ABOUT ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLAND : 

Floating in splendid isolation, East of the Indian mainland is the archipelago of the 572 emerald Islands , isles and rocks known as Andaman & Nicobar Islands . The union territory of Andaman Nicobar Islands stretches over a length of more than 700 kms from north to south with 36 inhibited Islands . These undulating Islands are covered with dense forests and endless varieties of exotic flora and fauna . The topography of the Islands is hilly and abounds in evergreen forests. The sandy beaches on the edge of meandering coastline of the Islands are fringed with coconut palms that sway to the rhythm of the sea . The sea around the Islands offers excellent scope for adventure water sports. The rare flora and fauna, the underwater marine life and corals , crystal clear water and mangrove-lined creeks offer a dreams view of the rare gifts of nature.

Amongst the sub continental countries India has the largest land area. Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a union territory of India lies in the Bay of Bengal. It consists of about 527 islands both small and large. The coastline of the Islands stretches for about 100 Kms. The Islands are covered with dense forests all around. The area of the Islands is about 8,293 square kilometers. The Islands consist of 2 groups, the Andaman and Nicobar. These two groups are separated by about 300 Km. the capital city is Port Blair. Of the total land area 92% of the land is covered with rain forests. Of the 527 islands, in only 38 islands we find the inhabitants. The rest of the land is barren.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie close to the Arakanmayo mountain range of Burma which lies to the sides of Sumatra of Indonesia. Andaman is a developing land, with people being cultured and literate. The Nicobar Islands are still inhabited by primitive tribes and backward communities. The population of the whole land is about 5 lakhs. Men and women populate equally. 2.5 lakh people have the right to vote. We can find high mountains, lush green forests, wide roads, new buildings and long coastline where are some entering features of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands which make it beautiful.

The people in the Islands speak many languages. Peace prevails all over as there are no political or communal riots or atrocities. Not only the beauty of nature and the various enticing features but the peace loving people have made the Andaman and Nicobar Islands a tourist spot for visitors overseas. The people are given quality education. Medical facilities are qualitative. The people are very much aware of their rights and concessions and so do they abide and maintain their standards. The people enjoy a lot of freedom. They do not have any limitations. They live in harmony. This is a rare sight that one finds in India which is unusual as there are constraints, political and communal riots, and calm less situation in the other parts of India.

The people who dwell here are descendants of the prisoners put in from other parts of India, the refugees who settled down from countries like Bangladesh, Burma and Srilanka and Government officials and army personnel. There are people of various castes and creed but these differences have not thrust a difference in people rather as they have formed a harmonious society. The great leader Mahatma Gandhi’s dream vision of finding a peaceful land has become a dream come true, a reality in the form of this new land, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. People of the various states and union territories have a free access to these Islands. If they wish to settle down in these Islands they are permitted to gain permanent resident status. Special permission is not needed to settle in these Islands. But tourists from other countries who wish to visit these Islands have to get prior permission from the Indian government. They are granted a visa for 30 days to visit the Islands. The visitors will enjoy Andaman and Nicobar islands more during December and march as the climatic conditions and weather will be excellent. People visit the hill stations during the summer between April and June. But in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands the months between December and March is ideal to visit.

Location

Located in the Bay of Bengal, this group of 572 islands lies 193 km away from Cape Negrais in Myanmar, 1255 km from Calcutta, and 1190 km from Chennai. The two important groups of islets are Ritchie's Archipelago and Labyrinth Islands. The Nicobar Islands are located to the south of the Andamans, 121 km from the Little Andaman Island. Of the total 572 islands, only 36 islands are inhabited. The Islands are located between the latitudes 6° to 14° North and longitudes 92° to 94° East.

Physical features

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands comprise around 572 islands formed by a submarine mountain range, which separates the Bay of Bengal from the Andaman Sea. The islands attain maximum altitude at Saddle Peak (730 m), formed mainly of limestone, sandstone, and clay.

Climate
The islands have a tropical climate. There is medium to heavy rain during the monsoon, in the months from May to mid-September and November to mid-December. There is no extreme climate except rains and tropical storms in late summer often cause heavy damage

Flora and Fauna

The canopied rain forests of the islands harbour 3,000 species of plants including mangroves, epiphytes (130 ferns, 100 orchids), palms, woody climbers, timbers (teak, mahogany, Andaman paddock) and a wide variety of tropical fruits. Marine fauna is diverse including a wide variety of tropical fish and coral. Considering the diversity and uniqueness of fauna and flora and the fragile nature of the eco-system here, 96 sanctuaries spread over

People

Due to consistent emphasis of the government on progress and its encouragement to the mainlanders to settle there has resulted in the local tribes becoming a minority group in their own land. The indigenous tribes are distinguished in two groups: the Onge, Sentinelese, Jarawas and Andamanese of Negroid descent living on the Andaman Islands and the Shompen and Nicobarese of Mongoloid descent living in the Nicobar Islands. Most of the tribes are on the verge of extinction. This sad destiny will most likely hit the Andamanese tribe first since their number is as low as thirty. The Sentinelese is the least studied tribe still living in isolation on the North Sentinel Island. Their number is estimated at 250. Outsiders attempting to make contact with them are driven away with bows and arrows. They continue to maintain a unique lifestyle living in harmony with nature just as they have done for thousands of years.

Fairs and Festivals

The islanders celebrate most of the festivals of the mainland due to the influence of the external society and the development that has taken place. Major festivals are Durga Puja, Pongal, Panguni Uthiram, and Onam. Other important festivals are Mahashivaratri, Janmashtami, Holi, Diwali, Christmas, Good Friday, etc. The Island Tourism Festival is celebrated every year for 15 days between December and February in Port Blair. Dance performances from the troupes residing in different islands are organized. One of the major attractions at this festival is the Andaman Dog Show.