Sandwip Island
Sandwip Island is an elongated estuarine island situated in the Meghna River mouth along the southeastern coast of Bangladesh, administratively comprising Sandwip Upazila in Chittagong District.[1] Measuring approximately 50 kilometers in length and 5 to 15 kilometers in width, the island forms part of the vast Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta system exposed to the Bay of Bengal.[1] The island's landmass has undergone substantial erosion, with studies indicating a roughly 50 percent reduction in area between 1896 and 1979 due to tidal forces and sediment dynamics in the dynamic Meghna estuary.[2] As of the 2001 census, Sandwip Upazila recorded a population of 292,773, predominantly Muslim and engaged in subsistence agriculture, fishing, and traditional wooden shipbuilding at coastal wharves.[3] More recent estimates place the resident population near 350,000 to 450,000, reflecting growth amid persistent challenges like cyclone vulnerability, as evidenced by the devastating 1991 cyclone that razed coastal settlements and contributed to over 100,000 deaths nationwide.[4][5] Historically, Sandwip functioned as a strategic Portuguese trading outpost and military base in the 16th and 17th centuries, facilitating commerce across the Bay of Bengal before declining under Mughal and British influence.[6] Today, its economy relies on marine resources and nascent tourism drawn to beaches, historic mosques like the Taj Mahal-inspired Mariam Bibi Sahebani structure, and cultural practices such as Baul folk performances, though limited connectivity—primarily via ferries—has long isolated residents from mainland infrastructure until recent bridge developments.[1][7]Geography
Location and Physical Characteristics
Sandwip Island lies in the Chittagong District of southeastern Bangladesh, positioned within the Meghna River estuary along the Bay of Bengal coast. Its geographic bounds span approximately 22°20′N to 22°30′N latitude and 91°27′E to 91°37′E longitude.[8] The island is delimited by the Bamni River to the north, the Bay of Bengal to the south, the Meghna Estuary to the west, and the Sandwip Channel to the east, which separates it from the adjacent mainland.[8] The island extends roughly 50 kilometers in length and 5 to 15 kilometers in width, with a land area subject to variation due to erosion and accretion, recorded at 212.36 square kilometers in 1990 and 271.16 square kilometers in 2020.[1][8] This dynamism stems from its location in an active deltaic zone influenced by tidal and fluvial processes. Sandwip exhibits a predominantly flat topography, with an average elevation of 2.5 meters above mean sea level, rendering it vulnerable to inundation.[8] The landscape comprises mudflats, canals, rivers, and marshlands, falling within the Lower Meghna estuarine floodplain and mixed tidal floodplain physiographic regions. Soils are composed mainly of clay, sand, and silt from tidal and fluvio-tidal deposits originating from the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers, featuring medium to moderately fine textures.[8]