India has two major island groups. A common Class 9 Geography exam question asks which of these has coral origin.
Because Lakshadweep is made of coral limestone, it is extremely low-lying — the highest point is only about 4–5 metres above sea level, making it highly vulnerable to rising sea levels.
The island group of India having coral origin is Lakshadweep.
Lakshadweep consists of 36 small coral islands located in the Arabian Sea, about 200–440 km off the Kerala coast.
Coral islands (atolls) are formed by tiny marine organisms called coral polyps that secrete calcium carbonate (limestone) skeletons. Over millions of years, these accumulate to form islands and reefs. Lakshadweep sits atop a submarine ridge — the coral polyps colonised the submerged ridge and built up these islands.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are NOT of coral origin. They are an elevated portion of submarine mountains — geologically they are extensions of the Arakan Yoma mountain range of Myanmar. They are continental/volcanic in origin.
An atoll is a ring-shaped coral island (or chain of islands) enclosing a shallow lagoon. Most of Lakshadweep's islands are atolls.
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