Key Facts about Kavaratti Island

About Kavaratti Island

• Kavaratti is the capital of Lakshadweep (smallest Union Territory of India) and its most developed island.
• It lies 360 km of the coast of the State of Kerala.
• It is located in the centre of the Lakshadweep archipelago. It is located between Agatti Island on the west and Andrott Island on the east.
• It has an area of 4.22 sq km. The maximum length of the island is 5.8 km, and width is 1.6 km. 
• The island is 2 to 5 m above the mean sea level on the western side and 2 to 3 m on the eastern side.
• There is a shallow lagoon on the western side of the island, and coconut palms grow on the northern side. 
• The island is home to 12 atolls, five submerged banks, and three coral reefs. 
• Strangely, Kavaratti has a small inland lake at its northern end.
• Kavaratti town is noted for the carved wooden pillars and roofs of its mosques and the carved stones of its graveyards. 
• It has the maximum percentage of non–islanders as residents.
• Languages Spoken: Malayalam and Mahl
• Karavatti has been selected as one of the hundred Indian cities to be developed as a smart city under the flagship Smart Cities Mission.

Q1) What is an atoll?

An atoll is a ring of land surrounding a pool of water called a lagoon. This kind of island forms from a volcanic island circled by a coral reef.

Source: PM Narendra Modi Arrives in Kavaratti To Inaugurate, Lay Foundation for Development Projects (Watch Video)