Goa: Sunshine state

For most of us, Goa stands for fun and frolic, but there is a lot more to India's smallest state than its tropical beaches and casinos. While a coastline of almost 30 km helps the state attract over 2.5 million tourists a year, the state also has thriving industrial and mining activities.

Given the large number of tourist inflows, almost 30 per cent of the state's population is employed by the tourism industry. Apart from its golden beaches, Goa has many feathers in its cap. This tiny state clocks a GDP growth of over 10 per cent, thanks to its thriving student traffic, agricultural and industrial activity. With Goa University as the centrepiece of all educational activity, the state boasts of several professional colleges, including engineering and polytechnics. It's this focus on education that has taken the literacy rate to 82 per cent.