Sex Ratio
By definition, sex ratio is the num­ber of females per 1000 males in a State's population. Several factors af­fect sex ratios and these could include differentials in mortality conditions of males and females, sex selective mi­gration and sex ratio at birth. Viewed on a national a basis, India's sex ratio has been showing a declining trend from the 1991 Census: this trend from the Census year 1901 down to the pro­visional data published through the 1991 census: this trend is clearly discernable from the following table:

This trend has been the subject of several studies and their findings tend to suggest possible reasons for this situation. Some of them, as mentioned in the Provisional report of the 1991 Census, are:
• A preference for male children resulting in neglect of female babies
• The relative gap in health conditions between males and females and "certain types of mortality which are sex selective" and
• lower expectancy of life at birth for females in the past compared to the males, part of which is due to high maternal mortality

Insofar as Goa is concerned, this State's sex ratio for the years 1988-89, 1989-90 was 975 a figure well over the national sex ratio for 1991 (which, as mentioned earlier, was 929 as determined by the 1991 Census). In fact, a sex ratio of 950 and above is generally considered favorable to females in the Indian situation: Goa, obviously, with a sex ratio of 975, occupies an important place among the Indian States and Union Territories since it has a sex ratio above the figure of 950 and, decidedly, in excess of 929 the National Sex Ratio for 1991. The other States and Union Territories that have a sex ratio exceeding 950 (according to the 1991 Census) are:

Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Manipur, Orissa, Tamilnadu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Pondicherry.

Urban – Rural Composition Of Goa
During the post-Liberation period saw Goa going through a period where several 'Gains of Freedom' brought a better life to the people of Goa. How ever, one needs to remember the tremendous strains that a small State like Goa with its rich culture history, natural and scenic beauty resulting in a unique heritage would face through rapid urbanization and population growth, especially during the 1970s and after.

In looking at urbanization and industrial growth, one needs to bear in mind their impact on existing ancient structures having historical and cultural values, together with God-given natural beauty. And, an important development — in the post-Liberation period — is Goa's rapidly growing industrial and economic activities which, in their wake, have brought in growth through urbanization in what might otherwise be called a "Sleeping Beauty" of a State of the Indian Union.

Data on decadal growth of urbanization and urban rise in population during 1971-81 has been a steep 58.82% and this rise has been mainly been in the costal talukas of tiswadi bardez, Salcete and Marmugoa leading to a deterioration in these talukas quality of life. According to an estimate by the Town and Country Planning Department of the Government of Goa about 45% of the population could form urban centers by the year 2001 A.D., with a growth pattern as shown in Table