Goa is situated on the west coast of India, bordered on the north by Maharashtra and on the east and south by Karnataka. The coastline on the west is about 105km long. The land mass of Goa consists of rain forests, rivers, lakes and lovely beaches. The landscape is dotted with Portuguese-style villas, Goan houses, mansions, churches, cathedrals and temples, in addition to the resorts and hotels that have come up recently. Variously referred to as ‘Rome of the East’ or ‘Pearl of the Orient’ in the olden days, Goa has become a favourite tourist spot the world over. For administrative purpose, Goa is divided into two districts, North and South. These districts are sub-divided into 11 talukas.
Climate : Bordering the sea, Goa has equitable climate. However, the pleasant period to visit Goa is from mid-November to mid-April when day temperatures are around 30 degrees Centigrade. From mid-April onwards, the humidity increases to saturation till it condenses and precipitates as rain in June, which continues till end of August or a little beyond. If you enjoy rain and the attendant greenery, monsoon is an ideal time to come to Goa. There is that added bonus of discounts on room tariffs, etc. Besides, the air is free of dust and other impurities having been cleaned by the rain showers.
The humidity is at its highest in the summer and quite low from September to early March. The temperature ranges from a pleasant 20°C during winter to a warm 35°C in summer.
Area : The state of Goa covers an area of 3,702 sq. km.
Altitude : From sea-level at the coast to an altitude of 1,022 metres above sea-level at its highest point in the Sahyadri Ghats.
Boundaries : On the Eastern and Southern boundaries lies the state of Karnataka; on the Western side the Arabian Sea and the state of Maharashtra lies on the Northern side.
Highest Mountain : Sonsogad in the Sahyadri range of the Western Ghats (3,827 feet).
Longest rivers :The Zuari (39 miles), and The Mandovi (38.5 miles)
Highways : Goa is connected by the National Highways - NH4A, NH17 and NH17A to the neighbouring states of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Airport : The only airport is the Goa Airport at Dabolim near the town of Vasco-da-Gama and the Mormugao Harbour handles both the domestic and the international flights.
Clothing required : Tropical clothing throughout the year. Light woollens during December and January. Rainwear in the Monsoons.
Tourist Season : October to February is peak season while June to September is off season.
Languages Spoken : English is widely spoken and understood in urban areas and to a lesser extent in the rural areas. Konkani, the official language, is most commonly used in day to day life.
Marathi and Hindi, the national language are also understood by most of the population. Portuguese once very popular all over the state, has rapidly declined since liberation in 1961 and today is used mostly by the elderly generation.
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