Diu district

History

The district was historically part of the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. Mirroring the system of administrative division in Portugal, Diu district (Distrito de Diu) was established as an administrative division of the Portuguese State of India (Estado da Índia) in the first half of the 19th century. It was headed by a district governor, subordinate to the governor-general of Portuguese India in Goa. The district included the single municipality of Diu, which was further subdivided into civil parishes.

It remained an overseas territory of Portugal until it was annexed by Indian forces on 19 December 1961. From 1961 to 1987, it was a part of the union territory of Goa, Daman and Diu. In 1987, it became a part of the newly formed union territory of Daman and Diu. In January 2020, the district became part of the new union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

Geography

Diu district occupies an area of 40 km2,

It consists of Diu Island and a part on the mainland (the Ghogolá peninsula). 20 km East of Diu Island, is the small territory of Simbor.

Sub-districts

Diu Island

The town of Diu and most of the district's villages and settlements are on Diu Island. Many of these places have been renamed since the Invasion of 1961.

Ghogholá

The area on the mainland borders Gir Somnath district of Gujarat. It contains the village of Ghogholá. The village lies on the mainland opposite the eastern end of the island .

Simbor

The tiny territory of Simbor, located about 25 km east of the town of Diu, is also part of the district. It has no permanent population.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Diu district has a population of 52,074, roughly equal to the nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis.{{cite web | author = US Directorate of Intelligence | title = Country Comparison: Population | url = https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070613004507/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 13 June 2007 | accessdate = 2011-10-01 | quote = Saint Kitts and Nevis 50,314 July 2011 est.

There is a small community of the variety of Indo-Portuguese creole spoken in the region known as Daman and Diu Portuguese Creole.

Sister cities

Diu Island is twinned with the city of Loures, in Portugal.

Landmarks

Diu is home to a few surviving buildings and monuments with Portuguese architecture. The best preserved are the churches and fortifications.

The nearest railway junction is Veraval, which is 90 km from Diu. Major cities like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh), Dwarka and Thiruvananthapuram are directly connected to Veraval Railway Station. Delwada is 8 km from Diu.

Churches and chapels

1. Churches of St. Paul and St. Thomas (Diu)

2. Church of St. Francis of Assisi (Diu)

3. Church of Our Lady of Remedes (Fudam)

4. Church of Our Lady of Mercy (Vanakbara)]] There has been a steady exodus of Christians from Diu ever since the Invasion of 1961. This has led to many of their historic and historic and religious sites being victims of abandonment, disrepair, conversion to secular use or demolishment.

Fortresses

Due to constant invasions from neighboring kingdoms as well as distant powers, the Portuguese built several fortifications all over the district. Most survived to this day, although some have little to no physical traces of their existence.

Beaches

• Nagoá Beach, most visited beach in on Diu.
• Ghogolá Beach, largest beach off the island of Diu.
• Chakratirth Beach
• Barra Beach
• Nadia Caves

Gallery

File:Diu Fort Fixed Cannons.JPG|Diu Fort Fixed Cannons File:Eglise St Thomas.jpg|St. Thomas Church, Diu File:Diu fort, India.JPG|Diu fort File:Nadia Caves of Diu.jpg|Nadia Caves of Diu File:PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF ST.PAUL CHURCH, DIU, INDIA (2012).jpg|St. Paul's Church, Diu File:Church in Nani Daman Fort.jpg|Church in Nani Daman Fort Altar of Se Cathedral.jpg|Se Cathedral File:View of Water Fort Prison from Diu Fort with watch tower of Diu Fort.JPG|View of Water Fort Prison from Diu Fort with watchtower of Diu Fort Wall of the Portuguese Fort of Diu.jpg|Portuguese Fort File:Diu shores in Monsoon.jpg|Diu shores in Monsoon

References

References

1. "Survey chapter: Diu Indo-Portuguese".
2. "Diu Indo-Portuguese at present".
3. (29 March 2016). "52nd Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India".
4. (1965). "Alguns aspectos demograficos de Goa, Damao e Dio: Some demographic aspects of Goa, Daman & Diu".
5. (4 December 2019). "Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu UTs merge for 'better admin efficiency, service': MoS Home".
6. (2011). "District Census 2011". Census2011.co.in.
7. "Diu History". U.T. Administration of Dadra & Nagar Haveli And Daman & Diu.
8. (2010). "India 2010: A Reference Annual". Additional Director General, Publications Division, [[Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)]], [[Government of India]].
9. "District at a Glance".
10. "Survey chapter: Diu Indo-Portuguese".
11. "Firangiwada Heritage Walk".
12. (2014). "Município – Cooperação externa – Diu". Câmara Municipal de Loures.
13. "Census: Population: by Religion: Christian: Daman and Diu".
14. "Schools in the territory of Diu during the Portuguese India".
15. "Diu".