The Shompen are an indigenous tribal community and one of the six recognized tribes of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. They are classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) within the list of Scheduled Tribes. The Shompen inhabit the dense tropical rainforests of Great Nicobar Island, which is a biological hotspot containing the Campbell Bay National Park, Galathea National Park, and the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve.
The tribe is largely uncontacted or maintains minimal contact with outsiders, with an estimated population of 229 according to the 2011 Census, though the exact number remains uncertain. Their origin is distinct from most Nicobarese, but they share a Mongoloid ancestry, exhibiting features like light brown skin and oblique eyes. The Shompen are semi-nomadic hunter-gatherers, with their territory often defined by the rivers that criss-cross the rainforest. Their lifestyle involves hunting wild game, foraging for forest foods, and practicing rudimentary horticulture, with the pandanus fruit (which they call larop) being a staple of their diet. They speak their own language, which has multiple dialects, and their belief system is rooted in animism, worshipping the moon as their goddess.
A major contemporary issue connected to the Shompen is the proposed Great Nicobar Development Plan, which aims to transform the island into a major hub with an airport and international port. This mega-development project has raised concerns from experts, who warn that the resulting influx of people and loss of habitat could pose an existential threat to the Shompen community, potentially leading to their extinction. The Union Environment Minister has stated that the development "will not disturb or displace" the Shompen, but the threat remains a significant point of discussion in Indian environmental and tribal policy.