Kavaratti is a coral atoll situated in the Arabian Sea, approximately 400 kilometers (250 miles) off the coast of Kochi, Kerala. It is part of the Lakshadweep archipelago, a northern extension of the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge. The island has a distinctive elongated shape, stretching along a north-south axis.
To the west of the island lies a spectacular, shallow lagoon enclosed by a coral reef, which protects the shoreline from the rougher waters of the Arabian Sea. The eastern side of the island features a steeper beach facing the open ocean. The island's geography is purely coral-based, meaning it has highly porous sandy soils and lacks surface freshwater sources like rivers or lakes. Instead, fresh water has historically been drawn from a thin freshwater lens floating above the denser seawater in the island's aquifer.
