Fascinating Facts About Andaman You Must Know

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are the ideal place to get away. The archipelago has around 572 islands of which only 36 are open to tourists. The island population is an interesting mix of South Indian and Southeast Asian settlers, as well as Negrito ethnic groups on some islands whose arrival here still has anthropologists baffled.

Despite being small in size, the Andaman Islands are full of surprises. Here are some interesting facts you didn’t know about the Andaman Islands.

#1 The names ‘Andaman’ and ‘Nicobar’ are taken from the Malay Language

The name Andaman is presumed to be derived from Hanuman, who was known to the Malays as Handuman.The name Nicobar seems to be a corruption of the South Indian term ‘Nakkavaram’ (Land of the Naked) as indicated in the great Tanjore inscription of AD 1050.

#2 Bengali is the most widely-spoken language

The most widely spoken language on the islands is Bengali followed by Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. Andaman Creole Hindi is also widely used as a trade language in the Andaman islands

#3 Andaman has Asia’s only active volcano

On the uninhabited Barren Island, about 135 kilometres from Port Blair, is where you will find Asia’s only known active volcano. Barren Volcano first erupted in 1787 and then in 2010—an eruption that lasted six months. It’s known to spew lava in smaller eruptions since then.

#4 Katchal Island received the first sun rise of the millenium

Katchal, a tiny island near Nicobar was virtually unknown till the Royal Greenwich Laboratory declared that it would be the first inhabited place on earth to catch the rays of the first sunrise of the millennium. In the first postal issue of the year 2000, India Post issued a commemorative stamp depicting the first sunrise of the millennium at Katchal.

#5 The largest sea turtles in the world nest here

Andaman and Nicobar Islands have India’s best nesting beaches for three species of marine turtles – Hawksbill, Green turtle  and world’s largest sea turtle, the Leatherback (Dermocheleys Coriacea).  The nesting population of Leatherback turtles in Nicobar is one of the few colonies that exceeds 1,000 individuals in the Indo-Pacific, and is hence of global importance.

#6 The islands were an active war zone during World War II

The serenity of the Andaman Islands was disrupted during World War II, when Japan controlled the region before giving it up to the British in 1945. The Museum of the Japanese Occupation in Port Blair documents the events of the active war zone at the time

#7 Parts of Andaman Islands sank underwater after the 2004 tsunami

The devastating 2004 earthquake in the Indian Ocean did a lot of damage to the Andaman Islands. There was both loss of life and land. The tsunami that followed the earthquake took away 4.25 metres of land from the archipelago’s southernmost tip known as Indira Point.

#8 Andaman is home to the largest crabs in the world

The hermit crabs, or Birgus Latro as they are scientifically called, are the largest known anthropods that stay mostly on land. They are also known as coconut crabs, robber crabs and palm thieves. The Andaman Islands are home to the highest number of these crustaceans.

#9 Dugong, the gentle sea cow, is the state animal of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Large, plump marine vegetarians with short, paddle-like front flippers, the gentle Dugongs can be found grazing peacefully on sea grass in the warm coastal waters of the Andaman and Nicobar Island. These languid creatures, also called the ‘angel of the sea’, can be spotted at Ritchie’s archipelago, North Reef, Little Andaman and parts of Nicobar.

#10 It’s illegal to interact with the Jarawa tribals

In parts of South and Middle Andaman Islands, the nomadic Jarawas are a protected tribe whose population ranges between 250-400 individuals. Any attempt to interact with the isolated tribe, who themselves shun contact with outsiders, is deemed illegal.

#11 Commercial fishing is banned in the surrounding seas

In an effort to preserve underwater flora and fauna including indigenous marine life like dugongs and giant sea turtles along with its rich coral reserves, commercial fishing in the waters surrounding the Andaman Islands is banned

#12 The mud volcanoes of Andamans are the only ones of their kind in India

Believe it or not, but the sight of bubbling mud is a major attraction in the Andaman Islands. The mud volcanoes on Baratang Island are the only ones of their kind in India, and are formed because of chemical reactions between water and gases under the surface. Spewing once in a while, the mud craters are quite the geological phenomenon.