Nancowry Island

Nancowry Island
Native name: <span class="nickname" ">Hindi: नन्कोव्री
Nickname: Nankovri
Location of Nancowry Island in India
Geography
Location Bay of Bengal
Coordinates 7°59′N 93°33′E / 7.98°N 93.55°E / 7.98; 93.55Coordinates: 7°59′N 93°33′E / 7.98°N 93.55°E / 7.98; 93.55
Archipelago Nicobar Islands
Adjacent bodies of water Indian Ocean
Total islands 1
Major islands
  • Nancowry Island    
Area 47 km2 (18 sq mi)[1]
Length 11.2 km (6.96 mi)
Width 7.5 km (4.66 mi)
Coastline 47 km (29.2 mi)
Highest elevation 162 m (531 ft)
Administration
District Nicobar
Island group Nicobar Islands
Subdivisions of India Nancowry Subdivision
Taluk Nancowry tehsil
Largest settlement
Mayo (Malacca) Point
(population 516)
Demographics
Demonym Hindi
Population 1019 (as of 2011)
Density 21.7 /km2 (56.2 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups Hindu, Nicobarese
Additional information
Time zone
PIN 744301
Telephone code 03192
Official website www.and.nic.in
ISO Code IN-AN-00[2]
Literacy 84.4%
Avg. summer temperature 32.0 °C (89.6 °F)
Avg. winter temperature 28.0 °C (82.4 °F)
Sex ratio /
unit_pref Metric
Census Code 35.638.0002
Official Languages Hindi, English, Tamil
Car (regional)

Nancowry (Hindi: नन्कोव्री Nankovri) is an island in the central part of the Nicobar Islands chain, located in the northeast Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea.

History

In 1755, the government of Denmark formally claimed sovereignty over Nicobars, under the name of Frederiksøerne[ (Frederik Islands) and encouraged a mission established by the Moravian Brethren of Herrnhut. Along with Kamorta Island, which lies just to the north, Nancowry Island forms the "magnificent land-locked" Nancowry Harbour,[3] used by European sailors since at least the 17th century and described as "one of the safest natural harbours in the world" (). The harbour was apparently used as a base for piracy; in 1868, the British Navy entered the harbour in some force, destroying suspected pirate ships.[4]

2004 Tsunami

The island, like many others in the Nicobar and Andaman islands, was severely affected by tsunamis generated by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. According to reports from the Andaman and Nicobar Inspector General of Police, S.B. Deol, the Nancowry group of islands were among the worst-hit islands in the chain, with thousands missing and presumed dead.[5] Post-tsunami satellite photos,[6][7] and government situation reports indicate that while portions of Nancowry Island were affected, the adjoining islands of Katchall and Kamorta were more severely overrun. As of January 18, 2005, the government reported only 1 dead and 3 missing from Nancowry island, but 51 dead and 387 missing from Kamorta, and 345 dead and 4310 missing from Katchall.[8]

Demography

As of the 2011 Indian census, there are 1019 persons living on Nancowry island.[9]

Geography

Nancowry Island has an area of 47 km², and located 160 km south-southeast of Car Nicobar, the northernmost Nicobar island. Nancowry, like the Nicobar islands generally, is under the sovereignty of the nation of India. It is also part of the Nicobar and Andaman Tribal Reserve Area, which bars non-native people from visiting or conducting business on the island without permission in hopes of preserving the threatened native communities that live there.[10]

Administration

The island belongs to the township of Nancowry of Nancowry tehsil.[11]

Image gallery

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nancowry.


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