Diu

Diu, an island of Hindustan, belonging to Portugal. It lies to the north-west of the Kattywar coast, being separated from Gujerat by a narrow channel. It is seven miles long by two wide, and is seventeen miles north-west of Bombay. At the east end is the town of Diu, which has a good port and once had a good trade, but this has passed away from it. The soil is sterile and there is no good water, but ginger is to some extent cultivated. The island became Portuguese in 1575, but was afterwards lost and retaken.