The district of Sindhudurg lies on southern part of the Indian plateau known as Konkan which is also known for its long coast line and safe harbours. Prior to formation the district constituted a part of Ratnagiri district, but due to administrative set up and for industrial and agricultural development a portion of Ratnagiri district was separated from it and named as Sindhudurg on May 1
st , 1981.
At present the district of Sindhudurg comprises of eight tehsils namely Sawantwadi, Kudal, Vengurla,Malvan,Devgad, Kankavli, Vaibhavwadi and Dodamarg.The word 'Konkan' is an Indian origin and of considerable antiquity but still the reason behind keeping its name as Konkan region is not properly known by the historians of present day.
Geographical Profile of the Sindhudurg District:
Sindhudurg district covers an area of around 5,207 sq.kms. The population of the District is 8,68,825 as per census of 2001. The modern township of Sindhudurg Nagari is the headquarters of Sindhudurg district . The district is surrounded by the Arabian Sea on the east, the Belgaum District (Karnataka state) and Goa on the South and the Ratnagiri district on the North.
Sindhudurg being a coastal district, the climate is generally moist and humid and the temperature variations during the day and throughout the seasons are not large. Sindhudurg is accessible by road on the NH-17 which passes through major towns of Kankavli, Kudal and Sawantwadi or by the picturesque journey on the Konkan Railway which stops at Kankavli,Sindhudurg, Kudal and Sawantwadi. The nearest airports are at Ratnagiri, Belgaum (Karnataka) and Dabolim (Goa).
District Statistics in Brief
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Geographical Details
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North Latitudes
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15.37 to 16.40
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East Longitude
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73.19 to 74.18
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Geographical Area
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5207 Sq.Kilometer.
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Climate :
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Min.Temp
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16.3 Celsius
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Max.Temp
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33.8 Celsius
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Rainfall :
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3,287mm ( Average )
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The average rainfall is very high but almost all the rainwater causes surface run off, due to undulating topography and lack of any water impounding major and medium structures.
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Important Rivers in Sindhudurg District
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1) Terekhol 2) Gad 3) Devgad 4) Karli 5) Vaghotan
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Statistical Details
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Population
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8,68,825
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Male
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4,17,890
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Female
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4,50,935
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Literacy
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80.30%
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Male
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90.30%
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Female
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71.20%
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Density
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167 Per Sq.Km.
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Sex Ratio
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1079 ( For 1000 Male)
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Tourist Destinations:
Amboli Hill Station: Amboli is a hill station near Sawantwadi . It is quite fascinating hill resort. The area is surrounded with dense forest. It is 26 k.m far from Sawantwadi and 539 k.m from Mumbai.
Sunset Point : In the evening sunset turns horizon into shades of orange, red and pink before being extinguished into deep blue waters of Arabian sea.
Hiranykeshi: This place is dedicated to Lord Shiva where pilgrims gather in large numbers during Mahashivratri. The Hiranykeshi river originates from mountain rock and flows down from this place.
Sindhudurg Fort: Maratha king Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj built this fort on island of 'kurte'. At that time Malvan was used for ship building & repairing works. It was a planned city with market area, residence, offices etc. In Sindhudurg Fort there is 'Shri Shivarajeshwar temple' of King Shivaji.
Sawantwadi Palace: The palace was built by Khem Sawant Bhosale ruler of princely state Sunderwadi during 1755-1803. In the later year an entry gate was built in 1895.
Besides this are various other attracting places inviting tourists towards them.
Connectivity: The district is well connected to all the modes of transport. The airports nearer to Sindhudurg are located at Ratnagiri, Belgaum (Karnataka) and Dabolim (Goa). It has good road and rail links with Goa and Bombay. With 7 railway stations, a 103 Km stretch of Konkan Railway line passes through this district. National Highway 17 also passes through the district.
For more information about Sindhudurg explore here