Where Is Goa? Geography of India's Smallest State

Location on the Konkan Coast

Goa is situated on the western coast of India, in the Konkan region—a narrow coastal plain bounded by the Western Ghats (Sahyadri hills) to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west.

Boundaries

• North: Maharashtra (Sindhudurg district) — marked by the Terekhol River
• East & South: Karnataka (Belgaum, Uttara Kannada districts) — Western Ghats escarpment
• West: Arabian Sea — 101 km (63 mi) coastline

Coordinates & Scale

• Latitude: 14°53′N to 15°48′N
• Longitude: 73°40′E to 74°20′E
• Area: 3,702 km² (1,429 sq mi) — India's smallest state
• Dimensions: ~105 km N–S, ~65 km E–W at widest

Districts & Key Cities

• North Goa: Panaji (capital), Mapusa, Calangute, Baga, Anjuna, Vagator, Pernem
• South Goa: Margao (commercial hub), Vasco da Gama (port), Ponda, Quepem, Canacona (Palolem)

Strategic Significance

Goa's harbors (Mormugao, Panaji) made it a coveted port for millennia—Kadambas, Bahmanis, Vijayanagara, Adil Shahis, Portuguese (1510–1961). Today, it's India's premier beach tourism destination and a major iron-ore exporter (historically).

Access

• Air: Dabolim (GOI, naval enclave), Mopa/Manohar International (GOX, new greenfield)
• Rail: Konkan Railway (scenic coastal line), South Western Railway (via Londa)
• Road: NH 66 (coastal), NH 4A / NH 748 (to Belgaum/Bengaluru), NH 566 (to Ponda)