Goa

For ither uises, see Goa (disambiguation).

Goa ⁱ/ˈɡoʊ.ə/ is Indie's smawest state bi aurie an the fowert smawest bi population. Goa is Indie's richest state wi a GDP per caipita twa an a hauf times that o the kintra as a whole.^[4] It wis rankit the best placit state bi the Eleventh Finance Commission for its infrastructur an rankit on top for the best quality o life in Indie bi the Naitional Commission on Population based on the 12 Indicators.^[4]

Goa
State
Location o Goa in Indie
Map o Goa
Coordinates (Panaji): 15°29′56″N 73°49′40″E
Kintra	Indie
Established	1987
Caipital	Panaji
Lairgest ceety	Vasco da Gama
Destricts	2
Govrenment
• Govrenor	Bharat Vir Wanchoo
• Chief Meenister	Manohar Parrikar (BJP)
• Legislatur	Unicameral (40 seats)
• Pairlamentary constituency	2
• Heich Court	Bombay Heich Court – Goa Bench
Area
• Total	3702 km2 (1,429 sq mi)
Area rank	28th
Population  (2011)
• Total	1,457,723
• Rank	25t
• Density	390/km2 (1,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+05:30 (IST)
ISO 3166 code	IN-GA
HDI	0.779 (high)
HDI rank	3rd (2005)
Literacy	87% (3rd)
Offeecial leids	Konkani
Website	www.goa.gov.in
^* Konkani is the sole offeecial leid but Marathi is alloued tae be uised for ony or aw offeecial purposes.[1][2][3]

Panaji is the state's caipital, while Vasco da Gama is the lairgest ceety. The historic ceety o Margao still exhibits the cultural influence o the Portuguese, who first laundit in the early 16t century as merchants an conquered it soon thereafter. Goa is a umwhile Portuguese province; the Portuguese overseas territory o Portuguese Indie existit for aboot 450 years till it wis annexed bi Indie in 1961.^[5][6]

Renouned for its beaches, places o wirship an warld heritage airchitectur, Goa is visitit bi lairge nummers o internaitional an domestic tourists each year. It haes rich flora an fauna an aw, awin tae its location on the Wastren Ghats range, which is classifeed as a biodiversity hotspot.

Etymologie

In auncient leeteratur, Goa wis kent bi mony names such as Gomanta, Gomanchala, Gopakapattam, Gopakapuri, Govapuri, Govem, an Gomantak.^[7] The Indie epic Mahabharata refers tae the aurie nou kent as Goa, as Goparashtra or Govarashtra which means a naition o cowherds. Gopakapuri or Gopakapattanam wur uised in some auncient Sanskrit texts, an these names were mentioned in ither sacred Hindu texts such as the Harivansa an the Skanda Purana an aw. In the third century BCE, Goa wis kent as Aparantha, an is mentioned bi the Greek geografer Ptolemy. The Greeks referred tae Goa as Nelkinda in the 13t century. Some ither historical names for Goa are Sindapur, Sandabur, an Mahassapatam.^[8]

Subdivisions

Talukas o Goa. Talukas in purple shades belang tae North Goa destrict, an orange denote Sooth Goa destrict.

The state is dividit intae twa destricts: North Goa an Sooth Goa. Each district is governed by a destrict collector, a admeenistrator appointit bi the Indie govrenment.

North Goa

Panaji is the heidquairters o North Goa destrict.

North Goa is further dividit intae fower subdiveesions – Panaji, Bicholim, Mapusa an Ponda; an sax taluks – Tiswadi (Panaji), Bardez (Mapusa), Pernem, Bicholim, Sattari (Valpoi), an Ponda.

Sooth Goa

Margao is the heidquairters o Sooth Goa destrict.

Sooth Goa is further dividit intae three subdiveesions – Margao, Mormugao (Vasco da Gama), an Quepem; an sax taluks – Mormugao, Salcete (Margao), Quepem, Canacona (Chaudi), Sanguem, an Dharbandora.

Municipalities

Goa's major ceeties include Vasco da Gama, Margao, Panaji, Mapusa an Ponda.

Municipal Corporation (1): Panaji

Municipal Cooncils (13): Margao, Mormugao (includin Vasco da Gama), Pernem, Mapusa, Bicholim, Sanquelim, Valpoi, Ponda, Cuncolim, Quepem, Curchorem, Sanguem, an Canacona.