Vasco da Gama (India)

Map of Goa. Port of Vasco. Vasco da Gama (often referred to as Vasco) is a city in the Indian state of Goa on the west coast of India. The city is located at the western end of the peninsula. Mormugao, at the mouth of the river Zuari, about 30 km from Panaji (Panjim), the capital of Goa, and about 5 km from Dabolim airport (GOI).

His name honors the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama. Vasco is the most populous city in Goa, with more than 100,000 inhabitants. The city hosts the headquarters of the taluka of Mormugao. The city was founded in 1543 by the Portuguese, quickly becoming one of the most active ports in India, remaining under Portuguese rule until 1961, when Goa was annexed to India. The Portuguese built a fort at Sada, near the point of land overlooking the Arabian Sea, which allowed them to control the movement of the ships to the river Zuari. The fort had its moment of glory in 1685, when Goa Vieja was attacked by King Sambhaji of the Marathas and the Portuguese along with the women and children took shelter there. The fort was abandoned shortly afterwards, despite plans to convert Mormugao into the capital of the Portuguese colony of Goa, and today there are only a few ruins of its walls.

The Indian Navy's Goa naval base is located in Vasco.

wiki