The Andaman and Nicobar
Islands are 572 tropical islands situated in the Bay of Bengal
out of which only 36 are inhabited. They became a part of India
in 1947. They are inhabited mainly by tribes, and forests occupy
more than 80 per cent of its land area. Agriculture is the main
occupation of the people. A total of 48,675 hectares of land is
used for agriculture purposes. The principal crops are rice,
pulses, oilseeds, coconut, arecanut, vegetables and fruits such
as mango, sapota, orange, papaya and pineapple. Other
agricultural produce is pepper, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon,
cashewnuts and rubber. The main industries are fish processing,
polythene bags, PVC pipes and fittings, paints, fibre glass,
mini-flour mills, soft drinks and beverages, steel furniture,
aluminium doors and windows. The Union Territory offers
eco-friendly tourism. It has a warm tropical climate throughout
the year, and the average annual rainfall is 300 cm.