Little Andaman

Little Andaman, Eng. Little Andaman (in the language of the Onge: Gaubolambe or Egu Belong ) is an island of the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal belonging to India. East of the island extends the Andaman Sea. Politically, the island is part of the Indian union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is the fourth largest and southernmost island of the Andaman Islands, with an area of ​​734.4 km ². The relatively flat island rises gradually until the highest point of 183 meters in the center.

From Rutland Iceland to the south of the existing group of several islands Great Andaman is separated by the nearly fifty miles wide, Duncan Passage. As the fourth- largest island in the Andaman she bears her name not because of small size, but as a " counterpart " to Great Andaman.

The island is home to the indigenous Onge, who still inhabited the island until about 200 years ago. Since 1957 parts of the island are only reserved, namely the settlements Dugong Creek on the north east coast and South Bay in the south of the island.

At the 2001 census had a population of 17,528 Little Andaman in 4093 households spread across 18 villages on the coast. The village Kwate -tu- Kwage at the Hut Bay in the east of the island has a deep-water port and is accessible through an opening in the coral reef for ships.

The island is largely covered by tropical rain forest and is home to several rare species of sea turtles. In 1960, the Indian government launched a program to exploit the rain forest which was largely abandoned later. A court order confirming the year in 2002, to protect the rain forest.