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Goa is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in West
India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by
Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its western coast. Goa is India's richest state with a GDP per capita two and a half times that of the country as a whole. It was ranked the best placed state by the
Eleventh
Finance
Commission
for its infrastructure and ranked on top for the best quality of life in India by the National Commission on Population based on the 12 Indicators.
Panaji is the state's capital, while
Vasco da Gama is the largest city. The historic city of
Margao still exhibits the cultural influence of the
Portuguese, who first landed in the early 16th century
CLIMATE
Goa features a tropical monsoon climate under the
Köppen
climate classification. Goa, being in the tropical zone and near the
Arabian Sea, has a hot and humid climate for most of the year. The month of May is the hottest, seeing day temperatures of over 35 °C (95 °F) coupled with high humidity. The monsoon rains arrive by early June and provide a much needed respite from the heat. Most of Goa's annual rainfall is received through the monsoons which last till late September.
Goa has a short winter season between mid-December and February.
These months are marked by nights of around 21 °C (70 °F) and days of around 28 °C (82 °F) with moderate amounts of humidity. Further inland, due to altitudinal gradation, the nights are a few degrees cooler.
Food
Ice with fish curry (xit kodi in Konkani) is the staple diet in Goa. Goan cuisine is famous for its rich variety of fish dishes cooked with elaborate recipes. Coconut and coconut oil are widely used in Goan cooking along with chili peppers, spices, and vinegar giving the food a unique flavour.
Goan food may be divided into Goan