{{Unreferenced, date=November 2008 GoaConquistas

''As Velhas Conquistas'' or "the Old Conquests" are a grouping of the areas in

Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...

which were incorporated into Portuguese India early in the sixteenth century AD; as these areas underwent urbanisation they were elevated to ''

concelho Concelho () is the Portuguese-language term for municipality, referring to the territorial subdivision in local government. In comparison, the word ''município'' () refers to the organs of State. This differentiation is still in use in Portugal ...

s'' (municipalities) by the Portuguese Viceroyalty that ruled from the administrative centre at

Velha Goa Old Goa ( Konkani: ; pt, Velha Goa, translation='Old Goa') is a historical site and city situated on the southern banks of the River Mandovi, within the Tiswadi ''taluka'' (''Ilhas'') of North Goa district, in the Indian state of Goa. The ...

. Having been acquired in AD 1510 or within the next few years, they formed the oldest parts and the core of

Portuguese Goa Old Goa ( Konkani: ; pt, Velha Goa, translation='Old Goa') is a historical site and city situated on the southern banks of the River Mandovi, within the Tiswadi ''taluka'' (''Ilhas'') of North Goa district, in the Indian state of Goa. The ...

and remain as the central theme in the history geography and culture of present-day

Goa and Damaon Goa, Daman and Diu (, ) was a union territory of the Republic of India established in 1961 following the annexation of Portuguese India, with Maj Gen K P Candeth as its first Military Governor. The Goa portion of the territory was granted ful ...

. The ''

Novas Conquistas The Novas Conquistas or "New Conquests" are a group of seven ''concelhos'' (administrative subdistricts or municipalities) of Goa and Damaon, officially known as Portuguese India. They were added into Goa in the eighteenth century AD, a comparat ...

'' or New Conquests formed the outer periphery of Goa bordering the erstwhile

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

. ''Novas Conquistas'' of present-day

shares borders with the

Konkan The Konkan ( kok, कोंकण) or Kokan () is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, running from Damaon in the north to Karwar in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau in the east. The hinterland ...

province of Maharashtra, and also with Belgaum and

North Canara Uttara Kannada is a district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Uttara Kannada District is a major coastal district of Karnataka, and currently holding the title of the largest district in Karnataka. It is bordered by the state of Goa and Bela ...

districts of Carnatica. The three ''concelhos'' of the territory are ''Bardes'' (

Bardez ''Bardez'' ( kok, Bardes; pt, Bardes; IPA: ) is a ''taluka'' of the North Goa district in the Indian state of Goa. It was a ''concelho'' in the Portuguese State of India before 1961. Etymology The name is credited to the Saraswat Br ...

), ''Ilhas de Goa'' (

Tiswadi Tiswadi ( pt, Ilhas de Goa, lit=Islands of Goa, or simply ''Ilhas'') is a sub-district in the district of North Goa, situated in the Indian coastal state of Goa. It is the largest and populous island of Goa situated in the basin of the Zua ...

), and ''Salcette'' (modern-day

Salcete Salcete ( Konkani: ''Saxtti''/''Xaxtti''; pt, Salcette) is a sub-division of the district of South Goa, in the state of Goa, situated by the west coast of India. The Sal river and its backwaters dominate the landscape of Salcete. His ...

and

Mormugao Mormugao is a seaport city situated in the eponymous Mormugao taluka (municipality) of the South district, in the Goa state, India. It has a deep natural harbour and remains Goa's chief port. Towards the end of the Indo-Portuguese era in 191 ...

talukas A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...

''). When writing postal addresses, ''Velhas Conquistas'' is abbreviated to "V.C." Technically and historically the enclaves of

Damaon Daman is one of the three districts of the Indian union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu on the western coast of India, surrounded by Valsad district of Gujarat state on the north, east and south and the Arabian Sea to the ...

and

Diu Island Diu Island, ''Ilha de Dio'' in Indo-Portuguese, is an island off the southern coast of Gujarat's Kathiawar peninsula, separated from the mainland by a tidal creek. It has an area of 40 km², and a population of 44,110 (2001 census). Adminis ...

which were settled by the Portuguese in 1523 AD are also part of the Old Conquests, however in

layman's terms Plain English (or layman's terms) are groups of words that are to be clear and easy to know. It usually avoids the use of rare words and uncommon euphemisms to explain the subject. Plain English wording is intended to be suitable for almost anyone, ...

and contemporary contexts ''Velhas Conquistas'' is taken to mean the westernmost and central portions of Goa, particularly the environs and neighbouring towns of the centuries-old city and capital of Ponnje. The Old Conquests are also the most socio-economically developed areas of Goa.

See also