Most of the people rely on agriculture for their living. The women make an elastic fibre called coir from coconut husks. Coir is used in the manufacture of matting. The men build and sail boats, and trade on the mainland. They exchange copra and coir mainly for rice, their principal food.

Most of the islanders belong to various Arabian tribes. The main language is Malayalam. Some of the original inhabitants were Muslims, others were Hindus. The people of the island of Androth were perhaps the first in the area to be converted to Islam. Androth has long been regarded as the religious centre of the group. Preachers travelled from there to the other islands, spreading the teachings of Islam.

Lakshadweep was known to Arab explorers and geographers as long ago as A.D. 45. In the 1500's, Portuguese traders and settlers from the Indian mainland fought over the islands. In the 1800's, the islands were administered by the British East India Company. In 1956, the Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi groups of islands became a Union Territory of India, and in 1973 the territory was renamed Lakshadweep. The construction of the islands' first airport, on Agatti in 1988, has encouraged tourism.

Tourist Centres: Cheliyam, Suheli, Valiyakara and Tinakara have been identified for International tourism. There are family huts, beach resorts, bathing huts, honeymoon huts and one youth hostel for tourists.

Agati near Bangaram was put on the air map in April, 1988 when Vayudut service from the mainland was inaugurated. An aquarium-cum-museum was opened in Kavaratti by the then President R. Venkatraman in 1989. Society for promotion of recreational tourism was established for the development of tourism.

On Nov 26, 1990 Lakshadweep Islands Division Post Office was inaugurated. Information and Publicity departments are working in all the inhabited islands except Bitra. The Government publishes a daily newspaper in Mahal and a weekly in Malayalam and English.