Description

Disclaimer: Copyright infringement not intended.

Context:

The Indian Navy’s INS Sarvekshak completed the final phase of the hydrographic survey of Mauritius covering an extensive area of over 25,000 square nautical miles.

About Mauritius' physical geography

Feature	Details
Location	Island nation in the Indian Ocean, off the east coast of Africa, east of Madagascar.
Capital	Port Louis
Main Islands	Rodrigues Island, Chagos Archipelago, St. Brandon, Agaléga Islands, Tromelin.
Formation	Volcanic island formed approximately 8 million years ago.
Highest Peak	High Mount Piton (828 m), located in the southwest of the plateau.
Main Water Source	Vacoa Lakes
Climate	Maritime subtropical climate with fairly consistent temperatures year-round.
Languages	National language: English; widely spoken languages: Creole and French.
Independence	Gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1968 as a parliamentary republic.
Government	Unicameral republic; President as head of state, Prime Minister as head of government.
Memberships	COMESA, SADC, Indian Ocean Association, and Indian Ocean Commission (headquarters in Mauritius).
Population Composition	Two-thirds: Indo-Pakistani origin (descendants of workers in sugar plantations).
	One-quarter: Creole (mixed French and African descent).
	Small populations: Chinese and Franco-Mauritan descent.

What is a Hydrographic Survey?

Hydrography is the science that measures and describes the physical properties of oceans, seas, coastal areas, lakes, and rivers.
A survey is the "mapping" of an area of the sea and surrounding coastal details. It aims to ensure safe navigation and supports maritime activities such as economic development, security, defence, scientific research, and environmental protection.
Survey information allows the cartographer to depict a portion of the earth's surface on flat paper and to indicate various irregularities above and below sea level using soundings, height and depth contours, and spot heights.
For a hydrographic survey, all the details of the mariner's use must be properly described and located relative to each other and their positions on the earth's surface.

Source:

THE HINDU

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Discuss the importance of hydrographic surveys in maritime navigation and environmental management. How do these surveys contribute to the safety of marine activities and the sustainable use of ocean resources? (250 words)