Andaman and Nicobar Islands
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Relief and drainage
Both the Andaman and Nicobar groups are part of a great Mentawai Islands of Indonesia) to the south. The highest elevation is 2,418 feet (737 metres) at Perennial rivers are few. The coral-fringed coasts of the islands are deeply indented, forming safe harbours and tidal creeks.
The terrain of the Nicobars is more data for shipping in the Bay of Bengal; a reporting station was in operation at Port Blair as early as 1868.
Plant and animal life
The great majority of the area of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is covered with dense tropical forest, which supports a broad spectrum of flora and fauna. The dominant tree species include mangrove swamps. Many species of tree ferns of the family Cyatheaceae are found in the Nicobars but not in the Andamans.
The islands are inhabited by only a few dozen species of terrestrial and marine mammals, a number of which—such as the Andaman dugongs (Dugong dugon). The territory is home to more than 200 species of birds, including many endemic varieties. Numerous types of snakes and lizards inhabit the forests, and saltwater crocodiles, fish, turtles, and sea snakes are abundant in the coastal waters. Many species of flora and fauna have yet to be documented systematically.