Physical Division of India (Islands)
The longest coastline in India is from the state of Gujarat, then the state of Andhra Pradesh and then the state of Maharashtra.
The islands of India can be divided mainly into two parts-
- Islands of the Arabian Sea (Lakshadweep Group)
- Islands of Bengal (Andaman-Nicobar Islands)
Islands of the Arabian Sea (Lakshadweep Group)
- Lakshadweep island group is located in the Bay of Bengal.
- There are 204 islands in the Andaman group, of which Middle Andaman is the largest island.
- It is believed that these islands are an extension of the mountain range in the northeast of the country.
- Saddle Peak is the highest peak (737 m) in North Andaman.
- The Nicobar group consists of 19 islands, of which Great Nicobar is the largest.
- Great Nicobar lies to the south and is only 147 km from the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.
- Barren & Narcondam are volcanic islands located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Duncan Passage is in the middle of South Andaman and Little Andaman.
- The 10° channel is between Little Andaman and Car Nicobar. It separates Andaman from Nicobar.
Islands of Bengal (Andaman-Nicobar Islands)
- This island is located in the Arabian Sea.
- There are 25 islands in this group. These are all coral islands and are made up of coral reefs.
- The 9° channel separates Kavaratti from Minicoy
- The 8° channel separates Minicoy Island (India) from the Maldives.
- These three main islands –
⇒Lakshadweep (in the north)
⇒Kavaratti (centre)
⇒Minicoy (in the south)