The Lakshadweep archipelago consists of 36 islands some 200 to 300 km off the Kerala coast. The islands are a northern extension of the Maldives chain. The islands form the smallest of the Union Territories of India and are the country's only coral islands. Malayalam is spoken on all the islands except Minicoy, where the people speaks Mahl, the language spoken in the Maldives. The main occupations of the island people are fishing and the production of copra and coir.
Tourism is an emerging industry.
Despite initial opposition to his efforts to convert the inhabitants to Islam, he eventually succeeded. When he died, he was buried on Andrott. His grave is revered to this day as a sacred site. These palm-fringed coral islands with their beautiful lagoons are every bit as inviting as those in the Maldive archipelago, but until recently they were effectively off limits. Now there are regular boat cruises and tours to the island for Indian nationals, and the resort on the uninhabited island of Bangaram is open to foreign tourists.