a group of islands in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Burma. The islands are an underwater extension of the mountain ranges of central Indochina. There are more than 800 islands and granite cliffs, with a total area of about 3, 500 sq km. Hills and lowlands with elevations of up to 767 m, covered by dense tropical forests, predominate. Along the coasts in certain areas there are mangrove forests. The most important industries are pearl diving and deep-sea fishing. The main population center is Kyat-aw, on Kadan Kyun Island.