Nicobarese

Asiaother subsistence combinations

Map
expand_more Description

The Austro-Asiatic speaking Nicobarese inhabit the Nicobar Islands, an eastern Bay of Bengal archipelago that is part of the Union Territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Most settlements are on the coast and consist of small villages of extended families, with village councils headed by a chief or captain; island councils and chiefs are the highest level of political organization. The Nicobarese have a mixed subsistence strategy that includes paddy horticulture, fishing, hunting, and gathering. The main crops are rice, maize, fruits, vegetables and, as cash crops, coconut and areca (betel) nut. On December 26, 2004 the coasts of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands were devastated by a tsunami that left thousands dead and tens of thousands homeless.

Identifier
Region
  • Asia
Subregion
  • South Asia
Subsistence Type
  • other subsistence combinations
Samples
Countries
  • India
External Links