Examine the following statements about Lakshadweep:
(I) Lakshadweep consists of 12 atolls, 3 reefs, and 5 submerged banks.
(II) All 17 islands of Lakshadweep are inhabited.
(III) According to the 2011 Census, the population of Lakshadweep is 64,429.
Which of these statements are correct?
Lakshadweep, the smallest Union Territory of India, is an archipelago comprising 36 coral islands including 12 atolls, 3 reefs, and 5 submerged banks. It spans an area of 32 square kilometers and features various islands and islets, of which only 10 are inhabited. The inhabited islands include Kavaratti, Agatti, Amini, Kadmat, Kiltan, Chetlat, Bitra, Andrott, Kalpeni, and Minicoy, making statement II incorrect as only 10 out of the total islands are inhabited, not all 17. The capital of the Union Territory is Kavaratti. As per the 2011 Census, the total population of Lakshadweep was indeed 64,429, corroborating statement III. The majority of the population, over 93%, are Muslims predominantly from the Shafi School of the Sunni Sect. The linguistic profile includes Malayalam as the dominant language across most islands, except for Minicoy, where Mahl is spoken—a language written in the Divehi script, also prevalent in the Maldives. Thus, statements I and III are accurate, confirming the answer as option C.
