Goa | ||
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State | ||
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![]() Location of Goa in India |
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![]() Map of Goa |
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Coordinates (Panaji): 15°29′55″N 73°49′45″E / 15.498605°N 73.829262°ECoordinates: 15°29′55″N 73°49′45″E / 15.498605°N 73.829262°E | ||
Country |
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Established | 30 May 1987 | |
Capital | Panaji (Panjim) | |
Largest city | Vasco da Gama | |
Districts | 2 | |
Government | ||
• Body | Government of Goa | |
• Governor | Mridula Sinha | |
• Chief Minister | Manohar Parrikar (BJP) | |
• Legislature | Unicameral (40 seats) | |
• Parliamentary constituency | 2 | |
• High Court | Bombay High Court, Goa Bench | |
Area | ||
• Total | 3,702 km2 (1,429 sq mi) | |
Area rank | 29th | |
Population (2011) | ||
• Total | 1,457,723 | |
• Rank | 26th | |
• Density | 390/km2 (1,000/sq mi) | |
Demonym(s) | Goan and Goenkar | |
Time zone | IST (UTC+05:30) | |
ISO 3166 code | IN-GA | |
HDI |
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HDI rank | 3rd (2005) | |
Literacy | 88.70% (3rd) | |
Official languages | Konkani | |
Cultural language | Portuguese | |
Website | www.goa.gov.in | |
^* Konkani in Devanagari script is the sole official language but Marathi is also allowed to be used for any or all official purposes. |
Population growth | |||
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
1951 | 547,000 |
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1961 | 590,000 | 7.9% | |
1971 | 795,000 | 34.7% | |
1981 | 1,008,000 | 26.8% | |
1991 | 1,170,000 | 16.1% | |
2001 | 1,347,668 | 15.2% | |
2011 | 1,458,545 | 8.2% |
Goa /ˈɡoʊ.ə/ is a state in India within the coastal region known as the Konkan in India. It is bounded by Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the east and south, with the Arabian Sea forming its Western coast. It is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Goa has the highest GDP per capita among all Indian states, that is two and a half times that of the country. It was ranked the best placed state by the "Eleventh Finance Commission" for its infrastructure and ranked on top for the best quality of life in India by the National Commission on Population based on the 12 Indicators.
Panaji is the state's capital, while Vasco da Gama is its largest city. The historic city of Margao still exhibits the cultural influence of the Portuguese, who first landed in the early 16th century as merchants and conquered it soon thereafter. Goa is a former Portuguese province; the Portuguese overseas territory of Portuguese India existed for about 450 years until it was annexed by India in 1961.
Goa is visited by large numbers of international and domestic tourists each year for its beaches, places of worship and world heritage architecture. It has rich flora and fauna, owing to its location on the Western Ghats range, a biodiversity hotspot.