Sunday, January 9, 2011

Goa


Goa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Goa
गोंय
—  state  —

Seal
Location of Goa in India
Coordinates15.563°N 73.818°ECoordinates15.563°N 73.818°E
Country India
District(s)2
Established30 May 1987
CapitalPanaji
Largest cityVasco da Gama
GovernorShivinder Singh Sidhu
Chief MinisterDigambar Kamat
Legislature (seats)Unicameral (40)
Population
• Density
1,400,000 (25th)
• 363 /km2 (940 /sq mi)
HDI (2005)increase
0.779 (medium) (3rd)
Literacy82% (3rd)
Official languagesKonkani
Time zoneIST (UTC+5:30)
Area3702 km2 (1429 sq mi)
ISO 3166-2IN-GA
Websitegoagovt.nic.in
Goa (pronounced /ˈɡoʊ.ə/ ( listen)Konkaniगोंय) isIndia's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West 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. Goa is India's richest state with a GDP per capita two and a half times that of the country as a whole.[3] 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.[3]
Panaji is the state's capital, while Vasco da Gama is the 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. The Portugueseoverseas territory of Portuguese India existed for about 450 years, until it was annexed by India in 1961.[4][5]
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 abiodiversity hotspot.

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[edit]Etymology

The name Goa came to European languages from the Portuguese, but its precise origin is unclear. In ancient literature, Goa was known by many names such as GomantaGomanchalaGopakapattam,GopakapuriGovapuriGovem, and Gomantak.[6] The Indian epic Mahabharata refers to the area now known as Goa, as Goparashtra or Govarashtra which means a nation of cowherds. Gopakapuri orGopakapattanam 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 GomanchalaParashurambhoomi is a name that the region is referred to in certain inscriptions and texts such as the Puranas.[7] In the third century BCE, Goa was known asAparantha, and is mentioned by the Greek geographer Ptolemy. The Greeks referred to Goa asNelkinda in the 13th century. Some other historical names for Goa are SindapurSandabur, andMahassapatam.[8]

[edit]History

Goa in 1509, in Braun e Hogenberg, 1600
Goa's known history stretches back to the 3rd century BC, when it formed part of the Mauryan Empire, ruled by the Buddhist emperor, Ashoka of Magadha. Buddhist monks laid the foundation ofBuddhism in Goa. Between the 2nd century BCE and the 6th century CE, Goa was ruled by theChutus of Karwar as feudatories of the Satavahanas of Kolhapur (2nd century BCE to the 2nd century CE), Western Kshatrapas (around 150 CE), the Abhiras of Western Maharashtra, Bhojas of the Yadavclans of Gujarat, and the Konkan Mauryas as feudatories of the Kalachuris.[9] The rule later passed on to the Chalukyas of Badami, who controlled it between 578 to 753, and later the Rashtrakutas ofMalkhed from 753 to 963. However from 765 to 1015, the Southern Silharas of Konkan ruled Goa as the feudatories of the Chalukyas and the Rashtrakutas.[10] Over the next few centuries, Goa was successively ruled by the Kadambas as the feudatories of the Chalukyas of Kalyani. They patronisedJainism in Goa.[11]
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 theBahmani sultans of Gulbarga. After that dynasty crumbled, the area fell to the hands of the Adil Shahis of Bijapur who established as their auxiliary capital the city known under the Portuguese asVelha Goa.
The Sé Cathedral at Old Goa, an example of Portuguese influence
Coat of Arms of Goa as a Portuguese possession 1935–1961
In 1510, the Portuguese 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).
In 1843 the capital was moved toPanjim from Velha Goa. By the mid-18th century the area under occupation had expanded to most of Goa's present day state limits. Simultaneously the Portuguese lost other possessions in India until their borders stabilised and formed the Estado da India Portuguesa, of which Goa was the largest territory.
After India gained independence from the British in 1947, Portugal refused to negotiate with India on the transfer of sovereignty of their Indian enclaves. On 12 December 1961, the Indian Armycommenced with Operation Vijay resulting in the annexation of Goa, Damman and Diu into the Indian union. Goa, along with Daman and Diu was made into a centrally administered Union Territory of India. On 30 May 1987, the Union Territory was split, and Goa was made India's twenty-fifth state, with Daman and Diu remaining Union Territories.

[edit]Geography and climate

Goa coastline
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 Sal. The Mormugao harbour on the mouth of the River Zuari is one of the best natural harbours in South Asia. The Zuari and the Mandovi are the lifelines of Goa, with their tributaries draining 69% of its geographic area. These rivers are one of the busiest rivers in India. 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 colour. Further inland and along the riverbanks, 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 subcontinentare 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 datingmethod. A specimen of the rock is exhibited in the Goa University.
Goa, being in the tropical zone and near the Arabian Sea, has a hot 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 winter season between mid-December and February. These months are marked by nights of around 21 °C (68 °F) and days of around 28 °C (84 °F) with moderate amounts of humidity. Further inland, due to altitudinal gradation, the nights are a few degrees cooler. During March 2008 Goa was lashed with heavy rain and strong winds. This was the first time in 29 years that Goa had seen rain during March.
[hide]Climate data for Goa
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Average high °C (°F)31.6
(88.9)
31.5
(88.7)
32.0
(89.6)
33.0
(91.4)
33.0
(91.4)
30.3
(86.5)
28.9
(84)
28.8
(83.8)
29.5
(85.1)
31.6
(88.9)
32.8
(91)
32.4
(90.3)
31.28
(88.3)
Average low °C (°F)19.6
(67.3)
20.5
(68.9)
23.2
(73.8)
25.6
(78.1)
26.3
(79.3)
24.7
(76.5)
24.1
(75.4)
24.0
(75.2)
23.8
(74.8)
23.8
(74.8)
22.3
(72.1)
20.6
(69.1)
23.21
(73.78)
Precipitationmm (inches)0.2
(0.008)
0.1
(0.004)
1.2
(0.047)
11.8
(0.465)
112.7
(4.437)
868.2
(34.181)
994.8
(39.165)
512.7
(20.185)
251.9
(9.917)
124.8
(4.913)
30.9
(1.217)
16.7
(0.657)
2,926
(115.2)
Avg. precipitation days0.00.00.10.84.221.927.213.313.56.22.50.490.1
Sunshine hours313.1301.6291.4288.0297.6126.0105.4120.9177.0248.0273.0300.72,842.7
Source: World Meteorological Organization (UN),[12] Hong Kong Observatory[13] for data of sunshine hours

[edit]Subdivisions

Talukas of Goa. Talukas in purple shades belong to North Goa district, and orange denote South Goa.
The state is divided into two districtsNorth Goa and South GoaPanaji 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 BardezBicholimPernem,PondaSattari and Tiswadi, the talukas of South Goa areCanaconaMormugaoQuepemSalcete and Sanguem. Headquarters of the respective talukas are Mapusa, Bicholim, Pernem, Ponda, Valpoy, Panjim, Chaudi, Vasco, Quepem, Margao and Sanguem.
Goa's major cities include MapusaMargaoMormugao,Panaji and Vasco . The region connecting the first four cities is considered a de facto conurbation, or a more or less continuous urban area.

[edit]Flora and fauna

Equatorial forest cover in Goa stands at 1,424 km2 (549.81 sq mi),[6] most of which is owned by the government. Government owned forest is estimated at 1,224.38 km2 (472.74 sq mi) whilst private is given as 200 km2 (77.22 sq mi). 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[citation needed].
Goa's wildlife sanctuaries boast of more than 1512 documented species of plants, over 275 species of birds, over 48 kinds of animals and over 60 genera of reptiles.[14]
Rice is the main food crop with pulsesragi and other food crops are also grown. Main cash crops arecoconutscashewnutsarecanutssugarcane and fruits like pineapplesmangos and bananas.[6] The State has a rich forest cover of more than 1,424 km². 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 theAsan.
Rice paddies are common in rural Goa.
The important forests products are bamboo canes, Marathabarks, chillar barks and the bhirandCoconut trees are ubiquitous and are present in almost all areas of Goa barring the elevated regions. A large number of deciduousvegetation consisting of teaksalcashew and mango trees are present. Fruits include jackfruitsmangospineapplesand blackberries. Goa's forests are rich with medicinal plants.
Foxeswild boars and migrating birds are found in the jungles of Goa. The avifauna includes kingfishersmynasand parrots. Numerous types of fish are also caught off the coast of Goa and in its rivers. Crabslobstersshrimpsjellyfishoysters and catfish form some of the piscine catch. Goa also has a high snake population, which keeps the rodent population under control. Goa has many famous National Parks, including the renowned Salim Ali bird sanctuary. Other wildlife sanctuaries include the Bondla Wildlife SanctuaryMolem Wildlife SanctuaryCotigao Wildlife SanctuaryMadei Wildlife SanctuaryNetravali Wildlife Sanctuary Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and 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.

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