Context: On the Statehood Day of Goa (30th May), the Prime Minister greeted the people of the state and praised the traditions and culture of the state highlighting its contributions to the national progress.
Its Geography

• Goa is basically an Indian state which is located on the southwestern coast of India within the region known as the Konkan. It is geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats.
• It is surrounded by Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the east and south, with the Arabian Sea forming its western coast.

Its History
Relation to Ancient World

• Rock art engravings found in Goa exhibit the earliest traces of human life in India.
• Rock art engravings (petroglyphs) are present on laterite platforms and granite boulders in Usgalimal near the west flowing Kushavati river and in Kajur.
• Evidence of Palaeolithic life is visible at various places in Goa including Dabolim, Adkon, Shigao, Fatorpa, Arli, Maulinguinim, Diwar, Sanguem, Pilerne, and Aquem-Margaon.

Relation to Medieval World

• Goa was part of the Maurya Empire, ruled by the Buddhist emperor, Ashoka of Magadha, during 3rd century B.C.
• Buddhist monks laid the foundation of Buddhism in Goa.
• Goa was ruled by the Bhojas of Goa, between the 2nd century BC and the 6th century AD.
• It was also ruled by Chutus of Karwar, as feudatories of the Satavahanas of Kolhapur during the 2nd century B.C. to 2nd century A.D.)
• Goa came under the governance of the Delhi Sultanate in 1312.
• By 1370, it was surrendered to Harihara I of Vijayanagar Empire.

Relation to Portuguese

• In 1510, the ruling Bijapur sultan Yusuf Adil Shah was defeated by the Portuguese with the help of a local ally, Timayya.
• They set up a permanent settlement in Velha Goa. In 1843 the Portuguese moved the capital to Panaji from Velha Goa.
• This was the beginning of Portuguese colonial rule in Goa that would last for four and a half centuries, until its annexation in 1961.

Annexation of Goa

• India requested that Portuguese territories on the Indian subcontinent be ceded to India after Indian independence in 1947. However, the Portugal refused to negotiate.
• On 19 December 1961, Operation Vijay was launched by the Indian Army which ultimately resulted in the annexation of Goa, and of Daman and Diu islands into the Indian union.
• Initially, Goa, along with Daman and Diu, was organised as a centrally administered union territory of India.
• On 30 May 1987, this combined union territory was split, and Goa was made India’s 25th state, with Daman and Diu remaining a union territory.

Current Goa

• It is India’s smallest state by area and the fourth-smallest by population.
• Goa has the highest GDP per capita among all Indian states which is two and a half times that of the country.
• It was ranked the best-placed state by the 11th Finance Commission for its infrastructure
• It was also ranked on top for the best quality of life in India by the National Commission on Population based on the 12 Indicators.
• Currently, there are 16 planned SEZs in Goa. However, the government of the state has recently decided to not allow any more Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Goa after strong opposition to them by political parties and the powerful Goa Catholic Church.
• The state is second in India after Kerala to achieve a 100% automatic telephone system with a solid network of telephone exchanges.
• Goa is also one of the few states in India to achieve 100% rural electrification.
• Goa is the state with highest proportion of urban population with 62.17% of the population living in urban areas.
• It is also the state with lowest proportion of Scheduled Tribes at 0.04%.
• Konkani is spoken as a native language by about 66.11% of the people in the state and is sole official language of Goa.
• According to the 2011 census, Goa has 66.1% Hindu, 25.1% Christian, 8.3% Muslim and 0.1% Sikh.
• Goa stands 6th in the Top 10 Nightlife cities in the world in National Geographic Travel.
• Patnem beach in Palolem stood third in CNN Travel’s Top 20 Beaches in Asia.
• Goa has two World Heritage Sites: Bom Jesus Basilica and Churches and convents of Old Goa.
• The Gomant Vibhushan Award, the highest civilian honour of the State of Goa.
• Traditional Goan art forms are Dekhnni, Fugdi, Corridinho, Mando, Dulpod and Fado.
• Goa, along with West Bengal and Kerala is the locus of football in India.