Interview Island

Interview Island
Interview Island is located in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Interview Island
Interview Island
Location of Interview Island
Geography
LocationBay of Bengal
Coordinates12°53′N 92°42′E / 12.88°N 92.70°E / 12.88; 92.70
ArchipelagoAndaman Islands
Adjacent toIndian Ocean
Area101 km2 (39 sq mi)[1]
Length23 km (14.3 mi)
Width6.9 km (4.29 mi)
Coastline66.0 km (41.01 mi)
Highest elevation113 m (371 ft)[2]
Administration
DistrictNorth and Middle Andaman
Island groupAndaman Islands
Island sub-groupInterview Group
TalukMayabunder Taluk
Largest settlementInterview village
Demographics
Population16 (2011)
Pop. density0.158/km2 (0.409/sq mi)
Ethnic groupsHindu, Andamanese
Additional information
Time zone
PIN744202[3]
Telephone code031927 [4]
ISO codeIN-AN-00[5]
Official websitewww.and.nic.in
Literacy84.4%
Avg. summer temperature30.2 °C (86.4 °F)
Avg. winter temperature23.0 °C (73.4 °F)
Sex ratio1.2/
Census Code35.639.0004
Official LanguagesHindi, English

Interview Island is an island of the Andaman Islands. It belongs to the North and Middle Andaman administrative district, part of the Indian union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.[6] It lies 125 km (78 mi) north of Port Blair.

History

[edit]

The lighthouse on the island was affected by the tsunami generated by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake which inundated much of its area. The lighthouse was reported as "completely destroyed" at the time,[7] but it was later repaired.[8][9][10] Until 2015 there was a wildlife station to monitor birds, with permanent inhabitants located on the west coast near the lighthouse. The station is also staffed with a lighthouse keeper (from the police). It was evacuated at the end of 2015 due to its budget being discontinued.[11]

Geography

[edit]

The island belongs to the Interview Group and is situated to the west of Austen Strait which separates North Andaman Island and Middle Andaman Island. It has an area of 101 km2 (39 sq mi). The island is low at its north end, but rises gradually to a height of 113 m (371 ft). The highest part of the island is a wooded plateau. A rocky pinnacle, 7 m (23 ft) high, lies close off a cliff on the south end of the island. Foul ground extends about 2 miles (3.2 km) north-northeast from the island.[12]

Fauna

[edit]

The island has about 80–90 feral elephants which were brought for forestry works, and still remain on this island.[according to whom?]. The more likely number of Elephants is probably closer to a dozen or so individuals [13]

Administration

[edit]

Politically, Interview Island, along with the neighbouring Interview Group of islands, is part of Mayabunder Taluk, a sub-district of India.[14]

Transportation

[edit]

Travel to the island is by dinghy through Austen Strait from Mayabunder, taking 3 hours.

Demographics

[edit]

There is only one village, located at the eastern part of the island.[15] According to the 2011 census of India, the island has only one household. The effective literacy rate (i.e. the literacy rate of population excluding children aged 6 and below) is 100%.[16]

Demographics (2011 Census)[16]
Total Male Female
Population 16 15 1
Children aged below 6 years 0 0 0

The island was opened to tourists in the year 1997, it is entirely abandoned. Just a few forest wardens, policemen and coast guards are posted here in order to keep poachers at a safe distance.[17]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Islandwise Area and Population - 2011 Census" (PDF). Government of Andaman.
  2. ^ Sailing Directions (Enroute), Pub. 173: India and the Bay of Bengal (PDF). Sailing Directions. United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 2017. p. 276.
  3. ^ "A&N Islands - Pincodes". 22 September 2016. Archived from the original on 23 March 2014. Retrieved 22 September 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. ^ "STD Codes of Andaman and Nicobar". allcodesindia.in. Archived from the original on 17 October 2019. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  5. ^ Registration Plate Numbers added to ISO Code
  6. ^ "Village Code Directory: Andaman & Nicobar Islands" (PDF). Census of India. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  7. ^ Lighthouses in Andaman & Nicobar and the 26 Dec 2004 earthquake
  8. ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of India: Andaman and Nicobar Islands". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  9. ^ "map with lighthouse location". Archived from the original on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
  10. ^ "Government of India, Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships". www.dgll.nic.in. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  11. ^ visit
  12. ^ pic 1
  13. ^ "Elephants brought to the Andaman Islands for logging have now become a feral, invasive species". www.scroll.in. Scroll.in. 28 July 2024.
  14. ^ "DEMOGRAPHIC – A&N ISLANDS" (PDF). andssw1.and.nic.in. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  15. ^ forest station village pic
  16. ^ a b "District Census Handbook - Andaman & Nicobar Islands" (PDF). 2011 Census of India. Directorate of Census Operations, Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 August 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  17. ^ guide

www.andamanicobarisland.com