Union Territory of Lakshadweep is located in the Arabian Sea off the Kerala coast. The Union Territory is formed by a group of a total of 39 Islands. Only 10 islands out of 39 are inhabited.
All the 39 Islands of Lakshadweep are divided into 3 Island groups – Amindivi, Laccadive and Minicoy.
Androth is the largest inhabited island of Lakshadweep. The Island has an area of 4.8 Km2.
Lakshadweep was ruled by the Chola Empire in the medieval period and then the islands are ruled by the Portuguese, Tipu Sultan and British respectively.
Before 1956, Lakshadweep was called Laccadive. It became a Union Territory in 1956 and was renamed Lakshadweep.
The earlier administrative headquarter of Lakshadweep was in Calicut. It was shifted to Kavaratti in 1964.
More than 90% of the population of Lakshadweep is Muslim. Arab Muslim Saint Hazrat Ubaidullah Andrott from Medina is believed to have preached Islam religion to the indigenous people of the islands. The Tomb of Saint Ubaidullah is a sacred place at Andrott Island in Lakshadweep.
Lakshadweep has an airport at the Agatti island and major Sea ports at Agatti, Kavaratti, Minicoy, Kadamatt and Kalpeni Islands.
INS Dweeprakshak is the Indian Naval base located on Kavaratti island in the Lakshadweep archipelago.