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All content of this website is available under the terms of Creative Common Attribution 2.0 |
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| ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR Andaman & Nicobar Islands is a union territory of India. Informally, the territory's name is often abbreviated to A & N Islands, or ANI. It is located in the Indian Ocean, in the southern reaches of the Bay of Bengal. It comprises two island groups - the Andaman Islands and the Nicobar Islands - which separate the Andaman Sea to the east from the Indian Ocean. These two groups are separated by the 10° N parallel, the Andamans lying to the north of this latitude, and the Nicobars to the south. The capital of this territory is the Andamanese town of Port Blair. The Andaman and Nicobar islands have been inhabited for several thousand years, at the very least. The earliest archaeological evidence yet documented goes back some 2,200 years; however, the indications from genetic, cultural and linguistic isolation studies point to habitation going back 30,000 to 60,000 years, well into the Middle Paleolithic. In the Andaman Islands, the various Andamanese peoples maintained their separated existence through the vast majority of this time, diversifying into distinct linguistic, cultural and territorial groups. In total, these peoples numbered somewhere around 7,000 at the time of these first encounters. As the numbers of settlers from the mainland increased (at first mostly prisoners and involuntary indentured labourers, later purposely recruited farmers), these indigenous peoples lost territory and numbers in the face of land encroachment and the effects of various epidemic diseases. The Jangil and most of the Great Andamanese groups soon became extinct; presently there remain only approximately 400-450 indigenous Andamanese, the Jarawa and Sentinelese in particular maintaining a steadfast independence and refusing most attempts at contact. On 26 December 2004 the coasts of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands were devastated by a 10 metre high tsunami following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. At least 7,000 people (possibly a conservative estimate) were believed to have been killed on the Nicobar and Andaman Islands during the disaster. While newer settlers of the islands suffered the greatest casualties from the tsunami, most of the aboriginal people survived because oral traditions passed down from generations ago warned them to evacuate from large waves that follow large earthquakes. GENERAL INFORMATION Time zone IST (UTC+5:30) Area 8,249 kmē (3,185 sq mi) Capital Port Blair Largest city Port Blair District(s) 2 Population 356,1521 (32) Density 43/kmē (111/sq mi) Language(s) Nicobarese, Bengali, English, Hindi,Tamil, Malayalam, Punjabi, Telugu PLACE TO VISIT Havelock Island - the most visited of the islands, with the most (although still minimal) infrastructure. Beautiful beaches, great snorkeling and scuba diving. Neil Island - quieter than Havelock with nice beaches and decent snorkeling. Wandoor - a relaxed destination in it's own right, but known more as the gateway to the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park which closed after the 2004 tsunami. It has re-opened since then and Jolly Bouy, Red Skin and Cinque island are due to be opened to visitors after October 2007. There was a lot of talk about all the corals there having been destroyed, but this isn't the case; there's still plenty to see. A good source of info would be the Anugama Resort which one passes before reaching the Wandoor Jetty. Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park - is a national park of India in Wandoor on the Andaman Islands. Situated 29 km. from Port Blair, the Park is located on the South Western coast of South Andaman, in the Bay of Bengal. Barren Island - a volcano island and the only volcano in all of India. Long Island - great if you're looking for Robinson Crusoe style camping. Nothing exists here, so you must bring all of your own gear and food. Little Andaman - remote and currently devastated by the 2004 tsunami, it was once popular for surfing. Check to see if things have reopened. Port Blair - the laid-back capital of the Andamans and the sole entry/exit point. Spend a day or two here walking around and enjoying fresh seafood and seeing a couple of the nearby sites. Diglipur - take a road trip to the far north of the island chain, a base for visits to nearby Smith and Ross Islands. HOW TO REACH By air - For now the only way to reach the Andamans by air is from the Indian mainland. There are talks of opening up flights from Bangkok, which could drastically change the situation in the islands. By sea - It is still possible to take a ship from Kolkata or Chennai which takes almost 4 days to arrive in Port Blair. With the arrival of the Air Deccan flights that allow foreigners to fly for the same rate as Indians, and cost about the same as the boat, there is little reason to spend 4 days at sea unless you're in it for the experience. Apparently at the same time of the new flights arriving the ship operators stopped letting foreigners into the most basic budget class, which could actually make this more expensive than flying. Fares range from Rs 2500-6000 each way. |