Vasco da Gama, Goa

Vasco da Gama
City
A view of the city
A view of the city
Map
Vasco in Goa
Coordinates: 15°23′53″N 73°48′40″E / 15.39806°N 73.81111°E / 15.39806; 73.81111
Country India
State Goa
DistrictSouth Goa
Sub-districtMormugao
Named forVasco da Gama
Elevation
43 m (141 ft)
Population
 • Total
100,000
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
403802
Area code91-832
Vehicle registrationGA-06
Official languageKonkani[2]
Websitewww.mmcvasco.com

Vasco da Gama (/ˌvæsk də ˈɡæmə/), often shortened to Vasco, is a city in the state of Goa on the west coast of India. It is named after the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama. It is the headquarters of the Mormugão taluka (subdistrict). The city lies on the western tip of the Mormugao peninsula, at the mouth of the Zuari River, about 30 kilometres (19 mi) from Panaji, Goa's capital, 28 kilometres (17 mi) from Margao, the district headquarters and about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from Dabolim Airport.

The city was founded in 1543 and remained in Portuguese hands until the 1961 Indian military operation that annexed Goa. The 1888-constructed Mormugao Port remains a busy shipping route in Asia. This port is built by the Portuguese king in alliance with Gali Sidhayya who is the then zamindar of the Goa region. It is one of the major ports of independent India.[3] The shipbuilding area of Goa Shipyard Limited that builds Indian Navy and Coast Guard vessels was also built there in 1957 (during the Portuguese era). Initially built around the city's harbour as the 'Estaleiros Navais de Goa', the area has, since the end of Portuguese presence, expanded into construction for several other branches of maritime patrol and security. The Indian Navy has an obvious presence here, with its vast campuses and ports, which include the naval base INS Hansa.[4]

  1. ^ "Maps of India-Vasco da Gama". Archived from the original on 21 April 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  2. ^ "The Goa, Daman and Diu Official Language Act, 1987" (PDF). indiacode.nic.in. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  3. ^ "Major ports cargo traffic up 4.83% in Apr–Nov". The Hindu: Business Line. 10 December 2018. Archived from the original on 5 November 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  4. ^ "Goa airport's runway deteriorating, may affect operations: Indian Navy". Hindustan Times. 11 May 2018. Archived from the original on 11 May 2018. Retrieved 12 December 2018.