Goa

Goa is situated on the Malabar Coast and has sandy beaches and a tropical climate. Inland, Goa becomes hilly, stretching to part of the Western Ghats. It is bounded by the states of Maharashtra on the north and Karnataka on the east and south and by the Arabian Sea on the west. The total area is 3,702 square kilometres

Goa, with a coastline of 65 miles, is hilly and includes a portion of the Western Ghats rising to nearly 4,000 feet. The two largest rivers are the Mandavi and Zuari, between the mouths of which lies the island of Goa (Ilhas). The island is triangular, the apex (called the cape) being a rocky headland separating the harbour of Goa into two anchorages. There are three principal cities in Goa: Marmagao , Madgaon (Margao), and Panaji (Nova Goa). Old Goa is, for the most part, a city of ruins.

About one-quarter of the state is covered by forest. The climate is generally warm, with average January temperatures ranging from 19° to 29° C (66° to 84° F), and average June temperatures ranging from 25° to 33° C (77° to 91° F). Goa experiences a monsoon season from June through September; it accounts for four-fifths of the state's average annual rainfall.

Panaji is the capital of Goa. The governor of Goa, appointed by the president for a five-year term, administers also the union territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. The Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) comprises of 40 seats. The state has two districts.

HISTORY

One of the youngest states of the Indian Union, Goa attained statehood after 451 years of colonial rule and 26 years as Union territory. Its history dates back to the 3rd century when it belonged to the Mauryas, followed by the rule of the Satvahanas, Chalukyas and then the Shilharas and Kadambas. In 1312, Goa fell into the hands of the Muslims when Harihara of the Vijayanagar Empire evacuated the coastal area. The Muslim rule ended when the Portuguese took over in 1510. During the Napoleonic wars, Britishers had a brief occupation of Goa but Portuequese wrested it back. When India attained Independence in 1947, tremendous pressure was exerted on the Portuguese to hand over Goa, Daman and Diu. The Portuequese remained adamant. In mid-1954, Goan nationalists seized the Portuguese enclaves of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and established a pro-Indian administration. Another crisis occurred in 1955 when satyagrahis from India attempted to penetrate the territory of Goa. At first the satyagrahis were deported; but later, when large numbers attempted to cross the borders, the Portuguese authorities resorted to force, and casualties were inflicted. This led to the severance of diplomatic relations between Portugal and India on Aug. 18, 1955. Tension between India and Portugal came to a head when on Dec. 18, 1961, Indian troops supported by naval and air forces invaded and occupied Goa, Daman, and Diu. Portuguese India was, by constitutional amendment, incorporated into the Indian Union in 1962. 26 years later, Goa attained statehood shedding its erstwhile 'Union Territory' status on 30/5/1987.

SOCIETY AND CULTURE

The Goan population is a mixture of Christian and Hindu. In the past the Christians generally spoke Portuguese but now tend to speak English and Konkani. The Hindus speak Konkani and Marathi. Economic conditions in Goa have caused emigration on a large scale, mainly to the eastern coast of Africa but also to other parts of India. Large Goanese colonies have consequently been formed in Bombay, Mozambique, Tanzania, South Africa, and elsewhere. Many Goanese bear Portuguese names as a result of intermarriage between early Portuguese settlers and the local inhabitants.

Goa's 450 years under Portuguese domination produced a unique, syncretic blend of East and West that is at once exotic and strangely familiar: Christmas and Carnival are celebrated as enthusiastically by the 30-percent Christian minority as Diwali and Durga puja are by the mainly Konkani-speaking Hindus. The state's separate identity is discernible in other ways too, most visibly in its Latinate architecture, but also in a preference for a fish-and meat-rich cuisine. Another marked difference is the prevalence of alcohol. Beer is cheap, and six thousand or more bars around the state are licensed to serve it, along with the more traditional tipples of feni, the local hootch, and toddy, a derivative of palm sap.

ECONOMY AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Goa is predominantly agricultural, with rice, fruits, coconuts, pulses (legumes), cashews, and betel (areca) nuts the leading crops. The state exports a number of these commodities, along with spices, manganese and iron ores, bauxite, fish, and salt; its trade is small but its manufacturers produce fertilizers, sugar, textiles, chemicals, iron pellets, and pharmaceuticals.

Tourism is the main money-spinner and the majority of the population is engaged in related business. On the coast itself, coconut cultivation and fishing (both in-shore, with small boats, canoes and hand-nets, and off shore, with modern trawlers) are still the main sources of income. The recent discovery of iron in the hills to the east has also generated considerable revenue, and the economy is further fuelled by the stream of remittance cheques sent home by expatriate Goans working in Mumbai and the Gulf states

Of the motorable roads, national highways constitutes 224 km, state highways 232 km and districts roads 815 km. Goa is also linked with Mumbai, Mangalore and Thiruvananthapuram through the Konkan Railway, which has introduced several fast trains on these lines, Vasco da Gama is connected with Bangalore and Belgaum on the South Central Railway, presently for goods traffic only. Mumbai, Delhi, Thiruvananthapuram, Cochin, Chennai, Agati and Bangalore are linked with Dabolim through regular Airlines services. Mormugao is the major port in the State

TOURIST CENTRES

HOTELS OF GOA

The State has hotels of star and non star category catering to the needs of the tourists visiting Goa. Besides it has resorts, restaurants and cafés which cater to the needs of all segment of travelers.