The Nicobar Islands, forming the southern arc of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, possess a rich, distinct history that sets them completely apart from the northern Andaman group. While the Andaman islands were historically defined by hunter-gatherer tribal groups and the British penal system (Kalapani), the Nicobar islands were home to thriving, seafaring agrarian communities and served as a highly contested trading outpost for various European empires, including the Danes, the Austrians, and the British.