The entire State comprises 11 talukas. For the purpose of implementation of development programmes the State is divided into 12 community development blocks. As per 2001 census, the population of the State is 13,42,998. Administratively the State is organised into two districts North Goa comprising six talukas with a total area of 1736 sq. kms. and South Goa comprising five talukas with an area of 1966 sq. kilometers. In all there are 383 villages of which 233 are in North Goa district and 15 in South Goa district. As per the 2001 census, there are 44 towns of which 14 are Municipalities and remaining are census towns.

Brief History Of Goa
For 450 years the Portuguese ruled Goa. Began when Vasco De Gama, an intrepid Portuguese mariner, discovered the sea route to India and landed at Calicut in May 1498.

Twelve years later Afonso de Albuquerque, a daring soldier, conquered Goa. And so began an era of changing fortunes and attitudes, of splendour and greed, pomp and misery, the tyranny of conquerors and the compassion of missionaries, the daring of adventures and the abnegation of martyrs.

The Portuguese did not quite realise four centuries later that they had overstayed their welcome and that it was time for them to leave Goa and allow it to be re-united with India. Eventually, they were ousted from Goa, after an armed action ordered by the Government of India, on 19th December 1961.

People : The people of Goa are generally peace loving and stay in complete amity and religious harmony though their customs, religions, practices, culture are different. Their hospitable nature is known worldwide. The population of State comprises of Hindus, Christians, Muslims and others. The State is an excellent example of religions harmony. There is no abject poverty in the State. Per Capita income of the State is one of the highest in the Country. The staple food of the people of Goa is mainly rice, curry, fish, vegetable and meat.

Goa Beaches : Of the 75 miles of coast line in the Indian State of Goa, over 50 miles of it is beach. Warm, inviting, near-tropical beach. And while the rest of Goa - its culture, food, inland scenery, and cities - are all well worth visiting, Goa's beaches are what makes the state one of India's major tourist attractions.

Goa's coast faces the Arabian Sea and runs in almost a straight, uninterrupted line - broken only by the outlets of the state's seven rivers.

There are acceptable beaches in the area of Goa's capital, Panaji. But while the beaches around Panaji are clean and acceptable, there is no need for a visitor to Goa to settle for beaches that are simple "acceptable".

Languages : Konkani is the official language of Goa which is written in Devanagri script. The other main languages spoken in the state are Marathi, Kannada and Urdu. Gujarati and Hindi are also spoken by a considerable number of population of the state.