evidence: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a union territory of India and lie at the junction of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. Comprising over 500 islands, of which only 30 are inhabited, this archipelago has rich biodiversity as well as a unique cultural history. [...] The Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, situated 1200 km from the Indian mainland between the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, comprise several hundred tropical islands of outstanding beauty and biological diversity. The island group encompass nearly seven degrees of latitude from the southern most point of Great Nicobar (6º 45′ N) to the northern tip on Landfall island (13º 40′ N), situated above North Andaman. Together, the two groups contribute to two exceptionally diverse global biodiversity hotspots (Indo Burma and Sundaland). The land area of 8249 km² includes over 300 named islands of which 98 are designated as sanctuaries, including nine national parks, two marine national parks and one biosphere reserve.