The western coast of the Indian Peninsula is adorned by the charming State of Goa. The geography of Goa is very interesting. Terekhol River separates Goa from the State of Maharashtra in the north. Goa shares its borders with Karnataka in the south. The Western Ghats are located to the east of Goa while the Arabian Sea is situated in the West. Tourists coming to Goa from foreign countries can find out the local time over there by just adding five and half hours to GMT.
Knowing about the geography of Goa involves getting to know in details about its physical features. The total land area of the State is approximately 3702 sq. kms. The whole State of Goa can be divided into four main regions:
1.The Eastern Hill – This region is composed of some of the regions of Western Ghats such as Ponda, Sanguem, Sattari and Canacona.
2.The Central Valley Lands – This region in Goa comprises Eastern Sanguem, Pernem, Ponda, Quepem and Bicholim.
3.The Flood Plains – The rolling uplands and the coastal plains make up this region of Goa.
4.The Coastal Plains – Bardez, Mormugao, Salcete and Tiswadi create this important region of Goa.
Talking about the geography of Goa would be incomplete without mentioning the rivers and streams that flow through this State. Following are the names of the major rivers that you can find in Goa:
- Chapora
- Talpona
- Galgibagh
- Tiracol
- Zuari
- Sal
- Mandovi
The most important lakes of Goa are:
Various civilizations have grown on the banks of rivers. Many economically important cities around the world are the ones that are sea ports. The waterways have always been an important factor for boosting the economy of a place. The rivers of Goa have played the same role for the cultural and economic development of the place. The rivers are very convenient for navigation. They help a lot in transporting ores to the Mormugao port. From there they are exported to various countries of the world.
In terms of area, Goa is the smallest State in India. Population wise it is the fourth smallest State. Panaji (Panjim) is the capital city of Goa while the largest city is Vasco da Gama (Vasco). To get a taste of the Portuguese culture, one must visit Margao in Goa. Thousands of national as well as international tourists throng the exotic beaches of Goa. So, gather all information about the geography of Goa, before you set out on your trip to this wonderful place.
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