The Sentinelese, also known as the Sentineli and the North Sentinel Islanders, are an indigenous people who inhabit North Sentinel Island in the Bay of Bengal in the northeastern Indian Ocean. Designated a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group and a Scheduled Tribe, they belong to the broader class of Andamanese peoples. Along with the Great Andamanese, the Jarawas, the Onge, the Shompen, and the Nicobarese, the Sentinelese are one of the six native and often reclusive peoples of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Unlike the others, the Sentinelese appear to have consistently refused any interaction with the outside world. They are hostile to outsiders and have killed people who approached or landed on the island. In 1956, the Government of India declared North Sentinel Island a tribal reserve and prohibited travel within of it. It further maintains a constant armed patrol in the surrounding waters to prevent intrusions by outsiders. Photography is prohibited. There is significant uncertainty as to the group's size, with estimates ranging between 35 and 500 individuals, but mostly between 50 and 200. Overview Geography The Sentinelese live on North Sentinel Island in the Andaman Islands, an Indian archipelago in the Bay of Bengal. The island lies about west of Andaman capital Port Blair. It has an area of about and a roughly square outline. The seashore is about wide, bordered by a littoral forest that gives way to a dense tropical evergreen forest. The island is surrounded by coral reefs and has a tropical climate. Appearance A 1977 report by Heinrich Harrer described a man as tall, possibly because of insular dwarfism (the so-called "Island Effect"), nutrition, or simply genetic heritage. During a 2014 circumnavigation of their island, researchers put their height between and recorded their skin colour as "dark, shining black" with well-aligned teeth. They showed no signs of obesity and had very prominent muscles. Population No rigorous census has been conducted and the population has been variously estimated to be as low as 15 or as high as 500. Most estimates lie between 50 and 200. The 1971 census estimated the population at around 82, and the 1981 census at 100. A 1986 expedition recorded the highest count, 98. In 2001, the Census of India officially recorded 21 men and 18 women. This survey was conducted from a distance and may not have been accurate. 2004 post-tsunami expeditions recorded counts of 32 and 13 individuals