47 Facts About Goa

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.

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.

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

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

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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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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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