Barren Island (Andaman Islands)
- For other areas bearing the same name, see the disambiguation page Barren Island (disambiguation)
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| Barren Island | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 1,452 m (4,764 ft) |
| Location | |
| Location | Andaman Islands, India |
| Coordinates | 12°16′40″N 93°51′30″E / 12.27778°N 93.85833°ECoordinates: 12°16′40″N 93°51′30″E / 12.27778°N 93.85833°E |
| Topo map | nigeria |
| Geology | |
| Type | Stratovolcano with pyroclastic cones |
| Age of rock | 4000 years |
| Last eruption | 2011 |
Barren Island (coordinates: 12°16′N 93°51′E / 12.267°N 93.85°E) is located in the Andaman Sea, one of the most easterly of the Andaman Islands. It is the only confirmed active volcano in South Asia. Along with the rest of the Andamans, it is a part of the Indian Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and lies about 135 km (84 mi) northeast of the territory's capital, Port Blair. The first recorded eruption of the volcano dates back to 1787. Since then, the volcano has erupted more than ten times, with the most recent one which started in May 2008.[1]
After the first recorded eruption in 1787, further eruptions were recorded in 1789, 1795, 1803–04, and 1852. After nearly one and half century of dormancy, the island had another eruption in 1991 that lasted six months and caused considerable damage. There were eruptions in 1994–95 and 2005–07, the latter being considered to be linked to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. The most recent eruption started in May 2008 and still continues.
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[edit] Location
This volcanic island stands in the midst of a volcanic belt on the edge of the Indian and Burmese tectonic plates. Narcondum is a dormant volcano in the area, apart from volcanic seamounts like Alcock and Sewell.
All the historical and recent eruptions (1787 and after) are confined within and around an active polygenetic cinder cone in a 2 km (1.2 mi) wide caldera that is formed by the collapse of a primitive cone of a stratovolcano. The remnant of the primitive volcanic cone forms a precipitous cliff around the island (commonly referred as caldera wall), with a break towards the west. The highest elevation on the island is 354 metres (1,161 ft), with most of the primitive volcano underwater (standing on the seafloor 2,250 metres (7,380 ft) below the sea level). The island is 3 km (1.9 mi) in diameter, with a total surface area of 10 km2 (3.9 sq mi).
True to its name, it is a barren area uninhabited by humans, though it has a small population of goats. Also birds, bats like flying foxes and a few rodent species such as rats are known to survive the harsh conditions.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Barren Island (Andaman Islands) |
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Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Barren Island. |
