Barren Island (Andaman Islands)
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- For other areas bearing the same name, see the disambiguation page Barren Island
| Barren Island | |
|---|---|
 ISS image of Barren Island, taken in 2003. |
|
| Elevation | 354 metres |
| Location | Andaman Islands, India |
| Coordinates | |
| Type | Stratovolcano with pyroclastic cones |
| Last eruption | 2006 |
Barren Island (coordinates: ) is located in the Andaman Sea, one of the most easterly of the Andaman Islands. It is the only confirmed active volcano in South Asia. The island, along with the rest of the Andamans, is part of the Indian union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and lies some 135 km northeast of the territory's capital, Port Blair. The first recorded eruptions of the volcano date back to 1787. Since then, the volcano has erupted more than six times, most recently on 2 May 2006.
After the initial eruption in 1787, further eruptions were recorded in 1789, 1795, 1803–04, and 1852. After nearly two centuries of dormancy, the island had another eruption in 1991 that lasted six months and caused considerable damage. There was another eruption in 1994–95 and the most recent one started in 2005. The latest eruption is considered to be linked to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. After the recent eruptions, the island which still sees the odd tremor is being promoted as a niche tourist destination as the tsunami-battered territory seeks to bring in more revenue.
[edit] Location
The volcanic island stands in the midst of a volcanic belt on the edge of the Indian and Burmese tectonic plates. There are other extinct sea and land volcanos in the zone, and Narcondum, a volcano with reported activity. The peak of the volcano (a stratovolcano) rises to an altitude of 354 metres (1,161 ft), but most of the volcano is underwater (standing on the seabed 2250 meters below the surface). The island is 3 km long with a total surface area of 10 km²; the caldera of the volcano is 2 km wide.
True to its name, it is a barren area uninhabited by humans, though with a small population of goats. Also birds, bats like flying foxes and a few rodent species such as rats are known to survive the harsh conditions. It is a shield volcano
