Category Social Sciences

  The Philippines is an island nation in South East Asia. It lies in the Pacific Ocean, near the equator, and is made up of around 7641 islands. The Philippines are a part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, which means it has many active volcanoes. It is also prone to earthquakes and typhoons.

At the same time, these islands are blessed with abundant natural resources. There are beautiful beaches and coastal areas, as well as towering mountains and lush valleys.

The Philippines has a rich and varied wildlife, and the highest rate of discovery of new animal species. Sixteen new species of mammals have been discovered just in the last 10 years.

 Interestingly, there are between 120 and 175 individual languages spoken in the Philippines, 171 of which are living, while the other four no longer have any known speakers. 

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are two groups of islands located at the meeting point of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. These islands form one of the seven union territories of India. The Andamans, consisting of some 300 islands, were the site of a British penal colony from 1858 to 1945.

This was the famous Cellular Jail where many of India’s freedom fighters were imprisoned. The Nicobars, which comprise 19 small islands, are separated from the Andamans by a channel.

 Since World War II and Indian independence, some of the islands have undergone significant population growth and economic development.

There are Indian military bases here, and regular air and ship services connect the islands with the mainland. The islands are crucial for controlling India’s interests in South East Asia, because of their strategic location. 

The Lakshadweep is an archipelago of islands that lie in the Arabian Sea, off the coast of Kerala. The archipelago forms the smallest among the union territories of India.

            These islands get their name from the Sanskrit word ‘lakshadweepa’ which means ‘one hundred thousand islands’. The 36 main islands in this archipelago have only 32 square kilometres of land between them. Most of the other islands in Lakshadweep are very small, and not inhabited.

The islands were once part of the Chola Empire. Later, the Portuguese, and then the British, took control. When India won independence from the British, Lakshadweep became a part of India. Coconut production and coconut fibre extraction are two most important industries in Lakshadweep.

 Sriharikota is a barrier island. It lies in the Bay of Bengal, off the coast of Andhra Pradesh. Sriharikota is of tactical importance to India, as it is an ideal launch site for geostationary satellites.

 Its location is remote enough to ensure that human beings are not exposed to any danger in the case of an accident, yet accessible enough by land, air and water to transport huge machinery and equipment without any problems.

 The climate too, is suitable. Heavy rains come only in October and November, so outdoor testing is possible for the remaining ten months of the year.

            For these reasons, Sriharikota houses the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, one of the two satellite launch centres in India. The other is the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station in Thiruvananthapuram.

Willingdon Island, which is part of the city of Kochi in Kerala, is the largest man-made island in India. The island was created from the sand dug out while deepening Kochi port. It was built around a previously existing but tiny Natural Island.

Willingdon Island was named after 1st Earl of Willingdon, the Viceroy of India at the time, who was instrumental in implementing this island project. The main engineer who spearheaded this project, however, was Robert Bristow.

Willingdon Island is surrounded by beautiful backwaters. It is the site of the city’s best hotels and trading centres, the Port Trust, and the headquarters of the southern naval command.

 During its short colonial tenure, Willingdon Island handled almost one million tonnes of freight, and by the year 1960, the traffic had almost doubled. It is a major artificial port in India, and serves as an important landmark of Kochi.

 Willingdon Island serves as a link between the city, and some other seaports of the world.

Bhavani Island is located in the midst of the River Krishna at Vijayawada.

Spread over 58 hectares, it is one of the largest among river islands in India. The island possesses one of the biggest lagoons in the region.

One of its attractions is its nearness to the Prakasam Barrage, which stretches 1223.5 metres across the River Krishna, linking Krishna and Guntur Districts. The Prakasam Barrage is remarkable, and is comparable to the city of Venice with its three canals running through the city of Vijayawada.

 The Kanaka Durga temple to which pilgrims flock, is another attraction. Bhavani Island is also a popular picnic spot due to its serene beauty, and the facilities for boat rides and swimming pools.