47 Facts About Goa

1.

Goa has the highest GDP per capita among all Indian states, two and a half times as high as the GDP per capita of the country as a whole.

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2.

Goa is visited by large numbers of international and domestic tourists each year because of its white-sand beaches, active nightlife, places of worship, and World Heritage-listed architecture.

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3.

Rock art engravings found in Goa are one of the earliest known traces of human life in India.

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4.

Goa, situated within the Shimoga-Goa Greenstone Belt in the Western Ghats, yields evidence for Acheulean occupation.

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5.

On 16 January 1967 a referendum was held in Goa, to decide the future of the Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu.

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6.

On 30 May 1987, the union territory was split, and Goa was made India's twenty-fifth state, with Daman and Diu remaining a union territory.

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7.

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.

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8.

Goa has more than 40 estuarine, eight marine, and about 90 riverine islands.

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9.

Goa has more than 300 ancient water tanks built during the rule of the Kadamba dynasty and over 100 medicinal springs.

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10.

Goa, being in the torrid zone and near the Arabian Sea, has a hot and humid climate for most of the year.

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11.

North Goa is further divided into three subdivisions—Panaji, Mapusa, and Bicholim; and five talukas—Tiswadi (Panaji), Bardez (Mapusa), Pernem, Bicholim, and Sattari (Valpoi).

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12.

South Goa is further divided into five subdivisions—Ponda, Mormugao-Vasco, Margao, Quepem, and Dharbandora; and seven talukas—Ponda, Mormugao, Salcete, Quepem, and Canacona (Chaudi), Sanguem, and Dharbandora.

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13.

Politics of Goa are a result of the uniqueness of this region due to 450 years of Portuguese rule, in comparison to three centuries of British rule experienced by the rest of India.

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14.

Goa has two members of parliament elected from each district representing the state in the Lok Sabha (House of the People), the lower house of the national Parliament of India.

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15.

Goa has a unicameral legislature, the Goa Legislative Assembly, of 40 members, headed by a speaker.

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16.

The Western Ghats, which form most of eastern Goa, have been internationally recognised as one of the biodiversity hotspots of the world.

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17.

Goa has many famous "National Parks", including the renowned Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary on the island of Chorao.

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18.

Goa is India's richest state with the highest GDP per capita—two and a half times that of the country—with one of its fastest growth rates: 8.

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19.

In winter, tourists from abroad come, and summer (which, in Goa, is the rainy season) sees tourists from across India.

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20.

Goa is notable for its low-priced beer, wine, and spirits prices due to its very low excise duty on alcohol.

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21.

In 1976 Goa became the first state in India to legalize some types of gambling.

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22.

Goa is the second state in India to achieve a 100 percent automatic telephone system with a solid network of telephone exchanges.

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23.

Goa is one of the few states in India to achieve 100 percent rural electrification.

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24.

Population density of Goa is 394 per km which is higher than national average 382 per km.

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25.

Goa is the state with highest proportion of urban population with 62.

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26.

Goa is the state with lowest proportion of Scheduled Tribes at 0.

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27.

Goa stands 6th in the Top 10 Nightlife cities in the world in National Geographic Travel.

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28.

Goa is often described as a fusion between Eastern and Western culture with Portuguese culture having a dominant position in the state be it in its architectural, cultural or social settings.

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29.

The state of Goa is famous for its excellent beaches, churches, and temples.

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30.

Goa has two World Heritage Sites: the Bom Jesus Basilica and churches and convents of Old Goa.

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31.

In many parts of Goa, mansions constructed in the Indo-Portuguese style architecture still stand, though, in some villages, most of them are in a dilapidated condition.

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32.

Goa has three important museums: the Goa State Museum, the Naval Aviation Museum and the National Institute of Oceanography.

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33.

Museum of Goa is a privately owned contemporary art gallery in Pilerne Industrial Estate, near Calangute.

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34.

Many famous Indian classical singers hail from Goa, including Mogubai Kurdikar, Kishori Amonkar, Kesarbai Kerkar, Jitendra Abhisheki and Pandit Prabhakar Karekar.

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35.

Perni Jagor is the ancient mask dance – drama of Goa, performed by Perni families, using well crafted and painted wooden masks, depicting various animals, birds, super natural power, deities, demons, and social characters.

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36.

Since 2004, starting from the 35th edition, the International Film Festival of India moved its permanent venue to Goa, it is annually held in the months of November and December.

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37.

Goa is served by almost all television channels available in India.

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38.

The Times of India has recently started publication from Goa itself, serving the local population news directly from the state capital.

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39.

On 22 December 1959 the Associacao de Futebol de Goa was formed, which continues to administer the game in the state under the new name Goa Football Association.

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40.

Goa has its own state football team and league, the Goa Professional League.

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41.

Goa had India's earliest educational institutions built with European support.

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42.

Some notable schools in Goa include Sharada Mandir School in Miramar, Loyola High School in Margao and The King's School in Sao Jose de Areal.

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43.

The Indian Institute of Technology Goa began functioning from its temporary campus, located in Goa Engineering College since 2016.

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44.

Goa International Airport, is a civil enclave at INS Hansa, a Naval airfield located at Dabolim near Vasco da Gama.

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45.

However, public transport in Goa is less developed, and residents depend heavily on their own transportation, usually motorised two-wheelers and small family cars.

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46.

River crossings in Goa are serviced by flat-bottomed ferry boats, operated by the river navigation department.

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47.

Goa has two rail lines – one run by the South Western Railway and the other by the Konkan Railway.

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