livelihood for many residents.
- The islands feature storm beaches with unconsolidated pebbles, shingles, cobbles, and boulders.
Minicoy Island:
- Minicoy Island, the largest among the Lakshadweep group, is located to the south of the nine-degree channel.
- The eight-degree channel separates Minicoy from the Maldives, while the nine-degree channel separates it from the main Lakshadweep archipelago.
Natural Reserves and Wildlife:
- The region lacks forests.
- Pitti Island is a significant breeding ground for sea turtles and various pelagic birds, including the brown noddy, lesser crested tern, and greater crested tern. It has been declared a bird sanctuary.
Conservation Recognition:
- Recently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Mission Blue have designated both Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Islands as new “hope spots.”
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