HISTORY..not boring
It's why this remains unique!
THE REGION & THE PEOPLE
The ANDAMAN (the name comes from 'Hanuman' the powerful Indian god) and the NICOBAR (the Malay name for 'Land of the People') ISLANDS have been inhabited for around 40-60,000 years. These are some of the oldest stone-age people on our endangered planet! The Andamanese people consisted of the Great Andamanese, Jarawa, Jangil, Onge & Sentinelese. The unrelated Nicobar people are either Nicobarese (Nicobari) & the Shompen.
BRITISH OCCUPATION
The British finally set-up a Colony in 1858 as a penal institution for dissenters and independence fighters from the sub-continent. The infamous Cellular Jail in Port Blair was the 'Bang Kwang' of British India. (When you go for a visit it will be quickly apparent it was not one of the 4**** establishments enjoyed today by our inmates) Finally on 2nd October 1944 the Governor, General Loganathan handed-over the reigns to Major Ali Alvi and this became an Indian Union territory in 1950.
NOW
Little changed until the devastating Tsunami in December 2004 where some thousands perished, yet provided valuable and before not recorded DNA of the remarkable peoples; the more 'primitive' (so who is primitive?) managed evacuation unscathed. Only recently arrived humans were the sufferers. Given there are over 570 Islands in this extraordinary territory, it remains equally extraordinary that only some 38 islands are inhabited. (26 in the Andamans & 12 in the Nicobars)
AMAZING
This archipelago naturally is blessed with a unique tropical enrichment for some 2200 floral strains, a plethora of more than 200 timber species, around 45 varieties of forest mammals, 274 recorded bird species, colorful and fascinating shells of every imaginable type and over 200 of the world's largest and most spectacular Butterfly and moth species.
Agriculture thrives with many spices, paddy, coconut, oilseeds, mango, papaya and pineapple being stable produce and of economic benefit. Fortunately and sensibly the Indian Government is totally resistant to allowing this piece of paradise to become another development crazy hotbed of tourist exploitation.
They allow very limited and extremely environmentally friendly tourism to exist. It is the collective hope of all those who travel to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands that this sensibility will remain unswerving for a very long time. After you come to see and enjoy, I know you that too will be of one mind for this preservation.
Time to go look at the 'Gateway to the Andamans'... Port Blair
