Bassas de Pedro
Encyclopedia
Bassas de Pedro, also known as Munyal Par or Padua Bank, is a submerged bank
or sunken atoll
belonging to the Amindivi Subgroup of islands of the Union Territory
of Lakshadweep
, India
, at 13°05′N 72°25′E.
It is the largest feature of Lakshadweep, with a lagoon
area of 2474.33 km², which is more than half of the sum of all lagoon sizes in Lakshadweep (59 percent). It is also one of the northernmost features, second only to Cora Divh
. Bassas de Pedro, Cora Divh and Sesostris Bank
, all submerged, form the north of Lakshadweep. Bassas de Pedro stretches over 130 km from 12°31'N to 13°41'N, in the shape of an arch open to the east. Its width ranges from 15 km in the north to 33 km in the south. Its southern end is 63 km east of North Cay of Cherbaniani Reef
, the closest land feature.
There are no emergent cays or islands. The general depth ranges from 46 to 50 meters, with extremes between 16.4 and 73 meters. The bank is steep-to, smooth with minor undulations in topography, and composed of sand, shells, and decayed coral. The water on the bank is not discolored.
Bank (topography)
A bank, sometimes referred to as a fishing bank, is an area on the continental shelf which is shallow compared to its surrounding area, such as a shoal or the top of an underwater hill. Somewhat like continental slopes, ocean banks slopes can upwell as tidal and other flows intercept them,...
or sunken atoll
Atoll
An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...
belonging to the Amindivi Subgroup of islands of the Union Territory
Union Territory
A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India, in the federal framework of governance. Unlike the states of India, which have their own elected governments, union territories are ruled directly by the federal government; the President of India appoints an Administrator or...
of Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep , formerly known as the Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi Islands, is a group of islands in the Laccadive Sea, 200 to 440 km off the coast of the South West Indian state of Kerala...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, at 13°05′N 72°25′E.
It is the largest feature of Lakshadweep, with a lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
area of 2474.33 km², which is more than half of the sum of all lagoon sizes in Lakshadweep (59 percent). It is also one of the northernmost features, second only to Cora Divh
Cora Divh
Cora Divh, also called Coradeeve or Little Bassas de Pedro Bank , is a submerged bank or sunken atoll belonging to the Amindivi Subgroup of islands of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India. It is the third largest feature of Lakshadweep, after Bassas de Pedro and Sesostris Bank, with a lagoon...
. Bassas de Pedro, Cora Divh and Sesostris Bank
Sesostris Bank
Sesostris Bank is a submerged bank or sunken atoll belonging to the Amindivi Subgroup of islands of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India, at . It is the second largest feature of Lakshadweep, after Bassas de Pedro, with a lagoon area of 388.53 km². It is also one of the northernmost...
, all submerged, form the north of Lakshadweep. Bassas de Pedro stretches over 130 km from 12°31'N to 13°41'N, in the shape of an arch open to the east. Its width ranges from 15 km in the north to 33 km in the south. Its southern end is 63 km east of North Cay of Cherbaniani Reef
Cherbaniani Reef
Cherbaniani Reef, also known as Beleapani Reef , is a coral atoll belonging to the Amindivi Subgroup of islands of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India. It is the northwesternmost feature of Lakshadweep at . It is located 33 km north of Byramgore Reef...
, the closest land feature.
There are no emergent cays or islands. The general depth ranges from 46 to 50 meters, with extremes between 16.4 and 73 meters. The bank is steep-to, smooth with minor undulations in topography, and composed of sand, shells, and decayed coral. The water on the bank is not discolored.