Dadra and Nagar Haveli is a union territory in the Western Part of India. The UT is landlocked between the State of Maharashtra and Gujarat. There are two major geographical regions here, one is the Nagar Haveli and the smaller one is the enclave of Dadra. Silvassa is the Capital and Administrative head of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
History
Dadra and Nagar Haveli have a long history. It was ruled by the Marathas and the Rajputs. However, this was not in British India. In fact, Dadra and Nagar Haveli was part of Portuguese India along with Goa, Daman, and Diu. In 1954, the Portuguese rule ended here and it was ruled as Free State till 1961. In 1961, it was formerly included in the Union Republic of India. Since then it has been a Union Territory. It has the population of 342,853 as per 2011 Census and it is ranked 33rd including all the states.
Geography
It is located in the watershed of Daman Ganga River. This is a part of the North Western Ghats and is covered with deciduous forests. In fact, 43% of the land of Dadra and Nagar Haveli is covered with forests. 2.45% of which is the protected forests. The climate is tropical here as it is very close to the west coast. It receives adequate rainfall and in fact highest in Western India. It is around 18 Km away from Vapi, Gujarat which is the nearest Railway Station. Dadra and Nagar Haveli is around 180 Km away from Mumbai and 140 Km away from Surat City.
Economy
Dadra and Haveli are one of the fastest growing economic regions in India. 60% people of this UT are into agriculture. Paddy, Sugarcane, Jowar, Ragi, Tur, and others are major crops. Industrialization has seen a big increase in Dadra and Nagar Haveli due to fewer tax implications. Industries are growing and the employment of this Union Territory growing at a rate of 5% per anum.
Culture
Dadra and Nagar Haveli mostly have the tribal local people. They are spread across the geographies in this area. However, due to the growing industry and employment opportunities, people from all over the country are migrating here and making it more of a cosmopolitan region. The major languages spoken are Dhodia, Kokna, Gujarati, Hindi, and English. The major tribes present here are Dhodia, Kokna, Warli, Kathodia, Varnas, and others.