Lakshdweep Islands of India.

Lakshadweep Islands.
Capital: Kavaratti.
Land Area 16 square miles.
Population. One lac.
District. 1.


Laccadive Islands were renamed as Lakshdweep Islands in the year 1973.
They are popularly known as Cannore islands.
They are located in the Arabian Sea off the limits of Kerala, 200 miles away.
They consist of two dozen coral islands covering a land area of 16 to 20 square miles.
Out of the two dozen islands only 10 are inhabited. Main ones being Kavaratti, Agatti,
Amini, Minicoy. In the entire archipelago offers good facility for cruising and swimming in the crystal clear waters of the lagoons.

Cocoanut is the main crop cultivated in Lakshadweep islands. It is the largest
producer of cocoanuts in India.

The population is predominantly Muslim and they are involved in fishing
and employed at ports in handling sea traffic.

The main languages spoken are Malayalam Mahl and Jesseri.

Historical records show that around the seventh century, a Muslim saint
was shipwrecked on the island of Amini. The Hindu inhabitants were converted
to Islam despite their opposition.

The islands form the smallest Union Territories of India formed in 1956.
They are administered by an Administrator by the Central Government.
The Island is under the jurisdiction of Kerala High Court at Ernakulum.
The island elects one member to the Loksabha. Panchayat raj is the method
for local administration.

These Islands are the union territory of India. It is a group of some two dozen islands with a total land area of 16 to 20 square miles, scattered over 30,000 square miles of the Arabian Sea. The easternmost island lies about 185 miles off the western coast of the state of Kerala. Ten of the islands are inhabited. The administrative centre is Kavaratti. The name Lakshadweep means "Hundred Thousand Islands" in the Malayalam language and also in Sanskrit. The higher eastern sides of the islands are the most ideally suited for human habitation, while the low-lying lagoons on the western sides protect the inhabitants from the southwest monsoon. The islands are small, none exceeding one mile in breadth. The sandy soils, derived from the coral, support rich growths of coconut palms and perennial garden plants. Cyclones moving up the Arabian Sea rarely cross the islands, but the winds and waves associated with them can considerably alter the land features.

Agatti air-port is operated by Indian Air Lines and King Fisher. They operate from
Cochi and Bangalore. Ships are the major sea way transport means operated from Cochi
and Calicut.