Official Language – Konkani (language has no script)
Famous Festival – Dussehra
Pearl of the East – Goa
Tourist Paradise – Goa
Area - 3702 sq.km
Population - 1,457,723 (2011 census)
Economy Size - US$ 9.569 billion
Literacy - 88.70 %
Important Facts of Goa
The Indian place which is under foreign rule for most years.
India's smallest state by area
Goa is the state having shortest coastline in India having a distance of 160 km.
Indian state with least number of districts (North Goa and South Goa).
Least Poverty State in India
The state having least number of MLAs, Lok Sabha MPs and Rajya Sabha MPs in South India.
Goa was the first state to ban Gutka and other `injurious food products’ under Public Health Act in India (2005).
The South Indian state having less forest area.
First indian state to set up Uniform Civil Code as per Article 44.
The first Indian state to exclude Gandhi Jayanti from list of holidays.
Hindu and Christians contribute 95 percent of population and the rest of 5 percent contribute Muslims.
The first Indian state to introduce E-mail system in Govt Offices.
Afonso de Albuquerque captured Goa from the Sultanate of Bijapur in 1510.
Portuguese army killed Kunjali – 4 at Goa in 1600.
The first printing press in India was started in AD 1576 by the Jesuit missionaries in Goa.
Albuquerque attacked Goa at the behest of chief Thimayya, who was a local leader.
Goa is mentioned in ancient scripts as Gomantak.
Ptolemy mentions Goa as Aparanta in the third century B.C.
It is the first state to establish post office in all villages.
India had a Post Office in Antarctic Circle and it is the first post office of India to start abroad. That Post Office was part of Dakshin Gangotri and it was working under Goa Postal Division.
The first Indian expedition to Antarctica was leaved from Goa in the MV Polar Circle Ship in 1981.
In 1999, Goa became the first state to introduce Electronic Voting Machines in all of its legislative assembly constituencies.
It is the south Indian state, which has the least number of members in legislative assembly.
It is the first place, where printing press is established in India.
It is the first state, where skybus project came into existence in India.
The administrative capital of Goa is Panaji.
It is the continuous venue of international film festival.
The major harbor of India which is located in Goa is Mormugao.
The biggest Christian church of India, Se Cathedral is located in Old Goa.
The lengthiest rail tunnel in South India, karbude tunnel (konkan railway) is located.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Goa are Basilica of Bom Jesus and Churches & Convents of Old Goa.
Basilica of Bom Jesus is located in Panaji, where the mortal remains of St. Xaviers is preserved.
INS Hansa, which is an Indian naval air station located at Dabolim in Goa.
The airport of Goa is Dabolim Airport.
The headquarters of National Institute of Oceanography is located at Dona Paula, Goa.
Konkani Language Institute is located at Kochi.
National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research is located at Vasco da Gama, Goa.
Indian Institute of Horticultural Research and National Institute of Water Sports are located at Goa.
The only Naval Aviation Museum of Asia is located.
Gomant Vibhushan is the highest civilian honor of Goa State.
Kaju Feni is a unique brandy produced in Goa. It is prepared from cashew nut.
Dona Paula, Miramar and Calangute are the famous beaches.
Mandovi and Zuari are the famous rivers.
Mandovi River is the lifeline of the state.
Mormugao port is located at the confluence of Mandovi and Zuari rivers.
Panaji city is located on the banks of Mandovi River.
Dudhsagar is the famous waterfalls of the state. It is located at Mandovi River.
Goa is the last joined European colony to India.
Operation Vijay, an operation led by Indian Military for the capture of Goa, Daman and Diu from Portuguese administration in 1961. After 36 hours, Goa is liberated.
The Defence Minister of India during Goa liberation is V.K.Krishna Menon. He called this liberation a ‘Police Action’.
Major General KP Candeth is the leader of Goa Liberation.
The theme of first movie acted by Amitabh Bachchan is Goa Liberation. The name of the movie is Saat Hindustani.
The Goa Inquisition was an expansion of the Portuguese Inquisition during colonial period in India. The Inquisition was introduced for the forced conversion of Indian dominions to maintain the Roman Catholic Orthodoxy.
