🌴 Andaman and Nicobar Islands: The Emerald Isles – Complete Static  Guide 2026

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands form one of India’s most strategically important Union Territories, occupying a crucial position in the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean Region.

Known for their spectacular marine biodiversity, tropical forests, indigenous communities and strategic proximity to Southeast Asia, the islands are important from the perspectives of geography, environment, internal security, maritime strategy, tribal affairs and infrastructure.

For aspirants preparing for UPSC, SSC, CDS, NDA, CAPF and other competitive examinations, Andaman and Nicobar Islands can generate both direct one-liner questions and analytical questions.

1. 🏛️ Administrative Profile – 2026

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a Union Territory of India administered by the Union Government through the Lieutenant Governor.

• 📍 Capital: Port Blair
• 👤 Lieutenant Governor: Admiral D. K. Joshi (Retd.)
• 👥 Chief Minister: None
• 🏛️ Legislature: No Legislative Assembly
• 📅 Union Territory: 1 November 1956
• 🗂️ Districts: 3
  • South Andaman
  • North & Middle Andaman
  • Nicobar
• 🌊 Location: Bay of Bengal / eastern Indian Ocean

🧠 Important Administrative Point

The islands were under British colonial administration before Indian independence and subsequently became part of independent India. They were constituted as a Union Territory on 1 November 1956.

🎯 Exam Tip: Do not describe Andaman and Nicobar as a state. It is a Union Territory without a Legislative Assembly.

2. ⚖️ Judicial Structure

The judicial administration of the Union Territory falls under the jurisdiction of the Calcutta High Court.

• ⚖️ High Court: Calcutta High Court
• 🏛️ Circuit Bench: Port Blair
• 👨‍⚖️ Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court: Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge

Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge became the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court in September 2026.

🎯 2026 Current Affairs: Justice R. V. Ghuge’s appointment is a useful current-affairs fact for examinations conducted after September 2026.

3. 🗺️ Geographical Profile

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are an extensive archipelago located in the Bay of Bengal, forming India’s eastern maritime frontier.

📌 Key Geographic Facts

• 📐 Geographical Area: Approximately 8,249 sq. km
• 🏝️ Major Island Groups:
  • Andaman Islands
  • Nicobar Islands
• 🗂️ Districts: 3
• 🌊 Surrounding Water: Bay of Bengal / Indian Ocean
• ⛰️ Highest Peak: Saddle Peak – 732 metres
• 📍 Highest Point: North Andaman
• 🇮🇳 Southernmost Point of India: Indira Point, Great Nicobar
• 🌋 Active Volcano: Barren Island

The islands are strategically important because of their location close to major maritime routes connecting the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and Southeast Asia.

🏝️ How Many Islands?

The commonly used figure is 572 islands, islets and rocks, although the exact number can vary depending on the classification used.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember 572 as the standard GK figure.

4. 📊 Demographic Profile – Census 2011

5. 🗳️ Political & Legislative Structure

Unlike states with elected legislative assemblies, Andaman and Nicobar Islands do not have a Legislative Assembly.

• 🏛️ Legislative Assembly: None
• 🗳️ Lok Sabha: 1 seat
• 🏛️ Rajya Sabha: None
• 👤 Administrative Head: Lieutenant Governor
• 🏛️ Administration: Union Territory Administration under the Union Government

🗳️ Lok Sabha Constituency

The entire Union Territory constitutes one Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency.

🎯 Exam Formula:
Andaman & Nicobar = No Assembly + 1 Lok Sabha + No Rajya Sabha

6. 🌊 Rivers, Water Resources & Hydrology

Unlike mainland India, the islands do not have extensive continental river systems. Their drainage consists mainly of short, seasonal or perennial island streams.

🏞️ Important Rivers & Streams

• 🌊 Kalpong River
• 🌊 Alexandra River
• 🌊 Galathea River
• 🌊 Other short island streams and drainage systems

💧 Kalpong River

The Kalpong River is particularly important because of the Kalpong Hydroelectric Project in North Andaman.

⚡ Kalpong Hydroelectric Project

The Kalpong Hydroelectric Project is a significant hydroelectric installation in the Union Territory and is associated with the Kalpong River in North Andaman.

🎯 Exam Tip:
Kalpong → North Andaman → Hydroelectric Power

Avoid describing Kalpong as one of India’s major continental rivers; its importance is primarily regional and island-specific.

7. 🎭 Culture, Festivals & Traditional Arts

The cultural landscape of Andaman and Nicobar reflects the traditions of its indigenous communities as well as settlers from different parts of mainland India.

🎉 Major Festivals & Cultural Events

• 🎊 Island Tourism Festival
• 🎭 Subhash Mela
• 🌴 Nicobari cultural celebrations
• 🎉 Local community and tribal cultural programmes

💃 Traditional Performing Arts

• 💃 Nicobari Dance
• 🥁 Traditional community dances and music
• 🎶 Indigenous cultural performances associated with tribal festivals and ceremonies

📌 Exam Note: Cultural questions may connect the islands’ performing arts with the Nicobarese and other indigenous communities.

8. 🌳 Wildlife, National Parks & Biodiversity

Andaman and Nicobar Islands are among India’s most important biodiversity regions.

Their ecosystems include:

• 🌳 Tropical evergreen forests
• 🪸 Coral reefs
• 🐢 Marine ecosystems
• 🌴 Mangroves
• 🐊 Coastal wetlands
• 🐦 Endemic bird habitats

🏞️ Important National Parks

The Union Territory has several national parks, including:

• 🌊 Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park
• ⛰️ Mount Manipur National Park
• 🌊 Rani Jhansi Marine National Park
• ⛰️ Saddle Peak National Park
• 🌳 Campbell Bay National Park
• 🌿 Galathea National Park

🦅 Important Wildlife Sanctuaries

Examples include:

• 🐊 Lohabarrack Salt Water Crocodile Sanctuary
• 🐘 Interview Island Wildlife Sanctuary
• 🐦 Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary
• 🌳 Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary
• 🌿 Other island-specific wildlife sanctuaries

📌 Exam Note: For permanent GK content, remember the major protected areas rather than relying on a rigid total number, as protected-area classifications can change through government notifications.

9. 🐦 Important Wildlife & Unique Natural Features

🌋 Barren Island

Barren Island is famous for being home to India’s only confirmed active volcano.

It is located in the Andaman Sea and is one of the most important geographical features of the archipelago.

🏔️ Saddle Peak

Saddle Peak, at approximately 732 metres, is the highest point of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

🌊 Marine Biodiversity

The islands are particularly important for:

• 🪸 Coral reefs
• 🐢 Leatherback turtles
• 🐊 Saltwater crocodiles
• 🐦 Endemic birds
• 🐠 Marine fish
• 🦀 Coconut crabs
• 🌴 Mangrove ecosystems

10. 🏛️ Mount Manipur – Important Current & Static GK

Mount Harriet was renamed Mount Manipur in 2021.

The renaming commemorated the historical connection of the site with Manipur’s resistance to British rule, particularly the historical association of the site with members of the Manipuri royal family.

• 🏔️ Old Name: Mount Harriet
• 🏔️ New Name: Mount Manipur
• 📅 Renamed: 2021

🎯 Exam Trap: This was not a new 2026 renaming.

11. 🏹 Indigenous Tribes of Andaman & Nicobar

The indigenous peoples of the islands are among the most important topics for UPSC and other civil-service examinations.

🌴 Major Indigenous Communities

Andaman Group

• Great Andamanese
• Jarawa
• Onge
• Sentinelese

Nicobar Group

• Nicobarese
• Shompen

🧠 Important Distinction

The indigenous populations of the Andaman and Nicobar groups have distinct histories, cultures and languages.

Older anthropology textbooks sometimes classify them under broad racial categories such as “Negrito” and “Mongoloid.” Such terminology is now considered outdated and should not be presented as a modern biological classification.

For competitive examinations, it is better to remember the tribe → island group → geographical location relationship.

🏝️ High-Yield Tribal Map

🚫 Sentinelese

The Sentinelese inhabit North Sentinel Island and are among the world’s most isolated indigenous communities.

India follows a policy of protecting their territory and restricting unauthorised contact.

🎯 UPSC Focus: Indigenous rights, tribal protection, ecological conservation and development projects are important analytical themes.

12. ⚡ Energy & Power Sector

The islands face unique energy challenges because of their geographic isolation from India’s mainland electricity grid.

💧 Hydropower

• ⚡ Kalpong Hydroelectric Project is the major hydroelectric project associated with the islands.

☀️ Solar Energy

Solar power is increasingly important because of the islands’ potential for decentralised renewable-energy systems.

Solar installations can help reduce dependence on conventional fuel-based generation, particularly in remote island settlements.

🏭 Conventional Energy

Because the islands are geographically isolated, electricity supply has historically depended significantly on diesel-based generation and localised power systems.

🎯 Exam Tip: Do not describe the Union Territory as having a large conventional power-generation base comparable with mainland states.

13. 🛡️ Strategic & Maritime Importance

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are extremely important for India’s maritime security and Indo-Pacific strategy.

🌏 Why Are They Strategically Important?

The islands:

• 🌊 Overlook important maritime routes
• ⚓ Are close to the Malacca Strait
• 🛡️ Strengthen India’s presence in the eastern Indian Ocean
• 🚢 Support maritime surveillance
• ✈️ Support air and naval operations
• 🌏 Strengthen India’s Act East Policy

⚓ Andaman & Nicobar Command

The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) is India’s first and only tri-service command.

It integrates elements of:

• 🇮🇳 Indian Army
• ⚓ Indian Navy
• ✈️ Indian Air Force

🔥 Must Remember:
Andaman & Nicobar Command → India’s first and only tri-service command

14. 🚀 Current Affairs – 2026

🏗️ Great Nicobar Project

The Great Nicobar Project is one of the most important Andaman and Nicobar-related current-affairs topics for the 2026 examination cycle.

The project aims to develop Great Nicobar Island as a major strategic, maritime and economic hub.

Major components include:

• ⚓ International Container Transshipment Terminal
• ✈️ Greenfield International Airport
• 🏙️ Integrated Township
• ⚡ 450 MVA Power Plant
• 🛡️ Strategic and defence-related infrastructure

The proposed project includes a major transshipment terminal at Galathea Bay, an international airport and associated infrastructure.

🌏 Why Is the Project Important?

The project is significant because of Great Nicobar’s location near major international shipping routes and India’s wider maritime-security and Indo-Pacific objectives.

🌳 Environmental & Tribal Concerns

The project has also generated substantial discussion around:

• 🌳 Forest diversion
• 🐢 Biodiversity
• 🐢 Leatherback turtle habitat
• 🏹 Indigenous communities
• 🌱 Environmental safeguards
• ⚖️ Rehabilitation and resettlement

🎯 UPSC Approach: Don’t study the Great Nicobar Project merely as an infrastructure project. Prepare it as a development-versus-conservation and strategic-security case study.

15. 🏝️ Great Nicobar – Why It Matters

Great Nicobar is the southernmost and largest island of the Nicobar group.

It contains:

• 📍 Indira Point
• 🌳 Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve
• 🏞️ Campbell Bay National Park
• 🌿 Galathea National Park
• 🐢 Important leatherback turtle habitat
• 🏹 Shompen and Nicobarese communities

Its proximity to Southeast Asia gives it exceptional strategic importance.

🧠 Andaman & Nicobar Islands – Quick Revision Box

🎯 High-Yield Andaman & Nicobar GK

If you have limited revision time, memorise these first:

1. Union Territory → Andaman & Nicobar Islands
2. Capital → Port Blair
3. Lieutenant Governor → Admiral D. K. Joshi
4. Districts → 3
5. Lok Sabha → 1 seat
6. Legislative Assembly → None
7. Rajya Sabha → None
8. Area → 8,249 sq. km
9. 2011 Population → 3,80,581
10. 2011 Literacy → 86.63%
11. Sex Ratio → 876
12. Highest Peak → Saddle Peak
13. Highest Point → 732 m
14. Active Volcano → Barren Island
15. Southernmost Point → Indira Point
16. Major Hydro Project → Kalpong
17. Tri-Service Command → Andaman & Nicobar Command
18. Mount Harriet → Mount Manipur
19. Sentinelese → North Sentinel Island
20. Shompen → Great Nicobar
21. Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary → Chorao Island
22. Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park → Wandoor
23. Great Nicobar Project → Major 2026 Current-Affairs Topic
24. International Transshipment Terminal → Galathea Bay
25. Great Nicobar Project → Port + Airport + Township + Power Infrastructure

💡 Final Exam Strategy

The best way to revise Andaman and Nicobar GK is to connect geography with environment, tribes, defence and current affairs.

🔥 Remember the Chain

Andaman & Nicobar → Port Blair → 3 Districts → 1 Lok Sabha → Saddle Peak → Barren Island → Indira Point → Kalpong → Andaman & Nicobar Command → Sentinelese → Shompen → Great Nicobar → Galathea Bay → Transshipment Port