Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu

All four enclaves share a Portuguese colonial past lasting over four centuries, longer than British rule over most of India. The Portuguese reached the Gujarat coast in the early 16th century. Diu was contested early and formally acquired by treaty in 1539 after the Gujarat Sultan conceded the island; Diu Fort, begun in 1535, anchored Portuguese control of Arabian Sea trade. Daman was occupied in 1559 after campaigns by Governor Constantino de Bragança. Inland, villages around Nagar Haveli were ceded by the Marathas in 1779 as compensation for a Portuguese ship lost to attack, formalising control in 1783.

Unlike Goa, which was freed by military action in 1961, Dadra and Nagar Haveli was liberated by volunteers. In July–August 1954, activists from the United Front of Goans and Azad Gomantak Dal entered and established a de facto Free Dadra and Nagar Haveli administration run by Varishta Panchayat. Portugal continued to claim the territory, and the International Court of Justice in 1960 upheld its right of passage. Formal annexation occurred on 11 August 1961, with Portugal recognising sovereignty only after the 1974 Carnation Revolution.

Daman and Diu were liberated as part of Operation Vijay on 19 December 1961, ending 451 years of Portuguese rule. From 1961 to 1987 they were part of the UT of Goa, Daman and Diu; when Goa became a state on 30 May 1987, Daman and Diu became a separate UT. Dadra and Nagar Haveli was a separate UT from 1961 to 2019. To reduce duplication the government proposed a merger in July 2019, Parliament passed the Merger Act on 9 December 2019, and the unified territory took effect on 26 January 2020.

The territory's geography divides neatly into coastal and inland landscapes separated by more than 200 km. Daman sits on the flat alluvial coast at the Daman Ganga estuary, with an elevation near sea level and beaches like Devka, Jampore and Jallandhar fringed by casuarina rather than high dunes, subject to tidal mudflats and a tropical savanna climate with about 1,600–2,000 mm monsoon rainfall. Diu is a 40 km² island connected to the mainland by a causeway and bridge, with limestone cliffs, caves and beaches such as Nagoa, noted for its horseshoe shape, and Ghogla, while the interior is arid and windswept. Diu's highest point is only about 30 metres. Naida Caves near Diu, a former quarry, feature a network of sun-lit limestone chambers that have become a protected tourist site.

Dadra and Nagar Haveli lies about 10 km inland, covering 491 km² of the 603 km² total. It is forested and undulating between 8 and 425 metres, forming part of the Western Ghats foothills and the Daman Ganga catchment, dammed at Madhuban to create a reservoir. Annual rainfall exceeds 2,500 mm, supporting teak and bamboo forests with 43 villages and a largely tribal population. The Dadra and Nagar Haveli Wildlife Sanctuary (91 km²) protects leopards and four-horned antelope, while Diu's Fudam Bird Sanctuary shelters migratory waders.

Coastal waters support fishing communities and intertidal ecology, but the territories have no perennial Himalayan rivers; water security depends on monsoon rivers and reservoirs. Climate across all four enclaves is coastal tropical: hot summers 35–40°C, mild winters 15–25°C and very humid monsoons.

Culture blends Portuguese legacy, Gujarati-Marathi coastal traditions and Varli-Dhodia tribal heritage inland. In Daman, Moti Daman and Nani Daman — two quarters divided by the Daman Ganga — preserve 16th-century forts and churches such as Bom Jesus Church (1603) and the Church of Our Lady of Sea. Diu's landmarks are more dramatic: Diu Fort, built 1535–1546 with three sides facing the Arabian Sea, a moat and lighthouse, and St. Paul's Church (1601–1610), considered among India's finest baroque churches.

Inland, Silvassa reflects a different rhythm: villages celebrate Tarpa dance, Bohada processions and Gram Devi festivals, while Gujarati influences appear in seasonal mango fairs. Everyday language is Gujarati and Hindi along the coast and Varli dialects inland, with English in administration. The Gujarati thali is staple, while seafood in Daman and Diu incorporates coconut, vinegar and Portuguese baking; cashew brews are found inland as in Goa.

Religious composition is predominantly Hindu (about 91–92% combined as per Census 2011‑derived estimates for the pre-merger territories), with Christian communities near churches and Muslim traders along ports. Major public festivals include Diwali, Holi, Christmas celebrated in the old churches, and the Nariyal Purnima boat-launching rites of Koli fisherfolk. The territory's handicrafts include ivory-inlay work, cane furniture and Warli painting styles shared with adjacent Maharashtra.