North Goa district उत्तर गोंय |
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District of Goa | |
Location of North Goa district in Goa |
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Country | India |
State | Goa |
Administrative division | N/A |
Headquarters | Panaji |
Tehsils | 1.Illhas de Goa, 2.Bardez, 3.Pernem, 4.Bicholim, 5.Sattari, 6.Ponda |
Government | |
• District collector | . |
• Lok Sabha constituencies | North Goa |
Area | |
• Total | 1,736 km2 (670 sq mi) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 817,761 |
• Density | 470/km2 (1,200/sq mi) |
• Urban | 60.28% |
Demographics | |
• Literacy | 89.57 |
• Sex ratio | 963 |
Major highways | 1.National Highway 17, 2.National Highway 4A |
Average annual precipitation | 320 cm (June to September) mm |
Website | Official website |
North Goa is one of the two districts that make up the state of Goa, India. The district has an area of 1736 km², and is bounded by Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra state to the north and by Belgaum district of Karnataka to the east, by South Goa District to the south, and by the Arabian Sea to the west.
Much of the today's North Goa territories (Pernem, Bicholim, and Sattari) were under the Kingdom of Sawantwadi. While Ponda was sometimes with Sunda Kingdom or Marathas or Kingdom of Sawantwadi. Hence these territories were seen as safe haven for the Hindus who were living under continuous fear of the Portuguese Inquisition. These territories were conquered by Portuguese as part of New Conquest in late 18th centuries. These territories then remain with the Portuguese till 1961 when it was annexed by India.
Goa and two other former Portuguese enclaves became the union territory of Goa, Daman and Diu, and Goa was organised into a single district in 1965. On 30 May 1987, Goa attained statehood (while Daman and Diu remained a union territory), and Goa was reorganised into two districts, North Goa and South Goa.
Lured by the thrill of discovery and goaded by the prospect of seeking Christians and spices Portugal embarked on perilous voyages to the Orient which culminated in Bartholomew Dias’ trip round the Cape of Good Hope. This spectacular breakthrough opened new vistas. A decade later Vasco Da Gama set off eastwards and in 1498 landed in Calicut and broke the Arab monopoly of trade.
Fired with the dream of establishing an Eastern Empire for Portugal, Afonso De Albuquerque, Governor-General of Goa, set to acquire stragetic centers also the trade route. At the invitation of the Admiral of the Vijayanagar’s fleet, he occupied Goa with little initial opposition. Though temporarily routed, he triumphantly regained possession of the city on November 25, 1510 and kneeling in the public square he dedicated Goa to St. Catherine whose feast was on that day.