India has about 7500 km long coastline, including two island groups. Nine states have sea-coast including two island territories. The coastal zone inhabits about 25% population of India in its first 50 km of area.
It is the coastal region that provides India with a number of sea-ports, minor as well as major, and harbours to take on large scale sea-trade activities which are cheapest means of transport and helped India flourish its international trade.
About 90% of our foreign trade by volume and nearly 70% of value is carried out through sea route. Apart from this, coasts are the reservoir of petroleum and sea-food items. It also provides economic activities like fishing, saltfarming, handicrafts based on coastal materials.
Oil exploration facility from seabed installed at Bombay High accounts for more than 15% of nation's petroleum output.India's Exclusive Economic Zone area constitutes about 2 million sq. km. This area gives economical benefits in term of marine resources like minerals, vegetation and aqua-life.
Major industrial activities like metallurgy, ship-building, manufacturing etc. are also concentrated around the coastal cities and urban centres around the coasts. The sea-coasts also helps India on security front.
India's three sides are covered by sea. India's strategic location in sea is helpful. India is one mid-journey destination for ships travelling in the Indian Ocean. India gets earning from such visiting ships.
So, we can say that the coastline is the life-line of the economic development of India but it is under constant threat of Global warming and rising Sea-level.
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