South Andaman is a district of the Indian union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is one of the most populous and administratively significant districts in the territory, containing the territorial capital, Port Blair. The district covers the southern portion of the Andaman group of islands and includes a number of inhabited and uninhabited islands in the Bay of Bengal.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| Union territory | Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
| Headquarters | Port Blair |
| Region | Andaman Islands, Bay of Bengal |
| Type | District |
South Andaman district occupies the southern section of the Andaman archipelago. It includes South Andaman Island along with neighbouring smaller islands. The terrain is characterised by tropical evergreen forests, low hills, mangrove-fringed creeks and beaches. The district borders North and Middle Andaman district to the north and the Nicobar district to the south, with the latter separated by the Ten Degree Channel.
The climate is tropical and humid, influenced by both the southwest and northeast monsoons. Cyclonic activity in the Bay of Bengal occasionally affects the islands.
The district is administered by a Deputy Commissioner appointed from the civil services. The headquarters is at Port Blair, which also serves as the capital of the union territory and houses the offices of the Lieutenant Governor and the territorial administration.
For administrative purposes, the district is organised into tehsils and community development blocks. Port Blair is the principal urban centre and is governed by the Port Blair Municipal Council.
The Andaman Islands have a long history of indigenous habitation by communities such as the Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarawas and Sentinelese. During the colonial era, the British established a penal settlement at Port Blair in 1858, which led to the construction of the Cellular Jail, today a national memorial commemorating Indian freedom fighters.
After independence, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands became a centrally administered territory of India. South Andaman was earlier part of a larger Andaman district; it was constituted as a separate district as part of administrative reorganisation in the union territory.
The district's population includes settlers from various parts of mainland India, including Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayali and Hindi-speaking communities, alongside indigenous tribal groups. Hindi, English, Bengali and Tamil are widely spoken.
The economy is based on tourism, fisheries, agriculture (including coconut, areca nut and spices), small-scale industries, and government services. Port Blair functions as the commercial, transport and educational hub of the islands, served by Veer Savarkar International Airport and a major seaport.
As the location of the territorial capital and the principal gateway to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, South Andaman district plays a central role in the administration, defence logistics, tourism and connectivity of the union territory. It hosts key institutions of the Andaman and Nicobar Command, India's first tri-services command.