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Lakshadweep
 Though the Lakshadweep archipelago may appear as a few insignificant dots on the map of India, it is, in fact, a sparkling diamond- and emerald-studded jewel adorning India’s southwestern frontier. It is one of the few marvels left untouched by the encroaching hands of industrialization and progress.
The white beaches, the lagoons that wash its shores with the coral reefs which enclose it, and finally the deep blue sea-all these are symbiotically linked with each other. And, when all these are added up, Lakshadweep is no longer the tiniest of India’s territories but the largest! While the total area of the 35 islands is a mere 32 sq km and the area of the lagoons enclosed by the coral reef about 700 sq km, the extended sea zone is more than 7,00,000 sq km! This almost makes it the size of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh put together! Out of the 12 atolls with 35 islands, only one island in each of them is inhabited. All the islands are shaped like a boat with their backs resting on the reef in the east and lagoons washing their shores on the west side. The lagoons are shallow, never more than a couple of meters deep. Just as the sands on the beaches are pure white and sugary, the waters of the lagoons are crystal clear and clean.
The tiniest Union Territory of India, Lakshadweep is an archipelago consisting of 12 atolls, three reefs and five submerged banks. It is a uni-district Union Territory with an area of 32 Sq.Kms and is comprised of ten inhabited islands, 17 uninhabited islands attached islets, four newly formed islets and 5 submerged reefs. The inhabited islands are Kavaratti, Agatti, Amini, Kadmat, Kiltan, Chetlat, Bitra, Andrott, Kalpeni and Minicoy. Bitra is the smallest of all having only a population of 225 persons (Census 1991). The uninhabited island Bangaram has been enumerated during 1991 census operation and has a population of 61 persons. It is located between 8 º- 12 º 13" North latitude and 71º -74º East longitude, 220 to 440 Kms. away from the coastal city of Kochi in Kerala, in the emerald Arabian sea. Considering its lagoon area of about 4,200 Sq.kms, 20,000 Sq.kms of territorial waters and about 4 lakhs Sq.kms. of economic zone, Lakshadweep is a large territory.
HOW TO GET THERE?
Air: This place is well connected by Air from Cochin(International Airport). Indian Airlines operates its daily flight to Agatti except Sundays.
Water: By sea Regular passenger ship services ply between
Cochin and Agatti (Lakshadweep). The voyage takes about 22
hours.
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