Which state of India has the smallest land area according to official geographic data?

Introduction / Context:
Knowing the relative sizes of Indian states is a standard part of political geography and often appears in objective questions. This question asks you to identify the state that has the smallest land area among all Indian states. Distinguishing between smallest by area and smallest by population is an important part of correctly answering such items.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The options list four small but important states Goa, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
• The question is restricted to states, not union territories, so regions like Lakshadweep or Chandigarh are not being considered here.
• We assume the present commonly accepted state boundaries where Goa is recognised as the state with the smallest area.
• No numerical area values are provided in the question, so you must rely on remembered ranking.

Concept / Approach:
The key concept is that Goa, located on the western coast of India, is the smallest state in terms of land area though not necessarily in population. Sikkim, Tripura and Nagaland are also relatively small, but each of them covers more land area than Goa. The correct approach is to recall the order of states by area, especially the extremes, and then select the smallest from the list given.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Goa is a coastal state between Maharashtra and Karnataka with a compact land area on the Konkan coast.Step 2: Remember that Sikkim, though often thought of as small, extends considerably along the Himalaya and has more land area than Goa.Step 3: Note that Tripura and Nagaland are north eastern hill states, which are also small but are still larger than Goa in terms of square kilometres.Step 4: Therefore, when ranking these four options by land area, Goa comes out as the smallest, making it the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by checking any recent table of Indian states by area in a standard atlas or official publication. Goa consistently appears at the bottom of the list of states when ordered by size. Once confirmed, this fact is easy to recall in future exams, helping you to quickly handle similar questions.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Nagaland is not the smallest state by area, even though it is a small north eastern state and sparsely populated in many parts. Sikkim is often mistaken for the smallest state because it is located in the narrow Himalayan belt, but it has a larger area than Goa. Tripura, though compact and surrounded by Bangladesh on several sides, also covers more land than Goa, so it cannot be the right answer when the smallest area is asked.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to confuse smallest area with least population and to pick a state based on how remote or thinly populated it appears. Another pitfall is to forget that the question is restricted to states and to mentally compare with tiny union territories, which can distract you from the actual choices given. Reviewing both area and population rankings side by side can strengthen your grasp of such comparative facts.

Final Answer:
The state of India with the smallest land area is Goa, which is a compact coastal state on the western seaboard.