Context:
Shompen cast their vote for the first time in Lok Sabha Election.
Shompen Tribe:
- Reside in – Tropical rain forests of Great Nicobar island
- One of the most isolated tribes on Earth.
- Belong to – Mongoloid group.
- Status – Notified as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group
- Estimated population – 229 (according to Census 2011)
- Language – Speak their own language which has many dialects
- Occupation – Hunter-gatherers
- Collect a wide variety of forest plants, but their staple food is the pandanus fruit, which they call larop.
- Lead a semi-nomadic life
Other important tribes of Andaman & Nicobar Islands:
| Tribes | Location |
| Andamanese | Strait island |
| Jarawas | Middle and south Andaman |
| Nicobarese | Great Nicobar |
| Onges | Little Nicobar |
| Sentinelese | Sentinel island |
Source: Economic Times
Previous Year Question
Which of the following is geographically closest to Great Nicobar?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2017 Prelims]
(a) Sumatra
(b) Borneo
(c) Java
(d) Sri Lanka
Answer: (a)
