Which of the following Indian states has the smallest length of coastline?

Introduction / Context:
India has a long mainland coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, plus island coastlines. Different states along the coast have coastlines of different lengths, and some exam questions ask which state has the longest or shortest stretch. This particular question focuses on identifying the Indian state among the options that has the smallest coastline.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The question restricts itself to four coastal states: Goa, Kerala, Odisha and West Bengal.

We are asked which state has the smallest length of coastline among these.

We assume standard physical geography data about state coastline lengths.

Concept / Approach:
The western coastal state of Goa is geographically much smaller than Kerala, Odisha or West Bengal. Correspondingly, Goa s shoreline along the Arabian Sea is also shorter. Kerala has a long narrow coastal strip along the Arabian Sea, Odisha has a substantial shoreline along the Bay of Bengal, and West Bengal has a coastline including the Hooghly estuary and part of the Sundarbans. Therefore, the correct approach is to recall that Goa is the smallest coastal state in land area and has the shortest coastline of the given options.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Visualise the map of India and mark the coastal states listed in the options.Step 2: Recognise that Kerala is a long narrow state with an extended Arabian Sea coastline, so its shoreline cannot be the smallest.Step 3: Note that both Odisha and West Bengal have sizable stretches along the Bay of Bengal, including major ports and deltas.Step 4: Observe that Goa is a very small state wedged between Maharashtra and Karnataka, leading to a relatively short coastline, making it the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
A quantitative check using standard geography data shows that Goa s coastline is roughly 130 kilometres, while Kerala, Odisha and West Bengal each have coastlines several times longer. Kerala has around 580 to 600 kilometres, Odisha nearly 480 kilometres and West Bengal a shorter but still significant stretch along the Bay of Bengal. This confirms that among the four options, Goa clearly has the smallest coastline.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Kerala extends along the south western coast with a long belt of backwaters and beaches, giving it a much longer shoreline than Goa.
Odisha occupies a broad section of the eastern coast and includes several river deltas and ports like Paradeep, resulting in a longer coastline.
West Bengal, though not as extensive as Odisha or Kerala, still has more coastline length than the tiny state of Goa, especially due to the Hooghly estuary region and the Sundarbans area.
Therefore, none of these three can be the state with the smallest coastline among the options.

Common Pitfalls:
Some students tend to associate Kerala with being narrow and therefore assume its coastline might be short, but they forget that the state stretches quite far from north to south. Others may confuse area with coastline length without checking actual numbers. A reliable method is to memorise a simple rule: Goa is not only one of the smallest Indian states by area but also has the shortest mainland coastline among the coastal states listed here.

Final Answer:
Among the given options, Goa has the smallest length of coastline.