Nicobar district is one of the three districts of the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India. It comprises the Nicobar Islands, an archipelago in the Bay of Bengal lying south of the Andaman Islands across the Ten Degree Channel. The district headquarters is located at Car Nicobar.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Union Territory | Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
| Headquarters | Car Nicobar |
| Region | Nicobar Islands, Bay of Bengal |
| Largest island | Great Nicobar |
| Southernmost point of India | Indira Point (on Great Nicobar) |
Geography
The district consists of a chain of islands grouped broadly into the Northern, Central and Southern Nicobars. Major islands include Car Nicobar, Chowra, Teressa, Katchal, Kamorta, Nancowry, Trinkat, Little Nicobar and Great Nicobar. Great Nicobar is the largest island in the group and hosts Indira Point, the southernmost tip of the Indian landmass. The terrain ranges from low coral platforms in the north to forested hills in the south, with Mount Thullier on Great Nicobar being among the highest points.
The islands lie close to the Indonesian island of Sumatra and the western entrance to the Strait of Malacca, giving the district considerable strategic importance for maritime traffic in the region.
Administration
The Nicobar district was created when the erstwhile combined district of Andaman and Nicobar was bifurcated, separating the Nicobar group from the Andaman administrative units. The district is administered by a Deputy Commissioner under the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Administration. For the purposes of revenue and local administration, the district is divided into tehsils centred on Car Nicobar, Nancowry and Great Nicobar.
The entire district is a designated tribal area, and entry by non-residents is regulated under tribal protection rules. The Nicobar Islands together form a single Tribal Council area, and several islands are protected reserves.
People and culture
The indigenous inhabitants of the district are principally the Nicobarese, who live across most of the inhabited islands, and the Shompen, a smaller hunter-gatherer community confined to the interior of Great Nicobar. Both are recognised as Scheduled Tribes. The Nicobarese have traditionally lived in coastal villages organised around tuhets (joint family groups), with an economy based on coconut cultivation, pig rearing, fishing and horticulture. A large proportion of the Nicobarese community is Christian, with churches playing a significant role in community life.
Economy
Coconut and areca nut are the principal commercial crops of the district, with copra being a major export. Fisheries, small-scale horticulture and government services form the other significant livelihoods. Connectivity with Port Blair is maintained primarily through inter-island ships operated by the Directorate of Shipping Services and by air links to Car Nicobar.
2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
The Nicobar district was among the worst-affected regions of India during the tsunami of 26 December 2004, triggered by the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake. Several settlements on Car Nicobar, Katchal, Trinkat and other islands were destroyed, the Indian Air Force station at Car Nicobar suffered heavy damage, and the lighthouse at Indira Point was inundated. Reconstruction, including permanent shelters for displaced Nicobarese families, continued over many years and reshaped settlement patterns across the district.
Strategic and ecological significance
The Nicobar Islands fall within the operational area of the Andaman and Nicobar Command, India's first tri-services theatre command, headquartered at Port Blair. Installations on Car Nicobar and Great Nicobar contribute to surveillance over the eastern Indian Ocean and the approaches to the Malacca Strait.
Ecologically, the district is part of a recognised biodiversity hotspot. The Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve, which includes Campbell Bay National Park and Galathea National Park, is a UNESCO-recognised biosphere reserve and is known for species such as the Nicobar megapode, the Nicobar long-tailed macaque, the saltwater crocodile and nesting populations of the leatherback sea turtle.
Related topics
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- Nicobar Islands
- Great Nicobar
- Car Nicobar
- Indira Point
- Nicobarese people
- Shompen
- Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve
- Andaman and Nicobar Command
- 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
References
- Wikidata: Q797295
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands Administration, official portal.
- Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India — district profile, Nicobars.