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| ] NASA image (from the ]) of North Sentinel Island; the island's protective fringe of ]s can be seen clearly. Note this image pre-dates the ], which caused the uplift and exposure of much of the reef.]] | ] NASA image (from the ]) of North Sentinel Island; the island's protective fringe of ]s can be seen clearly. Note this image pre-dates the ], which caused the uplift and exposure of much of the reef.]] | ||
| North Sentinel Island is home to a tribe of ], the ''']''', whose present numbers are estimated to be anywhere between 50 and 400 individuals. They reject any contact with other people, and are among the last people to remain virtually untouched by modern civilization. Because there has never been any treaty with the people of the island, nor any record of a physical occupation whereby the people of the island have conceded sovereignty, the island exists in a curious state of limbo under established international law and can be seen as a sovereign entity under Indian protection. | North Sentinel Island is home to a tribe of ], the ''']''', whose present numbers are estimated to be anywhere between 50 and 400 individuals. They reject any contact with other people, and are among the last people to remain virtually untouched by modern civilization. Because there has never been any treaty with the people of the island, nor any record of a physical occupation whereby the people of the island have conceded sovereignty, the island exists in a curious state of limbo under established international law and can be seen as a sovereign entity under Indian protection. It is, therefore, a ''de facto'' | ||
| The local government (]) has recently stated that they have no intention to interfere with the Sentinelese's lifestyle or habitat. | The local government (]) has recently stated that they have no intention to interfere with the Sentinelese's lifestyle or habitat. | ||
Revision as of 22:47, 16 January 2009
North Sentinel Island is one of the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal. It lies to the west of the southern part of South Andaman Island, and has an area of 72 km². Officially the island is administered by India as part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Union Territory (since 1947).
North Sentinel Island is home to a tribe of indigenous people, the Sentinelese, whose present numbers are estimated to be anywhere between 50 and 400 individuals. They reject any contact with other people, and are among the last people to remain virtually untouched by modern civilization. Because there has never been any treaty with the people of the island, nor any record of a physical occupation whereby the people of the island have conceded sovereignty, the island exists in a curious state of limbo under established international law and can be seen as a sovereign entity under Indian protection. It is, therefore, a de facto autonomous region of India
The local government (Andaman and Nicobar Islands) has recently stated that they have no intention to interfere with the Sentinelese's lifestyle or habitat. Although the island is likely to have suffered seriously from the effects of the December 2004 tsunami, the survival of the Sentinelese was confirmed when, some days after the event, an Indian government helicopter observed several of them, who shot arrows at the hovering aircraft to repel it.
References
- George Weber. "The Andamanese - Chapter 8: The Tribes". pp. part 6. The Sentineli. Retrieved 2007-05-03.
External links
- "Lonely islands: The Andamanese", comprehensive online documentation by George Weber
- "The Last Island of the Savages", in-depth article by Adam Goodheart
- Brief factsheet about the indigenous people of the Andaman Islands, by the Andaman & Nicobar Administration
- "The Andaman Tribes - Victims of Development"
- Administration in India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands has finally decided upon a policy of minimal interference
- video clips from Survival International
11°33′N 92°14′E / 11.550°N 92.233°E / 11.550; 92.233
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