India Revises Coastline Length to 11,098.8 km Using Advanced Mapping
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Revision of India's coastline length |
| Announced by | Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) in the 2023-24 Annual Report |
| Old Coastline Length | 7,516.6 km |
| New Coastline Length | 11,098.8 km (nearly 50% increase) |
| Reason for Revision | Enhanced mapping technologies, no territorial expansion |
| Measurement Agencies | Survey of India and National Hydrographic Office (NHO) |
| New Methodology | High-resolution digital tools: GIS, Satellite altimetry, LIDAR-GPS, Drones |
| Base Scale | 1:250,000 (earlier 1:4,500,000) |
| Reference Line | High Water Line (HWL) from 2011 electronic navigation charts |
| Review Frequency | Every 10 years using advanced mapping tools |
| Implications | Maritime security, Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), Disaster management, Climate modelling, Textbook updates |
| Coastal States/UTs | 11 coastal States and 2 Union Territories (Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep) |
| Last Coastal State | Goa (1961) |
| Coastline Paradox | Concept by Lewis Fry Richardson, expanded by Benoit Mandelbrot |