INDIAN ISLANDS NOTES (CATEGORICAL + NORTH TO SOUTH ORDER)

1. BAY OF BENGAL ISLANDS (NORTH → SOUTH)

SUNDERBAN & DELTA ISLANDS

New Moore Island / South Talpatty / Purbasha

• Offshore sandbar island in Bay of Bengal.
• Emerged after 1970 Bhola Cyclone.
• India-Bangladesh dispute.
• Later submerged due to sea level rise.
• Mangrove ecosystem.

Sagar Island (West Bengal)

• Located in Ganga delta.
• Gangasagar pilgrimage site.
• Kapil Muni Temple famous.
• At confluence of Ganga and Bay of Bengal.

Ghoramara Island

• Sundarban delta island.
• Rapidly disappearing due to erosion.
• Climate change vulnerability hotspot.

Lohachara Island

• One of India’s first submerged islands.
• Population displaced due to sea-level rise.

Nayachar Island

• Newly emerged island in Hooghly estuary.
• Mangrove ecosystem developing naturally.
• Earlier proposed chemical hub site.

ODISHA COAST ISLANDS

Abdul Kalam Island (Wheeler Island)

• Missile testing facility.
• Off Odisha coast near Chandipur.
• Strategic DRDO site.

Shortt’s Island

• Near Mahanadi delta.
• Located close to Wheeler Island.

Ekakula Island

• In Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
• Olive Ridley turtle nesting area.

ANDHRA PRADESH ISLANDS

Hope Island

• Near Kakinada coast.
• Formed by Godavari sediments.
• Protects Kakinada port from cyclones.

Sriharikota

• Barrier island near Pulicat Lake.
• ISRO launch centre (SHAR).
• Major space infrastructure hub.

Bhavani Island

• River island in Krishna River.
• Near Vijayawada.
• Tourism centre.

ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS (NORTH → SOUTH)

GENERAL FEATURES

• Located in Bay of Bengal.
• Formed due to Indian Plate–Burma Plate collision.
• Extension of Arakan Yoma range.
• Ten Degree Channel separates Andaman and Nicobar.
• Duncan Passage separates Little Andaman from South Andaman.

NORTHERN ANDAMAN ISLANDS

Landfall Island

• Northernmost island of India.
• Near Coco Islands of Myanmar.
• Separated by Coco Channel.

North Andaman

• Saddle Peak located here (highest peak).
• Diglipur important town.

Interview Island

• Located west of Austen Strait.
• Sparse habitation.

Middle Andaman

• Largest island of India.
• Jarawa tribe inhabits region.
• Agriculture and fishing important.

Narcondam Island

• Dormant volcanic island.
• Strategically important near Myanmar.
• Narcondam Hornbill endemic.

Barren Island

• India’s only active volcano.
• Active volcanic arc system.
• No permanent population.

CENTRAL ANDAMAN

South Andaman

• Port Blair located here.
• Most populated Andaman island.

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island (Ross Island)

• Former British administrative headquarters.
• Controlled by Indian Navy.

Swaraj Dweep (Havelock Island)

• Famous for Radhanagar Beach.
• Tourism hotspot.

Rutland Island

• Rich marine biodiversity.
• Coral and fish diversity.

Little Andaman

• Home to Onge tribe.
• Rainforests and crocodiles.

NICOBAR ISLANDS (NORTH → SOUTH)

Car Nicobar

• Northernmost Nicobar island.
• Coconut cultivation.
• Major Nicobari population centre.

Chowra Island

• Between Teressa and Battimalv.
• Traditional pottery known.

Kamorta Island

• INS Kardip naval base.
• Important strategic island.

Nancowry Island

• Safe natural harbour.
• Tribal reserve region.

Katchal Island

• Tsunami affected island.
• Nicobari and Tamil population.

Little Nicobar

• Separated from Great Nicobar by St. George’s Channel.

Great Nicobar Island

• Largest Nicobar island.
• Southernmost island of India.
• Indira Point located here.
• Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve.
• Close to Sumatra.
• Strategic transshipment project area.
• Shompen tribe and Nicobarese inhabit region.

GULF OF MANNAR ISLANDS (NORTH → SOUTH)

GENERAL FEATURES

• Located between India and Sri Lanka.
• Coral reef ecosystem.
• 21 islands in Marine National Park.
• Dugongs, seagrass, corals important.

Pamban Island / Rameswaram Island

• Separated from mainland by Pamban Channel.
• Rameswaram pilgrimage centre.

Adam’s Bridge / Rama Setu

• Limestone shoals.
• Between India and Sri Lanka.
• Between Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait.

Hare Island

• Largest island in Gulf of Mannar.
• Near Tuticorin port.

Van Tivu Island

• Also called Church Island.
• One of 21 GoM islands.

Vaan Island

• Coral reef restoration success model.
• Artificial reef restoration.
• Coastal protection example.

Kariyachalli Island

• Severe erosion hotspot.
• Artificial reef restoration underway.
• Gulf of Mannar conservation project.

Nallathanni Theevu

• One of inhabited islands in Gulf of Mannar.

Abunda Island

• Coral island.
• Pollution concerns due to refinery activity.

ARABIAN SEA ISLANDS (NORTH → SOUTH)

GUJARAT ISLANDS

Diu Island

• Off Kathiawar coast.
• Historic Portuguese settlement.
• Diu Fort located here.

Pirotan Island

• Marine National Park island.
• Mangroves and coral ecosystem.

Aaliya Bet

• Narmada estuary island.
• Mangrove ecosystem.

Khaliabet

• Gulf of Khambhat island.
• Tidal energy potential.

MAHARASHTRA ISLANDS

Salsette Island

• Mumbai metropolitan region.
• One of world’s densely populated islands.

Seven Islands of Bombay

• Original islands merged to form Mumbai.

Elephanta Island

• UNESCO cave temples.
• Also called Gharapuri.

Butcher Island (Jawahar Dweep)

• Oil terminal island.
• Strategic petroleum infrastructure.

Trombay

• BARC located here.

Khanderi Island

• Fort built by Shivaji.

GOA ISLANDS

Chorão Island

• Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary.

Divar Island

• Mandovi River island.

Tiswadi Island

• Panaji located here.

KARNATAKA ISLANDS

St. Mary’s Island

• Columnar basalt formations.
• Linked to Madagascar separation.

Netrani Island

• Coral island.
• Scuba diving hotspot.
• Naval target practice area.

KERALA ISLANDS

Vypin Island

• Barrier island near Kochi.
• Formed after 1341 flood.

Willingdon Island

• Artificial island.
• Kochi Port located here.

Vallarpadam

• International container transshipment terminal.

Munroe Island

• Confluence of Ashtamudi Lake and Kallada River.

Kuruvadweep

• Kabini River delta island.
• Biodiversity hotspot.

LAKSHADWEEP ISLANDS (NORTH → SOUTH)

GENERAL FEATURES

• Coral atoll islands.
• Arabian Sea.
• Fringing reefs.
• Nine Degree Channel separates Minicoy.

AMINDIVI GROUP

Bitra Island

• Smallest inhabited Lakshadweep island.
• Huge lagoon area.
• High coral cover.
• Strategic and ecological significance.

Chetlat Island

• Coral island.
• Rich aquatic biodiversity.

Kadmat Island

• Marine protected area.
• Sandy beaches and lagoon.

Amini Island

• Northern Lakshadweep group island.

LACCADIVE GROUP

Kavaratti

• Capital of Lakshadweep.

Agatti Island

• Only airport of Lakshadweep.

Andrott Island

• Largest Lakshadweep island.

Bangaram Atoll

• Tourism island.

Kalpeni Island

• Coral debris island.
• Women’s education pioneer in Lakshadweep.

SOUTHERNMOST LAKSHADWEEP

Minicoy Island

• Southernmost Lakshadweep island.
• Separated by Nine Degree Channel.
• Important lighthouse.
• Strategic maritime location.

IMPORTANT CHANNELS & PASSAGES

IMPORTANT UPSC FACTS

• India’s only active volcano → Barren Island
• Southernmost point of India → Indira Point
• Largest river island → Majuli
• Largest Lakshadweep island → Andrott
• Largest Nicobar island → Great Nicobar
• Largest island of India → Middle Andaman
• Only coral atoll UT → Lakshadweep
• India’s easternmost island → Narcondam
• Northernmost Indian island → Landfall Island
• India’s only coral atoll reef system → Lakshadweep