Goa (state)
Goa is a state (since 1987) of India, situated on the south-west coast, with an area of 3702 km2 and a population of 1.35 million. The state comprises of a mainland district on the country's western coast and an offshore island. It is located 400 kilometres south of Bombay. 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 state capital is Panaji, also called Panjim; the name may be derived from the local name for great-grandmother, "ponji".Goa has a coastline of 65 miles. It is hilly towards the east and includes a portion of the Western Ghats rising to nearly 4,000 feet. The two largest rivers are the Mandavi and Zuari.
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. The tourist industry developed rapidly in the late 20th century.
Marmagao (formerly Murgao) is sheltered by a promontory and outfitted with a natural breakwater. It is the best major port between Bombay and Calicut (Kozhikode). A railway connects it with the main southern line by way of Castle Rock (in Karnataka) on the Western Ghats. It is also connected to the Konkan railway at Margao Junction. The Port is India's largest exporter of Iron Ore, by way of mines in the state, and those in the surrounding hinterland areas of Maharashtra and Karnataka. The Mormugao Port Trust, that handles the port, is the largest employer of Goa.
The ancient Hindu city of Goa, of which hardly a fragment survives, was built at the southernmost point of the island, and it was famous in early Hindu legend and history. In the Puranas and certain inscriptions, the name of the place appears as Gove, Govapuri, and Gomant. It has also been known as Aprant. The medieval Arabian geographers knew it as Sindabur, or Sandabur, and the Portuguese as Goa. When the capital was transferred to "Nova Goa" or New Goa (today's Panaji), the old capital came to be known as "Velha Goa" or Old Goa.
The region still retains many features from the period of Portuguese rule, including Catholic churches. A majority of these churches were built on top of Hindu temples that were razed during the inquisition of Goa in the 16th century. Few artifacts remain from those ancient temples, the most famous being the headless "Nandi" bull of the preexisting Shiva temple, that is situated outsize the Chandor church.
The local language is Konkani, an Indo-European language related to Hindi and Marathi. It is spoken by 1.5 to 2 million people in Goa and the Konkan coast. Few Goans speak Portuguese now (3 to 5%), although the language lives on in place names and some family names. English is the most widely spoken foreign language, and shops in tourist areas invariably have signs in English. Some shops also have signs in Hebrew or Finnish.
View northwards of Fort Aguada, south of Baga
View southwards of the Goan coastline
There still remain a lot of virgin beaches, where one can find peace, as well as beautiful islands like Divar and St. Jacinto island.
Tourism was adversely affected in the couple of years following the September 11 attacks.
Birdwatching is another attraction for tourists. With a huge array of birds in a small province, Goa is an easy introduction to Asian birding. The respect for life that is part of the local culture means that most wildlife is very approachable. The Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary at Kumbharjuem is one of India's famous bird sanctuaries and is a major stopping point for the Great Siberian Cranes on their journey from the North to warmer areas and back.
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