Sea · India, Indonesia, Malaysia
Andaman Sea
The Andaman Sea is a sea in the north-east of the Indian Ocean, next to Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia. To the west, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands separate it from the Bay of Bengal.
Picture credit: Vyacheslav Argenberg (CC BY 4.0) · RIDH-1 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Vyacheslav Argenberg (CC BY 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons
Where is Andaman Sea?
Part of: Indian Ocean.
Countries on its coasts: India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand.
The story behind it
The Andaman Sea is about 1 200 km long and 650 km wide. Its coasts and islands are rich in colourful coral reefs, and Thailand's island of Phuket lies on its eastern side. East of the Andaman Islands rises Barren Island, a volcano that is still active today. It is the only active volcano linked to the Indian subcontinent. Big rivers such as the Irrawaddy and the Salween flow into the sea from Myanmar and carry huge amounts of mud and sand with them. The sea is home to dugongs, several kinds of dolphins such as the Irrawaddy dolphin, and four kinds of sea turtles. About 280 kinds of fish that people can eat live here. Ships sail to ports such as Port Blair in India, Yangon in Myanmar and Penang in Malaysia. In the south, the Strait of Malacca leads out of the sea.
Find it on the globe
Andaman Sea is there as a name written across its water — tap the water and its card opens. From far away the planet is only a blue ball; detail arrives as you zoom in, and this one appears once you are close enough. Open it on the globe.
Questions children ask
How big is the Andaman Sea?
The Andaman Sea covers about 798 000 km². It is about 1 200 km long and 650 km wide, and in its deepest spot it goes down about 4 200 m.
Is there a volcano in the Andaman Sea?
Yes. Barren Island, east of the Andaman Islands, is an active volcano. It is the only active volcano linked to the Indian subcontinent.
Which animals live in the Andaman Sea?
About 280 kinds of fish that people can eat live in the sea. Dugongs, Irrawaddy dolphins and four kinds of sea turtles live here too.
Where these numbers come from
Every figure on this page was checked against public reference sources before publication. Where sources genuinely disagree, the text says so.
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