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Location: Bay of Bengal 92 deg. to 94 deg. Longitude 6 deg. to 14 deg. North Latitude Area: Andamans District: 6,408 Sq.Kms. Nicobars District : 1,841 Sq. Kms. Total Area: 8,249 Sq. Kms. Altitude: Varies from sea level to 732 meters Capital: Port Blair Population :277,989 People per sq km-34 Principal Language:Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and other tribal languages Literacy rate-73.74% Airports: PortBlair Temperature : Mean minimum 23 deg C, Mean maximum 30 deg C. Rainfall : 3000 mms (May to Mid-September & November to January). Relative Humidity: 70% to 90%. Forest cover : 86%. STD Code:03192

      Andaman and Nicobar Islands with its administrative headquarters at Port Blair, appears in history as old as the period of Lord Rama. Hanumanji is believed to have landed here on the way to Sri Lanka, in search of Mata Sita. The islands were inhabited until mid 19th century by aboriginal tribes whose main occupation was hunting using bows and arrows.

      The Andamans are a group of more than 500 islands many of which are still uninhabited. The islands stretch into the territory of some 750 km from north to south in the Bay of Bengal. These islands are now being developed and will soon be major tourist centres.

      The islands have brilliant tropical flora. The islands are endowed with evergreen thick forests and tropical trees with mangrove swamps on the water's edge. Part of the islands are hilly. The beaches have white sand and coral reef , unpolluted sparkling clear water which is excellent for snorkelling.

       Andaman & Nicobar Islands is a Union Territory, stretched over an area of more than 700 Kms. from north to south with 36 inhabited islands. Once a hill range extending from Burma (Myanmar) to Indonesia, these undulating islands are covered with dense forests and endless variety of exotic flowers and birds.

      The topography of the islands is hilly and abounds in evergreen forests. The sandy beaches on the edge of meandering coastline are fringed with coconut-palms that sway to the rhythm of the sea. The sea around the islands offer excellent scope for water sports. The rare flora and fauna, underwater marine life and corals, with crystal clear water and mangrove-lined creeks, offer a dream-view of the rare gifts of nature.

      The clean and wide roads, free of filth as well as unpolluted fresh air attract any nature-lover, who seek absolute peace and tranquillity in the lap of mother nature.

Adventure tourism like trekking, island camping, snorkeling, scuba diving etc., are the real attractions. A visit to these islands is a memorable lifetime experience.

      Mythologically, the name Andaman was presumed to be derived from Hanuman, who was known to the Malays as Handuman. Since Prehistoric times, these islands were the home of aboriginal tribes. The tribes of, the Andaman group of islands are the Great Andamanese, Onges, Jarawas, and Sentinatese, all of Negrito origin, while the tribes of Nicobars are the Nicobarese and Shompens, both of Mongoloid stock.

      The first settlement by the British took place in 1789, which was later abandoned in 1796. The second settlement was basically a penal settlement, taken up in 1858, after the First War of Independence, followed by the settlement of convicts, Moplas, some criminal tribes from Central and United Provinces, refugees from erstwhile East Pakistan, Burma and Sri Lanka as well as ex-servicemen.


      About 50 % of the forests has been set aside as Tribal Reserves, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries, which are inviolate. Luxuriant mangroves, perhaps the richest in the world, occupy nearly II. 5 % of the territory. More than 150 plant and animals species are endemic in nature.

      Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park is rich in corals, varieties of colored fishes, sea turtles etc., besides other marine life. It is a birds paradise - more than 271 varieties of birds inhabit the idyllic landscape, out of which 39 are endemic. Megapode, Swiftlet, Hornbill and Nicobar Pigeon are some of the specialties of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

      The best time to visit these islands is between Mid November to April. December and January are the peak seasons to come here.It's an excellent place to explore the hidden wealth of the Marine National Park - see the marine life, get chased by Dolphins and experience the beauty of the fields of the corals.