Goa Information

Goa General Information

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 bound by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its western coast.

Panjim is the state's capital while the port based Vasco da Gama is Goa’s largest city. The historic cities of Margao, Panjim and Mapusa still exhibit the influences of Portuguese culture. The Portuguese first landed in Goa as merchants, in the early 16th century, and conquered it soon thereafter. The Portuguese overseas territory existed for about 450 years, until it was annexed by India in 1961.

Renowned for its beaches, places of worship and world heritage architecture, Goa is visited by large numbers of international and domestic tourists each year. It also has rich flora and fauna, owing to its location on the Western Ghats range, which is classified as a biodiversity hotspot.

Goa is unique in many ways, and one of them is that this territory has been fought over the most by various kingdoms and dynasties. Goa has had a vibrant past, with rulers like the Dravidians, the Kunbis, the Mauryans, the Kadambas, Adil Shah of Bijapur and many more. In 1510, the Portuguese took over, establishing Goa as their trading hub of the east. The transformation of Goa during the Portuguese was tremendous and most of their infrastructure could be attributed to them. In fact when one looks at the age old architecture, the quality of work earns much more praise compared to many of today’s designs.

GENERAL  INFORMATION