Daman and Diu

Daman and Diu is a union territory in India. For over 450 years these coastal enclaves on the Arabian Sea coast were part of Portuguese India, along with Goa and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Goa, Daman, and Diu were occupied by the Republic of India on December 19, 1961; Portugal did not recognize Indian rule in these territories until 1974. Goa, Daman, and Diu were administered as part of a single union territory until 1987, when Goa was granted statehood, leaving Daman and Diu as a separate union territory; each enclave constitutes one of the union territory’s two districts.

Daman and Diu is the second smallest union territory of India. During the early period, Daman and Diu were part of Goa. It was only in 1987, when Goa become a full fledged state, that Daman and Diu was separated from Goa. These three different land blocks on the west coast of India had come to form one political unit after liberation from the erstwhile Portuguese regime in 1961.

Area : 112 square kilometers.
Capital : Daman
Population : 1.1 Lakh
Population (2001) 158,059
Districts 2
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Official language(s) Gujarati, Marathi, English
Language : Gujarati and Marathi

Climate : The altitude of the Daman Diu islands is 12 meters. And the climate that prevails in these islands have the temperature in summer as Maximum 36 c and minimum is 20 c while in the winter season the maximum tamperature is 26 c and minimum is 20 c,The best season to visit the place is from October to May.

People : The people of Daman and Diu are not different from the people in the adjoining Gujarat area. They have same outlook and the same customs and traditions. The population comprises of Hindus and few Christians and Muslims.

History : From the 8th to 13th century,Daman and Diu was a part of Goa and was ruled by the Chowda Rajputs who were overpowered by the Muslims in 1330. After about 200 years it was conquered by the Portuguese who ruled Goa for 451 years (1510-1961).

When Bahadur Shah,Sultan of Gujarat,was attacked by the Mughal Emperor Humayun he entered into a defensive alliance with the Portuguese and allowed them in 1535 to construct a fortress on the Island and maintain a garrison there. Later several attempts were made by the rulers of Gujarat in 1536,1545 and 1546 respectively to oust the Portuguese from the Fort of Diu but to no avail.

By the Treaty of 1543 the cessation of Diu to the Portuguese was finally confirmed. The fortress of Diu,an imposing structure was reconstructed after the siege of 1545 by Dom Joao de Castro. By the middle of the 16th century the Portuguese were able to annex Salcete and Bardez Talukas and the coastal areas,north of Bombay and the pockets of Daman and Diu.

In 1670, a small armed band of the Arabs of Muscat plundered the fortress,ending the colonial rule. The different land blocks on the west coast of India,Daman,Diu and Goa came to form one political unit after liberation from the erstwhile Portuguese regime in 1961. In 1987,when Goa become a full fledged state, Daman and Diu was separated from Goa.