Everything about Lakshadweep totally explained
Lakshadweep (; (
Malayalam: ലക്ഷദ്വീപ്), [Lakṣadvīp]) is the smallest
union territory of
India. The group is located 200 to 300 km off of the coast of
Kerala in the
Arabian Sea. The total land area of the territory is 32 km². Eleven of the islands are inhabited. Lakshadweep is the northern part of the erstwhile
Lakshadweepa.
Demographics
The people of all the northern islands speak a dialect of
Malayalam. According to local folk beliefs, they descended from traders who were washed up on the islands during a particularly heavy storm.
However, the people of
Minicoy, the southernmost atoll, speak
Mahl, a variant of
Divehi, the language of the
Maldives.
The islanders are ethnically similar to coastal Kerala's
Malayali people, and were influenced by
Arab traders. Inhabitants of
Minicoy, the southernmost and largest island, closely resemble
Maldivians. Most — 99% — of the indigenous population is
Muslim; they were converted by Arab traders. The locals call themselves the
Div-i or the
Aminidivi ("from the mother island").
History
The first westerner in the recent historical past on the islands was
Vasco da Gama, but the
British were the first to explore the islands. They are also mentioned in great detail in the stories of the Arab traveller
Ibn Batuta. The
Portuguese established a fort on the islands in May 1498, but the inhabitants soon rose up and expelled them. The Amindivi group of islands (Amini, Kadmat, Kiltan, Chetlat and Bitra) came under the rule of
Tipu Sultan in 1787. They passed on to British control after the
Third Anglo-Mysore War and were attached to the South Canara district. The rest of the islands became a
suzerainty of the
Arakkal family of
Cannanore in return for a payment of annual tribute. After a while, the British took over the administration of those islands for non-payment of arrears. These islands were attached to the
Malabar district of the
Madras Presidency. In 1956, the
States Reorganisation Act separated these islands from the mainland administrative units, forming a new union territory by combining all the islands.
Politics
The union territory is administered by an Administrator appointed by India's central government. Lakshadweep is under the jurisdiction of the
High Court of Kerala at
Ernakulam. It also elects one member to the
Lok Sabha. The main languages spoken in Lakshadheep are
Malayalam and
Mahl.
Economy
Lakshadweep's gross state domestic product for 2004 is estimated at $60 million at current prices. Due to its isolation and scenic appeal, Lakshadweep is emerging as a major tourist attraction for Indians. This brings in significant revenue, which is likely to increase. Since such a small region can't support industries, the government is actively promoting tourism as a means of income.
Islands
Lakshadweep officially consists of 12
atolls, 3
reefs and 5 submerged
banks, with a total of about 36 islands and islets. The reefs are in fact also atolls, although mostly submerged, with only small unvegetated sand cays above the high water mark. The submerged banks are sunken atolls.
Almost all the atolls have a northeast-southwest orientation with the islands lying on the eastern rim, and a mostly submerged reef on the western rim, enclosing a lagoon.
The atolls, reefs and banks are listed from north to south in the table:
The main islands are Kavaratti (where the capital city,
Kavaratti, 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
Kochi, Kerala or Ernakulam (Cochin). Tourists need a
permit
to visit the islands; foreign nationals are not permitted to visit certain islands. Consumption of liquor or alcoholic drink isn't permitted in the islands except at Bangaram Island.
The name of the
archipelago literally translates as "hundred thousand islands" (
laksha = "one hundred thousand",
dweep = "island"). Until 1973, the island group was known by the
anglicised name
Laccadives (compare to
Maldives and
Suvadives) although the term Laccadives strictly only applies to central Lakshdweep with the northern
Amindivi Islands and
Minicoy to the south considered separate. This is reflected in the pre-1973 name of the union territory,
Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi Islands (Malayalam: ലക്ഷദ്വീപ്, മിനിക്കോയ്, അമന്തീവ [Lakṣhadvīp,Minikkoy, Amantīv]). The Laccadive Islands plus Minicoy Island are known as the
Cannanore Islands.
Transportation
Agatti Aerodrome on Agatti Island is currently the only airport in Lakshadweep.
Indian Airlines, the state owned carrier, serves Agatti and flies to
Kochi on the mainland. Also, from April 2007, a private carrier, Kingfisher Airlines, has commenced flights to and from Agatti. Kingfisher connects Kochi and Bangalore to Agatti. The other islands are linked by a
helicopter or boat service.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Lakshadweep'.
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