Panaji (/ˈpʌnədʒi/), also known by its former name Panjim is the capital of the Indian state of Goa and the headquarters of North Goa district. It lies in the Ilhas de Goa sub-district (taluka). With a population of 114,759 in the metropolitan area, Panjim is Goas largest urban agglomeration, ahead of Margão and Vasco da Gama. Panjim is the administrative headquarter, which is also the capital of the state of Goa. The district forms part of a greater region called the Konkan. Nila Mohanan of the Indian Administrative Service is the District Collector. Konkani is the mother tongue of a majority of the people living in North Goa district. Marathi is spoken by a substantial number of people. English and Hindi are understood by a majority of the population. Portuguese is also spoken and understood by a small number of people. The nearest airport is Dabolim Airport which is 30 kilometers (19 miles) away. Panaji economy is based on tourism, hospitality or hotel and restaurants and trade and commerce of the city. It is interesting to note that tourism based art and artifacts also contribute towards the economy of Panaji. The administrative activities largely influence the economy of the city. Fishing employs a significant amount of the people in the state, though recent official figures indicate a decline of the importance of this sector and also a fall in catch, due perhaps, to traditional fishing giving way to large-scale mechanized trawling. Medium scale industries include the manufacturing of pesticides, fertilizers, tires, tubes, footwear, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, wheat products, steel rolling, fruits and fish canning, cashew nuts etc. Tourism is generally focused on the coastal areas of Goa, with decreased tourist activity inland. In 2010, there were more than 2 million tourists reported to have visited Goa, about 1.2 million of whom were from abroad. It lies on the banks of the Mandovi River estuary which is the primary river of the area. Most of Goas soil cover is made up of laterites rich in ferric-aluminum oxides and reddish in color. Further inland and along the riverbanks, the soil is mostly alluvial and loamy. The soil is rich in minerals and humus, thus conducive to agriculture. Some of the oldest rocks in the Indian subcontinent are found in Goa between Molem and Anmod on Goas border with Karnataka. Panjim was annexed by India with the rest of Goa and the former Portuguese territories after the Indian invasion of Portuguese Indiain 1961.It became a state-capital on Goas elevation to statehood in 1987. Between 1961 and 1987, it was the capital of the Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu. A new Legislative Assembly complex was inaugurated in March 2000, across the Mandovi River, in Alto Porvorim.
