Car Nicobar

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Car Nicobar
tehsil
Car Nicobar
Coordinates: 9°10′01″N 92°45′00″E / 9.167°N 92.75°E / 9.167; 92.75Coordinates: 9°10′01″N 92°45′00″E / 9.167°N 92.75°E / 9.167; 92.75
Country India
State Andaman and Nicobar Islands
District Nicobar
Area
 • Total 127 km2 (49 sq mi)
Population (2001)
 • Total 29,145
 • Density 230/km2 (590/sq mi)
Languages
 • Official Hindi, English, Tamil
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Location of Car Nicobar island

Car Nicobar (Pu in the local language) is the northernmost of the Nicobar Islands. It is also one of two local administrative divisions of the Indian district of Nicobar, part of the Indian union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.[1]

The island was ravaged by the 2004 tsunami.

Geography

Car Nicobar falls in between Little Andaman and Nancowrie. The area south to the Ten-degree channel comes under Car Nicobar headquarter. Car Nicobar is remarkably flat except for some cliffs in the north and small hilly areas in the interior. It is bordered by a silvery beach and areas of flat ground consisting of coraline diluvium.[2] It is a flat fertile island covered with cluster of coconut palms and enchanting beaches with a roaring sea all around.

Compared to the Middle Andaman and South Andaman, Car Nicobar is a small island, having only 127 km². There are 15 villages, the largest of which is named U-rèk-ka (called "Malacca" for tourists), with a population of 4,314.

The climate of Car Nicobar Island is tropical, as it is just 9 degree from the equator, with an annual rainfall of 400 mm. The data of past ten year shows that the mean relative humidity in the Island is 79%, and the mean maximum temperature is of 30.20 C, and mean minimum temperature is 23.00 C.

The soil analysis revealed high content of sand & clay hindering the growth of agricultural crops. The area of Car Nicobar is suitable for the plantation crops, and coconut and arecanut are the major products, which are grown in the area.

Administration

Politically, Car Nicobar is a tehsil, roughly equivalent to a county in its range of administrative powers. The tehsil of Nancowry administers all the other Nicobar islands. The administrative capital is near the Indian Air Force station Car Nicobar Air Force Base, known as 'Headquarters' which is the largest junction in this small island with some shops, a hospital, a bank, a post office, the police head quarters and some government offices. The official pincode of Car Nicobar is 744301.[3]

Although the area of Car Nicobar is less than 7% of the area of the Nicobar group, in the census of 2011 its population of[4] 20,292 was more than half of the total Nicobar population.

There were 15 villages, namely:

  • Ha-nyôch (Mus)
  • Töt-chak (Kinmai)
  • Tö-kuö-nö Sē-ti (Small Lapathy)
  • Tö-ki-röng Sē-ti (Big Lapathy)
  • Höng-chu (Tapoiming)
  • Pum-pai (Chukchucha)
  • Sa-rā-ki (Kinyuka)
  • Tim-lö (Tamalu)
  • Kè-è-rô (Perka)
  • U-rèk-ka (Malacca)
  • Sa-pë-ha (Kakana)
  • Öt-ra-höön (Kimius)
  • Ha-ran (Arong)
  • Öt-ka-sip (Sawai)
  • Rit-töp (Titop)

The names in brackets are often used for tourists and other outsiders, as the local names in Nicobarese are difficult for outsiders to pronounce.

Each village has a tuhet meaning elderly heads, the number of which varies. From each of these elders three are elected as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd captain to look after the day-to-day affairs of the village.

Flora & fauna[5]

The state bird is the Andaman Wood Pigeon which is an endemic bird, and found only in Andaman and Nicobar group of islands. The state animal is the Dugong, an endangered marine mammal, also known as Sea Cow. There are currently about 2200,varieties of plants that have been recorded out of which 200 are endemic and 1300 do not occur in mainland India. The north Nicobar Islands (including Car Nicobar and Battimalv) are marked by the complete absence of evergreen forests, while such forests form the dominant vegetation in the central and southern islands of the Nicobar group.

There are about 50 species of animals found on the islands with Rat being the largest group having 26 species followed by 14 species of bat. There are around 225 species of butterflies and moths.

How to reach[6]

Car Nicobar the district headquarters is 250 km from Port Blair. Ship service is available between Port Blair and Nicobar district. Normally ship is available twice in a week. One can obtain the ship ticket from the office of the Director, Shipping services (03192-245555) at Port Blair.

2004 tsunami devastation

Car Nicobar lies 750 km (470 mi) from the epicenter of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, and the ensuing tsunamis struck it with great force. Witnesses reported the waves were as high as 30 ft (9 m). As of December 30, 2004, the number of casualties remained unknown, but seemed likely to be high. One survivor told the Associated Press: "There's not a single hut which is standing. Everything is gone. Most of the people have gone away from the shore and Indian govt has made many relief programmes here such as temporary shelters, subsidize their every primary needs etc.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Village Code Directory: Andaman & Nicobar Islands". Census of India. Retrieved January 16, 2011. 
  2. ↑ "Nicobar Geographical Features". 2013-05-26. Retrieved 2013-05-26. 
  3. ↑ "A&N Islands - Pincodes". 2013-05-26. Retrieved 2013-05-26. 
  4. ↑ "Census of India". 
  5. ↑ "A&N Islands - Flora & Fauna". 2013-05-26. Retrieved 2013-05-26. 
  6. ↑ "Nicobar Islands - How to reach". 2013-05-26. Retrieved 2013-05-26. 
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