Coral reefs are not found in which one of the following regions?

Coral reefs in India are primarily concentrated in four major regions: the Lakshadweep Islands, the Gulf of Mannar, the Gulf of Kutch (Kachchh), and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands [4]. Lakshadweep is characterized by atoll formations, while the Gulf of Mannar and Gulf of Kutch feature fringing and patch reefs [3]. Corals require specific environmental conditions to flourish, including shallow, warm, and saline waters that are free from suspended sediments and mud [5]. The Gulf of Cambay (Gulf of Khambhat) does not support coral reefs because it is characterized by high turbidity, heavy sediment load from major rivers like the Narmada and Tapi, and significant tidal fluctuations, which inhibit coral polyp growth [3]. While patchy corals exist along the Malvan and Ratnagiri coasts, the Gulf of Cambay remains a notable exception due to these unfavorable conditions [5].

Sources

1. [1] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 4: Aquatic Ecosystem > 4.9.3. Classification and their location > p. 51
2. [2] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > corAl reefs. > p. 54
3. [4] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > Mangroves in India-2019 > p. 53
4. [3] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 11: Islands and Coral Reefs > Sample Objective O,uestions > p. 103
5. [5] CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I ,Geography, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Physical Features of India > Corals > p. 14