The archipelago is 193 km from Capte Negaris in Burma, 1,255 km from Kolkata and 1,190 km from Chennai. Five islands grouped together are called the Great Andamans and to south are the islands of Little Andaman. In all, there are some 204 islets and the two principal groups are Ritchie's Archipelago and Labyrinth Islands. The Nicobar Islands are situated to the south of Andamans, 131 km from Little Andaman.

The Andaman and Nicobar islands have many firsts to its credit. The first call for independence was given by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on December 23, 1943 from Cellular Jail. The island had a direct impact of the second World War when Japanese captured it from British forces. It has Asia's oldest and biggest saw-mill. The island has a lone active volcano in Barren island.

Indian nationals need no permit to visit Andaman. However, visiting interior tribal areas of Andaman and Nicobar is prohibited and permission can be granted by the Deputy Commissioner, Andaman district. Foreigners require a permit to stay in the islands, which can now be obtained easily on arrival at Port Blair, the offical capital of Andaman and Nicobar islands.

The island with an extensive scenic beauty has not always been a paradise. The Cellular Jail today stands as a mute witness to the untold sufferings, valiant defiance and undaunted spirit of the firebrand revolutionaries against the brutalities of the British barbarism. The Cellular Jail, located at Port Blair, was nomenclatured due to its unique feature of having 698 cells for the solitary confinement of the prisoners, each measuring 13'6" x 7'6". The construction of jail was taken up in October 1896 and completed in 1906 at a cost of approximately rupees five lakh. As a mark of respect to the freedom fighters, the Cellular Jail has since been dedicated to the freedom fighters.

Although the Andaman and Nicobar islands’ administration is following a well-defined policy for the development of primitive tribes, yet some tribes are far away from the mainstream of development. Of the six aboriginal tribes, five are just a few in number striving hard for their survivial. Of 527 islands, only 38 are inhabited. These islands are the abode of four Negroid tribes. Of the total tribal population, Nicobarese tribe, which has joined the mainstream, is 98 per cent while the rest put together are barely 2 per cent.

Forests are the green gold of the islands. The reserved and protected forests extend over 86 per cent of the territory and the forest cover is more than 92 per cent. About 50 per cent of the forests have been set aside as tribal reserves. National Parks and wildlife sanctuaries continue to sustain their serene look. Luxuriant mangroves, perhaps the richest in the world, occupy nearly 11.5 per cent of the territory. More than 150 plant and animal species are endemic in nature. The island is rich in corals, varieties of coloured fishes, sea turtles besides other marine life. The archipelago is a birds' paradise and more than 271 varieties of birds inhabit the idylic landscape out of which 39 are endemic. Megapode, Swiftlet, Hornbill and Nicobar pigeon are some of them. The chief among animal species are coloured fishes, sea turtles, sea cucumbers, sharks, corals, crabs, centipedes, lobsters, snails and various kinds of butterflies. The fauna includes mangroves, rare medical plants, herbs and tall evergreen tropical forests besides palm and coconut trees.

The closeby Anthropological Museum is yet another tourist site. The fabulous Marine Museum is another ideal halt for the curious tourists. Giant clams weighing up to 150 kg greet visitors at the entrance. Fishes of many species including rays, cat-fish, sea lily, sea-horse, dugong and dolphins can also be seen in the museum. Other sea creatures like sea-cucumber, sea-urchin, crabs and lobsters seem to be welcoming the tourists. The sea treasures like pearls, cowries, conches and shells are simply astonishing.

The Union Territoy of Andaman and Nicobar Islands offers a unique example of India's rich geographical, racial and cultural diversities. A visit to the Union Territory is an enriching experience.