Ethnicity

The local tribes here are a minority group in their own land. The native tribes are distinguished in two groups: the Onge, Sentinelese, Jarawa and Andamanese of Negroid descent living on the Andaman Islands and the Shompen and Nicobarese of Mongoloid descent living in the Nicobar Islands. Most of the tribes are on the verge of extinction. It is predicted that the Andamanese tribe will be the first to become extinct since their number is as low as thirty. The Sentinelese is the least studied tribe, who are living in isolation on the North Sentinel Island. Their number is estimated at 250. Outsiders who attempt to make contact with them are driven away by bows and arrows. They continue to maintain a unique lifestyle living in harmony with nature just as they have done for thousands of years.

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