Cherbaniani Reef

Cherbaniani Atoll

Native name: Malayalam: Valiyapanniyam Nickname: Baliypanni Reef
Cherbaniani Atoll Location of Cherbaniani Atoll in Lakshadweep
Geography
Location	Arabian Sea
Coordinates	12°18′N 71°53′E / 12.300°N 71.883°E / 12.300; 71.883Coordinates: 12°18′N 71°53′E / 12.300°N 71.883°E / 12.300; 71.883
Archipelago	Lakshadweep
Adjacent bodies of water	Indian Ocean
Total islands	3
Major islands	North South Middle
Area	0.015 km2 (0.0058 sq mi)
Highest elevation	2 m (7 ft)
Administration
India
Territory	Union territory of Lakshadweep
District	Lakshadweep
Island group	Aminidivi
Tehsils of India	Aminidivi
Subdivisions of India	Bitra
Demographics
Population	0 (2014)
Pop. density	0 /km2 (0 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups	Malayali, Mahls
Additional information
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
ISO code	IN-LD-01
Official website	www.lakshadweep.gov.in
Avg. summer temperature	32.0 °C (89.6 °F)
Avg. winter temperature	28.0 °C (82.4 °F)

Cherbaniani Reef, also known as Beleapani Reef (Malayalam: Valiyapanniyam), is a coral atoll belonging to the Amindivi Subgroup of islands of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India. It has a distance of 1,880 km (1,170 mi) south of the city of Delhi.

Cherbaniani Reef is located 33 km north of Byramgore Reef and at 12°18′N 71°53′E / 12.300°N 71.883°E / 12.300; 71.883 it is the northwesternmost feature of Lakshadweep. The atoll has a roughly oval shape and was first described by ornithologist Allan Hume in 1876; its total lagoon area is 57.46 km² (22.19 sq mi). The 14 km long coral reef that encloses the lagoon has three small uninhabited islands on it.

They are composed of accumulated coral sand, shingle, cuttle-bones and sea shells. There are many land hermit crabs under the boulders and among the detritus. The atoll used to be a breeding ground for pelagic birds, including the sooty tern (Sterna fuliginosa) and brown noddy (Anous stolidus), which were formerly found in great numbers.