Kavaratti

Kavaratti is the capital of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep in India. Kavaratti is a census town as well as the name of the atoll upon which the town stands. It is well known for its pristine white sand beaches and calm lagoons, which makes it a popular tourist destination. It is located 404 km (251 mi) west of the city of Kochi.

Kavaratti
Kavaratii Island
Kavaratti
Geography
LocationArabian Sea
Coordinates10.57°N 72.64°E / 10.57; 72.64
ArchipelagoLakshadweep
Adjacent bodies of waterIndian Ocean
Total islands1
Major islands
  • Kavaratti
Area3.93 km2 (1.52 sq mi)[1]
Length5 km (3.1 mi)
Width1.5 km (0.93 mi)
Highest elevation1 m (3 ft)
Administration
TerritoryUnion territory of Lakshadweep
DistrictLakshadweep
Island groupLaccadive Islands
Tehsils of IndiaKavaratti
Subdivisions of IndiaKavaratti
Largest settlementKavaratti (pop. 10,000)
Demographics
Population11,473 (2014)
Pop. density2,920/km2 (7560/sq mi)
Ethnic groupsMalayali, Mahls
Additional information
Time zone
PIN682555
Telephone code04896
ISO codeIN-LD-05[2]
Official websitelakshadweep.nic.in/ISLAND_web/kavaratti/index.htm
Literacy88.6%
Avg. summer temperature35 °C (95 °F)
Avg. winter temperature25 °C (77 °F)
Sex ratio1.227 ♂/♀

History

The city is one of the hundred Indian cities competing in a national level competition to get the funds under Narendra Modi's flagship Smart Cities Mission. Kavaratti will be competing for the one of last 10 spots against 20 cities from across India.

Geography

The island of Kavaratti lies 360 km (190 nmi) off the coast of the state of Kerala at 10.57°N 72.64°E / 10.57; 72.64.[3] It has an average elevation of 0 metres (0 feet).

The closest island is uninhabited Pitti islet, located 24 km (13 nmi) north of Kavaratti. The inhabited island of Agatti lies 54 km to the NW and Suheli Par 53 km to the SW.

Kochi is the closest major city on the Indian mainland at a distance of 404 km (218 nmi). It has a lagoon area of 8.96 km2 (3.46 sq mi).

Demographics

The 2011 population for Kavaratti was 11,210 based on the 2011 census of India.[4] Males constitute 55% of the population and females 45%. Of the 1797 families on the island, 57 (about 3%) are below the poverty line.

The literacy was 88.6% for Kavaratti. This was an increase from 44.4% in 1971. The male literacy rate was 94.1%, while the female literacy was 81.66%.[4] In Kavaratti, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

The most commonly spoken languages are Malayalam, Mahl and English.[5]

Climate

Kavaratti has a tropical monsoon climate. March to May is the hottest period of the year. The year-round temperature ranges between 25 and 35 °C or 77 and 95 °F. Humidity range is 70 to 76 percent.[6]

The monsoon rains usually start at the end of May and continue through early November. The island receives an average of around 1,675 millimetres (66 in) of rain during the year.

Climate data for Kavaratti
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 30.2
(86.4)		 30.4
(86.7)		 31.1
(88.0)		 31.8
(89.2)		 31.3
(88.3)		 30.4
(86.7)		 29.8
(85.6)		 29.7
(85.5)		 29.8
(85.6)		 30.0
(86.0)		 30.3
(86.5)		 30.3
(86.5)		 30.4
(86.7)
Average low °C (°F) 23.7
(74.7)		 24.1
(75.4)		 24.3
(75.7)		 26.5
(79.7)		 26.1
(79.0)		 25.7
(78.3)		 25.4
(77.7)		 25.1
(77.2)		 24.8
(76.6)		 24.5
(76.1)		 24.3
(75.7)		 24.0
(75.2)		 24.3
(75.7)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 27.4
(1.08)		 25.4
(1.00)		 19.8
(0.78)		 72.5
(2.85)		 212.8
(8.38)		 261.3
(10.29)		 250.9
(9.88)		 202.4
(7.97)		 181.9
(7.16)		 183.1
(7.21)		 133.0
(5.24)		 94.8
(3.73)		 1,665.3
(65.57)

Economy
Beautiful beach of Kavaratti

Tourism is one of the primary industries on the island. The island has pristine white sand beaches, favored by tourists for sun bathing. The calm lagoons on Kavaratti island are ideal for water sports and swimming.[7]

A number of hotels and resorts have been developed on Kavaratti in recent years. The waters around the coral atoll are rich in diverse marine life. The Kavaratti Aquarium has a rich collection of corals and a vast collection of tropical fish specimens.

The other major industries on the island are fisheries and agriculture. Coconut is the dominant crop on the island. With the ascent of tourism, the fishing industry has seen a major decline.

Transportation
Water Sport at Kavaratti

Among the most popular means of travel to Kavaratti from the Indian mainland is via an overnight voyage by passenger ships. A number of passenger liners operate from Kochi to Kavaratti and other Lakshadweep islands.

The nearest domestic airport is Agatti Airport on Agatti Island 54 km (29 nmi) away, followed by helicopter or boat transfers from Agatti to Kavaratti.[4] Commercial flights usually operate from Kochi to Agatti.

The closest international airport is the Cochin International Airport in Kochi on the mainland.

Water supply

Ground water is the major source of water supply to Kavaratti. The island has 190 ponds to collect monsoon waters and 1325 wells.

With increasing population, the Government of India commissioned a low temperature desalination plant (LTTD) in Kavaratti in May 2005. The desalination plant established at a cost of ₹5 crores has a capacity to supply 100,000 litres of drinking water every day.[8][9]

References
  1. "Islandwise Area and Population - 2011 Census" (PDF). Government of Lakshadweep. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2016.
  2. Registration Plate Numbers added to ISO Code
  3. Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Kavaratti
  4. "Kavaratti Island" (PDF). Union Territory of Lakshdweep. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 May 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  5. "Kavaratti". India Guide. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  6. "Kavaratti Climate". Union Territory of Lakshadweep. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  7. "Kavaratti Islands, Lakshadweep". Must See India. Archived from the original on 18 May 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  8. "A New Desalination Plant at Kavaratti to Supply Drinking Water from Monday". Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. 20 May 2005. Archived from the original on 21 November 2008. Retrieved 22 December 2008.
  9. "Desalination: India opens world's first low temperature thermal desalination plant". IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre. 31 May 2005. Archived from the original on 27 March 2009.
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