Goa Geography :
Goa is a thin strip of land wedged between the Arabian Sea
on one side and the mountain range of the Western Ghats on
the other. The coastline of this tropical paradise stretches
for nearly 105 km. In the geographical context of India, the
state is just a tiny dot. Its area (3,702 square km) is
one-thousandth the size of the rest of India. But what it
lacks in size it makes up in mind-share and visibility
across India and beyond.
Its two neighbours are the large states of Maharashtra in
the north and northeast and Karnataka in the south and
southeast. It is divided into two administrative districts -
North and South, with the state capital Panaji (formerly
Panjim) located in the northern part and the airport Dabolim
in the south. Topographically, the three distinct areas into
which Goa falls are: the Western Ghats, the midland region
and the coastal region.
The Ghats are where all the seven major rivers of Goa
originate, while the interior region is the site of
large-scale open-cast mining and spice, fruit and areca nut
plantations. The coastal •egion, which makes up only a small
part of the state, is, however, its claim to fame. Apart
from its famous coastline, Goa is also made up of charming
towns, cities and many villages and to get a feel of real
Goa it is essential to explore the interior with its
spectacular churches and temples.
Goa is a land criss-crossed by rivers such as the Mandovi,
the Zuari, Chapora, Sal, Galgibagh, Terekhol (Tiracol), and
Talpona, and these provide useful routes for transporting
its main export commodity, iron and manganese ore, to the
Marmagao port, one of the best natural harbours in South
Asia.
Goa experiences tropical weather for most of the year and
temperatures do not vary much - between 19°C-32°C (66F-90F).
However, summer is at its hottest in May while the winter
months of January and February are pleasantly cool. The
Southwest monsoon hits the state between the months of June
and September and July receives the highest rainfall (3.8in
or 98mm), while February is the driest month.
About a third of Goa's total land area is still covered by
forests and the state is home to an impressive array of
fauna. The five wildlife sanctuaries spread over
approximately 760 square km amount to about 20 percent of
Goa's total land area. The Bhagwan Mahavir National
Sanctuary near Molem is the largest of Goa's wildlife
reserves. The mangroves along the tidal rivers are teeming
with birds and marine life.
