SNAPSHOT
Endless variety of exotic flora and fauna
With over 86% of the area under tropical rainforests, Andaman and Nicobar Islands offer attractive opportunities for the wood-based industries.
Located in the Indian Ocean, Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a group of 572 islands lying in the South-Eastern part of the Bay of Bengal. The Islands are located in close proximity to Indonesia and Thailand. They are well connected with the rest of the world with the presence of 23 ports and an international airport in the capital city of Port Blair. The long coastline of 1,962 km provides huge opportunities for investments in marine-based industries, and cruise tourism which is currently at a nascent stage in India.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands have a total cropped area of over 16,500 ha, with major crops including coconut, paddy, banana and areca nut. 14,491 ha area of A&N Islands becomes the first large contiguous territory to be conferred with organic certification under ‘Large Area Certification’ scheme. The Islands provide opportunities for handicrafts industries due to high demand from the visiting tourists. The Islands also promote IT/ ITeS-based industries and offer various incentives under its dedicated sector policy. The Islands are home to 2,400 MSME units.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a major tourist attraction with several beaches that offer water sporting and adventure activities such as snorkelling and scuba diving. The coastal belt surrounding these Islands is the abode of one of the richest coral reef ecosystems in the world.
