Thecoastline of Andhra Pradesh is located on the southeastern coast of theIndian Peninsula in theBay of Bengal and is part of theNorthern Circars. With a length of 975 km (606 mi), it has the second longestcoastline in India afterGujarat (third as per some estimates). The coastal corridor boasts several ports, harbors, vast stretches of sandy beaches, wildlife and bird sanctuaries, as well as fresh water lakes and estuaries.[1][2]
The coast extends fromIchchapuram inSrikakulam district toTirupati district and lies geographically between the coasts ofOrissa andTamil Nadu. Coastal wetlands cover an area of 1,140.7 km2 (440.4 sq mi).[1]
Andhra Pradesh has a total of 12 districts that are situated along its coastline. Among these districts, 4 in theUttaraandhra region, 7 are located in theKostaandhra region, and 1 in theRayalaseema region. The list of these districts is as follows:
These district's has beaches to promote tourism in the state, such asBheemili Beach,Rushikonda Beach, Bhavanapadu Beach, Ramakrishna Mission Beach,Yarada Beach,Vodarevu Beach,Suryalanka Beach, and Narsapur. Visakhapatnam district, in particular, is home to many beaches.
Farmers in coastal areas predominantly engage infishery,aquaculture,mollusc, andshrimp production as their primary occupations. The geographical location of the state allows for both marine fishing and inland fish production, which is often more profitable than traditional agriculture due to the cultivation offresh water andbrackish water aquaculture.[3][4]
The coastal corridor of Andhra Pradesh is rich in minerals such as beach sand, heavy mineral deposits likeilmenite,leucoxene, andmonazite. An estimated241 milliontonnes of mineral reserves are present in the beach sand along the state coast.[5]
Silica sand reserves are found in the coastal areas ofPrakasam,Nellore, andGuntur districts, and are used for various purposes such as moulding sand,sodium silicate,ceramic, andglass production.Quartzites are found inOrvakal ofKurnool district.[6]
During the medieval period, the British and the Dutch engaged in trade along the coast of India, with theAndhra Pradesh coast being one of their destinations. Evidence of this can be found in some coastal towns, such asBheemunipatnam. The coastline is home to major, intermediate, and minorports as well as fishingharbours for sea trade with other countries.Visakhapatnam Port is the largest port on the east coast, and there are several other ports located betweenSrikakulam district andKrishnapatnam Port inNellore district.[7]
The Bay of Bengal is known for the frequent occurrence of severe cyclones, with 71 cyclones recorded in the coastal region during 1892-1997. Nellore district leads with 11 severe and 21 normal cyclones. Several factors, such as the lack of flood protection, irrigation systems, drains, and embankments, contribute to severe damage to property in the coastal zone.[8][9]