Kavaratti is a census town

Census town

In India, a census town is one which has:# A minimum population of 5,000# At least 75% of male working population engaged in non-agricultural pursuits# A density of population of at least 400 persons per km2.In Ireland, a census town is;...

 in the India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

n Union Territory

Union Territory

A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India, in the federal framework of governance. Unlike the states of India, which have their own elected governments, union territories are ruled directly by the federal government; the President of India appoints an Administrator or...

 and the capital of Lakshadweep

Lakshadweep

Lakshadweep , formerly known as the Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi Islands, is a group of islands in the Laccadive Sea, 200 to 440 km off the coast of the South West Indian state of Kerala...

. Kavaratti is also the name of the island upon which the town stands.

Geography

The island of Kavaratti lies 360 km off the coast of the state of Kerala

Kerala

or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....

 at 10.57°N 72.62°E. It has an average elevation of 0 metres (0 feet). The closest island is uninhabited Pitti

Pitti

Pitti is an uninhabited coral islet in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India. It is located at about 24 km to the north of Kavaratti, 37 km to the east of Agatti and 42.5 km to the SSW of Amini Island. The island is low and arid and, lacking adequate anchorage points, of difficult accessibility...

 islet, located 24 km north of Kavaratti. The inhabited island of Agatti

Agatti

Agatti Island , also known as Agathy, is a 5.6 km long island, situated on a coral atoll in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India. It is located about 459 km off Kochi in the mainland and 7 km to the southwest of Bangaram, the nearest island...

 lies 54 km to the NW and the uninhabited Suheli Par

Suheli Par

Suheli Par is a coral atoll in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India. It is located at , 52 km to the SW of Kavaratti, 76 km to the south of Agatti, 139 km to the west of Kalpeni and 205 km to the NNW of Minicoy, with the broad Nine Degree Channel between them. There are two uninhabited islands...

 53 km to the SW.

Demographics

India census

Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

, Kavaratti had a population of 10,113. Males constitute 55% of the population and females 45%. Kavaratti has an average literacy rate of 78%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 83%, and female literacy is 72%. In Kavaratti, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Climate

Tourist attractions

The lagoon in Kavaratti island is ideal for water sports, swimming and there are sandy beaches for sun basking. Tourists can enjoy the marine life exhibits at the Marine Aquarium, and a vast collection of specimens at the Museum.

Desalination Plant

India's first low temperature desalination plant (LLTD) was opened at Kavaratti in May 2005. This desalination plant established at a cost of rupees five crores was expected to produce 100,000 litres of potable water from sea water every day.