|
|
Lakshadweep Islands
Lakshadweep travel guide - WikitravelOpen source travel guide to Lakshadweep, featuring up-to-date information on attractions, hotels, restaurants, nightlife, travel tips and more. Free and reliable advice written ...
|
Lakshadweep tourism::One of the world’s most spectacular tropical island systems, Lakshadweep is tucked away at 220-240 kms off the Malabar Coast (Kerala). The islands comprise of 4200 sq.km. of ...
|
Lakshadweep consisting of the Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi islands in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Kerala state. The capital of this group of 36 islands (10 are inhabited) is Kavarrati Island. Minicoy is the largest island. The population, mainly Muslim, engages in fishing and copra production. Malayalam is the main language except on Minicoy, where Mahl is spoken. The territory is administered by the home minister in the central government of India with an appointed local advisory council
Capital: Kavaratti
Abbreviation: IN-LD
Official languages Malayalam
Formation 1956-11-01
Area 32 km (7th)
Districts 1
Lakshadweep is the smallest Union Territory of India. It consists of 12 coral atolls, three coral reefs, and five banks. The total land area of the territory is 32 km. The islands are located in the Arabian Sea, between 200 to 300 km off the coast of Kerala. Ten of the islands are inhabited, 17 are not. There are numerous islets which are not counted in this number.
The inhabited islands are:
Agatti
Amini
Andrott
Bangaram
Bitra
Chetlat
Kadmat
Kalpeni
Kavaratti
Kiltan
Minicoy
The main islands are Kavarrati (where the capital city, Kavarrati, is located), Agatti, Minicoy, and Amini. The total population of the territory was 60,595 according to the 2001 census. Agatti has an airport where there are direct flights from Cochin. Tourists may need a permit to visit the islands; foreign nationals are not permitted to visit some islands. Permits are not required in case you opt for one of the SPORTS packages.
The people of the islands are ethnically similar to the people of the Kerala coast of India and are of mixed Indian and Arab descent, except on the southernmost and largest island, Minicoy, where people closely resemble Maldivians, speak Mahl, a language closely related to Dhivehi which could even be a dialect. 93% of the indigenous population is Muslim and were converted by the Arab apostle Mumba Mulyaka. The locals call themselves the Div-i or the Amadivi (from the mother island).
|
Art
Add your Business Now | Report Error