Diu district

The district was historically part of the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. Mirroring the system of administrative division in Portugal, Diu district (Distrito de Diu) was established as an administrative division of the Portuguese State of India (Estado da Índia) in the first half of the 19th century. It was headed by a district governor, subordinate to the governor-general of Portuguese India in Goa. The district included the single municipality of Diu, which was further subdivided into civil parishes.[4]

It remained an overseas territory of Portugal until it was annexed by Indian forces on 19 December 1961. From 1961 to 1987, it was a part of the union territory of Goa, Daman and Diu. In 1987, it became a part of the newly formed union territory of Daman and Diu. In January 2020, the district became part of the new union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.[4]

Diu district occupies an area of 40 square kilometres (15 sq mi),[5]

It consists of Diu Island and a part on the mainland (the Ghogolá peninsula). 20 km East of Diu Island, is the small territory of Simbor.

According to the 2011 census Diu district has a population of 52,074,[3] roughly equal to the nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis.[6] This gives it a ranking of 631st in India (out of a total of 640).[3] The district has a population density of 1,301 inhabitants per square kilometre (3,370/sq mi) .[3] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 17.73%.[3] Diu has a sex ratio of 1030 females for every 1000 males,[3] and a literacy rate of 83.36%.[3]

Diu Island is twinned with the city of Loures, in Portugal.[7]

Diu is home to a few surviving buildings and monuments with Portuguese architecture. The best preserved are the churches and fortifications.

The nearest railway junction is Veraval, which is 90 km from Diu. Major cities like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh), Dwarka and Thiruvananthapuram are directly connected to Veraval Railway Station. Delwada is 8 km from Diu.

Churches and chapels

There has been a steady exodus of Christians from Diu[8] ever since the Invasion of 1961. This has led to many of their historic and religious sites being victims of disrepair, abandonment or conversion to secular use.

Major Church Buildings on Diu Island (Anticlockwise from top):
1. Churches of St. Paul and St. Thomas (Diu)
2. Church of St. Francis of Assisi (Diu)
3. Church of Our Lady of Remedes (Fudam)
4. Church of Our Lady of Mercy (Vanakbara)

Type	Portuguese Name	English Translation	Location	Current Status
Cathedral	Catedral de São Paulo (Sé)	Church of St. Paul	Diu Town	Active (demoted to church)
Church	Igreja de São Tomás	Church of St. Thomas	Diu Town	Secularized (Museum)
Church	Igreja de São Francisco de Assis	Church of St. Francis of Assisi	Diu Town	Secularized (Hospital)
Church	Igreja de São João de Deus	Church of St. John of God	Diu Town	Inactive (Ruins)
Church	unknown	Fort Church	Diu Fort	Inactive (Ruins)
Church	Igreja de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios	Church of Our Lady of Remedies	Podamo	Active
Church	Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Misericórdia	Church of Our Lady of Mercy	Brancavará	Inactive (Intact)
Convent[9]	Convento de Santa Ana	Convent of St. Anne	Diu Town	Active (School)
Chapel	Capela de São Tiago	Chapel of St. Tiago	Diu Fortress	Inactive (Ruins)
Chapel	Capela de Nossa Senhora da Vitória	Chapel of Our Lady of Victory	Fortim do Mar	Inactive (Ruins)

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