Prelims 2014 · archive
EasyWhich of the following have coral reefs?
- 1.Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- 2.Gulf of Kachchh
- 3.Gulf of Mannar
- 4.Sunderbans
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only
India's main coral reef areas are the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Gulf of Kachchh, the Gulf of Mannar and Lakshadweep. The Sundarbans is a mangrove-delta ecosystem and has no coral reefs. So 1, 2 and 3 are correct.
- ✓ 1. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have fringing reefs and a barrier reef. They are one of India's major coral reef areas.
- ✓ 2. The Gulf of Kachchh in Gujarat has coral reefs and is one of India's major reef areas.
- ✓ 3. The Gulf of Mannar is one of the four major coral reef areas in India and stretches from Rameswaram to Kanyakumari. It has a chain of 21 islands surrounded by fringing and patch reefs.
- ✗ 4. The Sundarbans, in the Ganges delta, contains the world's largest area of mangrove forests. It is not a coral reef area, because corals need clear, warm, saline water, not muddy, sediment-laden delta waters.
Remember · India's four coral reef regions are Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Gulf of Mannar and Gulf of Kachchh. The Sundarbans has mangroves, not corals.
Sources
- MoEFCC – Coral Reefs in India: status, threats and conservation measures ↗ “The Gulf of Mannar (GoM) is one of the four major coral reef areas in India, covering an area of appro- ximately 10,500 sq.km from Rames- waram to Kanyakumari.”
- PIB – Parliament Question: Fourth Global Coral Bleaching Event (04 Dec 2024) ↗ “the Fourth Global Coral Bleaching Event (GCBE4) has impacted regions such as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Gulf of Mannar, Lakshadweep, and the Gulf of Kachchh.”
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre – Sundarbans National Park ↗ “It contains the world's largest area of mangrove forests.”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2014, General Studies paper. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·