India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands are an extensive group of 572 small islands (archipelago) in the great Indian Ocean. The Andaman group consists of 325 islands, while the Nicobar group has 247 islands. The human population is present only in some of these islands.
The Andaman Islands are separated from the Nicobar groups by a 150 km wide channel known as the Ten Degree Channel.
A favourite international tourist hotspot, this archipelago is highly reputed for its mangroves, coral reefs, white-sand beaches, and most importantly, its rainforests.
These beautiful tropical rainforests of India boast a unique and abundant species of exotic flora and fauna. About 2,200 plant varieties have been discovered to date, of which 200 are highly endemic, and 1,300 do not even exist in mainland India!
The Andaman Islands are called veritable storehouses of plant biodiversity. About 10 per cent of the total 2,500 flowering species spotted here are indigenous to these islands alone. Its floral wealth displays stronger affinities and similarities to those in northeast India, Myanmar, and Thailand. This is because the Andamans were once part of the continental landmass that later got separated.
However, it is believed that the Nicobar Islands took shape because of some very ancient volcanic activity. Its flora shows significant similarities with that of Malaysia and Indonesia.
Picture Credit : Google
