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- Lakshadweep Island group lies close to the Malabar Coast of Kerala. It is composed of small coral islands. Earlier they were known as Laccadive, Minicoy and Amindive.
- In 1973, these were named as Lakshwadeep.
- It covers a small area of 32 sq km.
- Kavaratti island is the administrative headquarters of Lakshwadeep. This island group has great diversity of Flora and Fauna.
- The elongated chain of islands located in Bay of Bengal extending from north to south are called Andaman and Nicobar Islands . They are bigger in size, numerous and scattered.
- The entire group of islands is divided into 2 broad categories- Andaman in the north and Nicobar in the south . These island groups are of great strategic importance to the country.
- There is great diversity of flora and fauna. They lie close to the equator and experience equatorial climate and has thick forest cover.
Corals :
- Coral polyps are short lived microscopic organisms, which live in colonies.
- They flourish in shallow, Mud free and warm waters.
- They secrete calcium carbonate. The Coral secretion and a skeleton from coral deposits in the form of Reefs : they are mainly of three kinds : barrier reef, fringing reef and atolls.
- The great barrier reef of Australia is a good example of the first kind of coral reefs.
- Atolls are circular or horseshoe shaped coral reefs. India’s only active volcano is found on barren island in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
