Goa is
a state located in the western region of India, 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. It
is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest
by population. Goa is one of India's richest states with a GDP per capita two
and a half times that of the country as a whole. 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.
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. Goa is a former Portuguese province; the
Portuguese overseas territory of Portuguese India existed for about
450 years until it was annexed by India in 1961.
Goa
is visited by large numbers of international and domestic tourists each year
for its beaches, places of worship and world heritage architecture. It
also has rich flora and fauna, owing to its location on
the Western Ghats range, which is classified as a biodiversity
hotspot.
