?गोंय गोवा Goa India
Panaji
Coordinates: 15°29′35″N 73°49′05″E / 15.493, 73.818
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area	3,702 km² (1,429 sq mi)
Capital	Panaji
Largest city	Vasco da Gama
District(s)	2
Population • Density	1,400,000 (25th) • 363/km² (940/sq mi)
Language(s)	Konkani↑
Governor	SC Jamir
Chief Minister	Digambar Kamat
Established	1987-05-30
Legislature (seats)	Unicameral (40)
ISO abbreviation	IN-GA
Website: goagovt.nic.in
"↑"Konkani is the sole official language but Marathi is also allowed to be used for any or all official purposes.Goa. Commissioner Linguistic Minorities, 42nd Report, July 2003 to June 2004. National Commissioner Linguistic Minorities. Retrieved on 2007-07-17. â€œKonkani is the official language of the state. There is no second official language. However, as per notification, Marathi will be used for the purpose of reply by the Government whenever communications are received in that language. In the Official Language Act, it is provided that "the Marathi language, shall also be used for all or any of the official purposes". Further it is provided that "nothing contained in this sub section shall be deemed to affect the use of the Marathi language in educational, social or cultural fields".â€�UNI. "Marathi vs Konkani debate continues in Goa", rediff.com, Rediff.com India Limited, May 30, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-07-17.
Seal of Goa

Coordinates: 15°29′35″N 73°49′05″E / 15.493, 73.818 Goa pronunciation (help·info) (Konkani: गोंय goṃya; Marathi: गोवा govÄ�; Portuguese: Goa) is India\'s smallest state in terms of area and the fourth smallest in terms of population. Located on the west coast of India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its western coast.

Panaji (Panjim) is the state\'s capital. Vasco da Gama (Vasco) is the largest city. The historic city of Margao still exhibits the influence of Portuguese culture. Portuguese merchants first landed in Goa in the early 16th century, and annexed it soon after. The Portuguese colony existed for about 450 years (one of the longest held colonial possessions in the world), until it was taken over by India in 1961. Liberation of Goa. Government Polytechnic, Panaji. Retrieved on 2007-07-17.Pillarisetti, Jagan. The Liberation of Goa: an Overview. The Liberation of Goa:1961. bharat-rakshak.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-17.

Renowned for its beaches, Goa is visited by hundreds of thousands of international and domestic tourists each year. Goa is also known for its temples and world heritage architecture including the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa, which makes it one of the biggest Christian pilgrimage sites in Asia.^{[citation needed]} Goa also has rich flora and fauna, owing to its location on the Western Ghats range, which is classified as a biodiversity hotspot.

Origin of name

The name Goa came to European languages from the Portuguese colonisers, but its precise origin is unclear. The name Goa is said to have been derived from the Konkani word \'Goyan\', which means a patch of tall grass. The Indian epic Mahabharata refers to the area now known as Goa, as \'Goparashtra\' or \'Govarashtra"\' which means a nation of cowherds. \'Gopakapuri\' or \'Gopakapattanam\' were used in some ancient Sanskrit texts, and these names were also mentioned in other sacred Hindu texts such as the Harivansa and the Skanda Purana. In the latter, Goa is also known as "Gomanchala". Gove, Govapuri, Gopakpattan, Gomantak and Gomant are some other names that the region is referred to in certain inscriptions and texts such as the Puranas.^{[citation needed]} It has also been known as "Apparent".^[vague]

History

Main article: History of Goa

A chapel in Old Goa, an example of Portuguese architecture.

Goa\'s known history stretches back to the 3rd century BC, when it formed part of the Mauryan Empire.de Mello, Alfredo Froilano. A Summary of the Early History of Goa (2000 BC - 1500 AD). goacom.com. Demerg Systems India. Retrieved on 2007-07-18. It was later ruled by the Satavahanas of Kolhapur, around two thousand years ago and passed on to the Hoysalas of SInd, who controlled it between 580 to 750. Over the next few centuries Goa was successively ruled by the Silharas, the Kadambas and the Chalukyas of Kalyani, rulers of Deccan India.Harding, Paul (September 2003). "Facts about Goa: History", Lonely Planet Goa, 3rd edition, Lonely Planet Publications, 9–14. ISBN 1740591399.  The Kadambas, a local Hindu dynasty based at Chandrapura, (present day Chandor - Salcete), laid an indelible mark on the course of Goa\'s pre-colonial history and culture.

In 1312, Goa came under the governance of the Delhi Sultanate. However, the kingdom\'s grip on the region was weak, and by 1370 they were forced to surrender it to Harihara I of the Vijayanagara empire. The Vijayanagara monarchs held on to the territory until 1469, when it was appropriated by the Bahmani sultans of Gulbarga. After that dynasty crumbled, the area fell to the hands of the Adil Shahis of Bijapur who made Velha Goa their auxiliary capital.

In 1498, Vasco da Gama became the first European to set foot in India through a sea route, landing in Calicut (Kozhikode) in Kerala, followed by an arrival in what is now known as Old Goa. Goa, then a term referring to the City of Goa on the southern bank of the River Mandovi, was the largest trading centre on India\'s western coast. The Portuguese arrived with the intention of setting up a colony and seizing control of the spice trade from other European powers after traditional land routes to India had been closed by the Ottoman Turks. Later, in 1510, Portuguese admiral Afonso de Albuquerque defeated the ruling Bijapur kings with the help of a local ally, Timayya, leading to the establishment of a permanent settlement in Velha Goa (or Old Goa). The Portuguese intended it to be a colony and a naval base, distinct from the fortified enclaves established elsewhere along India\'s coasts.

Coat of Arms of Goa as a Portuguese possession (1675)

In 1668, Chatrapti Shivaji captured five towns in North Goa and ordered renovation of "Saptkotishwar" temple at the present site during one of his campaigns to oust the Portuguese. Even after repetitive attempts, he was not able to win the Goa from Portuguese.[20]In 1685, Chatrapti Sambhaji captured capital Panji and penetrated his Maratha army peacefully in entire Central and North Goa but could not retain the Goa and again moved to Deccan plateau to handle the situation arise due to sudden attack of Mogul.

Ruins of Fort Aguada in north Goa; one of the defences that the Portuguese built during their reign.

With the imposition of the Inquisition (1560–1812), many of the local residents were forcibly converted to Christianity by missionaries, threatened by punishment or confiscation of land, titles or property. Goa Inquisition. Many converts however retained parts of their Hindu heritage. To escape the Inquisition and harassment, thousands fled the state, settling down in the neighbouring towns of Mangalore and Karwar in Karnataka, and Savantwadi in Maharashtra. With the arrival of the other European powers in India in the 16th century, most Portuguese possessions were surrounded by the British and the Dutch. Goa soon became Portugal\'s most important possession in India, and was granted the same civic privileges as Lisbon. In 1843 the capital was moved to Panjim from Velha Goa. By mid-18th century the area under occupation had expanded to most of Goa\'s present day state limits.

After India gained independence from the British in 1947, Portugal refused to accede to India\'s demand to relinquish their control of its enclave. Resolution 1541 by the United Nations General Assembly in 1960 noted that Goa was non-self-governing and favoured self determination. Finally, on December 12, 1961, the Indian army with 40,000 troops moved in as part of Operation Vijay. Fighting lasted for twenty-six hours before the Portuguese garrison surrendered. Goa, along with Daman and Diu (enclaves lying to the north of Maharashtra), was made into a centrally administered Union Territory on India. India\'s takeover of Goa is commemorated on December 19 (Liberation Day). The UN Security Council considered a resolution condemning the invasion which was vetoed by the Soviet Union. Most nations later recognised India\'s action, and Portugal recognised it after the Carnation Revolution in 1974. On May 30, 1987, the Union Territory was split, and Goa was elevated as India\'s twenty-fifth state, with Daman and Diu remaining Union Territories.

Geography and climate

Baga beach in Goa

Goa is famed for its sunny beaches.

Goa encompasses an area of 3,702 km² (1,430 sq mile). It lies between the latitudes 14°53\'54" N and 15°40\'00" N and longitudes 73°40\'33" E and 74°20\'13" E. Most of Goa is a part of the coastal country known as the Konkan, which is an escarpment rising up to the Western Ghats range of mountains, which separate it from the Deccan Plateau. The highest point is the Sonsogor, with an altitude of 1,167 meters (3,827 feet). Goa has a coastline of 101 km (63 miles).

Goa\'s main rivers are the Mandovi, the Zuari, the Terekhol, Chapora River and the Betul. The Mormugao harbor on the mouth of the river Zuari is one of the best natural harbors in South Asia. The Zuari and the Mandovi are the lifelines of Goa, with their tributaries draining 69% of its geographic area. Goa has more than forty estuarine, eight marine and about ninety riverine islands. The total navigable length of Goa\'s rivers is 253 km (157 miles). Goa has more than three hundred ancient tanks built during the rule of the Kadamba dynasty and over a hundred medicinal springs.

Most of Goa\'s soil cover is made up of laterites which are rich in ferric aluminium oxides and reddish in color. Further inland and along the river banks, the soil is mostly alluvial and loamy. The soil is rich in minerals and humus, thus conducive to plantation. Some of the oldest rocks in the Indian subcontinent are found in Goa between Molem and Anmod on Goa\'s border with Karnataka. The rocks are classified as Trondjemeitic Gneiss estimated to be 3,600 million years old, dated by the Rubidium isotope dating method. A specimen of the rock is exhibited in the Goa University.

Goa, being in the tropical zone and near the Arabian Sea, has a warm and humid climate for most of the year. The month of May is the hottest, seeing day temperatures of over 35 °C (95 °F) coupled with high humidity. The monsoon rains arrive by early June and provide a much needed respite from the heat. Most of Goa\'s annual rainfall is received through the monsoons which last till late September.

Goa has a short cool season between mid-December and February. These months are marked by cool nights of around 20 Â°C (68 Â°F) and warm days of around 29 Â°C (84 Â°F) with moderate amounts of humidity. Further inland, due to altitudinal gradation, the nights are a few degrees cooler.

Subdivisions

Talukas of Goa. Talukas in purple shades belong to North Goa district, and orange denote South Goa.

The state is divided into two districts: North Goa and South Goa. Panaji is the headquarters of the north Goa district and Margao of the south district. Each district is governed by a district collector, an administrator appointed by the Indian government.

The districts are further divided into eleven talukas – Talukas of North Goa are Bardez, Bicholim, Pernem, Ponda, Satari and Tiswadi, the talukas of South Goa are Canacona, Mormugao, Quepem, Salcete and Sanguem. Headquarters of the respective talukas are Mapusa, Bicholim, Pernem, Ponda, Valpoi, Panjim, Chaudi, Vasco, Quepem, Margao and Sanguem.

In the Parliament of India, Goa has two seats in the Lok Sabha, one representing each district, and one seat in the Rajya Sabha.

Flora and fauna

Main article: Flora and fauna of Goa

The Salim Ali Bird sanctuary is one of the best-known bird sanctuaries in India.

Forest cover in Goa stands at 1,424 km², most of which is owned by the government. Government owned forest is estimated at 1224.38 km² whilst private is given as 200 km². Most of the forests in the state are located in the interior eastern regions of the state. The Western Ghats, which form most of eastern Goa, have been internationally recognised as one of the biodiversity hotspots of the world. In the February 1999 issue of National Geographic Magazine, Goa was compared with the Amazon and Congo basins for its rich tropical biodiversity.

Goa\'s state animal is the Gaur, the state bird is the Ruby Throated Yellow Bulbul, which is a variation of Black-crested Bulbul, and the state tree is the Asan.

The important forests products are bamboo canes, Maratha barks, chillar barks and the bhirand. Coconut trees are ubiquitous and are present in almost all areas of Goa barring the elevated regions. A large number of deciduous vegetation consisting of teak, sal, cashew and mango trees are present. Fruits include jackfruits, mangos, pineapples and blackberries.

Foxes, wild boars and migratory birds are found in the jungles of Goa. The avifauna includes kingfishers, mynas and parrots. Numerous types of fish are also caught off the coast of Goa and in its rivers. Crabs, lobsters, shrimps, jellyfish, oysters and catfish form some of the piscine catch. Goa also has a high snake population, which keeps the rodent population in control. Goa has many famous National Parks, including the renowned Salim Ali bird sanctuary. Other wildlife sanctuaries include the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, Molem Wildlife Sanctuary, Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, Madei Wildlife Sanctuary, Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuaryand the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary located on the island of Chorao.

Goa has more than 33% of its geographic area under government forests (1224.38 km²) of which about 62% has been brought under Protected Areas (PA) of Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Park. Since there is a substantial area under private forests and a large tract under cashew, mango, coconut, etc. plantations, the total forest and tree cover constitutes 56.6% of the geographic area.

Economy

Fishing in the Chapora river.

Goa\'s gross state domestic product for 2004 is estimated at $3 billion in current prices. Goa is India\'s richest state with a GDP per capita two and a half times that of the country as a whole, and one of its fastest growth rates: 8.23% (yearly average 1990–2000).

Tourism is Goa\'s primary industry: it handles 12%Economy of Goa, from goenkar.com verified 2005-04-02. of all foreign tourist arrivals in India. Goa has two main tourist seasons: winter and summer. In the winter time, tourists from abroad (mainly Europe) come to Goa to enjoy the splendid climate. In the summertime (which, in Goa, is the rainy season), tourists from across India come to spend the holidays. Tourism is generally focused on the coastal areas of Goa, with decreased tourist activity inland. In 2004 there were more than 2 million tourists reported to have visited Goa, 400,000 of which were from abroad.

The land away from the coast is rich in minerals and ores and mining forms the second largest industry. Mining in Goa focuses on ores of iron, Bauxite, manganese, clays, limestone and silica. The Marmagao Port handled 31.69 million tonnes of cargo last year, and accounts for over 39% of India\'s Iron Ore exports. The leaders in the Goan Iron Ore industry include Sesa Goa (now owned by Vedanta) and Dempo

Agriculture, while of shrinking importance to the economy over the past four decades, offers part-time employment to a sizable portion of the populace. Rice is the main agricultural crop, followed by areca, cashew and coconut. The fishing industry provides employment for about forty thousand people, though recent official figures indicate a decline of the importance of this sector and also a fall in catch, perhaps coupled with the fact that traditional fishing has given way to large-scale mechanised trawling. Medium scale industries include the manufacturing of pesticides, fertilisers, tyres, tubes, footwear, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, wheat products, steel rolling, fruits and fish canning, cashew nuts, textiles, brewery products. Goa is also notable for its low liquor prices due to its very low excise duty on alcohol. Another source of cash inflow into the state comes from many of its citizens who work abroad and remit money to their families. Zuari Industries (2005 gross income Rs.36,302 million) and Sesa Goa (2005 gross income Rs.17,265 million) are two S&P CNX 500 conglomerates which have corporate offices in Goa.^{[citation needed]} The Goa government has recently decided to not allow any more special economic zones(SEZs) in Goa. This is in stark contrast to policy followed by other states of India. SEZs are known to bring tax revenues for the government and employment option for local citizens since industries flock there for lower tax rates as compared to other areas. Currently there are 16 planned SEZs in Goa. This decision was taken by state government after strong opposition to SEZs by political parties and Goa catholic church. Goa not to have any more SEZs. Retrieved on 2007-11-13.

Transport

Goa\'s sole airport, the Dabolim Airport, is both a military and civilian airport catering to domestic and international airlines that stop en route to other Indian destinations. In addition to regular flights, the airport handles a large number of chartered flights. Goa receives International flights from Dubai, Sharjah and Kuwait in the Middle East and from the United Kingdom, Germany and Russia during the charter flight tourist season. Dabolim airport is serviced by the following carriers - Air India, Indian Airlines, Air Deccan, Kingfisher airlines, Go air, Spice jet, Jet Airways besides Charter flights from Thomas Cook (condor) etc.

Goa\'s public transport largely consists of privately operated buses linking the major towns to rural areas. Government-run buses, maintained the Kadamba Transport Corporation, links both major routes (like the Panjim–Margao rout

) and some remote parts of the state. In large towns such as Panjim and Margao, intra-city buses ply. However, public transport in Goa is less developed, and residents depend heavily on their own transport, usually motorised two-wheelers. Goa has two National Highways passing through it. NH-17 runs along India\'s west coast and links Goa to Bombay in the north and Mangalore to the south. NH-4A running across the state connects the capital Panjim to Belgaum in east, linking Goa to cities in the Deccan. The NH-17A connects NH-17 to Mormugao Harbour from Cortalim, and the new NH-17B, once complete will be a four lane highway connecting Mormugao Harbour to NH-17 at another location, Verna, via Dabolim airport. Goa has a total of 224 km (139 mi) of National highway, 232 km (144 mi) of state highway and 815 km of district highway.

Hired forms of transport include unmetered taxis, and, in urban areas, auto rickshaws. A unique form of transport in Goa is the Motorcycle taxi, operated by drivers who are locally called "pilots". These vehicles transport a single pillion rider, at fares that are usually negotiated prior or after the journey (it is always better to ask locals on the correct fare before you try any negotiations yourself). In some places in Goa, there are river crossings which are serviced by the ferry boats, operated by the river navigation departments. Goa has two rail lines — one run by the South Western Railway and the other by the Konkan Railway. The line run by the South Western Railway was built during the colonial era linking the port town of Vasco da Gama with Hubli in Karnataka via Margao. The Konkan Railway line, which was built during the 1990s, runs parallel to the coast connecting Mumbai to the Malabar Coast.

The Mormugao harbour near the city of Vasco handles mineral ore, petroleum, coal and international containers. Much of the shipments consist of minerals and ores from Goa\'s hinterland. Panjim, which is situated on the banks of the Mandovi, also has a minor port, which used to handle passenger steamers between Goa and Mumbai till the late 1980s.

Demographics

A native of Goa is called a Goan in English, \'Goenkar\' in Konkani, \'Goês\' (male) or \'Goesa\' (female) in Portuguese, and a \'Govekar\' in Marathi. Goa has a population of 1.344 million residents, making it India\'s fourth smallest (after Sikkim, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh). The population has a growth rate of 14.9% per annum. There are 363 people for each square kilometre of the land. 49.77% of the population lives in urban areas. The sex ratio is 960 females to 1000 males. Hinduism (65.8%), Christianity (26.7%) and Islam (6.8%) are the three main religions in Goa. http://www.censusindia.net/religiondata/ 2001 Indian Census Data Roman Catholicism reached Goa during the period of European colonisation, which began in 1498 when the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrived on the Malabar coast. With the establishment of Goa Inquisition in 1560, a large sections of the population became Roman Catholic. There is also a small community of Sikhs that make up 0.1% of the population. Goa\'s major cities include Vasco, Margao, Marmagao (also known as Murgaon or Mormugão), Panjim and Mapusa. The region connecting the last four cities is considered a de facto conurbation, or a more or less continuous urban area.

The official language of Goa is Konkani. Following the end of Portuguese rule, the most widely used languages are Konkani and Marathi.Table 26: Three Main Languages in every State, 1991. Census of India 1991. Office of the Registrar General, India. Retrieved on 2007-08-01. Konkani is the primary spoken language; English and Marathi for official, literary or educational purposes;The Goa, Daman and Diu Official Language Act, 1987 makes Konkani the sole official language, but provides that Marathi may also be used for "for all or any of the official purposes". The Government also has a policy of replying in Marathi to correspondence received in Marathi. Commissioner Linguistic Minorities, 42nd report: July 2003 - June 2004, <http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/35.htm>. Retrieved on 6 June 2007 and other languages including Hindi and Portuguese. Language is a controversial issue in Goa, over which an agitation was fought between two contending pro-Konkani and pro-Marathi camps between 1985–87. Most of the Goans united and fought for Konkani as their mother tongue.^{[citation needed]} After the agitation ended in 1987, a complex formula grants \'official language\' status to Konkani, while Marathi is also allowed to be used "for any or all official purposes." Given the bitter rivalry between the two lobbies, clubbed with a maudlin issue has resulted in a stalemate over the actual implementation. Portuguese, the earlier language of the elite, has been hit by shrinking numbers, though a small number still prefer it as the medium for discourse at home, and a few Portuguese books have even been published in recent years.^{[citation needed]} English, viewed as a language of opportunity and social mobility, is widely understood by many of the state residents.

Culture

An example of traditional Portuguese-influenced Goan architecture.