town and island, capital of Lakshadweep union territory, India. Kavaratti lies in the Arabian Sea about 215 miles (345 km) west-southwest of Kozhikode (Calicut) and the Malabar Coast of southern India. The island is 3.5 miles (5.6 km) long and tapers to a point at one end from a maximum width at the other of 0.75 mile (1.2 km). There is a shallow lagoon on the western side of the island, and coconut palms grow on the northern side. Kavaratti town is noted for the carved wooden pillars and roofs of its mosques and the carved stones of its graveyards. The town has administrative buildings, a bank, numerous mosques, and an aquarium. Tourism is of growing importance to the economy. Pop. (2001) 10,119.