Inhabited for millennia, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands boast volcanic activity, indigenous tribes, and a colonial past marked by a cellular jail, here some things to know about.
1
Travellers from across the globe knew the islands from the 1st century, with names like "Agadaemon" or "Angamanian" being used by Ptolemy, Marco Polo.
2
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands has the only active volcano in South Asia Barren Island.
3
The islands has always been home to various indigenous Andamanese tribes with their unique languages and cultures.
4
The British established a penal colony in Port Blair in the 18th century, which became infamous as the Cellular Jail.
5
During World War II, the Japanese occupied the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for a brief period.
6
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami tragically impacted the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
7
After gaining independence, India formally integrated the Andaman & Nicobar Islands as a union territory in 1956.