About Andaman

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, located in the east of the Indian mainland geographically, float in splendid isolation in the Bay of Bengal. Once a hill range extending form Myanmar to Indonesia, these picturesque undulating islands, islets, numbering around 572, are covered with forests and endless varieties of exotic flora and fauna. Underwater marine life, coral, crystal clear water and mangrove-lined creeks offer a rare view of the precious bounties of nature. Sandy beaches here a are the natural choice for turtles to nest. Around 86% of the area is still covered by dense forests with innumerable species of orchids, ferns, exotic flowers and also home to many endemic birds. The wild life includes spotted deer, wild boar, gecko and crab-eating macaque and python in the southern Islands. The islands lie along an arc in long and narrow broken chain, approximately north-south over a distance of nearly 800 kms.

These islands are still virgin in the sense of natural beauty with unpolluted environs, unexplored coral life, commanding a rarity in contrast to other Islands in the Indian Ocean.

In these islands people of all faiths-Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs etc., and of all languages like Hindi, Bengali, 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