Which one of the following pairs of islands is separated from each other by the ‘Ten Degree Channel’?

Answer: (a) Andaman and Nicobar

The 10°N parallel runs between Little Andaman and Car Nicobar — the Ten Degree Channel.

The idea

A sea channel is a stretch of water separating islands or island groups. In these island chains, several channel names refer to nearby latitudes. First place the islands in the correct sea, then identify which gap divides the two groups.

Why the others are wrong

(b) Great Nicobar and Sumatra are separated by the Great (Six Degree) Channel.

(c) Minicoy (Lakshadweep) and the Maldives are separated by the Eight Degree Channel.

(d) Sumatra and Java are separated by the Sunda Strait.

The trap

Four channels, four numbers. Mix up 10° with 8° or 9° and you land in Lakshadweep instead of the Andamans.

Elimination technique

The Maldives and Lakshadweep lie in the Arabian Sea region, whereas the Ten Degree Channel is in the Andaman–Nicobar chain. Sumatra and Java are separated by the named Sunda Strait; these locations rule out two tempting alternatives.

Also know

Duncan Passage lies within the Andaman group, between South Andaman and Little Andaman. Coco Channel lies north of North Andaman towards Myanmar’s Coco Islands. In the Arabian Sea, the Nine Degree Channel separates Minicoy from the main Lakshadweep group, while the Eight Degree Channel lies between Minicoy and the Maldives.