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The enchanting group of coral islands in the Arabian Sea form the smallest
Union Territory of Lakshadweep. This archipelago consists of 12 atolls,
three reefs and five submerged banks.
Of its 36 islands covering an area
of 32Sq.Km only 10 are inhabited. They are Adroit,
Amini,
Agatti,
Bitra,
Chetlat,
Kadmat,
Kalpeni,
Kavaratti (Headquarters),
Kiltan and
Minicoy.
Bitra is the smallest of all. These islands earlier known
as Laccadive, Minicoy and Amindivi islands are irregularly scattered between
8o and 12o30' North latitude and between 71o
and 74o east longitude.
Lakshadweep lies about 220 to 440 Km from the coastal
city of Cochin in Kerala.
These islands and
Cochin are linked by air & by ship which takes about 18 to
20 hours. The islands which were administered at various places were grouped
into a Union Territory in 1956 and the name of this Union Territory was
changed to Lakshadweep with effect from November 1, 1973. In 1964, the
administration had shifted to Kavaratti island.
Though smallest in area, the Union Territory of Lakshadweep has extensive
lagoon area of about 4,200Sq.Km, 20000Sq Km of territorial waters and
about 4,00,000 (four lakh) Sq Km of economic zone. The territory has tremendous economic
potentialities because of extensive economic zone.
Malayalam is the language spoken in all islands except Minicoy where people
speak Mahl written in Divehi which is spoken in Maldives also. The entire local
population because of their economic and social condition have been classified
as scheduled Tribes. Scheduled Castes exist in Lakshadweep group of islands.
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