A remote volcanic island in the Andaman Sea, sanctuary to the endemic Narcondam hornbill.
Narcondam Island
Narcondam Island is a small, isolated volcanic island in the northern Andaman Sea, forming the easternmost landmass of India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands union territory. Roughly 7.6 square kilometres in area, the island rises sharply from the sea to a forested peak of 710 metres, the second-highest point in the Andaman and Nicobar chain. Its steep volcanic slopes, surrounding reefs, and near-total forest cover have made it both a recognized wildlife sanctuary and a noted diving destination in the Andaman Sea.
The island is administered as part of the North and Middle Andaman district and lies far closer to Myanmar than to the Indian mainland, with the nearest major Andaman landmass around 74 kilometres to the west. Its geographic isolation, small human population, and protected status have allowed a distinctive community of plants and animals to persist, most famously the Narcondam hornbill, a threatened species found nowhere else on Earth.
Beyond its ecological importance, Narcondam is also a landmark in the regional geography of the Bay of Bengal, marking the eastern limit of Indian territory in the Andaman chain and serving as a focal point for discussions about maritime boundaries, conservation, and the protection of small-island ecosystems in tropical Asia.
