Mohitjikumar32 at 14:54, 16 December 2025

2025-12-16T14:54:12Z

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{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Diu Island
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| other_name =
| settlement_type = Island
| image_skyline = Diu_fort,_India.JPG
| image_caption = Diu Fort
| image_map = [[File:Diu Island Map.png|250px]]
| map_caption = Map of Diu Island showing major features
| pushpin_map = India Gujarat
| mapsize = 150px
| subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[Union Territory]]
| subdivision_name1 = {{flagicon image|Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu emblem.png}} [[Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Districts of Daman and Diu|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Diu District|Diu]]
| founder =
| named_for =
| leader_title =
| leader_name =
| established_title =
| established_date =
| area_total_km2 = 38.8
| area_footnotes =
| population_as_of = 2015
| population_total = 44215
| population_density_km2 = auto
| timezone = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset = +5:00
| coordinates = {{coord|20|42|53.9|N|70|59|26.1|E|region:PK|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_m = 8
| postal_code_type = Postcode
| postal_code =
| Post Office Name =
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code =
| government_type = [[Panchayati raj|Panchayat]]
| website = www.diu.gov.in
| footnotes =
}}

'''Diu Island''' is an island off the southern coast of [[Gujarat|Gujarat's]] [[Kathiawar]] peninsula, separated from the mainland by a [[creek (tidal)|tidal creek]]. It has an area of 38 km2, and a population of 44,110 (2001 census).

Administratively it belongs to the [[Diu district]] of the [[Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu]] union territory of India, both [[Daman and Diu Lok Sabha constituency|Damaon and Diu]] share the same elected representative as the [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha|member of parliament]]. The island lies 5 km to the east of [[Diu Head]].
[[File:Diu map1729.jpg|thumb|Map of Diu, 1729 (G. Child Sculpt., engraved by G. Child)]]
The town of [[Diu, India|Diu]] and [[Diu Fort]] are located on the island. There is also a domestic airport, [[Diu Airport]].

==History==
Throughout the 15th century, especially under [[Muzaffar Han]], Diu flourished as a major port of the [[Gujarat]]i state, with a notable fleet. From 1510, it became the seat of the governors of [[Surat]]. In 1535, the viceroy [[Nuno da Cunha]] made a treaty with Bahadur Sah, the sultan of [[Khambhat]], for the use of the port by Portugal. Despite several attacks by Ottomans and Arabs, the Portuguese, who by 1541 had completed their massive fort, would remain in control of the island until 1961, when it became a union territory with [[Daman, India|Daman]].<ref name=Aethiopica173>{{cite book |editor-last1=Uhlig |editor-first1=Siegbert |editor-last2=Bausi |editor-first2=Alessandro |editor-last3=Yimam |editor-first3=Baye |date=2003 |title=Encyclopaedia Aethiopica: D-Ha |publisher=Harrassowitz |location=Wiesbaden |pages=173–174 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oFhyAAAAMAAJ |access-date= |isbn=9783447052382 |issn= |oclc= }}</ref>

The Ethiopian highlands, through the ports of [[Massawa]] and [[Zeila]], imported Indian textiles and exported to the island slaves, wax, butter, [[civet]] and ivory. A population of Ethiopian slaves is reported in Portuguese sources to have lived in Diu and in the neighbouring area in the early 16th century.<ref name=Aethiopica173/>

==Churches==
[[File:Major Churches of Diu Island.jpg|thumb|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)]]

===[[St. Paul's Church, Diu|St Paul's Church]]===
The construction of this church was begun in 1601 and completed by 1610. The Church was dedicated to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception in 1691. Illuminated by flood lights (by night time), the main façade of the church is perhaps the most elaborate of all Portuguese churches in India.{{according to whom|date=June 2023}} In architectural style, the church is Gothic and resembles the Bom Jesus Church at [[Old Goa]]. The wood panelling of the church is rated one of the best in church craftsmanship.{{according to whom|date=June 2023}} The church is adorned with volutes, shell-like motifs and wood carvings.<ref name=tour>{{Cite web|url=http://www.damandiutourism.com/paul-church-diu-india.php|title=St. Paul's Church, Diu - India ...|accessdate=2009-10-18|publisher=Official Website of Daman and Diu Tourism Department|archive-date=2009-11-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091122205513/http://www.damandiutourism.com/paul-church-diu-india.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===St. Thomas Church===
Now a museum, the old St. Thomas Church houses antique statues, various stone inscriptions of the earlier rulers, wooden carvings and idols. The Gothic edifice was built in 1598. A part of it has been converted into a museum. The artifacts displayed date back to the 16th century and beyond.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shetty |first1=Sneha |title=Have you visited these churches in Diu? |url=https://www.india.com/travel/articles/have-you-visited-these-churches-in-diu-3237043/ |website=india.com |access-date=4 January 2021}}</ref>

==Forts==

===Diu Fort===
[[File:Diu Fortress, Jan. 2010.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Diu Fort]]
The [[Fort Diu|Diu Fort]] is administered by the Government of India. The fort was built by the Portuguese during their colonial rule of the Diu island. The town of Diu is located to the west of the fort. The fort was built in 1535, subsequent to a defense alliance forged by Bahadur Shah, the [[Gujarat Sultanate|Sultan of Gujarat]] and the Portuguese when Humayun, the [[Mughals|Mughal Emperor]], waged war to annex this territory. Some additions were made in 1541 and the fort was strengthened over the years until 1546. The Portuguese ruled over this territory from 1537 until 1961. They were forced to leave in December 1961, during the [[Indian annexation of Goa]], after which Diu became a centrally administered Union Territory.<ref name=Ramchandani>{{Cite book|last= Ramchandani|first= Indu|author2=Dale Hoiberg|title= Students' Britannica India: Select essays|work= Diu Fort|pages=398–400|access-date=2009-10-14|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-xzljvnQ1vAC&q=Diu+Fort&pg=PA398|publisher= Popular Prakashan|year=2000|isbn=978-0-85229-762-9}}</ref>

The fort, with its double moat, is fairly well-preserved, but years of sea erosion and neglect are leading to its slow collapse. Cannonballs litter the place, and the ramparts have an array of cannons. The lighthouse is Diu's highest point, with a beam that reaches 32 km in every direction. There are several small chapels, one holding engraved tombstone fragments. Part of the fort also serves as the island's jail.<ref name=Elton>{{Cite book|last=Elton|first= Geoffrey Rudolph|title= The New Cambridge Modern History: The Reformation, 1520–1559|work= Europe and the East|page=673|publisher= Cambridge University Press|year=1990|isbn=978-0-521-34536-1}}</ref>

===Fortim do Mar===
Built right at the mouth of the creek, the fortress of [[Fortim do Mar]] (meaning ''Sea Fort'' in English or ''Pani-Kotha'' in Gujarati) is a stone structure in the sea. Approximately one nautical mile (1.852 km) from the Diu jetty, it also has a lighthouse and a small chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Sea.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fortim do Mar Diu |url=http://www.gujaratorbit.com/archeology-in-gujarat/fortim-do-mar/fortim-do-mar.html |website=Gujarat Orbit |access-date=4 January 2021}}</ref>


{{Wikivoyage|Diu}}

==Settlements==
The town of [[Diu, India|Diu]] and most of the district's villages and settlements are on
Diu Island. Many of these places [[Renaming of cities in India|have been renamed]] since the [[Annexation of Goa|Invasion of 1961]].

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Settlement type
! Portuguese name
! Indian name
|-
| Town
| [[Diu, India|Diu]]
| Diu
|-
| Village
| [[Fudam (Diu)|Podamo]]
| Fudam
|-
| Village
| [[Bucharwada (Diu)|Bunxivará]]
| Bucharwada
|-
| Settlement
| Dangarvadi
| Dangarwadi
|-
| Village
| [[Vanakbara (Diu)|Brancavará]]
| Vanakbara
|-
| Uninhabited
| [[Fortim do Mar (Diu)|Fortim do Mar]]
| Pani Kota
|-
| Uninhabited
| [[Diu Fort|Castilo de Diu]]
| Diu Fortress
|-
|}

== See also ==
* {{Portal inline|Islands}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

[[Category:Diu district]]
[[Category:Islands of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu]]
[[Category:Islands of India]]
[[Category:Populated places in India]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Diu district]]

Diu Island - Revision history

Mohitjikumar32 at 14:54, 16 December 2025