The chain of low islands and reefs known as Adam’s Bridge or Rama Setu (Rama’s Bridge), which includes Mannar Island, separates the Gulf of Mannar from Palk Bay, which lies to the north between India and Sri Lanka. Along the southeast coast of India lies the Gulf of Mannar, a part of the Laccadive Sea of the Indian Ocean, containing 21 islands. It spans a total distance of around 125 miles in breadth and 100 miles in length between the northwest coast of Sri Lanka and the southeast coast of India. The Gulf of Mannar endowed with three distinct Coastal ecosystems namely coral reef, seagrass bed and mangroves is considered one of the world’s richest region from a marine biodiversity perspective, is known for its unique biological wealth and is a store house of marine diversity of global significance. The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park stands out for its exceptional biodiversity. The coral reefs here are among the richest in India, supporting a delicate ecosystem that sustains thousands of marine species.
