India's Coastline Recalculated: A 48% Increase Over 53 Years

 

1. India's coastline has undergone a significant recalculation, revealing a 48% increase over the past 53 years.
2. According to the latest figures for 2023-24, the length of the coastline now spans 11,098 kilometers, up from 7,516 kilometers in 1970.
3. This upward revision comes from the adoption of a new methodology for measuring India's maritime boundaries, introduced by the National Maritime Security Coordinator.
    

Key Changes in Methodology
 

1. The updated method takes into account complex coastal formations such as bays, estuaries, and inlets, which were previously excluded in earlier calculations.
2. Older techniques relied on straight-line distances, which didn't fully reflect the intricacies of India's coast.
    

State-wise Findings
 

1. West Bengal saw the highest percentage increase in its coastline, growing by 357%.
2. Kerala recorded the smallest increase at 5%.
3. Puducherry's coastline contracted by 4.9 kilometers.
    

Gujarat and Tamil Nadu Lead
 

Gujarat remains the state with the longest coastline, followed by Tamil Nadu, which has now overtaken Andhra Pradesh, moving to second place.