Goa is India's smallest state in terms of area and the
fourth smallest in terms of population. Located on the west
coast of 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. Panaji is the state's capital. Vasco da
Gama is the largest city. The historic city of Margao still
exhibits the influence of Portuguese culture. With the rule of
the Portuguese for over 450 years and the consequential
influence of the Latin culture, Goa presents a somewhat
different picture to the foreign visitor than any other part
of the country. 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 a biodiversity
hotspot. In the February 1999 issue of National Geographic
Magazine, Goa was compared with the Amazon and Congo basins
for its rich tropical biodiversity.
Goa's known history stretches back to the third century BCE,
when it formed part of the Mauryan Empire, ruled by emperor
Ashoka. In 1510, the Portuguese defeated the ruling Bijapur
kings leading to the establishment of a permanent settlement
in Velha Goa (or Old Goa). The Portuguese converted a large
portion of their subjects in Goa to Christianity. 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 army
commenced 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.
