[UPSC] Islands of India, (Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep Islands) & MCQs

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In this article, you will read about the islands of India. This topic is very very important from the examination point of view as every exam has two or more questions from this topic.

Islands of India

Island is a piece of land surrounded by water on all of its sides.

The islands of India can be divided into three categories. They are;

  1. Lakshadweep group of islands
  2. Andaman and Nicobar group of islands
  3. Islands along the coast

These islands are discussed below:

Lakshadweep group of islands

Thia group lies in the Arabian sea about 200 to 300 km off the coast of Kerala. 

It originally consisted of 36 islands, one island submerged due to sea erosion, leaving 35 islands. Out of the 36 islands, 10 are inhabited, with a population of 64,473 as per the 2011 census. 

The inhabitants speak Jeseri language and their main occupation is fishing and Coconut Coir Extraction.

These islands have been mentioned in detail by Arabian traveller Ibn Batuta in his travelogues.

They are low lying and coral in nature. They are a part of Reunion Hotspot volcanism.

Lakshdweep islands can be divided into three groups, which are (from North to south):

  1. Amindivi islands
  2. Laccadive islands
  3. Minicoy island

Important points about Lakshdweep islands

The group together is a single district UT and is the smallest UT of India.

The meaning of Lakshadweep is “one lakh islands”.

Amindivi islands are the northern most and Minicoy island is the southernmost island.

Minicoy island is the largest and the most advanced island in this group.

Pitti island, a part of Lakshadweep is a famous bird sanctuary.

Lakshdweep is in the vicinity of Maldives and 8 Degree Channelseparates the Minicoy island from Maldives.

Andaman & Nicobar group of islands

This group of islands is situated about 1,250 km from Kolkata and 190 km from Cape Negrais in Burma.

It is very close to equator and has hence the equatorial type of climate.

They are also known as Emerald islands.

Formation: they were formed due to collision between Indian plate and Burma minor plate.

They are the southward extension of Arakan Yoma and are hence mostly mountainous in origin.

Division: Andaman and Nicobar group of islands can be divided into two groups viz Andaman group (in North) & Nicobar group (in South). 

Andaman group is inturn divided into four groups. They are; North Andaman, Middle Andaman, South Andaman & Little Andaman (arranged in North to South order).

Important points about Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Duncan passage separates Little Andaman from South Andaman.

Andaman group is separted from the Nicobar group by Ten degree channel.

The capital of Andaman Nicobar is Port Blair and it is situated on South Andaman.

Sadle peak in North Andaman is the highest peak with an elevation of 737 m.

The southern most island of Andaman Nicobar is Great Nicobar. It is very close to the Sumatra island of Indonesia.

The Grand Channel separates the Great Nicobar islands and the Sumatra islands of Indonesia.

India’s only active volcanoes known as Barren island and Narcondam island are a part of Andaman & Nicobar group.

Islands along the coast

Some of the important islands lying along the eastern and western coasts of India are:

IslandLocation
Chorao islandNear Panaji, Goa
Elephanta islandNear Mumbai
Rameshwaram IslandIn Gulf of Mannar
Willingdon IslandNear Kochi, Kerala
Sriharikota IslandAndhra Pradesh
Salsette IslandMumbai city is located on it
Sagar IslandNear West Bengal

In addition to the above islands, there is one famous riverine island called Majuli Island. It is an island in Brahmaputra river in Assam. It is full fledged district.

MCQs On Islands Of India

Now is the turn to solve some important MCQs on islands of India. Let us go;

Which of the following is/are true?

  1. Wheeler Island has been renamed as Abdul Kalam island.
  2. Wheeler island is near Kerala.
  3. Pamban island lies between India and Srilanka.
  1. only 1 and 2
  2. only 1 and 3
  3. only 2 and 3
  4. all of them

only 1 and 3

Which of the following is/are true about Majuli island?

  1. it lies in Indus river.
  2. it is the largest fresh water island of India.
  3. it is India’s first island district.
  1. only 2 and 3
  2. only 1 and 2
  3. only 1 and 3
  4. all of them

only 2 and 3

Which of the following is/are true ?

  1. Sriharikota island houses the missile launching centre of india.
  2. Wheeler island houses the satellite launching pad of India.
  3. Katchatheevu island lies in palk strait and was controversial between Indian and Srilanka.
  1. only 3
  2. only 1 and 2
  3. Only 1
  4. Only 2

only 3

Consider the following statements about New Moore Islands.

  1. it was controversial between India and Srilanka, but is now under the jurisdiction of India.
  2. it emerged after Bhola cyclone of 1970 and keeps on appearing and disappearing since then.

Which among the above statements is/are correct?

  1. Both of them
  2. None of them
  3. Only 1
  4. Only 2

only 2

Which of the following is true about Willingdon island?

  1. it is the largest man made island of India.
  2. Kochi port is located on it.
  3. It is the satellite launching pad of India.
  1. all of them
  2. only 1 and 2
  3. only 1 and 3
  4. only 2 and 3

only 1 and 2

Consider the following statements about Elephanta Islands.

  1. It is located near Mumbai.
  2. it is also known as Gharapuri island.
  3. it is a world heritage site.

Which among the above statements is/are correct?

  1. all of them
  2. only 1 and 2
  3. only 1 and 3
  4. only 2 and 3

all of them

Which of the following is/are true?

  1. The island of Minicoy is separated from the main Lakshadweep archipelago by eight degree channel.
  2. Pitti island, an island in Lakshadweep is famous for a bird sanctuary.
  1. none of them
  2. both of them
  3. only 1
  4. only 2

only 2

The women of Minicoy island perform a very famous traditional dance called?

  1. Chakir
  2. Kathak
  3. Mohiniyyatam
  4. Bandiya

Bandiya

Which channel separates Lakshadweep islands from islands of Maldives?

  1. eight degree channel
  2. nine degree channel
  3. Duncan passage
  4. Six degree channel

eight degree channel

Which of the following is/are true about Lakshadweep islands?

  1. they are low lying than the Andaman and Nicobar islands.
  2. they are coral in origin.
  3. they are more in number than the Andaman and Nicobar group of islands.
  1. only 1 and 2
  2. only 1 and 3
  3. only 2 and 3
  4. all of them

only 1 and 2

Which of the following islands is very close to Sumatra island of Indonesia?

  1. Car Nicobar
  2. Little Nicobar
  3. Great Nicobar
  4. Little Andaman

Great Nicobar

The smallest Union Territory of India is ?

  1. Lakshadweep
  2. Andaman and Nicobar
  3. Ladakh
  4. Puducherry

Lakshadweep

Which of the following Tribal groups are not found in Andaman and Nicobar?

  1. jarawas
  2. Onges
  3. Shompens
  4. Lepchas

Lepchas

Which of the following is true about Andaman and Nicobar islands?

  1. They have tropical rain forests.
  2. HornBill is found here.
  3. Dugong, also known as sea cow is found here.
  1. all of them
  2. only 2 and 3
  3. only 1 and 2
  4. only 1 and 3

all of them

Which of the following is true about Andaman and Nicobar group of islands?

  1. they were captured by Japanese forces in World war II.
  2. Jawahar Lal Nehru had suugested to rename them as Shaheed and Sawarj islands.
  3. Havelock island has been renamed as Swaraj Dweep now.
  1. only 1 and 3
  2. only 1 and 2
  3. only 2 and 3
  4. all of them

only 1 and 3

Which of the following is/are true?

  1. Ross Island was renamed as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep.
  2. Neil island has been renamed as Swaraj Dweep.
  3. Ross island and Neil island are a part of Lakshadweep islands.
  1. only 1
  2. only 1 and 2
  3. only 1 and 3
  4. all of them

only 1

Which of the following is/are true about Barren island?

  1. It is the only active volcano in India.
  2. It is showing sporadic activity since the 2018 earthquake of indonesia.
  1. both of them
  2. none of them
  3. only 1
  4. only 2

both of them

While coming from North to south, what is the correct arrangement of the given islands?

  1. North Andaman, Middle Andaman, South Andaman, Little Andaman.
  2. North Andaman, Middle Andaman, Little Andaman, South Andaman.
  3. North Andaman, Little Andaman, Middle Andaman, South Andaman.
  4. North Andaman, South Andaman, Middle Andaman, Little Andaman.

North Andaman, Middle Andaman, South Andaman, Little Andaman.

Which of the following is true?

  1. Ritches archipelago is a part of Andaman islands.
  2. Sadle peak is situated on South Andaman.
  1. both of them
  2. none of them
  3. only 1
  4. only 2

only 1

Which channel separates South Andaman from Little Andaman?

  1. Ten degree channel
  2. Duncan passage
  3. Eight degree channel
  4. Nine degree channel

Duncan passage

Which is the highest peak of Andaman and Nicobar islands?

  1. Sadle peak
  2. mount Deoban
  3. mount Harriet
  4. Mount Cholunga

Sadle peak

Which of the following is true?

  1. Andaman and Nicobar islands are actually the extension of Arakan Yoma range.
  2. Indra point-the southern most point of India lies on Great Nicobar island.
  3. Narcondam Island is an extinct volcano in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
  1. all of them
  2. only 1 and 3
  3. only 1 and 2
  4. only 2 and 3

all of them

Which channel separates the Andaman Group of Islands from Nicobar groups of islands ?

  1. ten degree channel
  2. Duncan passage
  3. eight degree channel
  4. nine degree channel

ten degree channel

What is the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Union territory?

  1. port Blair
  2. kavarrati
  3. Diu
  4. Minicoy

port Blair

Which of the following is/are true?

  1. Bay of bengal has more islands than the Arabian sea.
  2. there are no active volcanoes in the Indian mainland.
  3. Great Nicobar is the southern most island of India.
  1. all of them
  2. only 1 and 2
  3. only 2 and 3
  4. only 1 and 3

all of them

Consider the following statements about Andaman and Nicobar islands?

  1. they are situated in Arabian sea.
  2. they are mountainous in nature.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

  1. both of them
  2. none of them
  3. only 1
  4. only 2

only 2

These were some important MCQs on islands of India for competitive exams. We are sure that you will find these Indian Geography MCQs very useful and hope that you will share them with your friends.

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