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Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)

2022-02-07T07:01:43Z

Knowledge:

{{Short description|Union territory of India}}
{{About|the Union Territory of the Indian Union|the [[princely state]] during the [[British Raj]]|Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|the [[former state]] of India|Jammu and Kashmir (state)|}}
{{pp-30-500|small=yes}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Jammu and Kashmir
| settlement_type = [[States and union territories of India|UNION TERRITORY]]
| image_skyline = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Pahalgam Valley.jpg
| photo2a = Akhnoor Fort - Jammu - Jammu and Kashmir - DSC 0001 JPEG.jpg
| photo3a =
| photo4a =
| spacing = 2
| position = centre
| size = 220
| border = 0
| color = #000000
| foot_montage = [[Lidder Valley]], [[Akhnoor Fort]]
}}
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| image_flag =
| flag_size =
| flag_type =
| image_blank_emblem =
| blank_emblem_size =
| blank_emblem_type =
| image_map = [[File:Map of UT of Jammu and Kashmir and UT of Ladakh.jpg|150px]]
| map_alt = Jammu and Kashmir
| map_caption = A map of Jammu and Kashmir (union Territory) bordered with yellow colour
| image_map1 = [[File:Kashmir Region November 2019.jpg|250px]]
| map_caption1 = A map of the disputed [[Jammu and Kashmir]] region showing the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir
| coordinates = {{coord|33.5|75.0|region:IN-JK_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{Flag|India}}
| established_title = [[States and union territories of India|Union territory]]
| established_date = 31 October 2019
| seat_type = Capital
| seat = [[Srinagar]] (May–October) [[Jammu]] (Nov-April)<ref name="Darbar Move">{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-darbar-move-in-j-k-all-about/article18409452.ece |title=What is the Darbar Move in J&K all about? |last=Desk |first=The Hindu Net |date=8 May 2017 |newspaper=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110135648/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-darbar-move-in-j-k-all-about/article18409452.ece |archive-date=10 November 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| parts_type = [[List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir|Districts]]
| parts_style = para
| p1 = [[List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir|20]]
| government_footnotes =
| governing_body = [[Government of Jammu and Kashmir]]
| leader_title = [[List of lieutenant governors of Jammu and Kashmir|Lieutenant Governor]]
| leader_name = [[Manoj Sinha]]
| leader_title1 = [[Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]]
| leader_name1 = ''Vacant''
| leader_title2 = [[Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly|Legislature]]
| leader_name2 = [[Unicameralism|Unicameral]] (114 seats)<ref>{{cite news |url =https://www.livemint.com/news/india/new-dawn-for-j-k-begins-two-new-federal-units-take-shape-11572493040564.html|title =Jammu and Kashmir transitions from a state into 2 federal units|author =Shaswati Das|publisher =Live Mint|website =livemint.com|quote =Jammu and Kashmir will also have its own legislative assembly, under which, according to the Act, the number of seats will go up to 114 from 87 currently, following a delimitation exercise.|access-date =30 June 2020}}</ref>
| leader_title3 = [[17th Lok Sabha|Parliamentary constituency]]
| leader_name3 = [[Rajya Sabha]] (4) [[Lok Sabha]] (5)
| leader_title4 = [[High Courts of India|High Court]]
| leader_name4 = [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]]
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes = {{efn|Jammu and Kashmir is a [[disputed territory]] between [[India]] and [[Pakistan]]. Jammu and Kashmir has 42,241 km2 of area administered by India and 13,297 km2 of area controlled by Pakistan under Azad Kashmir which is claimed by India as part of Jammu and Kashmir.}}
| area_total_km2 = 42,241
| area_rank =
| elevation_max_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197506500/Saser-Kangri|title=Saser Kangri |journal= The American Alpine Journal (AAJ)|date=1975 |first1=Jogindar |last1=Singh |access-date=14 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214115923/http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197506500/Saser-Kangri|archive-date=14 February 2019|url-status=live |pages=67–67}} [https://aac-publications.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/aaj/1975/PDF/AAJ_1975_20_1_065.pdf pdf of original pages]</ref>
| elevation_max_m = 7135
| elevation_max_ft =
| elevation_max_point = [[Nun Kun|Nun Peak]]
| elevation_max_rank =
| elevation_min_footnotes =
| elevation_min_m = 247
| elevation_min_ft =
| elevation_min_point =  [[Chenab River]]
| elevation_min_rank =
| population_total = 12,267,013
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Vijaita |title=Only J&K will use 2011 Census for delimitation |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/only-jk-will-use-2011-census-for-delimitation/article30952006.ece |access-date=6 November 2020 |work=The Hindu |date=29 February 2020 |language=en-IN}}</ref>
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_rank =
| population_note =
| registration_plate = JK
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +05:30
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|IN-JK]]
| unemployment_rate =
| blank_info_sec1 = {{Increase}} 0.688 (Medium)
| blank_name_sec1 = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] {{nobold|(2018)}}
| blank1_info_sec1 =
| blank_name_sec2 = [[Literacy in India|Literacy]]
| blank_info_sec2 =
| blank2_name_sec2 =
| blank2_info_sec2 =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]], [[Dogri language|Dogri]], [[Urdu]], [[Hindi]], [[English language|English]].<ref name="OfficialLang">{{cite web |url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2020/222037.pdf |title=The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020 |publisher=The Gazette of India|date=27 September 2020 |access-date=27 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020 | work=Rising Kashmir | date=23 September 2020| url=http://risingkashmir.com/news/parliament-passes-jk-official-languages-bill-2020 | access-date=23 September 2020}}</ref>
| demographics1_title2 = Spoken
| demographics1_info2 = [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], [[Pahari-Pothwari|Pahari]], [[Gujari language|Gojri]], Dadri<ref name="Languages">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RRbIAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA184 |title=The Parchment of Kashmir: History, Society, and Polity |last=Khan |first=N. |date=6 August 2012 |publisher=Springer |isbn=9781137029584 |page=184 |language=en |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190223184947/https://books.google.com/books?id=RRbIAAAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&pg=PA184#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=23 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Dadri">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XNqOjvaAb9cC&pg=PA6 |title=Modern History of Jammu and Kashmir: Ancient times to Shimla Agreement |last1=Aggarwal |first1=J. C. |last2=Agrawal |first2=S. P. |date=1995 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |isbn=9788170225577 |language=en |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224001711/https://books.google.com/books?id=XNqOjvaAb9cC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA6#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=24 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Bhadarwahi]],<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Bhadrawahi |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/bhd |language=en|website=Ethnologue.com|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> [[Bateri language|Bateri]],<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Bateri |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/btv |language=en}}</ref> [[Shina language|Shina]],<ref name="Crane1956">{{cite book|last=Crane|first=Robert I.|title=Area Handbook on Jammu and Kashmir State|year=1956|publisher=University of Chicago for the Human Relations Area Files|language=en|page=179|quote=Shina is the most eastern of these languages and in some of its dialects such as the Brokpa of Dah and Hanu and the dialect of Dras, it impinges upon the area of the Sino-Tibetan language family and has been affected by Tibetan with an overlay of words and idioms.}}</ref> [[Burushaski]]<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Pakistan's "Burushaski" Language Finds New Relatives |url=https://www.npr.org/2012/06/20/155454736/pakistans-burushaski-language-finds-new-relatives |language=en|website=Npr.org|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> and [[Khowar language|Khowar]]<ref name="SimonsFenning2017">{{cite book|last1=Simons|first1= Gary F. |last2=Fennig|first2=Charles D. |title=Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Twentieth Edition|year=2017|publisher=[[SIL International]]|location= Dallas|language=en}}</ref>
| website = https://www.jk.gov.in
| footnotes =
| official_name =
| module =
| leader_name5 = (280 seats)
| leader_title5 = [[District Development Council|DDC]]
}}
'''Jammu and Kashmir'''{{efn|Pronounced variably as {{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|æ|m|uː}} or {{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|ʌ|m|uː}}, {{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|æ|ʃ|m|ɪər}} or {{IPAc-en|k|æ|ʃ|ˈ|m|ɪər}}.<ref>{{Citation |last=Jones |first=Daniel |author-link= Daniel Jones (phonetician) |title= English Pronouncing Dictionary |editor=Peter Roach |editor2=James Hartmann |editor3=Jane Setter |place=Cambridge |publisher= Cambridge University Press |orig-year=1917 |year=2003 |isbn=978-3-12-539683-8 }}</ref>}} is a region administered by India as a [[union territory]] and consists of the southern portion of the larger [[Jammu and Kashmir]] region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947, and between India and China since 1962.<ref name=britannica-jammu-kashmir>(a) {{citation|last1=Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannia|title=Kashmir, region Indian subcontinent|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Kashmir-region-Indian-subcontinent |access-date=15 August 2019}} (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcontinent ... has been the subject of dispute between India and Pakistan since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. The northern and western portions are administered by Pakistan and comprise three areas: Azad Kashmir, Gilgit, and Baltistan, the last two being part of a territory called the Northern Areas. Administered by India are the southern and southeastern portions, which constitute the state of Jammu and Kashmir but are slated to be split into two union territories. China became active in the eastern area of Kashmir in the 1950s and has controlled the northeastern part of Ladakh (the easternmost portion of the region) since 1962."; (b) {{citation|chapter=Kashmir|title=Encyclopedia Americana|publisher=Scholastic Library Publishing|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l_cWAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA328|year=2006|isbn=978-0-7172-0139-6|page=328}} C. E Bosworth, University of Manchester Quote: "KASHMIR, kash'mer, the northernmost region of the Indian subcontinent, administered partlv by India, partly by Pakistan, and partly by China. The region has been the subject of a bitter dispute between India and Pakistan since they became independent in 1947";</ref><ref name="Osmanczyk2003">{{citation|last1=Osmańczyk|first1=Edmund Jan|title=Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: G to M|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fSIMXHMdfkkC&pg=PA1191|year=2003|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-415-93922-5|pages=1191–}} Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir: Territory in northwestern India, subject to a dispute between India and Pakistan. It has borders with Pakistan and China."</ref> The region of Jammu and Kashmir is separated by the [[Line of Control]] from the [[Kashmir#Current status and political divisions|Pakistani-administered]] territories of [[Azad Kashmir]] and [[Gilgit-Baltistan]] in the west and north, respectively. It lies to the north of the Indian states of [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] and to the west of [[Ladakh]], which is also subject to the dispute as a part of Kashmir, and administered by India as a union territory.

Provisions for the formation of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir were contained within the [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019]], which was passed by both houses of the [[Parliament of India]] in August 2019. The act re-constituted the former [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|state of Jammu and Kashmir]] into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, with effect from 31 October 2019.<ref name="Gazette2" />
== Terminology ==
Jammu and Kashmir is named after the two regions it encompasses {{ndash}} the [[Jammu region]] and the [[Kashmir Valley]].

The Government of Pakistan and Pakistani sources refer to Jammu and Kashmir as a part of "Indian-occupied Kashmir" ("IOK") or "Indian-held Kashmir" (IHK).<ref>{{cite web |first= Ali | last=Zain |url= http://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pakistani-flag-hoisted-pro-freedom-slogans-chanted-in-indian-occupied-kashmir-567/ |title= Pakistani flag hoisted, pro-freedom slogans chanted in Indian Occupied Kashmir – Daily Pakistan Global |publisher= En.dailypakistan.com.pk |date= 13 September 2015 |access-date= 17 November 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151118114311/http://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pakistani-flag-hoisted-pro-freedom-slogans-chanted-in-indian-occupied-kashmir-567/ |archive-date= 18 November 2015 |url-status=live |df= dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://dunyanews.tv/index.php/en/World/298421-Pakistani-flag-hoisted-once-again-in-Indian-Occupi |title= Pakistani flag hoisted once again in Indian Occupied Kashmir |website=Dunya News |date= 11 September 2015 |access-date=17 November 2015}}</ref> The Government of India and Indian sources in turn, call the [[Pakistan-administered Kashmir|territory under Pakistan control]] "Pakistan-occupied Kashmir" ("POK") or "Pakistan-held Kashmir" ("PHK").<ref name="Snedden 2013 p.2-3">{{cite book |first=Christopher |last=Snedden |author-link=Christopher Snedden |title=Kashmir: The Unwritten History |publisher=HarperCollins India |year=2013 |isbn=978-9350298985 |pages=2–3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-enigma-of-terminology/article5621801.ece|title=The enigma of terminology|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016082903/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-enigma-of-terminology/article5621801.ece|archive-date=16 October 2015|newspaper=The Hindu|date=27 January 2014}}</ref>
"Indian-administered Kashmir" and "Indian-controlled Kashmir" are often used by neutral sources.<ref>South Asia: fourth report of session 2006–07 by By Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Foreign Affairs Committee page 37</ref>
== History ==
{{For|the 1954–2019 history|Jammu and Kashmir (state)#History}}
{{For|the pre-1954 history|Kashmir#History}}
The state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] was accorded special status by [[Article 370 of the Constitution of India]]. In contrast to other [[states of India]], Jammu and Kashmir had its own [[Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir|constitution]], [[Flag of Jammu and Kashmir|flag]] and administrative autonomy.<ref>{{citation |author=K. Venkataramanan |title=How the status of Jammu and Kashmir is being changed |newspaper=The Hindu |date=5 August 2019 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/explained-how-the-status-of-jammu-and-kashmir-is-being-changed/article28822866.ece?homepage=true}}</ref> Indian citizens from other states were not allowed to purchase land or property in Jammu and Kashmir.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/article-370-and-35a-revoked-how-it-would-change-the-face-of-kashmir/articleshow/70531959.cms|title=Article 370 and 35(A) revoked: How it would change the face of Kashmir|newspaper=The Economic Times|date=5 August 2019}}</ref>

Jammu and Kashmir had three distinct areas: Hindu-majority [[Jammu region]], Muslim-majority [[Kashmir Valley]] and Buddhist-dominated [[Ladakh]].<ref name=BBC6Aug>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-49234708 Article 370: What happened with Kashmir and why it matters]. BBC (6 August 2019). Retrieved 7 August 2019.</ref> Unrest and violence persisted in the Kashmiri Valley and, following a disputed state election in 1987, an [[insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir|insurgency persisted]] in protest over autonomy and rights.<ref name="BBC6Aug" /><ref>{{cite web|last1=Jeelani|first1=Mushtaq A.|title=Kashmir: A History Littered With Rigged Elections|url=http://www.mediamonitors.net/jeelani4.html|website=Media Monitors Network|access-date=24 February 2017|date=25 June 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304051443/http://www.mediamonitors.net/jeelani4.html|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref>

The [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) came to power in the [[2014 Indian general election]] and five years later included in their [[2019 Indian general election|2019 election manifesto]] the revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India, in order to bring Jammu and Kashmir to equal status with other states.<ref name=BBC6Aug/>

A resolution to [[Revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir|repeal Article 370]] was passed by both the houses of the [[Parliament of India]] in August 2019. At the same time, a [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019|reorganisation act]] was also passed, which would reconstitute the state into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/parliament-live-govt-to-move-jammu-and-kashmir-reorganisation-bill-for-passage-in-lok-sabha/article28831274.ece|title=Parliament Live | Lok Sabha passes Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, Ayes: 370, Noes 70|date=6 August 2019|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> The reorganisation took effect from 31 October 2019.<ref name="Gazette2">{{citation|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2019/210412.pdf|title=In exercise of the powers conferred by clause a of section 2 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act.|date=9 August 2019|access-date=9 August 2019|author=Ministry of Home Affairs|work=[[The Gazette of India]]}}</ref>

Thousands of Kashmiris, including two former Chief Ministers and hundreds of other politicians, were detained in prisons all across India,<ref name="reuters">{{cite news |title=Thousands detained in Indian Kashmir crackdown, official data reveals |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-kashmir-detentions/thousands-detained-in-indian-kashmir-crackdown-official-data-reveals-idUSKCN1VX142 |work=Reuters |date=September 12, 2019}}</ref> the state was put under a [[2019–2021 Jammu and Kashmir lockdown|lockdown]] and communication and internet services were suspended.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kashmir in lockdown after autonomy scrapped |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-49246434 |access-date=6 June 2021 |work=BBC News |date=6 August 2019}}</ref>
==Geography==
===Topography===
[[File:Kashmir top.jpg|thumb|[[Topographic map]] of Jammu and Kashmir, with visible altitude for the Kashmir valley and Jammu region.]]
Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, Tawi Valley, [[Chenab Valley]], [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]] Valley, [[Sind Valley]] and [[Lidder Valley]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Vij|first=Shivam|date=5 May 2017|title=Kashmir Is A Prison With Three Walls|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/05/04/kashmir-is-a-prison-with-three-walls_a_22070340/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505073150/http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/05/04/kashmir-is-a-prison-with-three-walls_a_22070340/|archive-date=5 May 2017|access-date=9 August 2019|work=[[HuffPost]]}} [https://shivamvij.in/2017/05/05/755/ Alt URL]</ref> The Kashmir valley is {{convert|100|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|15520.3|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} in area.<ref name="AA1">{{cite web|url=https://www.asianage.com/columnists/indus-water-flow-can-t-be-stopped-721|title=Indus: The water flow can't be stopped|first=Mohan|last=Guruswamy|work=[[The Asian Age]]|date=28 September 2016|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Himalayas]] divide the Kashmir valley from the [[Tibetan plateau]] while the [[Pir Panjal]] range, which encloses the valley from the west and the south, separates it from the [[Punjab Plain]] of the [[Indo-Gangetic Plain]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/opinion/a-tryst-of-the-heart-and-history-along-the-karakoram-highway/|title=A Tryst of the Heart and History along the Karakoram Highway|first=Asma|last=Khan|work=[[Greater Kashmir]]|date=26 April 2018|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> Along the northeastern flank of the Valley runs the main range of the Himalayas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zmescience.com/other/feature-post/india-pakistan-conflict-07032019/|title=Why India and Pakistan keep fighting over Kashmir – the history of the Kashmir conflict|first=Mihai|last=Andrei|work=GME Science|date=11 March 2019|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> This valley has an average height of {{convert|1850|m|ft}} above sea-level,<ref name="AA1"/> but the surrounding Pir Panjal range has an average elevation of {{convert|10000|ft|m}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/in-the-past-the-mountain-passes-were-entry-exit-points-for-travellers-and-invaders/article22136536.ece|title=Doorway of the gods: Himalaya crosses five countries|author1=Vrinda|author2=J. Ramanan|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=21 December 2017|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Jhelum River]] is the major Himalayan river which flows through the Kashmir valley.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Jhelum-River|title=Jhelum River|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|date=15 December 2015|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Tawi River|Tawi]], [[Ravi River|Ravi]] and [[Chenab River|Chenab]] are the other important rivers flowing through the region.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nation.com.pk/29-Jul-2019/flooding-alert-issued-as-india-releases-water|title=Flooding alert issued as India releases water|work=[[The Nation (Pakistan)|The Nation]]|author=Agencies|date=29 July 2019|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref>
==Administrative divisions==
[[File:J,K and L - Indian Union Territories.jpg|thumb|'''''Jammu and Kashmir union territory''''' (J and K) is bordered in carmine colour. '''''Ladakh union territory''''' (L) is bordered in blue colour.]]
{{Main|List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir}}
The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir consists of two [[Divisions of India|divisions]]: [[Jammu Division]] and [[Kashmir Division]], and is further divided into 20 [[Districts of India|districts]].<ref name=MHA>{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |title=Ministry of Home Affairs:: Department of Jammu & Kashmir Affairs |access-date=28 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208212815/http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |archive-date=8 December 2008 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-bottom: 0;"
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
!| Division
!| Name
!| Headquarters
!| Area (km2)
!| Area (sq miles)
!| Rural Area (km2)
!| Urban Area (km2)
!|
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
|rowspan=11|[[Jammu Division|Jammu]]
||[[Kathua district]]
|| [[Kathua]]
| {{convert|2502|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2458.84|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|43.16|2}}
|| <ref>{{cite report
|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0107_PART_A_DCHB_KATHUA.pdf |page=8 |work=Census of India 2011, Part A |title=District Census Handbook Kathua |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Jammu district]]
|| [[Jammu (city)|Jammu]]
| {{convert|2342|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2089.87|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|252.13|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0121_PART_A_DCHB_JAMMU.pdf |pages=13, 51, 116 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Jammu, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0121_PART_B_DCHB_JAMMU.pdf |pages=13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Jammu, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Samba district]]
|| [[Samba, Jammu|Samba]]
| {{convert|904|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|865.24|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|38.76|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0122_PART_A_DCHB_SAMBA.pdf |pages=9, 34, 36, 100 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Samba, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0122_PART_B_DCHB_SAMBA.pdf |pages=10, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Samba, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Udhampur district]]
|| [[Udhampur]]
| {{convert|2637.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2593.28|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|43.72|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0119_PART_B_DCHB_UDHAMPUR.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Udhampur |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Reasi district]]
|| [[Reasi]]
| {{convert|1719|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1679.99|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|39.01|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0120_PART_A_DCHB_REASI.pdf |pages=9, 37, 88 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Reasi, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0120_PART_B_DCHB_REASI.pdf |pages=9, 13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Reasi, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Rajouri district]]
|| [[Rajouri]]
| {{convert|2630|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2608.11|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|21.89|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0106_PART_A_DCHB_RAJOURI.pdf |pages=11, 107 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Rajouri, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0106_PART_B_DCHB_RAJOURI.pdf |pages=9, 10, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Rajouri, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir|Poonch district]]
|| [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]]
| {{convert|1674|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1649.92|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|24.08|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0105_PART_A_DCHB_PUNCH.pdf |pages=9, 99 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Punch, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0105_PART_B_DCHB_PUNCH.pdf |pages=11, 13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Punch, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Doda district]]
|| [[Doda, Jammu and Kashmir|Doda]]
| {{convert|8912.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|8892.25|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|19.75|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0116_PART_B_DCHB_DODA.pdf |pages=9, 12, 99 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Doda, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Ramban district]]
|| [[Ramban (Jammu and Kashmir)|Ramban]]
| {{convert|1329.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1313.92|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|15.08|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0117_PART_B_DCHB_RAMBAN.pdf |pages=10, 12 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Ramban, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kishtwar district]]
|| [[Kishtwar]]
| {{convert|1644.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1643.37|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|0.63|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0118_PART_B_DCHB_KISHTWAR.pdf |pages=9, 10, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kishtwar, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 9 says the rural area is 1643.65 km2, whilst pages 10 and 22 says 1643.37 km2.</ref>
|- style="background:lightblue; vertical-align:top;"
||Total for division
|| [[Jammu Division|Jammu]]
| {{convert|26293|km2|sqmi|disp=tablecen|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|25794.95|2}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|498.05|2}}
||
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
|rowspan=11 |[[Kashmir Division|Kashmir]]
||[[Anantnag district]]
|| [[Anantnag]]
| {{convert|3574|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|3475.76|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|98.24|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0114_PART_A_DCHB_ANANTNAG.pdf |page=9 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Anantnag, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0114_PART_B_DCHB_ANANTNAG.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Anantnag, Part B |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kulgam district]]
|| [[Kulgam]]
| {{convert|410|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|360.20|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.80|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0115_PART_A_DCHB_KULGAM.pdf |page=10 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kulgam, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0115_PART_B_DCHB_KULGAM.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kulgam, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 12 says the are of the district is 404 km2, but page 22 says 410 km2.</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Pulwama district]]
|| [[Pulwama]]
| {{convert|1086.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1047.45|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|38.55|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0112_PART_B_DCHB_PULWAMA.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Pulwama, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Shopian district]]
|| [[Shopian]]
| {{convert|312.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|306.56|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|5.44|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0113_PART_A_DCHB_SHUPIYAN.pdf |page=10 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Shupiyan, Part A |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0113_PART_B_DCHB_SUPHIYAN.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Shupiyan, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B pages 12 and 22 say the district area is 312.00 km2, but Part A page 10 says 307.42 km2.</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Budgam district]]
|| [[Budgam]]
| {{convert|1361|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1311.95|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.05|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0102_PART_A_DCHB_BADGAM.pdf |pages=10, 46 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Badgam, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0102_PART_B_DCHB_BADGAM.pdf |pages=11, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Badgam, Part B |date=16 June 2014|access-date=21 November 2020}} Part A says the district area is 1371 km2, Part B says 1371 km2 (page 11) and 1361 km2 (page 12s and 22).</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Srinagar district]]
|| [[Srinagar]]
| {{convert|1978.95|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1684.42|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|294.53|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0110_PART_A_DCHB_SRINAGAR.pdf |pages=11, 48 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Srinagar, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part A page 48 says the district area was 2228.0 km2 in 2001 and 1978.95 km2 in 2011.</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Ganderbal district]]
|| [[Ganderbal]]
| {{convert|259|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|233.60|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|25.40|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0111_PART_B_DCHB_GANDERBAL.pdf |pages=11, 12 and 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Ganderbal, Part B |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 11 says the district area is 393.04 km2, but pages 12 and 22 say 259.00 km2.</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Bandipora district]]
|| [[Bandipore|Bandipora]]
| {{convert|345|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|295.37|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.63|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0109_PART_A_DCHB_BANDIPORE.pdf |pages=10, 47 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Bandipora, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0109_PART_B_DCHB_BANDIPORE.pdf |pages=11, 20 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Bandipora, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Baramulla district]]
|| [[Baramulla]]
| {{convert|4243|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|4179.44|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|63.56|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0108_PART_A_DCHB_BARAMULA.pdf |page=11 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Baramulla, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0108_PART_B_DCHB_BARAMULA.pdf|page=22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Baramulla, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kupwara district]]
|| [[Kupwara]]
| {{convert|2379|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2331.66|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|47.34|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0101_PART_A_DCHB_KUPWARA.pdf |page=7 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kupwara, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0101_PART_B_DCHB_KUPWARA.pdf|pages=11, 12 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kupwara, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|- style="background:lightblue; vertical-align:top;"
||Total for division
|| [[Kashmir Division|Kashmir]]
| {{convert|15,948.00|km2|sqmi|disp=tablecen|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|15226.41|2}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|721.54|2}}
||
|}
==Demographics==
===Religion===
{{Pie chart|label1=[[Islam]]|value1=68.8|color1=Green|label2=[[Hinduism]]|value2=28.8|color2=orange|label3=[[Sikhism]]|value3=1.9|color3=yellow|label4=[[Christianity]]|value4=0.28|color4=blue|label5=[[Buddhism]]|value5=0.03|color5=Gold|label6=[[Jainism]]|value6=0.01|color6=Maroon|label7=Others|value7=0.01|color7=Grey|label8=Not Stated|value8=0.15|color8=Black|caption=Religions in Jammu and Kashmir (2011)<ref name="2011 Census">{{cite web|title=Population by religion community – 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|website=Census of India, 2011|publisher=The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825155850/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|archive-date=25 August 2015}}</ref>}}
Muslims constitutes the majority of the population of Jammu and Kashmir with a significant Hindu minority.<ref name="2011 Census"/>

The [[Kashmir Division]] is largely Muslim (96.41%) with a small Hindu (2.45%) and Sikh (0.81%) population. The [[Jammu Division]] is predominantly Hindu (66%) with a significant Muslim population (30%). The Muslims form a majority in the Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts of Jammu, while the Hindus form a majority in Kathua, Samba, Jammu and Udhampur districts. Reasi district has an almost equal number of Hindus and Muslims.<ref name="2011 Census"/>
==Government and politics==
{{main|Government of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir|Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly}}
The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir is administered under the provisions of [[:s:Constitution of India/Part VIII#Article 239|Article 239]] of the [[Constitution of India]]. The Article 239A, originally formulated for the union territory of [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puduchery]], will also be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir.<ref name="Indian Express">
[https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jammu-kashmir-bifurcation-ladakh-union-territory-key-takeaways-from-reorganisation-bill-article-370-amit-shah-5880177/ Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Bill passed by Rajya Sabha: Key takeaways], The Indian Express, 5 August 2019.
</ref>
===Executive branch===
The [[President of India]] appoints a [[List of Governors of Jammu and Kashmir|Lieutenant Governor]] for the union territory.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

A Council of Ministers led by a [[Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]] is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor from the membership of the legislative assembly. Their role is to advise the Lieutenant Governor in the exercise of functions in matters under the jurisdiction of the legislative assembly. In other matters, the Lieutenant Governor is empowered to act in his own capacity.<ref name="Indian Express"/>
===Legislative branch===
The legislative branch is of government is a unicameral [[Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir|legislative assembly]], whose tenure is five years. The legislative assembly may make laws for any of the matters in the [[State List]] of the Constitution of India except "public order" and "police", which will remain the preserve of the central [[Government of India]]. The Lieutenant Governor also has the power to promulgate ordinances which have the same force as the acts of the legislative assembly.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

Elections for the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly are to be held following the implementation of new constituency boundaries which is expected to be completed in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zeenews.india.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir-assembly-election-in-2021-after-delimitation-ec-sources-2230726.html|title=Jammu and Kashmir assembly election in 2021 after delimitation: EC sources|date=29 August 2019|website=Zee News}}</ref>
===Judicial branch===
[[FILE:Stamp of India - 2006 - Colnect 158978 - High Court of Jammu - Kashmir.jpeg|thumb|The [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]] on postal stamps of India]]
The union territory is under the jurisdiction of the [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]], which also serves as high court for [[Ladakh]].<ref name="Indian Express"/> Police services are provided by the [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]].<ref name="trnscpt">{{cite web|url=https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/salient-features-of-jammu-kashmir-reorganization-bill-146998|title=Salient Features Of Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization Bill [Read Bill]|first1=Devesh|first2=Iti|last1=Ratan|last2=Johri|date=7 August 2019|website=LiveLaw.in: All about law|access-date=7 August 2019}}</ref>
===Parties===
The main political parties active in the region are the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (State President: [[Ravinder Raina]]), the [[Indian National Congress]] (State President: [[Ghulam Ahmad Mir]]), the [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference]] (President: [[Farooq Abdullah]]) and the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party]] (President: [[Mehbooba Mufti]]). Other parties with a presence in the region parties include the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party]] (President: [[Altaf Bukhari]]), the [[Jammu and Kashmir Workers Party]] (President: Mir Junaid) and [[Ikkjutt Jammu]] (President: Ankur Sharma).
===Jammu and Kashmir in the Parliament of India===
Jammu and Kashmir sends five members (MPs) to the lower house of the [[Indian parliament]] (the [[Lok Sabha]]) and four members to the upper house (the [[Rajya Sabha]]).
;Lok Sabha constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Constituency No. !! style="width:180px;" |Constituency !! Reserved for (SC/ST/None)
|-
| align="centre" |1||[[Baramulla (Lok Sabha constituency)|Baramulla]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |2 ||[[Srinagar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Srinagar]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |3 ||[[Anantnag (Lok Sabha constituency)|Anantnag]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |4 ||[[Udhampur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Udhampur]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |5 ||[[Jammu (Lok Sabha constituency)|Jammu]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
|}
== Tourism ==
{{Main|Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir}}
Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, [[Chenab Valley]], [[Sind Valley|Sindh Valley]] and [[Lidder Valley]]. Some major tourist attractions in Jammu and Kashmir are [[Srinagar]], the [[Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar|Mughal Gardens]], [[Gulmarg]], [[Pahalgam]], [[Patnitop]] and [[Jammu]]. Every year, thousands of Hindu [[pilgrim]]s visit holy shrines of [[Vaishno Devi]] and [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath]] which has had significant impact on the state's economy.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200709130350.htm | work=Online edition of The Hindu|title=Amarnath Board to study yatra impact on Kashmir economy | access-date=6 June 2009|location=Chennai, India|date=13 September 2007}}</ref>

The Kashmir valley is one of the top tourist destinations of India.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200903181221.htm|work=Online edition of The Hindu|title=Foreign tourists flock Kashmir|access-date=18 March 2009|location=Chennai, India|date=18 March 2009}}</ref> [[Gulmarg]], one of the most popular [[ski resort]] destinations in India, is also home to the world's highest green [[golf course]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB119332713217271534?mod=googlenews_wsj|title=Fairway to Heaven|author=Cris Prystay|date=26 October 2007|work=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref> The decrease in violence in the state has boosted the state's economy, specifically tourism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sify.com/news/Tourists-arrival-gives-boost-to-J-K-economy-news-jm3v4cihjai.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716071016/http://www.sify.com/news/Tourists-arrival-gives-boost-to-J-K-economy-news-jm3v4cihjai.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-07-16|title=Tourists arrival gives boost to J-K economy|work=Sify}}</ref>

Jammu and Kashmir is also famous for its scenic beauty, flower gardens, apple farms and more. It attracts tourists for its unique handicrafts and the world-famous [[Kashmir shawl|Kashmiri Shawls]].
<gallery mode="packed" heights="134">
File:River Chenab Ramban.jpg|River Chenab in [[Chenab Valley]]
File:Gund village.jpg|[[Sind Valley|Sindh Valley]]
File:Pahalgam Valley.jpg|[[Lidder Valley]]
File:Shalimar Mughal Garden Srinagar 2.jpg|the [[Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar|Mughal Gardens]]
File:Pahalgam views 13.JPG|[[Pahalgam]] views
File:Gulmarg in 1969.jpg|[[Gulmarg]]
File:Sanasar Lake.jpeg|Sanasar Lake which is around 11 km from [[Patnitop]]
File:Amarnath 4.jpg|View of [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath]] Valley.
</gallery>
== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}
== See also ==
{{Portal|Geography|Asia|India}}
* [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)]], for the entity that existed till 1952
* [[Kashmiriyat]]
* [[Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[Kashmiri cinema]]
* [[Literature of Kashmir]]
* [[Music of Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[Kus Bani Koshur Karorpaet]]
* [[DD Kashir]]
* [[AIR Srinagar]]
* [[University of Kashmir]]
* [[University of Jammu]]
* [[Central University of Kashmir]]
* [[Central University of Jammu]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir cricket team]]
* [[Real Kashmir F.C.]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir football team]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Rifles]]
{{-}}
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://jk.gov.in/ Government of Jammu and Kashmir]
* [https://jkgad.nic.in/ General Administration Department]
* [http://jkrajbhawan.nic.in/ Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir]
* [https://jammukashmir.s3waas.gov.in/ Jammu and Kashmir district portal]
{{Jammu and Kashmir topics}}
{{Kashmir Valley}}
{{States and Union Territories of India}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jammu And Kashmir}}
[[Category:Jammu and Kashmir| ]]
[[Category:North India|*]]
[[Category:History of the Republic of India]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 2019]]
[[Category:2019 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Urdu-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Kashmiri-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Disputed territories in Asia]]
[[Category:Union territories of India]]
[[Category:States and union territories of India]]

Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)

2022-02-07T06:56:14Z

Knowledge:

{{Short description|Union territory of India}}
{{About|the Union Territory of the Indian Union|the [[princely state]] during the [[British Raj]]|Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|the [[former state]] of India|Jammu and Kashmir (state)|}}
{{pp-30-500|small=yes}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Jammu and Kashmir
| settlement_type = [[States and union territories of India|UNION TERRITORY]]
| image_skyline = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Pahalgam Valley.jpg
| photo2a = Akhnoor Fort - Jammu - Jammu and Kashmir - DSC 0001 JPEG.jpg
| photo3a =
| photo4a =
| spacing = 2
| position = centre
| size = 220
| border = 0
| color = #000000
| foot_montage = [[Lidder Valley]], [[Akhnoor Fort]]
}}
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| image_flag =
| flag_size =
| flag_type =
| image_blank_emblem =
| blank_emblem_size =
| blank_emblem_type =
| image_map = [[File:Map of UT of Jammu and Kashmir and UT of Ladakh.jpg|150px]]
| map_alt = Jammu and Kashmir
| map_caption = A map of Jammu and Kashmir (union Territory) bordered with yellow colour
| image_map1 = [[File:Kashmir Region November 2019.jpg|250px]]
| map_caption1 = A map of the disputed [[Jammu and Kashmir]] region showing the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir
| coordinates = {{coord|33.5|75.0|region:IN-JK_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{Flag|India}}
| established_title = [[States and union territories of India|Union territory]]
| established_date = 31 October 2019
| seat_type = Capital
| seat = [[Srinagar]] (May–October) [[Jammu]] (Nov-April)<ref name="Darbar Move">{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-darbar-move-in-j-k-all-about/article18409452.ece |title=What is the Darbar Move in J&K all about? |last=Desk |first=The Hindu Net |date=8 May 2017 |newspaper=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110135648/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-darbar-move-in-j-k-all-about/article18409452.ece |archive-date=10 November 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| parts_type = [[List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir|Districts]]
| parts_style = para
| p1 = [[List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir|20]]
| government_footnotes =
| governing_body = [[Government of Jammu and Kashmir]]
| leader_title = [[List of lieutenant governors of Jammu and Kashmir|Lieutenant Governor]]
| leader_name = [[Manoj Sinha]]
| leader_title1 = [[Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]]
| leader_name1 = ''Vacant''
| leader_title2 = [[Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly|Legislature]]
| leader_name2 = [[Unicameralism|Unicameral]] (114 seats)<ref>{{cite news |url =https://www.livemint.com/news/india/new-dawn-for-j-k-begins-two-new-federal-units-take-shape-11572493040564.html|title =Jammu and Kashmir transitions from a state into 2 federal units|author =Shaswati Das|publisher =Live Mint|website =livemint.com|quote =Jammu and Kashmir will also have its own legislative assembly, under which, according to the Act, the number of seats will go up to 114 from 87 currently, following a delimitation exercise.|access-date =30 June 2020}}</ref>
| leader_title3 = [[17th Lok Sabha|Parliamentary constituency]]
| leader_name3 = [[Rajya Sabha]] (4) [[Lok Sabha]] (5)
| leader_title4 = [[High Courts of India|High Court]]
| leader_name4 = [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]]
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes = {{efn|Jammu and Kashmir is a [[disputed territory]] between [[India]] and [[Pakistan]]. Jammu and Kashmir has 42,241 km2 of area administered by India and 13,297 km2 of area controlled by Pakistan under Azad Kashmir which is claimed by India as part of Jammu and Kashmir.}}
| area_total_km2 = 42,241
| area_rank =
| elevation_max_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197506500/Saser-Kangri|title=Saser Kangri |journal= The American Alpine Journal (AAJ)|date=1975 |first1=Jogindar |last1=Singh |access-date=14 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214115923/http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197506500/Saser-Kangri|archive-date=14 February 2019|url-status=live |pages=67–67}} [https://aac-publications.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/aaj/1975/PDF/AAJ_1975_20_1_065.pdf pdf of original pages]</ref>
| elevation_max_m = 7135
| elevation_max_ft =
| elevation_max_point = [[Nun Kun|Nun Peak]]
| elevation_max_rank =
| elevation_min_footnotes =
| elevation_min_m = 247
| elevation_min_ft =
| elevation_min_point =  [[Chenab River]]
| elevation_min_rank =
| population_total = 12,267,013
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Vijaita |title=Only J&K will use 2011 Census for delimitation |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/only-jk-will-use-2011-census-for-delimitation/article30952006.ece |access-date=6 November 2020 |work=The Hindu |date=29 February 2020 |language=en-IN}}</ref>
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_rank =
| population_note =
| registration_plate = JK
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +05:30
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|IN-JK]]
| unemployment_rate =
| blank_info_sec1 = {{Increase}} 0.688 (Medium)
| blank_name_sec1 = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] {{nobold|(2018)}}
| blank1_info_sec1 =
| blank_name_sec2 = [[Literacy in India|Literacy]]
| blank_info_sec2 =
| blank2_name_sec2 =
| blank2_info_sec2 =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]], [[Dogri language|Dogri]], [[Urdu]], [[Hindi]], [[English language|English]].<ref name="OfficialLang">{{cite web |url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2020/222037.pdf |title=The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020 |publisher=The Gazette of India|date=27 September 2020 |access-date=27 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020 | work=Rising Kashmir | date=23 September 2020| url=http://risingkashmir.com/news/parliament-passes-jk-official-languages-bill-2020 | access-date=23 September 2020}}</ref>
| demographics1_title2 = Spoken
| demographics1_info2 = [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], [[Pahari-Pothwari|Pahari]], [[Gujari language|Gojri]], Dadri<ref name="Languages">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RRbIAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA184 |title=The Parchment of Kashmir: History, Society, and Polity |last=Khan |first=N. |date=6 August 2012 |publisher=Springer |isbn=9781137029584 |page=184 |language=en |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190223184947/https://books.google.com/books?id=RRbIAAAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&pg=PA184#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=23 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Dadri">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XNqOjvaAb9cC&pg=PA6 |title=Modern History of Jammu and Kashmir: Ancient times to Shimla Agreement |last1=Aggarwal |first1=J. C. |last2=Agrawal |first2=S. P. |date=1995 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |isbn=9788170225577 |language=en |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224001711/https://books.google.com/books?id=XNqOjvaAb9cC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA6#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=24 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Bhadarwahi]],<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Bhadrawahi |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/bhd |language=en|website=Ethnologue.com|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> [[Bateri language|Bateri]],<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Bateri |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/btv |language=en}}</ref> [[Shina language|Shina]],<ref name="Crane1956">{{cite book|last=Crane|first=Robert I.|title=Area Handbook on Jammu and Kashmir State|year=1956|publisher=University of Chicago for the Human Relations Area Files|language=en|page=179|quote=Shina is the most eastern of these languages and in some of its dialects such as the Brokpa of Dah and Hanu and the dialect of Dras, it impinges upon the area of the Sino-Tibetan language family and has been affected by Tibetan with an overlay of words and idioms.}}</ref> [[Burushaski]]<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Pakistan's "Burushaski" Language Finds New Relatives |url=https://www.npr.org/2012/06/20/155454736/pakistans-burushaski-language-finds-new-relatives |language=en|website=Npr.org|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> and [[Khowar language|Khowar]]<ref name="SimonsFenning2017">{{cite book|last1=Simons|first1= Gary F. |last2=Fennig|first2=Charles D. |title=Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Twentieth Edition|year=2017|publisher=[[SIL International]]|location= Dallas|language=en}}</ref>
| website = {{URL|https://www.jk.gov.in/}}
| module =
{{Infobox place symbols|
| embedded=Yes
| region = Jammu and Kashmir
| country = India
| emblem =[[File:Government of Jammu and Kashmir.svg|50px]]
| song =
| mammal = [[File:Cervus cashmeerianus Smit.jpg|40px|left]] [[Kashmir stag]]
| bird = [[File:Kalij Pheasant (Male in the front & Female in the background).jpg|40px|left]] [[Kalij pheasant]]<ref>{{Cite news|title=Kalij Pheasant declared as bird of Jammu & Kashmir UT|url=https://thechenabtimes.com/2021/10/21/kalij-pheasant-declared-as-bird-of-jammu-kashmir-ut/|date=21 October 2021|publisher=The Chenab Times|access-date=21 October 2021}}</ref>
| flower = [[File:Rhododendron ponticum 2.jpg|50px|left]] [[Common rhododendron]]
| tree = [[File:Platanus orientalis tree.JPG|40px|left]] [[Platanus orientalis|Chinar]]
|fish = [[File: Golden mahseer (Tor putitora) Babai River.jpg|40px|left]] [[Golden Mahseer]]
}}
'''Jammu and Kashmir'''{{efn|Pronounced variably as {{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|æ|m|uː}} or {{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|ʌ|m|uː}}, {{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|æ|ʃ|m|ɪər}} or {{IPAc-en|k|æ|ʃ|ˈ|m|ɪər}}.<ref>{{Citation |last=Jones |first=Daniel |author-link= Daniel Jones (phonetician) |title= English Pronouncing Dictionary |editor=Peter Roach |editor2=James Hartmann |editor3=Jane Setter |place=Cambridge |publisher= Cambridge University Press |orig-year=1917 |year=2003 |isbn=978-3-12-539683-8 }}</ref>}} is a region administered by India as a [[union territory]] and consists of the southern portion of the larger [[Jammu and Kashmir]] region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947, and between India and China since 1962.<ref name=britannica-jammu-kashmir>(a) {{citation|last1=Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannia|title=Kashmir, region Indian subcontinent|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Kashmir-region-Indian-subcontinent |access-date=15 August 2019}} (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcontinent ... has been the subject of dispute between India and Pakistan since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. The northern and western portions are administered by Pakistan and comprise three areas: Azad Kashmir, Gilgit, and Baltistan, the last two being part of a territory called the Northern Areas. Administered by India are the southern and southeastern portions, which constitute the state of Jammu and Kashmir but are slated to be split into two union territories. China became active in the eastern area of Kashmir in the 1950s and has controlled the northeastern part of Ladakh (the easternmost portion of the region) since 1962."; (b) {{citation|chapter=Kashmir|title=Encyclopedia Americana|publisher=Scholastic Library Publishing|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l_cWAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA328|year=2006|isbn=978-0-7172-0139-6|page=328}} C. E Bosworth, University of Manchester Quote: "KASHMIR, kash'mer, the northernmost region of the Indian subcontinent, administered partlv by India, partly by Pakistan, and partly by China. The region has been the subject of a bitter dispute between India and Pakistan since they became independent in 1947";</ref><ref name="Osmanczyk2003">{{citation|last1=Osmańczyk|first1=Edmund Jan|title=Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: G to M|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fSIMXHMdfkkC&pg=PA1191|year=2003|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-415-93922-5|pages=1191–}} Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir: Territory in northwestern India, subject to a dispute between India and Pakistan. It has borders with Pakistan and China."</ref> The region of Jammu and Kashmir is separated by the [[Line of Control]] from the [[Kashmir#Current status and political divisions|Pakistani-administered]] territories of [[Azad Kashmir]] and [[Gilgit-Baltistan]] in the west and north, respectively. It lies to the north of the Indian states of [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] and to the west of [[Ladakh]], which is also subject to the dispute as a part of Kashmir, and administered by India as a union territory.

Provisions for the formation of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir were contained within the [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019]], which was passed by both houses of the [[Parliament of India]] in August 2019. The act re-constituted the former [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|state of Jammu and Kashmir]] into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, with effect from 31 October 2019.<ref name="Gazette2" />

== Terminology ==
Jammu and Kashmir is named after the two regions it encompasses {{ndash}} the [[Jammu region]] and the [[Kashmir Valley]].

The Government of Pakistan and Pakistani sources refer to Jammu and Kashmir as a part of "Indian-occupied Kashmir" ("IOK") or "Indian-held Kashmir" (IHK).<ref>{{cite web |first= Ali | last=Zain |url= http://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pakistani-flag-hoisted-pro-freedom-slogans-chanted-in-indian-occupied-kashmir-567/ |title= Pakistani flag hoisted, pro-freedom slogans chanted in Indian Occupied Kashmir – Daily Pakistan Global |publisher= En.dailypakistan.com.pk |date= 13 September 2015 |access-date= 17 November 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151118114311/http://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pakistani-flag-hoisted-pro-freedom-slogans-chanted-in-indian-occupied-kashmir-567/ |archive-date= 18 November 2015 |url-status=live |df= dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://dunyanews.tv/index.php/en/World/298421-Pakistani-flag-hoisted-once-again-in-Indian-Occupi |title= Pakistani flag hoisted once again in Indian Occupied Kashmir |website=Dunya News |date= 11 September 2015 |access-date=17 November 2015}}</ref> The Government of India and Indian sources in turn, call the [[Pakistan-administered Kashmir|territory under Pakistan control]] "Pakistan-occupied Kashmir" ("POK") or "Pakistan-held Kashmir" ("PHK").<ref name="Snedden 2013 p.2-3">{{cite book |first=Christopher |last=Snedden |author-link=Christopher Snedden |title=Kashmir: The Unwritten History |publisher=HarperCollins India |year=2013 |isbn=978-9350298985 |pages=2–3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-enigma-of-terminology/article5621801.ece|title=The enigma of terminology|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016082903/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-enigma-of-terminology/article5621801.ece|archive-date=16 October 2015|newspaper=The Hindu|date=27 January 2014}}</ref>
"Indian-administered Kashmir" and "Indian-controlled Kashmir" are often used by neutral sources.<ref>South Asia: fourth report of session 2006–07 by By Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Foreign Affairs Committee page 37</ref>
== History ==
{{For|the 1954–2019 history|Jammu and Kashmir (state)#History}}
{{For|the pre-1954 history|Kashmir#History}}
The state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] was accorded special status by [[Article 370 of the Constitution of India]]. In contrast to other [[states of India]], Jammu and Kashmir had its own [[Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir|constitution]], [[Flag of Jammu and Kashmir|flag]] and administrative autonomy.<ref>{{citation |author=K. Venkataramanan |title=How the status of Jammu and Kashmir is being changed |newspaper=The Hindu |date=5 August 2019 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/explained-how-the-status-of-jammu-and-kashmir-is-being-changed/article28822866.ece?homepage=true}}</ref> Indian citizens from other states were not allowed to purchase land or property in Jammu and Kashmir.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/article-370-and-35a-revoked-how-it-would-change-the-face-of-kashmir/articleshow/70531959.cms|title=Article 370 and 35(A) revoked: How it would change the face of Kashmir|newspaper=The Economic Times|date=5 August 2019}}</ref>

Jammu and Kashmir had three distinct areas: Hindu-majority [[Jammu region]], Muslim-majority [[Kashmir Valley]] and Buddhist-dominated [[Ladakh]].<ref name=BBC6Aug>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-49234708 Article 370: What happened with Kashmir and why it matters]. BBC (6 August 2019). Retrieved 7 August 2019.</ref> Unrest and violence persisted in the Kashmiri Valley and, following a disputed state election in 1987, an [[insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir|insurgency persisted]] in protest over autonomy and rights.<ref name="BBC6Aug" /><ref>{{cite web|last1=Jeelani|first1=Mushtaq A.|title=Kashmir: A History Littered With Rigged Elections|url=http://www.mediamonitors.net/jeelani4.html|website=Media Monitors Network|access-date=24 February 2017|date=25 June 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304051443/http://www.mediamonitors.net/jeelani4.html|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref>

The [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) came to power in the [[2014 Indian general election]] and five years later included in their [[2019 Indian general election|2019 election manifesto]] the revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India, in order to bring Jammu and Kashmir to equal status with other states.<ref name=BBC6Aug/>

A resolution to [[Revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir|repeal Article 370]] was passed by both the houses of the [[Parliament of India]] in August 2019. At the same time, a [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019|reorganisation act]] was also passed, which would reconstitute the state into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/parliament-live-govt-to-move-jammu-and-kashmir-reorganisation-bill-for-passage-in-lok-sabha/article28831274.ece|title=Parliament Live | Lok Sabha passes Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, Ayes: 370, Noes 70|date=6 August 2019|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> The reorganisation took effect from 31 October 2019.<ref name="Gazette2">{{citation|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2019/210412.pdf|title=In exercise of the powers conferred by clause a of section 2 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act.|date=9 August 2019|access-date=9 August 2019|author=Ministry of Home Affairs|work=[[The Gazette of India]]}}</ref>

Thousands of Kashmiris, including two former Chief Ministers and hundreds of other politicians, were detained in prisons all across India,<ref name="reuters">{{cite news |title=Thousands detained in Indian Kashmir crackdown, official data reveals |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-kashmir-detentions/thousands-detained-in-indian-kashmir-crackdown-official-data-reveals-idUSKCN1VX142 |work=Reuters |date=September 12, 2019}}</ref> the state was put under a [[2019–2021 Jammu and Kashmir lockdown|lockdown]] and communication and internet services were suspended.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kashmir in lockdown after autonomy scrapped |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-49246434 |access-date=6 June 2021 |work=BBC News |date=6 August 2019}}</ref>
==Geography==

===Topography===
[[File:Kashmir top.jpg|thumb|[[Topographic map]] of Jammu and Kashmir, with visible altitude for the Kashmir valley and Jammu region.]]
Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, Tawi Valley, [[Chenab Valley]], [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]] Valley, [[Sind Valley]] and [[Lidder Valley]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Vij|first=Shivam|date=5 May 2017|title=Kashmir Is A Prison With Three Walls|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/05/04/kashmir-is-a-prison-with-three-walls_a_22070340/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505073150/http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/05/04/kashmir-is-a-prison-with-three-walls_a_22070340/|archive-date=5 May 2017|access-date=9 August 2019|work=[[HuffPost]]}} [https://shivamvij.in/2017/05/05/755/ Alt URL]</ref> The Kashmir valley is {{convert|100|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|15520.3|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} in area.<ref name="AA1">{{cite web|url=https://www.asianage.com/columnists/indus-water-flow-can-t-be-stopped-721|title=Indus: The water flow can't be stopped|first=Mohan|last=Guruswamy|work=[[The Asian Age]]|date=28 September 2016|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Himalayas]] divide the Kashmir valley from the [[Tibetan plateau]] while the [[Pir Panjal]] range, which encloses the valley from the west and the south, separates it from the [[Punjab Plain]] of the [[Indo-Gangetic Plain]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/opinion/a-tryst-of-the-heart-and-history-along-the-karakoram-highway/|title=A Tryst of the Heart and History along the Karakoram Highway|first=Asma|last=Khan|work=[[Greater Kashmir]]|date=26 April 2018|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> Along the northeastern flank of the Valley runs the main range of the Himalayas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zmescience.com/other/feature-post/india-pakistan-conflict-07032019/|title=Why India and Pakistan keep fighting over Kashmir – the history of the Kashmir conflict|first=Mihai|last=Andrei|work=GME Science|date=11 March 2019|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> This valley has an average height of {{convert|1850|m|ft}} above sea-level,<ref name="AA1"/> but the surrounding Pir Panjal range has an average elevation of {{convert|10000|ft|m}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/in-the-past-the-mountain-passes-were-entry-exit-points-for-travellers-and-invaders/article22136536.ece|title=Doorway of the gods: Himalaya crosses five countries|author1=Vrinda|author2=J. Ramanan|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=21 December 2017|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Jhelum River]] is the major Himalayan river which flows through the Kashmir valley.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Jhelum-River|title=Jhelum River|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|date=15 December 2015|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Tawi River|Tawi]], [[Ravi River|Ravi]] and [[Chenab River|Chenab]] are the other important rivers flowing through the region.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nation.com.pk/29-Jul-2019/flooding-alert-issued-as-india-releases-water|title=Flooding alert issued as India releases water|work=[[The Nation (Pakistan)|The Nation]]|author=Agencies|date=29 July 2019|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref>
==Administrative divisions==
[[File:J,K and L - Indian Union Territories.jpg|thumb|'''''Jammu and Kashmir union territory''''' (J and K) is bordered in carmine colour. '''''Ladakh union territory''''' (L) is bordered in blue colour.]]
{{Main|List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir}}
The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir consists of two [[Divisions of India|divisions]]: [[Jammu Division]] and [[Kashmir Division]], and is further divided into 20 [[Districts of India|districts]].<ref name=MHA>{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |title=Ministry of Home Affairs:: Department of Jammu & Kashmir Affairs |access-date=28 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208212815/http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |archive-date=8 December 2008 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-bottom: 0;"
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
!| Division
!| Name
!| Headquarters
!| Area (km2)
!| Area (sq miles)
!| Rural Area (km2)
!| Urban Area (km2)
!|
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
|rowspan=11|[[Jammu Division|Jammu]]
||[[Kathua district]]
|| [[Kathua]]
| {{convert|2502|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2458.84|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|43.16|2}}
|| <ref>{{cite report
|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0107_PART_A_DCHB_KATHUA.pdf |page=8 |work=Census of India 2011, Part A |title=District Census Handbook Kathua |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Jammu district]]
|| [[Jammu (city)|Jammu]]
| {{convert|2342|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2089.87|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|252.13|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0121_PART_A_DCHB_JAMMU.pdf |pages=13, 51, 116 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Jammu, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0121_PART_B_DCHB_JAMMU.pdf |pages=13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Jammu, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Samba district]]
|| [[Samba, Jammu|Samba]]
| {{convert|904|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|865.24|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|38.76|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0122_PART_A_DCHB_SAMBA.pdf |pages=9, 34, 36, 100 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Samba, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0122_PART_B_DCHB_SAMBA.pdf |pages=10, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Samba, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Udhampur district]]
|| [[Udhampur]]
| {{convert|2637.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2593.28|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|43.72|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0119_PART_B_DCHB_UDHAMPUR.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Udhampur |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Reasi district]]
|| [[Reasi]]
| {{convert|1719|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1679.99|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|39.01|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0120_PART_A_DCHB_REASI.pdf |pages=9, 37, 88 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Reasi, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0120_PART_B_DCHB_REASI.pdf |pages=9, 13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Reasi, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Rajouri district]]
|| [[Rajouri]]
| {{convert|2630|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2608.11|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|21.89|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0106_PART_A_DCHB_RAJOURI.pdf |pages=11, 107 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Rajouri, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0106_PART_B_DCHB_RAJOURI.pdf |pages=9, 10, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Rajouri, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir|Poonch district]]
|| [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]]
| {{convert|1674|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1649.92|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|24.08|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0105_PART_A_DCHB_PUNCH.pdf |pages=9, 99 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Punch, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0105_PART_B_DCHB_PUNCH.pdf |pages=11, 13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Punch, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Doda district]]
|| [[Doda, Jammu and Kashmir|Doda]]
| {{convert|8912.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|8892.25|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|19.75|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0116_PART_B_DCHB_DODA.pdf |pages=9, 12, 99 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Doda, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Ramban district]]
|| [[Ramban (Jammu and Kashmir)|Ramban]]
| {{convert|1329.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1313.92|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|15.08|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0117_PART_B_DCHB_RAMBAN.pdf |pages=10, 12 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Ramban, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kishtwar district]]
|| [[Kishtwar]]
| {{convert|1644.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1643.37|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|0.63|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0118_PART_B_DCHB_KISHTWAR.pdf |pages=9, 10, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kishtwar, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 9 says the rural area is 1643.65 km2, whilst pages 10 and 22 says 1643.37 km2.</ref>
|- style="background:lightblue; vertical-align:top;"
||Total for division
|| [[Jammu Division|Jammu]]
| {{convert|26293|km2|sqmi|disp=tablecen|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|25794.95|2}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|498.05|2}}
||
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
|rowspan=11 |[[Kashmir Division|Kashmir]]
||[[Anantnag district]]
|| [[Anantnag]]
| {{convert|3574|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|3475.76|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|98.24|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0114_PART_A_DCHB_ANANTNAG.pdf |page=9 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Anantnag, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0114_PART_B_DCHB_ANANTNAG.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Anantnag, Part B |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kulgam district]]
|| [[Kulgam]]
| {{convert|410|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|360.20|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.80|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0115_PART_A_DCHB_KULGAM.pdf |page=10 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kulgam, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0115_PART_B_DCHB_KULGAM.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kulgam, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 12 says the are of the district is 404 km2, but page 22 says 410 km2.</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Pulwama district]]
|| [[Pulwama]]
| {{convert|1086.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1047.45|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|38.55|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0112_PART_B_DCHB_PULWAMA.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Pulwama, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Shopian district]]
|| [[Shopian]]
| {{convert|312.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|306.56|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|5.44|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0113_PART_A_DCHB_SHUPIYAN.pdf |page=10 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Shupiyan, Part A |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0113_PART_B_DCHB_SUPHIYAN.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Shupiyan, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B pages 12 and 22 say the district area is 312.00 km2, but Part A page 10 says 307.42 km2.</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Budgam district]]
|| [[Budgam]]
| {{convert|1361|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1311.95|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.05|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0102_PART_A_DCHB_BADGAM.pdf |pages=10, 46 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Badgam, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0102_PART_B_DCHB_BADGAM.pdf |pages=11, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Badgam, Part B |date=16 June 2014|access-date=21 November 2020}} Part A says the district area is 1371 km2, Part B says 1371 km2 (page 11) and 1361 km2 (page 12s and 22).</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Srinagar district]]
|| [[Srinagar]]
| {{convert|1978.95|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1684.42|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|294.53|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0110_PART_A_DCHB_SRINAGAR.pdf |pages=11, 48 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Srinagar, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part A page 48 says the district area was 2228.0 km2 in 2001 and 1978.95 km2 in 2011.</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Ganderbal district]]
|| [[Ganderbal]]
| {{convert|259|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|233.60|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|25.40|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0111_PART_B_DCHB_GANDERBAL.pdf |pages=11, 12 and 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Ganderbal, Part B |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 11 says the district area is 393.04 km2, but pages 12 and 22 say 259.00 km2.</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Bandipora district]]
|| [[Bandipore|Bandipora]]
| {{convert|345|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|295.37|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.63|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0109_PART_A_DCHB_BANDIPORE.pdf |pages=10, 47 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Bandipora, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0109_PART_B_DCHB_BANDIPORE.pdf |pages=11, 20 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Bandipora, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Baramulla district]]
|| [[Baramulla]]
| {{convert|4243|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|4179.44|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|63.56|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0108_PART_A_DCHB_BARAMULA.pdf |page=11 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Baramulla, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0108_PART_B_DCHB_BARAMULA.pdf|page=22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Baramulla, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kupwara district]]
|| [[Kupwara]]
| {{convert|2379|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2331.66|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|47.34|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0101_PART_A_DCHB_KUPWARA.pdf |page=7 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kupwara, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0101_PART_B_DCHB_KUPWARA.pdf|pages=11, 12 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kupwara, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|- style="background:lightblue; vertical-align:top;"
||Total for division
|| [[Kashmir Division|Kashmir]]
| {{convert|15,948.00|km2|sqmi|disp=tablecen|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|15226.41|2}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|721.54|2}}
||
|}
==Demographics==
===Religion===
{{Pie chart|label1=[[Islam]]|value1=68.8|color1=Green|label2=[[Hinduism]]|value2=28.8|color2=orange|label3=[[Sikhism]]|value3=1.9|color3=yellow|label4=[[Christianity]]|value4=0.28|color4=blue|label5=[[Buddhism]]|value5=0.03|color5=Gold|label6=[[Jainism]]|value6=0.01|color6=Maroon|label7=Others|value7=0.01|color7=Grey|label8=Not Stated|value8=0.15|color8=Black|caption=Religions in Jammu and Kashmir (2011)<ref name="2011 Census">{{cite web|title=Population by religion community – 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|website=Census of India, 2011|publisher=The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825155850/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|archive-date=25 August 2015}}</ref>}}
Muslims constitutes the majority of the population of Jammu and Kashmir with a significant Hindu minority.<ref name="2011 Census"/>

The [[Kashmir Division]] is largely Muslim (96.41%) with a small Hindu (2.45%) and Sikh (0.81%) population. The [[Jammu Division]] is predominantly Hindu (66%) with a significant Muslim population (30%). The Muslims form a majority in the Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts of Jammu, while the Hindus form a majority in Kathua, Samba, Jammu and Udhampur districts. Reasi district has an almost equal number of Hindus and Muslims.<ref name="2011 Census"/>
==Government and politics==
{{main|Government of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir|Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly}}
The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir is administered under the provisions of [[:s:Constitution of India/Part VIII#Article 239|Article 239]] of the [[Constitution of India]]. The Article 239A, originally formulated for the union territory of [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puduchery]], will also be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir.<ref name="Indian Express">
[https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jammu-kashmir-bifurcation-ladakh-union-territory-key-takeaways-from-reorganisation-bill-article-370-amit-shah-5880177/ Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Bill passed by Rajya Sabha: Key takeaways], The Indian Express, 5 August 2019.
</ref>
===Executive branch===
The [[President of India]] appoints a [[List of Governors of Jammu and Kashmir|Lieutenant Governor]] for the union territory.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

A Council of Ministers led by a [[Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]] is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor from the membership of the legislative assembly. Their role is to advise the Lieutenant Governor in the exercise of functions in matters under the jurisdiction of the legislative assembly. In other matters, the Lieutenant Governor is empowered to act in his own capacity.<ref name="Indian Express"/>
===Legislative branch===
The legislative branch is of government is a unicameral [[Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir|legislative assembly]], whose tenure is five years. The legislative assembly may make laws for any of the matters in the [[State List]] of the Constitution of India except "public order" and "police", which will remain the preserve of the central [[Government of India]]. The Lieutenant Governor also has the power to promulgate ordinances which have the same force as the acts of the legislative assembly.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

Elections for the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly are to be held following the implementation of new constituency boundaries which is expected to be completed in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zeenews.india.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir-assembly-election-in-2021-after-delimitation-ec-sources-2230726.html|title=Jammu and Kashmir assembly election in 2021 after delimitation: EC sources|date=29 August 2019|website=Zee News}}</ref>
===Judicial branch===
[[FILE:Stamp of India - 2006 - Colnect 158978 - High Court of Jammu - Kashmir.jpeg|thumb|The [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]] on postal stamps of India]]
The union territory is under the jurisdiction of the [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]], which also serves as high court for [[Ladakh]].<ref name="Indian Express"/> Police services are provided by the [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]].<ref name="trnscpt">{{cite web|url=https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/salient-features-of-jammu-kashmir-reorganization-bill-146998|title=Salient Features Of Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization Bill [Read Bill]|first1=Devesh|first2=Iti|last1=Ratan|last2=Johri|date=7 August 2019|website=LiveLaw.in: All about law|access-date=7 August 2019}}</ref>
===Parties===
The main political parties active in the region are the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (State President: [[Ravinder Raina]]), the [[Indian National Congress]] (State President: [[Ghulam Ahmad Mir]]), the [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference]] (President: [[Farooq Abdullah]]) and the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party]] (President: [[Mehbooba Mufti]]). Other parties with a presence in the region parties include the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party]] (President: [[Altaf Bukhari]]), the [[Jammu and Kashmir Workers Party]] (President: Mir Junaid) and [[Ikkjutt Jammu]] (President: Ankur Sharma).
===Jammu and Kashmir in the Parliament of India===
Jammu and Kashmir sends five members (MPs) to the lower house of the [[Indian parliament]] (the [[Lok Sabha]]) and four members to the upper house (the [[Rajya Sabha]]).
;Lok Sabha constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Constituency No. !! style="width:180px;" |Constituency !! Reserved for (SC/ST/None)
|-
| align="centre" |1||[[Baramulla (Lok Sabha constituency)|Baramulla]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |2 ||[[Srinagar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Srinagar]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |3 ||[[Anantnag (Lok Sabha constituency)|Anantnag]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |4 ||[[Udhampur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Udhampur]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |5 ||[[Jammu (Lok Sabha constituency)|Jammu]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
|}
== Tourism ==
{{Main|Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir}}
Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, [[Chenab Valley]], [[Sind Valley|Sindh Valley]] and [[Lidder Valley]]. Some major tourist attractions in Jammu and Kashmir are [[Srinagar]], the [[Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar|Mughal Gardens]], [[Gulmarg]], [[Pahalgam]], [[Patnitop]] and [[Jammu]]. Every year, thousands of Hindu [[pilgrim]]s visit holy shrines of [[Vaishno Devi]] and [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath]] which has had significant impact on the state's economy.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200709130350.htm | work=Online edition of The Hindu|title=Amarnath Board to study yatra impact on Kashmir economy | access-date=6 June 2009|location=Chennai, India|date=13 September 2007}}</ref>

The Kashmir valley is one of the top tourist destinations of India.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200903181221.htm|work=Online edition of The Hindu|title=Foreign tourists flock Kashmir|access-date=18 March 2009|location=Chennai, India|date=18 March 2009}}</ref> [[Gulmarg]], one of the most popular [[ski resort]] destinations in India, is also home to the world's highest green [[golf course]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB119332713217271534?mod=googlenews_wsj|title=Fairway to Heaven|author=Cris Prystay|date=26 October 2007|work=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref> The decrease in violence in the state has boosted the state's economy, specifically tourism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sify.com/news/Tourists-arrival-gives-boost-to-J-K-economy-news-jm3v4cihjai.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716071016/http://www.sify.com/news/Tourists-arrival-gives-boost-to-J-K-economy-news-jm3v4cihjai.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-07-16|title=Tourists arrival gives boost to J-K economy|work=Sify}}</ref>

Jammu and Kashmir is also famous for its scenic beauty, flower gardens, apple farms and more. It attracts tourists for its unique handicrafts and the world-famous [[Kashmir shawl|Kashmiri Shawls]].
<gallery mode="packed" heights="134">
File:River Chenab Ramban.jpg|River Chenab in [[Chenab Valley]]
File:Gund village.jpg|[[Sind Valley|Sindh Valley]]
File:Pahalgam Valley.jpg|[[Lidder Valley]]
File:Shalimar Mughal Garden Srinagar 2.jpg|the [[Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar|Mughal Gardens]]
File:Pahalgam views 13.JPG|[[Pahalgam]] views
File:Gulmarg in 1969.jpg|[[Gulmarg]]
File:Sanasar Lake.jpeg|Sanasar Lake which is around 11 km from [[Patnitop]]
File:Amarnath 4.jpg|View of [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath]] Valley.
</gallery>
== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}
== See also ==
{{Portal|Geography|Asia|India}}
* [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)]], for the entity that existed till 1952
* [[Kashmiriyat]]
* [[Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[Kashmiri cinema]]
* [[Literature of Kashmir]]
* [[Music of Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[Kus Bani Koshur Karorpaet]]
* [[DD Kashir]]
* [[AIR Srinagar]]
* [[University of Kashmir]]
* [[University of Jammu]]
* [[Central University of Kashmir]]
* [[Central University of Jammu]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir cricket team]]
* [[Real Kashmir F.C.]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir football team]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Rifles]]
{{-}}
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://jk.gov.in/ Government of Jammu and Kashmir]
* [https://jkgad.nic.in/ General Administration Department]
* [http://jkrajbhawan.nic.in/ Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir]
* [https://jammukashmir.s3waas.gov.in/ Jammu and Kashmir district portal]
{{Jammu and Kashmir topics}}
{{Kashmir Valley}}
{{States and Union Territories of India}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jammu And Kashmir}}
[[Category:Jammu and Kashmir| ]]
[[Category:North India|*]]
[[Category:History of the Republic of India]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 2019]]
[[Category:2019 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Urdu-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Kashmiri-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Disputed territories in Asia]]
[[Category:Union territories of India]]
[[Category:States and union territories of India]]

Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)

2022-02-07T05:32:48Z

Knowledge:

{{Short description|Union territory of India}}
{{About|the Union Territory of the Indian Union|the [[princely state]] during the [[British Raj]]|Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|the [[former state]] of India|Jammu and Kashmir (state)|}}
{{pp-30-500|small=yes}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Jammu and Kashmir
| settlement_type = [[States and union territories of India|UNION TERRITORY]]
| image_skyline = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Pahalgam Valley.jpg
| photo2a = Akhnoor Fort - Jammu - Jammu and Kashmir - DSC 0001 JPEG.jpg
| photo3a =
| photo4a =
| spacing = 2
| position = centre
| size = 220
| border = 0
| color = #000000
| foot_montage = [[Lidder Valley]], [[Akhnoor Fort]]
}}
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| image_flag =
| flag_size =
| flag_type =
| image_blank_emblem =
| blank_emblem_size =
| blank_emblem_type =
| image_map = [[File:Map of UT of Jammu and Kashmir and UT of Ladakh.jpg|1500px]]
| map_alt = Jammu and Kashmir
| map_caption = A map of Jammu and Kashmir (union Territory) bordered with yellow colour
| image_map1 = [[File:Kashmir Region November 2019.jpg|250px]]
| map_caption1 = A map of the disputed [[Jammu and Kashmir]] region showing the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir
| coordinates = {{coord|33.5|75.0|region:IN-JK_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{Flag|India}}
| established_title = [[States and union territories of India|Union territory]]
| established_date = 31 October 2019
| seat_type = Capital
| seat = [[Srinagar]] (May–October) [[Jammu]] (Nov-April)<ref name="Darbar Move">{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-darbar-move-in-j-k-all-about/article18409452.ece |title=What is the Darbar Move in J&K all about? |last=Desk |first=The Hindu Net |date=8 May 2017 |newspaper=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110135648/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-darbar-move-in-j-k-all-about/article18409452.ece |archive-date=10 November 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| parts_type = [[List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir|Districts]]
| parts_style = para
| p1 = [[List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir|20]]
| government_footnotes =
| governing_body = [[Government of Jammu and Kashmir]]
| leader_title = [[List of lieutenant governors of Jammu and Kashmir|Lieutenant Governor]]
| leader_name = [[Manoj Sinha]]
| leader_title1 = [[Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]]
| leader_name1 = ''Vacant''
| leader_title2 = [[Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly|Legislature]]
| leader_name2 = [[Unicameralism|Unicameral]] (114 seats)<ref>{{cite news |url =https://www.livemint.com/news/india/new-dawn-for-j-k-begins-two-new-federal-units-take-shape-11572493040564.html|title =Jammu and Kashmir transitions from a state into 2 federal units|author =Shaswati Das|publisher =Live Mint|website =livemint.com|quote =Jammu and Kashmir will also have its own legislative assembly, under which, according to the Act, the number of seats will go up to 114 from 87 currently, following a delimitation exercise.|access-date =30 June 2020}}</ref>
| leader_title3 = [[17th Lok Sabha|Parliamentary constituency]]
| leader_name3 = [[Rajya Sabha]] (4) [[Lok Sabha]] (5)
| leader_title4 = [[High Courts of India|High Court]]
| leader_name4 = [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]]
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes = {{efn|Jammu and Kashmir is a [[disputed territory]] between [[India]] and [[Pakistan]]. Jammu and Kashmir has 42,241 km2 of area administered by India and 13,297 km2 of area controlled by Pakistan under Azad Kashmir which is claimed by India as part of Jammu and Kashmir.}}
| area_total_km2 = 42,241
| area_rank =
| elevation_max_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197506500/Saser-Kangri|title=Saser Kangri |journal= The American Alpine Journal (AAJ)|date=1975 |first1=Jogindar |last1=Singh |access-date=14 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214115923/http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197506500/Saser-Kangri|archive-date=14 February 2019|url-status=live |pages=67–67}} [https://aac-publications.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/aaj/1975/PDF/AAJ_1975_20_1_065.pdf pdf of original pages]</ref>
| elevation_max_m = 7135
| elevation_max_ft =
| elevation_max_point = [[Nun Kun|Nun Peak]]
| elevation_max_rank =
| elevation_min_footnotes =
| elevation_min_m = 247
| elevation_min_ft =
| elevation_min_point =  [[Chenab River]]
| elevation_min_rank =
| population_total = 12,267,013
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Vijaita |title=Only J&K will use 2011 Census for delimitation |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/only-jk-will-use-2011-census-for-delimitation/article30952006.ece |access-date=6 November 2020 |work=The Hindu |date=29 February 2020 |language=en-IN}}</ref>
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_rank =
| population_note =
| registration_plate = JK
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +05:30
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|IN-JK]]
| unemployment_rate =
| blank_info_sec1 = {{Increase}} 0.688 (Medium)
| blank_name_sec1 = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] {{nobold|(2018)}}
| blank1_info_sec1 =
| blank_name_sec2 = [[Literacy in India|Literacy]]
| blank_info_sec2 =
| blank2_name_sec2 =
| blank2_info_sec2 =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]], [[Dogri language|Dogri]], [[Urdu]], [[Hindi]], [[English language|English]].<ref name="OfficialLang">{{cite web |url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2020/222037.pdf |title=The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020 |publisher=The Gazette of India|date=27 September 2020 |access-date=27 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020 | work=Rising Kashmir | date=23 September 2020| url=http://risingkashmir.com/news/parliament-passes-jk-official-languages-bill-2020 | access-date=23 September 2020}}</ref>
| demographics1_title2 = Spoken
| demographics1_info2 = [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], [[Pahari-Pothwari|Pahari]], [[Gujari language|Gojri]], Dadri<ref name="Languages">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RRbIAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA184 |title=The Parchment of Kashmir: History, Society, and Polity |last=Khan |first=N. |date=6 August 2012 |publisher=Springer |isbn=9781137029584 |page=184 |language=en |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190223184947/https://books.google.com/books?id=RRbIAAAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&pg=PA184#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=23 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Dadri">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XNqOjvaAb9cC&pg=PA6 |title=Modern History of Jammu and Kashmir: Ancient times to Shimla Agreement |last1=Aggarwal |first1=J. C. |last2=Agrawal |first2=S. P. |date=1995 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |isbn=9788170225577 |language=en |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224001711/https://books.google.com/books?id=XNqOjvaAb9cC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA6#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=24 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Bhadarwahi]],<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Bhadrawahi |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/bhd |language=en|website=Ethnologue.com|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> [[Bateri language|Bateri]],<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Bateri |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/btv |language=en}}</ref> [[Shina language|Shina]],<ref name="Crane1956">{{cite book|last=Crane|first=Robert I.|title=Area Handbook on Jammu and Kashmir State|year=1956|publisher=University of Chicago for the Human Relations Area Files|language=en|page=179|quote=Shina is the most eastern of these languages and in some of its dialects such as the Brokpa of Dah and Hanu and the dialect of Dras, it impinges upon the area of the Sino-Tibetan language family and has been affected by Tibetan with an overlay of words and idioms.}}</ref> [[Burushaski]]<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Pakistan's "Burushaski" Language Finds New Relatives |url=https://www.npr.org/2012/06/20/155454736/pakistans-burushaski-language-finds-new-relatives |language=en|website=Npr.org|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> and [[Khowar language|Khowar]]<ref name="SimonsFenning2017">{{cite book|last1=Simons|first1= Gary F. |last2=Fennig|first2=Charles D. |title=Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Twentieth Edition|year=2017|publisher=[[SIL International]]|location= Dallas|language=en}}</ref>
| website = https://www.jk.gov.in
| footnotes =
| official_name =
| module =
| leader_name5 = (280 seats)
| leader_title5 = [[District Development Council|DDC]]
}}
'''Jammu and Kashmir'''{{efn|Pronounced variably as {{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|æ|m|uː}} or {{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|ʌ|m|uː}}, {{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|æ|ʃ|m|ɪər}} or {{IPAc-en|k|æ|ʃ|ˈ|m|ɪər}}.<ref>{{Citation |last=Jones |first=Daniel |author-link= Daniel Jones (phonetician) |title= English Pronouncing Dictionary |editor=Peter Roach |editor2=James Hartmann |editor3=Jane Setter |place=Cambridge |publisher= Cambridge University Press |orig-year=1917 |year=2003 |isbn=978-3-12-539683-8 }}</ref>}} is a region administered by India as a [[union territory]] and consists of the southern portion of the larger [[Jammu and Kashmir]] region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947, and between India and China since 1962.<ref name=britannica-jammu-kashmir>(a) {{citation|last1=Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannia|title=Kashmir, region Indian subcontinent|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Kashmir-region-Indian-subcontinent |access-date=15 August 2019}} (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcontinent ... has been the subject of dispute between India and Pakistan since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. The northern and western portions are administered by Pakistan and comprise three areas: Azad Kashmir, Gilgit, and Baltistan, the last two being part of a territory called the Northern Areas. Administered by India are the southern and southeastern portions, which constitute the state of Jammu and Kashmir but are slated to be split into two union territories. China became active in the eastern area of Kashmir in the 1950s and has controlled the northeastern part of Ladakh (the easternmost portion of the region) since 1962."; (b) {{citation|chapter=Kashmir|title=Encyclopedia Americana|publisher=Scholastic Library Publishing|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l_cWAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA328|year=2006|isbn=978-0-7172-0139-6|page=328}} C. E Bosworth, University of Manchester Quote: "KASHMIR, kash'mer, the northernmost region of the Indian subcontinent, administered partlv by India, partly by Pakistan, and partly by China. The region has been the subject of a bitter dispute between India and Pakistan since they became independent in 1947";</ref><ref name="Osmanczyk2003">{{citation|last1=Osmańczyk|first1=Edmund Jan|title=Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: G to M|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fSIMXHMdfkkC&pg=PA1191|year=2003|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-415-93922-5|pages=1191–}} Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir: Territory in northwestern India, subject to a dispute between India and Pakistan. It has borders with Pakistan and China."</ref> The region of Jammu and Kashmir is separated by the [[Line of Control]] from the [[Kashmir#Current status and political divisions|Pakistani-administered]] territories of [[Azad Kashmir]] and [[Gilgit-Baltistan]] in the west and north, respectively. It lies to the north of the Indian states of [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] and to the west of [[Ladakh]], which is also subject to the dispute as a part of Kashmir, and administered by India as a union territory.

Provisions for the formation of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir were contained within the [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019]], which was passed by both houses of the [[Parliament of India]] in August 2019. The act re-constituted the former [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|state of Jammu and Kashmir]] into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, with effect from 31 October 2019.<ref name="Gazette2" />
== Terminology ==
Jammu and Kashmir is named after the two regions it encompasses {{ndash}} the [[Jammu region]] and the [[Kashmir Valley]].

The Government of Pakistan and Pakistani sources refer to Jammu and Kashmir as a part of "Indian-occupied Kashmir" ("IOK") or "Indian-held Kashmir" (IHK).<ref>{{cite web |first= Ali | last=Zain |url= http://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pakistani-flag-hoisted-pro-freedom-slogans-chanted-in-indian-occupied-kashmir-567/ |title= Pakistani flag hoisted, pro-freedom slogans chanted in Indian Occupied Kashmir – Daily Pakistan Global |publisher= En.dailypakistan.com.pk |date= 13 September 2015 |access-date= 17 November 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151118114311/http://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pakistani-flag-hoisted-pro-freedom-slogans-chanted-in-indian-occupied-kashmir-567/ |archive-date= 18 November 2015 |url-status=live |df= dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://dunyanews.tv/index.php/en/World/298421-Pakistani-flag-hoisted-once-again-in-Indian-Occupi |title= Pakistani flag hoisted once again in Indian Occupied Kashmir |website=Dunya News |date= 11 September 2015 |access-date=17 November 2015}}</ref> The Government of India and Indian sources in turn, call the [[Pakistan-administered Kashmir|territory under Pakistan control]] "Pakistan-occupied Kashmir" ("POK") or "Pakistan-held Kashmir" ("PHK").<ref name="Snedden 2013 p.2-3">{{cite book |first=Christopher |last=Snedden |author-link=Christopher Snedden |title=Kashmir: The Unwritten History |publisher=HarperCollins India |year=2013 |isbn=978-9350298985 |pages=2–3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-enigma-of-terminology/article5621801.ece|title=The enigma of terminology|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016082903/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-enigma-of-terminology/article5621801.ece|archive-date=16 October 2015|newspaper=The Hindu|date=27 January 2014}}</ref>
"Indian-administered Kashmir" and "Indian-controlled Kashmir" are often used by neutral sources.<ref>South Asia: fourth report of session 2006–07 by By Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Foreign Affairs Committee page 37</ref>
== History ==
{{For|the 1954–2019 history|Jammu and Kashmir (state)#History}}
{{For|the pre-1954 history|Kashmir#History}}
The state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] was accorded special status by [[Article 370 of the Constitution of India]]. In contrast to other [[states of India]], Jammu and Kashmir had its own [[Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir|constitution]], [[Flag of Jammu and Kashmir|flag]] and administrative autonomy.<ref>{{citation |author=K. Venkataramanan |title=How the status of Jammu and Kashmir is being changed |newspaper=The Hindu |date=5 August 2019 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/explained-how-the-status-of-jammu-and-kashmir-is-being-changed/article28822866.ece?homepage=true}}</ref> Indian citizens from other states were not allowed to purchase land or property in Jammu and Kashmir.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/article-370-and-35a-revoked-how-it-would-change-the-face-of-kashmir/articleshow/70531959.cms|title=Article 370 and 35(A) revoked: How it would change the face of Kashmir|newspaper=The Economic Times|date=5 August 2019}}</ref>

Jammu and Kashmir had three distinct areas: Hindu-majority [[Jammu region]], Muslim-majority [[Kashmir Valley]] and Buddhist-dominated [[Ladakh]].<ref name=BBC6Aug>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-49234708 Article 370: What happened with Kashmir and why it matters]. BBC (6 August 2019). Retrieved 7 August 2019.</ref> Unrest and violence persisted in the Kashmiri Valley and, following a disputed state election in 1987, an [[insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir|insurgency persisted]] in protest over autonomy and rights.<ref name="BBC6Aug" /><ref>{{cite web|last1=Jeelani|first1=Mushtaq A.|title=Kashmir: A History Littered With Rigged Elections|url=http://www.mediamonitors.net/jeelani4.html|website=Media Monitors Network|access-date=24 February 2017|date=25 June 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304051443/http://www.mediamonitors.net/jeelani4.html|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref>

The [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) came to power in the [[2014 Indian general election]] and five years later included in their [[2019 Indian general election|2019 election manifesto]] the revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India, in order to bring Jammu and Kashmir to equal status with other states.<ref name=BBC6Aug/>

A resolution to [[Revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir|repeal Article 370]] was passed by both the houses of the [[Parliament of India]] in August 2019. At the same time, a [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019|reorganisation act]] was also passed, which would reconstitute the state into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/parliament-live-govt-to-move-jammu-and-kashmir-reorganisation-bill-for-passage-in-lok-sabha/article28831274.ece|title=Parliament Live | Lok Sabha passes Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, Ayes: 370, Noes 70|date=6 August 2019|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> The reorganisation took effect from 31 October 2019.<ref name="Gazette2">{{citation|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2019/210412.pdf|title=In exercise of the powers conferred by clause a of section 2 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act.|date=9 August 2019|access-date=9 August 2019|author=Ministry of Home Affairs|work=[[The Gazette of India]]}}</ref>

Thousands of Kashmiris, including two former Chief Ministers and hundreds of other politicians, were detained in prisons all across India,<ref name="reuters">{{cite news |title=Thousands detained in Indian Kashmir crackdown, official data reveals |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-kashmir-detentions/thousands-detained-in-indian-kashmir-crackdown-official-data-reveals-idUSKCN1VX142 |work=Reuters |date=September 12, 2019}}</ref> the state was put under a [[2019–2021 Jammu and Kashmir lockdown|lockdown]] and communication and internet services were suspended.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kashmir in lockdown after autonomy scrapped |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-49246434 |access-date=6 June 2021 |work=BBC News |date=6 August 2019}}</ref>
==Geography==

===Topography===
[[File:Kashmir top.jpg|thumb|[[Topographic map]] of Jammu and Kashmir, with visible altitude for the Kashmir valley and Jammu region.]]
Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, Tawi Valley, [[Chenab Valley]], [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]] Valley, [[Sind Valley]] and [[Lidder Valley]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Vij|first=Shivam|date=5 May 2017|title=Kashmir Is A Prison With Three Walls|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/05/04/kashmir-is-a-prison-with-three-walls_a_22070340/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505073150/http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/05/04/kashmir-is-a-prison-with-three-walls_a_22070340/|archive-date=5 May 2017|access-date=9 August 2019|work=[[HuffPost]]}} [https://shivamvij.in/2017/05/05/755/ Alt URL]</ref> The Kashmir valley is {{convert|100|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|15520.3|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} in area.<ref name="AA1">{{cite web|url=https://www.asianage.com/columnists/indus-water-flow-can-t-be-stopped-721|title=Indus: The water flow can't be stopped|first=Mohan|last=Guruswamy|work=[[The Asian Age]]|date=28 September 2016|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Himalayas]] divide the Kashmir valley from the [[Tibetan plateau]] while the [[Pir Panjal]] range, which encloses the valley from the west and the south, separates it from the [[Punjab Plain]] of the [[Indo-Gangetic Plain]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/opinion/a-tryst-of-the-heart-and-history-along-the-karakoram-highway/|title=A Tryst of the Heart and History along the Karakoram Highway|first=Asma|last=Khan|work=[[Greater Kashmir]]|date=26 April 2018|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> Along the northeastern flank of the Valley runs the main range of the Himalayas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zmescience.com/other/feature-post/india-pakistan-conflict-07032019/|title=Why India and Pakistan keep fighting over Kashmir – the history of the Kashmir conflict|first=Mihai|last=Andrei|work=GME Science|date=11 March 2019|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> This valley has an average height of {{convert|1850|m|ft}} above sea-level,<ref name="AA1"/> but the surrounding Pir Panjal range has an average elevation of {{convert|10000|ft|m}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/in-the-past-the-mountain-passes-were-entry-exit-points-for-travellers-and-invaders/article22136536.ece|title=Doorway of the gods: Himalaya crosses five countries|author1=Vrinda|author2=J. Ramanan|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=21 December 2017|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Jhelum River]] is the major Himalayan river which flows through the Kashmir valley.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Jhelum-River|title=Jhelum River|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|date=15 December 2015|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Tawi River|Tawi]], [[Ravi River|Ravi]] and [[Chenab River|Chenab]] are the other important rivers flowing through the region.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nation.com.pk/29-Jul-2019/flooding-alert-issued-as-india-releases-water|title=Flooding alert issued as India releases water|work=[[The Nation (Pakistan)|The Nation]]|author=Agencies|date=29 July 2019|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref>
==Administrative divisions==
[[File:J,K and L - Indian Union Territories.jpg|thumb|'''''Jammu and Kashmir union territory''''' (J and K) is bordered in carmine colour. '''''Ladakh union territory''''' (L) is bordered in blue colour.]]
{{Main|List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir}}
The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir consists of two [[Divisions of India|divisions]]: [[Jammu Division]] and [[Kashmir Division]], and is further divided into 20 [[Districts of India|districts]].<ref name=MHA>{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |title=Ministry of Home Affairs:: Department of Jammu & Kashmir Affairs |access-date=28 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208212815/http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |archive-date=8 December 2008 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-bottom: 0;"
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
!| Division
!| Name
!| Headquarters
!| Area (km2)
!| Area (sq miles)
!| Rural Area (km2)
!| Urban Area (km2)
!|
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
|rowspan=11|[[Jammu Division|Jammu]]
||[[Kathua district]]
|| [[Kathua]]
| {{convert|2502|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2458.84|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|43.16|2}}
|| <ref>{{cite report
|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0107_PART_A_DCHB_KATHUA.pdf |page=8 |work=Census of India 2011, Part A |title=District Census Handbook Kathua |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Jammu district]]
|| [[Jammu (city)|Jammu]]
| {{convert|2342|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2089.87|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|252.13|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0121_PART_A_DCHB_JAMMU.pdf |pages=13, 51, 116 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Jammu, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0121_PART_B_DCHB_JAMMU.pdf |pages=13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Jammu, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Samba district]]
|| [[Samba, Jammu|Samba]]
| {{convert|904|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|865.24|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|38.76|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0122_PART_A_DCHB_SAMBA.pdf |pages=9, 34, 36, 100 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Samba, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0122_PART_B_DCHB_SAMBA.pdf |pages=10, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Samba, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Udhampur district]]
|| [[Udhampur]]
| {{convert|2637.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2593.28|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|43.72|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0119_PART_B_DCHB_UDHAMPUR.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Udhampur |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Reasi district]]
|| [[Reasi]]
| {{convert|1719|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1679.99|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|39.01|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0120_PART_A_DCHB_REASI.pdf |pages=9, 37, 88 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Reasi, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0120_PART_B_DCHB_REASI.pdf |pages=9, 13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Reasi, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Rajouri district]]
|| [[Rajouri]]
| {{convert|2630|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2608.11|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|21.89|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0106_PART_A_DCHB_RAJOURI.pdf |pages=11, 107 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Rajouri, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0106_PART_B_DCHB_RAJOURI.pdf |pages=9, 10, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Rajouri, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir|Poonch district]]
|| [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]]
| {{convert|1674|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1649.92|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|24.08|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0105_PART_A_DCHB_PUNCH.pdf |pages=9, 99 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Punch, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0105_PART_B_DCHB_PUNCH.pdf |pages=11, 13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Punch, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Doda district]]
|| [[Doda, Jammu and Kashmir|Doda]]
| {{convert|8912.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|8892.25|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|19.75|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0116_PART_B_DCHB_DODA.pdf |pages=9, 12, 99 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Doda, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Ramban district]]
|| [[Ramban (Jammu and Kashmir)|Ramban]]
| {{convert|1329.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1313.92|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|15.08|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0117_PART_B_DCHB_RAMBAN.pdf |pages=10, 12 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Ramban, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kishtwar district]]
|| [[Kishtwar]]
| {{convert|1644.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1643.37|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|0.63|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0118_PART_B_DCHB_KISHTWAR.pdf |pages=9, 10, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kishtwar, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 9 says the rural area is 1643.65 km2, whilst pages 10 and 22 says 1643.37 km2.</ref>
|- style="background:lightblue; vertical-align:top;"
||Total for division
|| [[Jammu Division|Jammu]]
| {{convert|26293|km2|sqmi|disp=tablecen|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|25794.95|2}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|498.05|2}}
||
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
|rowspan=11 |[[Kashmir Division|Kashmir]]
||[[Anantnag district]]
|| [[Anantnag]]
| {{convert|3574|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|3475.76|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|98.24|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0114_PART_A_DCHB_ANANTNAG.pdf |page=9 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Anantnag, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0114_PART_B_DCHB_ANANTNAG.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Anantnag, Part B |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kulgam district]]
|| [[Kulgam]]
| {{convert|410|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|360.20|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.80|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0115_PART_A_DCHB_KULGAM.pdf |page=10 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kulgam, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0115_PART_B_DCHB_KULGAM.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kulgam, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 12 says the are of the district is 404 km2, but page 22 says 410 km2.</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Pulwama district]]
|| [[Pulwama]]
| {{convert|1086.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1047.45|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|38.55|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0112_PART_B_DCHB_PULWAMA.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Pulwama, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Shopian district]]
|| [[Shopian]]
| {{convert|312.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|306.56|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|5.44|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0113_PART_A_DCHB_SHUPIYAN.pdf |page=10 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Shupiyan, Part A |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0113_PART_B_DCHB_SUPHIYAN.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Shupiyan, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B pages 12 and 22 say the district area is 312.00 km2, but Part A page 10 says 307.42 km2.</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Budgam district]]
|| [[Budgam]]
| {{convert|1361|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1311.95|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.05|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0102_PART_A_DCHB_BADGAM.pdf |pages=10, 46 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Badgam, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0102_PART_B_DCHB_BADGAM.pdf |pages=11, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Badgam, Part B |date=16 June 2014|access-date=21 November 2020}} Part A says the district area is 1371 km2, Part B says 1371 km2 (page 11) and 1361 km2 (page 12s and 22).</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Srinagar district]]
|| [[Srinagar]]
| {{convert|1978.95|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1684.42|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|294.53|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0110_PART_A_DCHB_SRINAGAR.pdf |pages=11, 48 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Srinagar, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part A page 48 says the district area was 2228.0 km2 in 2001 and 1978.95 km2 in 2011.</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Ganderbal district]]
|| [[Ganderbal]]
| {{convert|259|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|233.60|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|25.40|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0111_PART_B_DCHB_GANDERBAL.pdf |pages=11, 12 and 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Ganderbal, Part B |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 11 says the district area is 393.04 km2, but pages 12 and 22 say 259.00 km2.</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Bandipora district]]
|| [[Bandipore|Bandipora]]
| {{convert|345|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|295.37|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.63|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0109_PART_A_DCHB_BANDIPORE.pdf |pages=10, 47 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Bandipora, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0109_PART_B_DCHB_BANDIPORE.pdf |pages=11, 20 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Bandipora, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Baramulla district]]
|| [[Baramulla]]
| {{convert|4243|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|4179.44|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|63.56|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0108_PART_A_DCHB_BARAMULA.pdf |page=11 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Baramulla, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0108_PART_B_DCHB_BARAMULA.pdf|page=22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Baramulla, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kupwara district]]
|| [[Kupwara]]
| {{convert|2379|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2331.66|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|47.34|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0101_PART_A_DCHB_KUPWARA.pdf |page=7 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kupwara, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0101_PART_B_DCHB_KUPWARA.pdf|pages=11, 12 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kupwara, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>
|- style="background:lightblue; vertical-align:top;"
||Total for division
|| [[Kashmir Division|Kashmir]]
| {{convert|15,948.00|km2|sqmi|disp=tablecen|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|15226.41|2}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|721.54|2}}
||
|}
==Demographics==
===Religion===
{{Pie chart|label1=[[Islam]]|value1=68.8|color1=Green|label2=[[Hinduism]]|value2=28.8|color2=orange|label3=[[Sikhism]]|value3=1.9|color3=yellow|label4=[[Christianity]]|value4=0.28|color4=blue|label5=[[Buddhism]]|value5=0.03|color5=Gold|label6=[[Jainism]]|value6=0.01|color6=Maroon|label7=Others|value7=0.01|color7=Grey|label8=Not Stated|value8=0.15|color8=Black|caption=Religions in Jammu and Kashmir (2011)<ref name="2011 Census">{{cite web|title=Population by religion community – 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|website=Census of India, 2011|publisher=The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825155850/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|archive-date=25 August 2015}}</ref>}}
Muslims constitutes the majority of the population of Jammu and Kashmir with a significant Hindu minority.<ref name="2011 Census"/>

The [[Kashmir Division]] is largely Muslim (96.41%) with a small Hindu (2.45%) and Sikh (0.81%) population. The [[Jammu Division]] is predominantly Hindu (66%) with a significant Muslim population (30%). The Muslims form a majority in the Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts of Jammu, while the Hindus form a majority in Kathua, Samba, Jammu and Udhampur districts. Reasi district has an almost equal number of Hindus and Muslims.<ref name="2011 Census"/>
==Government and politics==
{{main|Government of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir|Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly}}
The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir is administered under the provisions of [[:s:Constitution of India/Part VIII#Article 239|Article 239]] of the [[Constitution of India]]. The Article 239A, originally formulated for the union territory of [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puduchery]], will also be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir.<ref name="Indian Express">
[https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jammu-kashmir-bifurcation-ladakh-union-territory-key-takeaways-from-reorganisation-bill-article-370-amit-shah-5880177/ Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Bill passed by Rajya Sabha: Key takeaways], The Indian Express, 5 August 2019.
</ref>
===Executive branch===
The [[President of India]] appoints a [[List of Governors of Jammu and Kashmir|Lieutenant Governor]] for the union territory.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

A Council of Ministers led by a [[Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]] is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor from the membership of the legislative assembly. Their role is to advise the Lieutenant Governor in the exercise of functions in matters under the jurisdiction of the legislative assembly. In other matters, the Lieutenant Governor is empowered to act in his own capacity.<ref name="Indian Express"/>
===Legislative branch===
The legislative branch is of government is a unicameral [[Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir|legislative assembly]], whose tenure is five years. The legislative assembly may make laws for any of the matters in the [[State List]] of the Constitution of India except "public order" and "police", which will remain the preserve of the central [[Government of India]]. The Lieutenant Governor also has the power to promulgate ordinances which have the same force as the acts of the legislative assembly.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

Elections for the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly are to be held following the implementation of new constituency boundaries which is expected to be completed in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zeenews.india.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir-assembly-election-in-2021-after-delimitation-ec-sources-2230726.html|title=Jammu and Kashmir assembly election in 2021 after delimitation: EC sources|date=29 August 2019|website=Zee News}}</ref>
===Judicial branch===
[[FILE:Stamp of India - 2006 - Colnect 158978 - High Court of Jammu - Kashmir.jpeg|thumb|The [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]] on postal stamps of India]]
The union territory is under the jurisdiction of the [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]], which also serves as high court for [[Ladakh]].<ref name="Indian Express"/> Police services are provided by the [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]].<ref name="trnscpt">{{cite web|url=https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/salient-features-of-jammu-kashmir-reorganization-bill-146998|title=Salient Features Of Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization Bill [Read Bill]|first1=Devesh|first2=Iti|last1=Ratan|last2=Johri|date=7 August 2019|website=LiveLaw.in: All about law|access-date=7 August 2019}}</ref>
===Parties===
The main political parties active in the region are the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (State President: [[Ravinder Raina]]), the [[Indian National Congress]] (State President: [[Ghulam Ahmad Mir]]), the [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference]] (President: [[Farooq Abdullah]]) and the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party]] (President: [[Mehbooba Mufti]]). Other parties with a presence in the region parties include the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party]] (President: [[Altaf Bukhari]]), the [[Jammu and Kashmir Workers Party]] (President: Mir Junaid) and [[Ikkjutt Jammu]] (President: Ankur Sharma).
===Jammu and Kashmir in the Parliament of India===
Jammu and Kashmir sends five members (MPs) to the lower house of the [[Indian parliament]] (the [[Lok Sabha]]) and four members to the upper house (the [[Rajya Sabha]]).
;Lok Sabha constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Constituency No. !! style="width:180px;" |Constituency !! Reserved for (SC/ST/None)
|-
| align="centre" |1||[[Baramulla (Lok Sabha constituency)|Baramulla]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |2 ||[[Srinagar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Srinagar]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |3 ||[[Anantnag (Lok Sabha constituency)|Anantnag]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |4 ||[[Udhampur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Udhampur]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |5 ||[[Jammu (Lok Sabha constituency)|Jammu]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
|}
== Tourism ==
{{Main|Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir}}
Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, [[Chenab Valley]], [[Sind Valley|Sindh Valley]] and [[Lidder Valley]]. Some major tourist attractions in Jammu and Kashmir are [[Srinagar]], the [[Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar|Mughal Gardens]], [[Gulmarg]], [[Pahalgam]], [[Patnitop]] and [[Jammu]]. Every year, thousands of Hindu [[pilgrim]]s visit holy shrines of [[Vaishno Devi]] and [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath]] which has had significant impact on the state's economy.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200709130350.htm | work=Online edition of The Hindu|title=Amarnath Board to study yatra impact on Kashmir economy | access-date=6 June 2009|location=Chennai, India|date=13 September 2007}}</ref>

The Kashmir valley is one of the top tourist destinations of India.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200903181221.htm|work=Online edition of The Hindu|title=Foreign tourists flock Kashmir|access-date=18 March 2009|location=Chennai, India|date=18 March 2009}}</ref> [[Gulmarg]], one of the most popular [[ski resort]] destinations in India, is also home to the world's highest green [[golf course]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB119332713217271534?mod=googlenews_wsj|title=Fairway to Heaven|author=Cris Prystay|date=26 October 2007|work=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref> The decrease in violence in the state has boosted the state's economy, specifically tourism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sify.com/news/Tourists-arrival-gives-boost-to-J-K-economy-news-jm3v4cihjai.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716071016/http://www.sify.com/news/Tourists-arrival-gives-boost-to-J-K-economy-news-jm3v4cihjai.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-07-16|title=Tourists arrival gives boost to J-K economy|work=Sify}}</ref>

Jammu and Kashmir is also famous for its scenic beauty, flower gardens, apple farms and more. It attracts tourists for its unique handicrafts and the world-famous [[Kashmir shawl|Kashmiri Shawls]].
<gallery mode="packed" heights="134">
File:River Chenab Ramban.jpg|River Chenab in [[Chenab Valley]]
File:Gund village.jpg|[[Sind Valley|Sindh Valley]]
File:Pahalgam Valley.jpg|[[Lidder Valley]]
File:Shalimar Mughal Garden Srinagar 2.jpg|the [[Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar|Mughal Gardens]]
File:Pahalgam views 13.JPG|[[Pahalgam]] views
File:Gulmarg in 1969.jpg|[[Gulmarg]]
File:Sanasar Lake.jpeg|Sanasar Lake which is around 11 km from [[Patnitop]]
File:Amarnath 4.jpg|View of [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath]] Valley.
</gallery>
== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}
== See also ==
{{Portal|Geography|Asia|India}}
* [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)]], for the entity that existed till 1952
* [[Kashmiriyat]]
* [[Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[Kashmiri cinema]]
* [[Literature of Kashmir]]
* [[Music of Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[Kus Bani Koshur Karorpaet]]
* [[DD Kashir]]
* [[AIR Srinagar]]
* [[University of Kashmir]]
* [[University of Jammu]]
* [[Central University of Kashmir]]
* [[Central University of Jammu]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir cricket team]]
* [[Real Kashmir F.C.]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir football team]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Rifles]]
{{-}}
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://jk.gov.in/ Government of Jammu and Kashmir]
* [https://jkgad.nic.in/ General Administration Department]
* [http://jkrajbhawan.nic.in/ Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir]
* [https://jammukashmir.s3waas.gov.in/ Jammu and Kashmir district portal]
{{Jammu and Kashmir topics}}
{{Kashmir Valley}}
{{States and Union Territories of India}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jammu And Kashmir}}
[[Category:Jammu and Kashmir| ]]
[[Category:North India|*]]
[[Category:History of the Republic of India]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 2019]]
[[Category:2019 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Urdu-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Kashmiri-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Disputed territories in Asia]]
[[Category:Union territories of India]]
[[Category:States and union territories of India]]

Tulu language

2021-12-12T14:32:37Z

Knowledge: /* Writing system */Fixed typo

{{Short description|Indian Dravidian language of Tulu Nadu region}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox language
| name = Tulu
| nativename = {{lang|kn|ತುಳು}} {{lang|ml|തുളു}}
| states = [[India]]
| region = [[Tulu Nadu]]{{efn|([[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Udupi District]] of Karnataka State and [[Kasaragod district]] of Kerala State)}}<ref name="BhatSteveer" /><ref name="acharya1b" /><ref name="ciil.org"/>
| ethnicity = [[Tulu people|Tuluvas]]
| speakers = over 3 million<ref name="Cenus2021">{{cite web|title=ABSTRACT OF SPEAKERS' STRENGTH OF LANGUAGES AND MOTHER TONGUES - 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011Census/Language-2011/Statement-1.pdf|website=censusindia.gov.in|publisher=Indian Census 2011, Government of India|access-date=7 July 2018}}</ref>
| date = 2011 census
| familycolor = Dravidian
| fam2 = [[Southern Dravidian]]
| fam3 = Tulu languages
| script = [[Tulu script]] [[Kannada script]] [[Malayalam script]]
| minority = {{flag|India}}

*[[Karnataka]]
*[[Kerala]]
| agency = [[Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy]] [[Kerala Tulu Academy]]
| iso3 = tcy
| image = Tulubaase4.png
| imagesize = 250px
| imagecaption = ''Tulu Baase'' written in [[Tulu script]]
| map = Tuluspeakers.PNG
| mapcaption = Distribution of native Tulu speakers in India
| notice = Indic
| glotto = tulu1258
| glottorefname = Tulu
| notice2 = IPA
}}
{{Tulu transliteration}}
[[File:Vishwanath Badikana.webm|thumb|A Tulu speaker, recorded in [[India]].]]
'''Tulu''' ({{lang|tcy-Latn|Tulu Bāse}}) {{efn| Tulu can be written in three different scripts: ''Tulu bāse'' is written [[File:Tulubaase4.png|alt=<File: Tuḷu bāse>|75x75px]] in [[Tulu script]], {{lang-kn|ತುಳು ಬಾಸೆ}} in [[Kannada script]], {{lang-ml|ത‍ുള‍ു ഭാഷ}} in [[Malayalam script]]. {{lang|tcy|ಭಾಷೆ}} ''bhāṣe'', {{lang|tcy|ಭಾಶೆ}}, ''bhāśe'', and {{lang|tcy|ಬಾಶೆ}} ''bāśe'' are alternative spellings for the Tulu word ''bāse'' in the Kannada script. The correct spelling for the word "language" in [[Kannada language|Kannada]] is {{lang-kn|ಭಾಷೆ}} ''bhāṣe'', but that is not necessarily true in Tulu. Männer's ''Tulu-English and English-Tulu Dictionary'' (1886) says, "{{lang|tcy|ಬಾಶೆ, ಬಾಸೆ}} '''bāšè''', '''bāsè''', ''see'' {{lang|tcy|ಭಾಷೆ}}." (vol. 1, p. 478), "{{lang|tcy|ಭಾಶೆ, ಭಾಷೆ}} '''bhāšè''', '''bhāshè''', ''s''. Speech, language." (vol. 1, p. 508), meaning that the four spellings are more or less acceptable. The word is actually pronounced {{lang|tcy|ಬಾಸೆ}} ''bāse'' in Tulu. Note that '''š''' and '''sh''' in his dictionary correspond to ''ś'' and ''ṣ'', respectively, in [[ISO 15919]]}}. is a<ref> {{Cite web|title=Five Languages in Karnataka, Including Tulu Vanishing: Unesco|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay.aspx?newsID=62360|access-date=2020-09-18|website=daijiworld.com}}</ref> [[Dravidian languages|Dravidian language]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.udupitourism.com/Udupi-Tulu-Language |title=UDUPI |website=Udupitourism.com|access-date=18 November 2016}}</ref> whose speakers are concentrated [[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Udupi district|Udupi]] of [[Karnataka]] state in South-Western [[India]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tulu Page, Tulu Language, History of Tulu language|url=https://www.nriol.com/indian-languages/tulu-page.asp|access-date=2020-11-17|website=nriol.com}}</ref> and [[Kasaragod]] district of [[Kerala]] state. The native speakers of Tulu are referred to as ''[[Tulu people|Tuluva]]'' or [[Tulu people]] and the geographical area is unofficially called [[Tulu Nadu]].

The [[2011 Census of India|Indian census report of 2011]] reported a total of 1,846,427 native Tulu speakers in India.<ref name="Cenus2021" /> The [[2001 Census of India|2001 census]] had reported a total of 1,722,768 native speakers and over 3 million speakers all over the world,<ref>{{cite web|title=Census of India - Statement 1|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_Data_Online/Language/Statement1.htm|access-date=13 November 2009|publisher=Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India}}</ref> According to one estimate reported in 2009, Tulu is spoken by 3 to 5 million speakers in the world.<ref>{{citation|last=Mannan|first=Moiz|title=Convention to Draw Attention to Tulu Culture|url=http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=world_news&month=august2009&file=world_news2009083021843.xml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017162358/http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=world_news&month=august2009&file=world_news2009083021843.xml|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 October 2015|date=30 August 2009|newspaper=[[The Peninsula (newspaper)|The Peninsula On-line]]|publisher=The Peninsula}}</ref> There is some difficulty in counting Tulu speakers who have migrated from their native region as they often get counted as [[Tulu]] speakers in [[Census of India|Indian census reports]].<ref name="BhatSteveer">{{cite book |last1=Steever |first1=Sanford B |title=The Dravidian Languages |date=2015 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781136911644 |pages=158–163 }}</ref>

Separated early from [[Southern Dravidian|Proto-South Dravidian]],<ref>"[http://www.ethnologue.com/show_family.asp?subid=1286-16 Language Family Trees: Dravidian, Southern]", ''Ethnologue'' (16th ed.).</ref> Tulu has several features not found in [[Tamil–Kannada languages|Tamil–Kannada]]. For example, it has the [[pluperfect]] and the [[future perfect]], like [[French language|French]] or [[Spanish language|Spanish]], but formed [[Agglutination|without an auxiliary verb]].

Tulu is the primary spoken language in [[Tulu Nadu]] consisting of [[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Udupi]] districts in west of the of Karnataka state and [[Kasaragod district]] of Kerala state.<ref name="BhatSteveer" /><ref name="acharya1b">{{cite web |url=http://www.ciil-ebooks.net/html/piil/acharya1b.html |access-date=11 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117094833/http://www.ciil-ebooks.net/html/piil/acharya1b.html |title=Social Aspects and Dynamics of Convergence |author=Susheela Thomas |archive-date=17 January 2008 }}</ref><ref name="ciil.org">[http://www.ciil.org/Main/Announcement/Abstracts/Abstacts/11.htm] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720110615/http://www.ciil.org/Main/Announcement/Abstracts/Abstacts/11.htm |date=20 July 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Tulu Nadu, Kasaragod, Kerala, India|url=https://www.keralatourism.org/bekal/tulu-nadu.php|publisher=Kerala Tourism|access-date=12 June 2017|language=en}}</ref> A significant number of native tulu speakers are found in [[Kalasa]] and [[Mudigere]] taluks of [[Chikkamagaluru]] district. Non-native speakers of Tulu include those who are residents in the Tulunadu region but who speak the [[Beary language]], the [[Havigannada|Havyaka]] language and also [[Konkani language|Konkani]] and [[Koraga language|Koraga]] as their mother tongues.<ref name="dravidian">{{cite book |title= The Dravidian Languages |last= Steever |first= Sanford B. |year= 1998 |publisher= Taylor & Francis |isbn= 0-415-10023-2 |page= 158 }}</ref> Apart from Tulunadu, a significant emigrant population of Tulu speaking people is found in [[Maharashtra]],<ref name="languageinindia.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.languageinindia.com/may2003/maharashtraurdu.html |title=Language in India |publisher=Language in India |date=5 May 2003 |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref> [[Bangalore]], [[Chennai]], the [[English-speaking world]], and the [[Arab states of the Persian Gulf|Gulf countries]].<ref name="mangalorean.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=139752 |title=Serving Mangaloreans Around The World! |publisher=Mangalorean.Com |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=63861& |title=Dr. Veerendra Heggade in Dubai to Unite Tuluvas for Tulu Sammelan |publisher=Daijiworld.com |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref>

The various medieval inscriptions of Tulu from the 15th century are in the [[Tulu script]].<ref name="BhatSteveer" /> Two Tulu epics named ''Sri Bhagavato'' and ''Kaveri'' from the 17th century were also written in the same script.<ref name="BhatSteveer" /> However, in modern times the Tulu language is mostly written using the [[Kannada script]].<ref name="BhatSteveer" /> The Tulu language is known for its [[oral literature]] in the form of epic poems called ''pardana''. The ''[[Epic of Siri]]'' and the legend of [[Koti and Chennayya]] belong to this category of Tulu literature.<ref name="BhatSteveer" />

==Classification==
{{Main|Dravidian languages}}
Tulu belongs to the southern branch of the family of [[Dravidian languages]]. It descends directly from Proto-Southern Dravidian, which in turn descends directly from [[Proto-Dravidian]], the hypothesized mother language from which all Dravidian languages descend. The Tulu language originates in the southern part of India.

==Etymology==
Linguist [[P. Gururaja Bhat]] specified in ''Tulunadu'' (a research book) that ''tuluva'' originated from the word ''turuva'' (ತುರುವ), where ''turu'' means 'cow' and refers to the place dominated by the ''yadava'' or cowherd (ತುರುಗಳೇ ಪ್ರಧಾನವಾದ ನಾಡು ತುಳುನಾಡು).

Linguist [[:kn:ಪುರುಷೋತ್ತಮ ಬಿಳಿಮಲೆ|Purushottama Bilimale (ಪುರುಷೋತ್ತಮ ಬಿಳಿಮಲೆ)]] has suggested that the word ''tulu'' means 'that which is connected with water'. ''Tulave'' (jack fruit) means 'watery' in Tulu. Other water-related words in Tulu include ''talipu'', ''teli'', ''teLi'', ''teLpu'', ''tuLipu'', ''tulavu'' and ''tamel''. In Kannada, there are words such as ''tuLuku'' meaning 'that which has characteristics of water' and ''toLe''.{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} In Tamil, ''thuli'' means 'drop of water'{{citation needed|date=August 2012}}; ''thulli'' means the same in Malayalam.

== Official status ==
Tulu is not an official language of India or any other country. Efforts are being made to include Tulu in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.<ref>{{cite news|title=Centre still examining inclusion of Tulu, Kodava in 8th Schedule|url=http://www.coastaldigest.com/news/101637-centre-still-examining-inclusion-of-tulu-kodava-in-8th-schedule|work=Coastaldigest.com - The Trusted News Portal of India, Coastal Karnataka|date=22 July 2017|language=en}}</ref> In December 2009, during the First Vishwa Tulu Sammelan organized at Ujire-Dharmastala, then Karnataka Chief Minister [[B. S. Yediyurappa]] promised to send a fresh proposal on including the Tulu language in the eighth schedule of the constitution.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2009/dec/11/cm-inaugurates-vishwa-tulu-sammelan-112014.html|title=CM inaugurates Vishwa Tulu Sammelan|work=The New Indian Express|access-date=11 December 2009}}</ref> In August 2017, an online campaign was organized to include Tulu in 8th schedule of constitution<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/twitter-campaign-to-include-tulu-in-eighth-schedule-of-constitution/article19459992.ece|title=Twitter campaign to include Tulu in Eighth Schedule of Constitution|date=10 August 2017|work=The Hindu|access-date=12 November 2017|others=Special Correspondent|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> In October 2017, when the prime minister, [[Narendra Modi]], visited [[Dharmasthala Temple]] the same demand was presented in front of him.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mangaluru/demand-to-include-tulu-in-eight-schedule-grows-louder-with-pms-visit/articleshow/61327370.cms|title=Demand to include Tulu in Eight Schedule grows louder with PM's visit - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=12 November 2017}}</ref> Similarly, in 2018, a [[Member of Parliament]] from the [[Kasargod]] constituency, namely [[P. Karunakaran]], also rose the same demand for inclusion of Tulu language in the 8th schedule of the constitution. On 19 February 2020, Vedavyas Kamath who is a member of the [[Mangalore (Lok Sabha constituency)|Mangaluru (south) segment of the Legislative Assembly]], submitted a memorandum to chief minister B. S. Yediyurappa and to the minister for tourism, Kannada and culture, C. T. Ravi, seeking official status for the Tulu language.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay.aspx?newsID=675865|title=Mangaluru: MLA Vedavyasa Kamath seeks official recognition for Tulu language|work=DaijiWorld News|access-date=19 February 2020}}</ref> In February 2020, another MLA from Moodbidri Umanath Kotian urged the state government to put pressure on the union government to add the Tulu language to the eighth schedule during the assembly session. In July 2021, members of the three main parties in Karnataka politics: BJP, Congress and Janata Dal (Secular), lent their support to the idea.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-05|title=Campaign to get official status for Tulu gains steam|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/campaign-to-get-official-status-for-tulu-gains-steam-1004948.html|access-date=2021-07-05|website=Deccan Herald|language=en}}</ref>

==History==
The oldest available inscriptions in Tulu are from the period between 14th to 15th century AD.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CF5Qo4NDE64C&pg=PA162 |title=The Dravidian languages - Sanford B. Steever - Google Books |date= 24 June 2003|isbn=9780203424353 |access-date=21 May 2012|last1=Steever |first1=Sanford B. }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H3lUIIYxWkEC&pg=PA46 |title=A History of Ancient and Early ... - Upinder Singh - Google Books |isbn=9788131711200 |access-date=21 May 2012|last1=Singh |first1=Upinder |year=2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zsQc6oFXvPkC&pg=PA64 |title=Brahmanas of South India - Nagendra Rao - Google Books |isbn=9788178353005 |access-date=21 May 2012|last1=Rao |first1=Nagendra |year=2005 }}</ref><ref>[http://amazingudupi.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091024041555/http://www.amazingudupi.com/|date=24 October 2009}}</ref> These inscriptions are in the Tulu script and are found in areas in and around [[Barkur]] which was the capital of Tulu Nadu during the [[Vijayanagara Empire|Vijayanagar]] period. Another group of inscriptions is found in the ''Ullur'' ''Subrahmanya'' Temple near [[Kundapura]]. Many linguists like S.U. Panniyadi and [[L. V. Ramaswami Iyer]] as well as, P.S. Subrahmanya, suggested that Tulu is among the oldest languages in the Dravidian family which branched independently from its Proto-Dravidian roots nearly 2000 years ago. This assertion is based on the fact that Tulu still preserves many aspects of the [[Proto-Dravidian language]].

This dating of Tulu is also based on the fact that the region where Tulu is natively spoken was known to the ancient Tamils as Tulu Nadu. Also, the [[Tamil people|Tamil]] poet Mamular who belongs to the Sangam Age (200 AD) describes Tulu Nadu and its dancing beauties in one of his poems.<ref name="thehindu.com">{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2002/07/16/stories/2002071602460300.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105070037/http://www.hindu.com/2002/07/16/stories/2002071602460300.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=5 November 2012 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Tulu fit to be included in Eighth Schedule | date=16 July 2002}}</ref> In the Halmidi inscriptions, one finds mention of the Tulu country as the kingdom of the [[Alupas]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-01-25/mangalore/28038826_1_tulu-language-karnataka-tulu-sahitya-academy-tulu-nadu | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024131607/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-01-25/mangalore/28038826_1_tulu-language-karnataka-tulu-sahitya-academy-tulu-nadu | url-status=dead | archive-date=24 October 2012 | work=[[The Times of India]] | title=Teaching Tulu at primary level sought | date=25 January 2009}}</ref> The region was also known to the Greeks of the 2nd century as ''Tolokoyra''. The [[Charition mime]], a [[Greek language|Greek]] play belonging to the 2nd century BC, has its plot centered around the coastal Karnataka, where Tulu is mainly spoken. The play is mostly in Greek, but the [[India]]n characters in the play are seen speaking a language different from Greek. There is considerable ambiguity regarding the Indian language in the play, though all scholars agree the Indian language is Dravidian, there is considerable dispute over which form of it. Noted German Indologist [[E. Hultzsch]] (1857–1927) was the first to suggest that the language was Dravidian.{{clarify|date=June 2015}} The dispute regarding the language in the play is yet to be settled, but scholars agree that the dispute arises from the fact that Old Kannada, Old Tamil, and Tulu during the time when the play was written were perhaps dialectical variations of the same [[wiktionary:proto-language|proto-language]], and that over the years they evolved into their present forms as separate languages.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}

=== Status ===
Found largely in Karnataka, it is spoken primarily within the Indian state. Dating back several hundred years, the language has developed numerous defining qualities. The Tulu people follow a saying which promotes leaving negative situations and finding newer, more positive ones. The language, however, is not as popular as others which means it could become endangered and extinct very soon. The influence of other mainstream languages is a present danger for the Tulu language.[https://archive.org/stream/elementsofcompar00lathrich/elementsofcompar00lathrich_djvu.txt <nowiki>[1]</nowiki>] Today, it is spoken by nearly 1.8 million people around the globe. Large parts of the language are altered and changed constantly because it is commonly passed down through oral tradition. Oral traditions within Tulu have meant that certain phrases have not always maintained the same meaning or importance.

==Geographic distribution==
[[File:Alvakheda map.jpg|thumb|Map Showing the ancient Tulu kingdom of Alva Kheda]]
According to [[Malayalam]] works like [[Keralolpathi]] and [[Sangam literature]] in [[Tamil language|Tamil]], the region stretching from the [[Chandragiri river]], now part of the [[Kasaragod district]], Kerala, to [[Gokarna, India|Gokarna]], now part of [[Uttara Kannada]] district of Karnataka, was ruled by the [[Alupas]] and was known as Alva Kheda. This Kingdom was the Homeland of Tulu speaking people.
However the present day Tulu linguistic majority area is confined to the region of [[Tulu Nadu]], which comprises the districts of part of [[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Udupi]] in the Indian state of [[Karnataka]] and the northern part of [[Kasaragod district]] of Kerala up to the river Payaswani also known as Chandragiri.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/13/stories/2006081317290300.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091125011349/http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/13/stories/2006081317290300.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=25 November 2009 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Tulu Nadu Movement Gaining Momentum | date=13 August 2006}}</ref> The cities of [[Mangalore]], [[Udupi]] and [[Kasaragod Town|Kasaragod]] being the cultural centres of Tulu culture.

Even today Tulu is widely spoken in the Dakshina Kannada, partially in [[Udupi district]] of Karnataka state and to some extent in Kasaragod of Kerala. Efforts are also being made to include Tulu in the list of [[Languages of India|Official languages of India]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yakshagana.com/tulu-recog.htm |title=Why Tulu Language Deserves Recognition from Kendra Sahithya Academy and Why It Should Be Included in Schedule 8B of the Constitution |publisher=Yakshagana.com |date=12 August 2000 |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref> As a whole, Tulu is largely contained to the southern part of India. The Indian state of Karnataka is where the language seems to thrive in the present day. Some of the major cities within the Tulu culture include Mangalore and Kasaragod. [http://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay.aspx?newsID=138784 <nowiki>[1]</nowiki>] Speakers of the language have reflected interest in spreading to more modern nations such as the United States.

==Writing system==
[[File:Tululipi4.svg|thumb|right|215px|alt=Tulu script script.|Tulu Script.]]
{{Main|Tulu script|Kannada alphabet|Malayalam script}}
The various historical inscriptions of Tulu found around Barkur and Kundapura are in the [[Tulu script]]. Historically, Brahmins of [[Tulu Nadu]] and [[Havyaka Brahmin]]s used the Tulu script to write [[Vedas]] and other [[Sanskrit]] works. The Tulu script is descended from the [[Brahmi script|Brahmi]] through the [[Grantha script]]. It is a sister script of the [[Malayalam script]]. However, very few works written in vernacular languages like Kannada and Tulu are available. Hence, the Tulu script was employed by Tulu Brahmins to write Tulu and Kannada languages apart from the Kannada script. The National Mission for Manuscripts has conducted several workshops on this script with the help of a scholar, Keladi Gunda Jois. In the 18th century, the use of the Kannada script for writing Tulu and non-availability of print in the Tulu script contributed to the marginalization of the Tulu script. The script is studied by few scholars and manuscriptologists for research and religious purposes. The [[Kannada script]] has become the contemporary script for the Tulu language gradually. All contemporary works and literature are done in the Kannada script.

The Tulu alphabet resembles the Malayalam script in many ways. It is also similar to many characters found in the Tigalari alphabet. This is from the same region in the state of Karnataka. The Tigalari and Kannada alphabets include a stress on vowels with "a" and "o" sounds. [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/tulu.htm <nowiki>[1]</nowiki>] Other vowels include sounds such as "au" "am" and "ah". Numerous consonants have their own origin from the Dravidian languages like "kha" "gha" "dha" and "jha". These are derived from the Tigalari alphabet.{{Clarification needed|date=October 2020}}

==Dialects==
Tulu language has four dialects, which are broadly similar, with slight variations.

The four dialects are:
;Common Tulu<ref name="ethnologue">{{cite web|url=http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=tcy |title=Ethnologue report for language code: tcy |publisher=Ethnologue.com |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref>
:Spoken by the majority includes the [[Mogaveera]], [[Bunt (community)|Bunts]], Tulu Madivala ( Madialnakl), [[Tulu Gowda]], [[Billava]], [[Kulala]], [[Devadiga]], [[Jogi (caste)|Jogi]], [[Padmasali (caste)|Padmashali]] communities and others. This is the dialect of commerce, trade and entertainment and is mainly used for inter-community communication. It is further subdivided into seven groups:
:#Central Tulu: Spoken in [[Mangalore]].
:#Northwest Tulu: Spoken in [[Udupi]].
:#Northeast Tulu: Spoken in [[Karkala]] and [[Belthangady]].
:#Northern Tulu: Spoken in [[Kundapura]], Also known as [[KundaTulu]] because of [[Kundagannada dialect]] Influence
:#Southwest Tulu: Spoken in [[Manjeshwar]] and [[Kasaragod district|Kasaragod]], known as Kasaragod Tulu influencing [[Malayalam]].
:#Southcentral Tulu: Spoken in [[Bantwal]].
:#Southeast Tulu: Spoken in [[Puttur, Karnataka|Puttur]] [[Sullia]].
:#Southern Tulu: Spoken in South of [[Kasaragod]] and [[Payaswini]] (Chandragiri) river influencing [[Malayalam]] known as Thenkaayi Tulu.
;Brahmin Tulu<ref name="ethnologue"/>
:Spoken by the Tulu Brahmins who are subdivided into [[Shivalli Brahmins]], [[Sthanika Brahmins]] and [[Tuluva Hebbars]]. It is more influenced by [[Sanskrit]].
;Jain Dialect<ref name="b">{{cite web|url=http://www.boloji.com/places/0020a.htm |title=Places |publisher=Boloji.com |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref>
:Spoken by the [[Tulu Jains]]. It is a dialect where the initial letters 'T' and 'S' have been replaced by the letter 'H'. For example, the word ''Tare'' is pronounced as ''Hare'', ''Saadi'' is pronounced as ''Haadi''.
;Adivasi Dialect<ref name="b"/>
:Spoken by the [[Koraga people|Koraga]], Mansa, and other tribals of Tulu Nadu

==Phonology==
=== Vowels ===
Five short and five long vowels (''a'', ''ā'', ''e'', ''ē'', ''u'', ''ū'', ''i'', ''ī'', ''o'', ''ō'') are common in [[Dravidian languages]]. Like [[Kodava Takk]] (and also like [[Konkani language|Konkani]] and [[Sinhala language|Sinhala]]), Tulu also has an {{IPA|[ɛ]}}- or {{IPA|[æ]}}-like vowel, generally occurring word-finally. The [[Kannada script]] does not have a symbol to specifically represent this vowel, which is often written as a normal ''e''.<ref name="s163">Bhat (1998), p. 163.</ref> For example, the first person singular form and the third person singular masculine of a verb are spelled identically in all tenses, both ending in ''e'', but are pronounced differently: the terminating ''e'' in the former sounds nearly like ‘a’ in the English word ‘man’ ({{lang|tcy|ಮಲ್ಪುವೆ}} ''maḷpuve'' {{IPA|/maɭpuvæ/}}, "I make"), while that in the latter like ‘e’ in ‘men’ ({{lang|tcy|ಮಲ್ಪುವೆ}} ''maḷpuve'' {{IPA|/maɭpuve/}}, "he makes").<ref>{{cite web|last=Brigel|first=J.|title=A Grammar of the Tulu Language|year=1872|publisher=C. Stolz|url=https://archive.org/details/grammaroftululan00briguoft|access-date=31 October 2009|page=47}}</ref>

In his grammar of 1932, S. U. Paniyadi used a special vowel sign to denote Tulu /ɛ/ in the Kannada script: according to Bhat, he used two ''telakaṭṭu''s for this purpose (usually, a ''telakaṭṭu'' means the crest that a Kannada character like {{lang|kn|ಕ, ತ, ನ}} has), and the same convention was adopted by Upadhyaya in his 1988 Tulu Lexicon.<ref name="s163"/> The long counterpart of this vowel occurs in some words.<ref name="s161">Bhat (1998), p. 161.</ref> In all dialects, the pair /e/ and /ɛ/ contrasts.<ref name="s161"/>

Additionally, like [[Kodava Takk]] and [[Toda language|Toda]], and like [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]] ''saṁvr̥tōkāram'', Tulu has an {{IPA|[ɯ]}}-like vowel (or [[schwa]] {{IPA|/ə/}}) as a [[phoneme]], which is [[Romanization|romanized]] as ''ŭ'' (ISO), ''ɯ'', or ''u̥''. Both J. Brigel and A. Männer say that it is pronounced like ''e'' in the French ''je''. Bhat describes this phoneme as /ɯ/. However, if it is like Malayalam "half-u", {{IPA|[ə]}} or {{IPA|[ɨ]}} may be a better description. In the Kannada script, Brigel and Männer used a [[virama]] (halant), {{lang|kn| ್}}, to denote this vowel. Bhat says a ''telakaṭṭu'' is used for this purpose, but apparently he too means a virama.<ref>Bhat (1998), pp. 162–163.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+[[Vowel]]s
|-
!rowspan="3"| 
!colspan="2" rowspan="2"|[[Front vowel|Front]]
!colspan="4"|[[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
!colspan="2"|[[Roundedness|Rounded]]
!colspan="2"|Unrounded
|-
![[Vowel length|Short]]
!Long
!Short
!Long
!Short
!Long
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Close vowel|Close]]
|{{IPA|i}}||{{IPA|iː}}||{{IPA|u}}||{{IPA|uː}}||{{IPA|ɯ}} ({{IPA|ə}})|| 
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Mid vowel|Mid]]
|{{IPA|e}}||{{IPA|eː}}||{{IPA|o}}||{{IPA|oː}}|| || 
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Open vowel|Open]]
|{{IPA|ɛ}} ({{IPA|æ}})||{{IPA|ɛː}} ({{IPA|æː}})||{{IPA|ɒ}}||{{IPA|ɒː}}|| || 
|}

=== Consonants ===
The following are consonant phonemes in Tulu:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+[[Consonant]]s
|-
!colspan="2"| 
![[Labial consonant|Labial]]
![[Dental consonant|Dental]]
![[Retroflex consonant|Retroflex]]
![[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
![[Velar consonant|Velar]]
|-
!colspan="2" style="text-align:left"|[[Nasal stop|Nasal]]
|{{IPA|m}}||{{IPA|n}}||{{IPA|ɳ}}||{{IPA|ɲ}}||{{IPA|ŋ}}
|-
!rowspan="2"|[[Plosive]]
!style="text-align:left"|[[Voiceless]]
|{{IPA|p}}||{{IPA|t}}||{{IPA|ʈ}}||{{IPA|c}} ({{IPA|t͡ʃ}})||{{IPA|k}}
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Voice (phonetics)|Voiced]]
|{{IPA|b}}||{{IPA|d}}||{{IPA|ɖ}}||{{IPA|ɟ}} ({{IPA|d͡ʒ}})||{{IPA|ɡ}}
|-
!colspan="2" style="text-align:left"|[[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
| ||{{IPA|s}}|| ||{{IPA|ç}} ({{IPA|ʃ}})||
|-
!colspan="2" style="text-align:left"|[[Approximant consonant|Approximant]]
|{{IPA|ʋ}}|| || ||{{IPA|j}}||
|-
!colspan="2" style="text-align:left"|[[Lateral consonant|Lateral]]
| ||{{IPA|l}}||( {{IPA|ɭ}} )|| ||
|-
!colspan="2" style="text-align:left"|[[Flap consonant|Tap]]
| ||{{IPA|ɾ}}|| || ||
|}

The contrast between {{IPA|/l/}} and {{IPA|/ɭ/}} is preserved in the South Common dialect and in the Brahmin dialect, but is lost in several dialects.<ref name="s161"/> Additionally, the Brahmin dialect has {{IPA|/ʂ/}} and {{IPA|/ɦ/}}. Aspirated consonants are sometimes used in the Brahmin dialect, but are not phonemic.<ref name="s161"/> In the [[Koraga language|Koraga]] and [[Holeya]] dialects, ''s'' {{IPA|/s/}} and ''ś'' {{IPA|/ʃ/}} merge with ''c'' {{IPA|/t͡ʃ/}} (the Koraga dialect of the Tulu language is different from the Koraga language).<ref name="s161"/> Word-initial consonant clusters are rare and occur mainly in Sanskrit loanwords.<ref name="s161"/>

== Grammar ==
===Morphology===
Tulu has five [[Lexical category|parts of speech]]: [[noun]]s (substantives and [[adjective]]s), [[pronoun]]s, numerals, [[verb]]s, and [[Grammatical particle|particle]]s.<ref>Brigel (1872), p. 10.</ref>

Substantives have three [[grammatical gender]]s (masculine, feminine, and neuter), two [[grammatical number|numbers]] (singular and plural), and eight [[grammatical case|cases]] (nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, locative, ablative or instrumental, communicative, and vocative). According to Bhat, Tulu has two distinct locative cases. The communicative case is used with verbs like "tell", "speak", "ask", "beseech", "inquire", and denotes ''at whom'' a message, an inquiry, or a request is aimed, as in "I told ''him''." or "I speak ''to them''." It is also used to denote ''relationship with whom'' it is about, in a context like "I am on good terms ''with him''." or "I have nothing ''against him''."<ref>Brigel (1872), p. 122</ref> Bhat calls it the [[sociative case]]. It is somewhat similar to the [[comitative case]], but different in that it denotes communication or relationship, not physical companionship. The plural suffix is ''-rŭ'', ''-ḷu'', ''-kuḷu'', or ''-āḍḷu''; as, ''mēji'' ("table"), ''mējiḷu'' ("tables").<ref>Brigel (1872), pp. 10–11.</ref> The nominative case is unmarked, while the remaining cases are expressed by different suffixes.

The following table shows the declension of a noun, based on Brigel and Bhat (''u̥'' used by Brigel and ''ɯ'' used by Bhat are both shown as ''ŭ'' for clarity): when two forms are given, the one in parentheses is by Bhat, and the other is by Brigel.<ref>Brigel (1872), pp. 14–15.</ref><ref>Bhat (1998), p. 164.</ref> Some of these differences may be dialectal variations.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Declension of substantives: example ''mara'' ("a tree")
|-
![[Grammatical case|Case]]
![[Grammatical number|Singular]]
!Meaning
!Plural
!Meaning
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Nominative case|Nominative]]
|''mara''||a tree||''marokuḷu'' (marakulu)||trees
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Genitive case|Genitive]]
|''marata''||of a tree||''marokuḷe'' (marakulena)||of trees
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Dative case|Dative]]
|''maroku'' (marakŭ)||to a tree||''marokuḷegŭ'' (marakulegŭ)||to trees
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Accusative case|Accusative]]
|''maronu'' (maranŭ)||a tree ([[Object (grammar)|object]])||''marokuḷenŭ'' (marakulenŭ)||trees (object)
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Locative case|Locative]]
|''maroṭu'' (maraṭŭ)||in a tree||''marokuḷeḍŭ'' (marakuleḍŭ)||in trees
|-
!style="text-align:left"|Locative 2
|— (maraṭɛ)||at or through a tree||— (marakuleḍɛ)||at or through trees
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Ablative case|Ablative]]
|''maroḍŭdu'' (maraḍdŭ)||from, by, or through a tree||''marokuḷeḍŭdŭ'' (marakuleḍdŭ)||from, by, or through trees
|-
!style="text-align:left"|Communicative
|''maraṭa''||to a tree||''marokuḷeḍa'' (marakuleḍa)||to trees
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Vocative case|Vocative]]
|''marā''||O tree!||''marokuḷē'' (marakulɛ̄)||O trees!
|}

The personal pronouns are irregularly inflected: ''yānŭ'' "I" becomes ''yen-'' in [[oblique case]]s.<ref>Brigel (1872), p. 37.</ref> Tulu makes the distinction between the [[Clusivity|inclusive]] and exclusive "we" (See [[Clusivity#Dravidian languages|''Clusivity: Dravidian languages'']]): ''nama'' "we (including you)" as opposed to ''yenkuḷu'' "we (not including you)".<ref name="Brigel33">Brigel (1872), p. 33.</ref> For verbs, this distinction does not exist. The personal pronouns of the second person are ''ī'' (oblique: ''nin-'') "you (singular)" and ''nikuḷu'' "you (plural)". Three genders are distinguished in the third person, as well as proximate and remote forms. For example, ''imbe'' "he (proximate)", ''āye'' "he (remote)". The suffix ''-rŭ'' makes a polite form of personal pronouns, as in ''īrŭ'' "you (respectfully)", ''ārŭ'' "he (remote; respectfully)".<ref name="Brigel33"/>
[[Preposition and postposition|Postpositions]] are used usually with a noun in the genitive case, as in ''guḍḍe-da mittŭ'' "on the hill".

Tulu verbs have three forms: [[Voice (grammar)|active]], [[causative]], and [[Reflexive verb|reflexive]] (or middle voice).<ref>Brigel (1872), p. 43.</ref>
They [[Grammatical conjugation|conjugate]] for [[Grammatical person|person]], number, gender, [[Grammatical tense|tense]] (present, past, [[pluperfect]], future, and [[future perfect]]), [[Mood (grammar)|mood]] (indicative, imperative, conditional, infinitive, potential, and subjunctive), and [[Grammatical polarity|polarity]] (positive and negative).<ref>Brigel (1872), p. 45.</ref>

=== Syntax ===
Each sentence is composed of a subject and a predicate and every sentence is a full speech or thought in words. There is both singular and plural while being expressed in first through third person. There are several exceptions to each of these depending on the instance. For example: the verb has to be in a plural style if there are numerous nominatives within a sentence or of different genders that agree with the previous sentence. The verb may also be omitted in some sentences. Present tense and past tense may change and their perception.[https://archive.org/details/grammaroftululan00briguoft A grammar of the Tulu language]

==Written literature==
The written literature of Tulu is not as large as the literature of other literary Dravidian languages such as Tamil.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/21/stories/2009052150550200.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090527213736/http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/21/stories/2009052150550200.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=27 May 2009 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Tulu is a Highly Developed Language of the Dravidian Family | date=21 May 2009}}</ref> Nevertheless, Tulu is one of only five literary Dravidian languages, the other four being [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Telugu language|Telugu]], [[Kannada]] and [[Malayalam]]. The earliest available Tulu literature that survives to this date is the Tulu translation of the great [[Sanskrit]] epic of [[Mahabharata]] called ''Mahabharato'' (ಮಹಾಭಾರತೊ). It was written by ''Arunabja'' (1657 AD), a poet who lived in [[Kodavur]] near [[Udupi]]<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/11/13/stories/2004111302140500.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050319042026/http://www.hindu.com/2004/11/13/stories/2004111302140500.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=19 March 2005 | location=Chennai, India | newspaper=[[The Hindu]] | title=Tulu Academy Yet to Realise Its Goal | date=13 November 2004}}</ref> around late 14th to early 15th century AD.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kannadauniversity.org/EN/index.html|title=-:: Kannada University, Hampi ::|date=26 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111126113813/http://www.kannadauniversity.org/EN/index.html|archive-date=26 November 2011}}</ref>
Other important literary works in Tulu are:
* [[Devi Mahatmyam]]'s (ಶ್ರೀ ದೇವಿ ಮಹಾತ್ಮೆ) 1200 AD - Tulu translation
* Sri Bhagavata (ಶ್ರೀ ಭಾಗವತೊ) 1626 AD - written by Vishnu Tunga
* Kaveri (1391 AD)

This script was mainly used to write religious and literary works in Sanskrit.<ref name="Ethnologue">http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011Census/Language-2011/Statement-1.pdf</ref><ref name="b35">Burnell (1874), p. 35.</ref> Even today the official script of the eight Tulu monasteries ([[Ashta Mathas of Udupi]]) founded by [[Madhvacharya]] in Udupi is Tulu.<ref>{{cite news|last=K T Vinobha|title=Pejawar pontiff signs mutt papers in Tulu|url=http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/mobile.aspx?article=yes&pageid=6&edlabel=TOIBG&mydateHid=11-10-2011&pubname=&edname=&articleid=Ar00602&format=&publabel=TOI|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113104557/http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/mobile.aspx?article=yes&pageid=6&edlabel=TOIBG&mydateHid=11-10-2011&pubname=&edname=&articleid=Ar00602&format=&publabel=TOI|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 January 2012|access-date=22 November 2011|newspaper=The Times of India}}</ref><ref name="thecanaratimes.com">{{cite web|url=http://thecanaratimes.com/epaper/index.php/archives/12807 |title=Pejawar Seer's Signature Is in Tulu Script |work=The Canara Times |date=12 October 2011 |access-date=12 March 2012}}</ref> The pontiffs of the monasteries write their names using this script when they are appointed.<ref name="thecanaratimes.com"/>

Modern-day Tulu literature is written using the Kannada script. ''Mandara Ramayana'' is the most notable piece of modern Tulu literature. Written by Mandara Keshava Bhatt, it received the Sahitya Academy award for best poetry.<ref>[http://www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in/old_version/awa4.htm] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223183029/http://www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in/old_version/awa4.htm|date=23 February 2009}}</ref> ''Madipu'', ''Mogaveera'', ''Saphala'' and ''Samparka'' are popular Tulu periodicals published from Mangalore. The Tulu Sahitya Academy, established by the state government of Karnataka in 1994, as also the Kerala Tulu Academy established by the Indian State Government of Kerala in [[Manjeshwaram]] in 2007, are important governmental organisations that promote Tulu literature. Nevertheless, there are numerous organisations spread all over the world with significant Tulu-migrated populations that contribute to Tulu literature. Some notable contributors of Tulu literature are [[Kayyar Kinhanna Rai]], [[M. K. Seetharam Kulal]], Amruta Someshwara, B. A. Viveka Rai, Kedambadi Jattappa Rai, Venkataraja Puninchattaya, Paltadi Ramakrishna Achar, Dr. Sunitha M. Shetty, Dr. Vamana Nandavara, Sri. Balakrishna Shetty Polali.
<gallery>
Tulu-Book-Kaveri.jpg|One of the old Tulu works ''Kaveri''
Tulu-Book-Mahabharato.jpg|One of the old Tulu works ''Mahabharato''
File:Tulu-Book-Shree-Bhagavato.jpg|One of the old Tulu works ''Shree Bhagavato''
File:Tulu-Book-Mandara-Ramayana.jpg|''Mandara Ramayana''
</gallery>

==Oral traditions==
The oral traditions of Tulu are one of the major traditions that greatly show the finer aspects of the language. The following are various forms of Tulu oral tradition and literature.

*[[Paddanas]]: A form of oral [[epic poem]] sung in a highly stylised manner during the [[Hindu]] rituals of [[Bhuta Kola]] and [[Nagaradhane]], which are peculiar to the Tulu people. These Paddanas are mostly legends about gods or historical personalities among the people. The longest of them being [[Epic of Siri|Siri Paddana]], which is about a woman called Siri who shows strength and integrity during adverse times and in turn attains divinity. The Paddana greatly depicts the independent nature of the Tulu womenfolk. The entire Paddana was written down by [[Finnish people|Finnish]] scholar [[Lauri Honko]]<ref name="thehindu.com"/> of the [[University of Turku]] and it falls four lines short of [[Homer]]'s [[Iliad]].
*Riddles: They are another important aspect of Tulu oral traditions. These riddles are largely tongue twisting and mostly deal with kinship and agriculture.
*[[Bhajan]]s: Bhajans sung in numerous temples across the Tulu region are varied and are dedicated to various gods and goddesses. Most of these are of the Hindu tradition, others being [[Jain]]. They are sung in both the [[Carnatic music|Carnatic]] style as well a style similar to what is used in [[Yakshagana]].
*Kabitol: Songs sung during the cultivation of crops, the traditional occupation of the people. O Bele is considered the finest among them.

==Theatre==
[[File:Kondadakuli.jpg|thumb|140px|A [[Yakshagana]] Artist]]
Theatre in the form of the traditional [[Yakshagana]], prevalent in coastal Karnataka and northern Kerala has greatly preserved the finer aspects of the Tulu language. Yakshagana which is conducted in Tulu is very popular among the Tuluva people. It can also be seen as a form of temple art, as there are many Yakshagana groups that are attached to temples, for example that of [[Kateel|Kateel Durga Parameshwari Temple]] as also the [[Udupi Krishna Temple]].

Presently, eight professional Yakshagana troupes perform Tulu-language Yakshagana{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} not only during the Yakshagana season but also during the off-season in various places in Karnataka and outside.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} In [[Mumbai]], Tulu Yakshagana is very popular among the Tulu audiences. More than 2,000 Yakshagana artistes take part in the performance in various places in Mumbai annually.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} Notable performers include Kalladi Koraga Shetty, Pundur Venkatraja Puninchathaya, Guru Bannanje Sanjiva Suvarna and Pathala Venkatramana Bhat.

Tulu plays are among the major entertainment for admirers of art and culture in the [[Tulu Nadu]]. Tulu plays, generally centered on the comic genre, are very popular in Mumbai and [[Bangalore]] outside [[Tulu Nadu]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/chan/exclusive_arch.asp?ex_id=107 |title=D A I J I W O R L D |publisher=D A I J I W O R L D |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref>

==Tulu cinema==
{{main|Tulu cinema}}
The [[Tulu cinema]] industry is fairly small; it produces around five films annually. The first film, ''Enna Thangadi'', was released in 1971. Usually these films are released in theatres across the [[Tulu Nadu]] region and on DVD.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.raveeshkumar.com/2006/08/tulu-cinema-at-35_31.html |title=Ee Prapancha: Tulu Cinema at 35 |publisher=Raveeshkumar.com |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref> The critically acclaimed film ''[[Suddha (film)|Suddha]]'' won the award for Best Indian Film at the [[Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema]] in [[New Delhi]] in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1063429/|title=Quiet voices from afar & Updates at Daily News & Analysis|date=11 November 2006|website=Daily News and Analysis}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/04/29/stories/2006042903020300.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070314090425/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/04/29/stories/2006042903020300.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=14 March 2007 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Things Fall Apart | date=29 April 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/07/21/stories/2006072108810200.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070314041809/http://www.hindu.com/2006/07/21/stories/2006072108810200.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=14 March 2007 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Filmmaker Extraordinary | date=21 July 2006}}</ref> As of 2015, ''[[Oriyardori Asal]]'' (2011) has been the most commercially successful Tulu film.<ref name="'Oriyardori Asal' headed for 175-day run in theatres!">{{cite web|title='Oriyardori Asal' Headed for 175-day Run in Theatres!|url=http://www.dakshintimes.com/dakshina-kannada/mangalore/news/11114532259/oriyardori-asal-headed-175-day-run-theatres.html|publisher=Dakshintimes.com|access-date=7 November 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111108190457/http://www.dakshintimes.com/dakshina-kannada/mangalore/news/11114532259/oriyardori-asal-headed-175-day-run-theatres.html|archive-date=8 November 2011}}</ref> [[Chaali Polilu]] is the longest-running film in Tulu film history, as well as the highest-grossing film in the Tulu film industry. It has successfully completed 470 days at [[PVR Cinemas]] in Mangalore.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31806&articlexml=Tulu-cinema-returns-to-centrestage-27022016010022|title=The Times Group|website=The Times of India}}</ref> The 2014 film ''[[Madime]]'' was reported to be remade in Marathi, thereby becoming the first Tulu film to be remade in another language.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vijaykarnatakaepaper.com/Details.aspx?id=9902&boxid=3251337|title=Details|website=Vijaykarnatakaepaper.com}}</ref> ''Shutterdulai'' was the first remake in Tulu cinema.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/kannada/Shutterdulai-First-Remake-in-Tulu/2016/02/18/article3282609.ece|title=Shutterdulai, First Remake in Tulu|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> ''[[Eregla Panodchi]]'' is the second remake in Tulu cinemas. A suit for damages of Rs. 2.5 million was filed against the makers of the Telugu film ''[[Brahmotsavam (film)|Brahmotsavam]]'' for copying the first 36 seconds of the song ''A...lele...yereg madme'' by Dr. Vamana Nandaavara found in the ''Deepanalike'' CD composed for the Siri channel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newskarnataka.com/sandalwood/telugu-blockbuster-brahomotsavam-film-team-in-a-fix-for-copying-tulu-song|title=Telugu blockbuster Brahomotsavam film team in a fix for copying Tulu song|website=News karnataka}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://epaper.udayavani.com/archive/home.php?edition=Sudina+(Mangalore)&date=2017-03-23&pageno=6&pid=UVANI_MAN|title=Udayavani ePaper Sudina (Mangalore) Edition|website=Epaper.udayavani.com|access-date=1 October 2017}}</ref> ''Prajavani'' reported that with its dubbing rights sold to Hindi for 2.1 million, the 2018 movie ''[[Umil]]'' became the first Tulu movie to achieve the feat.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://epaper.prajavani.net/|title=Prajavani e-Paper - Read Kannada Newspaper Online by Prajavani ಪ್ರಜಾವಾಣಿ ePaper - ಕನ್ನಡ ePaper ಅನ್ನು ಪ್ರಜಾವಾಣಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಓದಿರಿ|website=epaper.prajavani.net}}</ref> Ashwini Kotiyan (Chaya Harsha) became the first female director in the Tulu industry after directing and releasing her first movie ''Namma Kudla''.<ref name="udayavani.com">https://www.udayavani.com/english/news/karavali/294591/17-tulu-movies-ready-coastalwood</ref> ''Brahmashree Narayana Guruswamy'' released on 2 May 2014 was the 50th Tulu film.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/tulu-cinema-reaches-a-milestone/article25488035.ece|title=Tulu cinema reaches a milestone|first=Raviprasad|last=Kamila|date=13 November 2018|work=The Hindu}}</ref> ''Panoda Bodcha'' marked the 75th release anniversary of a Tulu film.<ref name="udayavani.com"/> The 100th Tulu movie ''Karne'' was released on 16 November 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/100th-tulu-language-film-brings-industrys-opportunities-challenges-to-the-fore/article25531982.ece|title=100th Tulu language film brings industry's opportunities, challenges to the fore|website=@businessline}}</ref>

==Centres of Tulu study and research==
[[File:Tuluenglishdictionary.jpg|thumb|160px|The front cover of the Tulu dictionary published by Männer in 1886.]]
Tulu as a language continues to thrive in coastal [[Karnataka]] and [[Kasaragod district|Kasaragod]] in [[Kerala]]. Tulu Sahitya Academy,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tuluacademy.org/en/tulu-nadu/|title=Welcome tuluacademy.org |website=Tuluacademy.org}}</ref> an institute established by the state government of Karnataka, has introduced Tulu as a language in schools around coastal [[Karnataka]], including Alva's High School, [[Moodbidri]]; Dattanjaneya High School, Odiyoor; Ramakunjeshwara English-medium High School, Ramakunja; and Vani Composite Pre-University College, [[Belthangady]]. Initially started in 16 schools,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bangaloremirror.com/news/state/626-students-from-16-Dakshina-Kannada-schools-opt-for-Tulu/articleshow/53217026.cms|title=626 students from 16 Dakshina Kannada schools opt for Tulu - Bangalore Mirror -|website=Bangaloremirror.com}}</ref> the language is now taught in over 33 schools, of which 30 are in Dakshina Kannada district. More than 1500 students have opted this language.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.india.com/news/agencies/1584-students-take-tulu-as-3rd-language-in-undivided-dk-dist-2266671/|title=1584 students take Tulu as 3rd language in undivided DK dist|date=24 June 2017|website=India.com}}</ref>

The Government of Kerala established The [[Kerala Tulu Academy]] in 2007.The Academy focuses on the retrieval and Propagation of Tulu Language and Culture in Kerala through various activities such as Organising Seminars and Publishing Tulu periodicals etc.The Academy is based in Hosangadi, [[Manjeshwar]] in [[Kasaragod]].

Tulu is also taught as a language at the post graduate level in [[Mangalore University]], and there is a dedicated department for Tulu studies''',''' Translation and Research at [[Dravidian University]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dravidianuniversity.ac.in/tuludept.html |title= |access-date=21 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512045846/http://dravidianuniversity.ac.in/tuludept.html |archive-date=12 May 2012 }}</ref> in [[Kuppam]] [[Andhra Pradesh]].The Government Degree College<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kannuruniversity.ac.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=117 |title= |access-date=26 August 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827091932/http://www.kannuruniversity.ac.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=117 |archive-date=27 August 2016 }}</ref> at Kasaragod in Kerala has also introduced a certificate course in Tulu for the academic year 2009–2010. It has also introduced Tulu as an optional subject in its Kannada post-graduation course. It has adopted syllabi from the books published by the Tulu Sahitya Academy.

German missionaries Revs. Kammerer and Männer were the first people to conduct research on the language. Rev. Krammer collected about 3,000 words and their meanings until he died. Later his work was carried on by Rev. Männer, who completed the research and published the first dictionary of the Tulu language in 1886 with the help of the then Madras government. The effort was incomplete, as it did not cover all aspects of the language. The Govinda Pai Research Centre at MGM College, [[Udupi]] started an 18-year Tulu lexicon project in the year 1979.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/sep/22udupi.htm |title=Rediff on the Net: Now, Tulu has a real dictionary! |work=Rediff.com |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref>

Different [[dialect]]s, special vocabularies used for different occupational activities, rituals, and folk literature in the forms of [[Paād-danāas]] were included in this project. The Centre has also released a six-volume, trilingual, modestly priced Tulu-[[Kannada]]-[[English language|English]] lexicon.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-12-08/mangalore/28086486_1_lexicon-world-tulu-convention-dictionary |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428082816/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-12-08/mangalore/28086486_1_lexicon-world-tulu-convention-dictionary |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 April 2013 |title= Tulu Nighantu a Lexicon That Speaks a Million Words|author= Leena Mudbidri|work=[[The Times of India]] |date= 8 December 2009 }}</ref> The Tulu [[lexicon]] was awarded the Gundert Award for the best [[dictionary]] in the country in 1996. In September 2011, the Academic Council of Mangalore University accepted a proposal, to allow the university and the colleges affiliated to it to offer certificates, diplomas and postgraduate diploma courses in Tulu, both in regular and correspondence modes<ref>{{cite news|last=Special Correspondent|title=Varsity Okays Proposals to Offer Courses in Biotechnology, Tulu|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/article2499919.ece|access-date=2 October 2011|newspaper=The Hindu|date=30 September 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=TNN|title=MU to Offer Tulu Courses|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-30/mangalore/30229799_1_diploma-tulu-script-karnataka-tulu-sahitya-academy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428194633/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-30/mangalore/30229799_1_diploma-tulu-script-karnataka-tulu-sahitya-academy|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 April 2013|access-date=2 October 2011|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=30 September 2011}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Gokak agitation]]
*[[List of Tulu films]]
*[[Mangalore]]
*[[Udupi]]
*[[Yakshagana]]
*[[Aliyasantana|Aliya Kattu]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* [[Robert Caldwell|Caldwell, R.]], ''[[A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian or South-Indian family of languages]]'', London: Harrison, 1856.; Reprinted London, K. Paul, Trench, Trubner & co., ltd., 1913; rev. ed. by J. L. Wyatt and T. Ramakrishna Pillai, Madras, University of Madras, 1961, reprint Asian Educational Services, 1998. {{ISBN|81-206-0117-3}}
* C. (1875). ''[[A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian or South-Indian family of languages]]''. London: Trübner and Co., Ludgate Hill.
* [[Alain Danielou|Danielou, Alain]] (1985), ''Histoire de l'Inde'', Fayard, Paris. {{ISBN|2-213-01254-7}}
* Hall, Edith (2002), "The singing actors of antiquity" in Pat Easterling & Edith Hall, ed., ''Greek and Roman Actors: Aspects of an Ancient Profession'', Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. {{ISBN|0-521-65140-9}}
* [[Lauri Honko]], ''Textualisation of Oral Epics''. {{ISBN|3-11-016928-2}}
* William Pais, ''Land Called South Canara''. {{ISBN|81-7525-148-4}}
* Bhat, S.L. ''A Grammar of Tulu: a Dravidian language''. {{ISBN|81-85691-12-6}}
* Männer, A. ''Tuḷu-English dictionary'', Mangalore: Printed at the Basel Mission Press 1886
* Männer, A. ''English-Tuḷu dictionary'', Mangalore: Printed at the Basel Mission Press 1888
* Brigel, J. ''A Grammar of the Tulu language'', Mangalore, published by C. Stolz, Basel Mission Book & Tract Depository, 1872
* {{citation|last=Bhat|first=D. N. S.|editor-last=Steever|editor-first=Sanford B.|year=1998|title=The Dravidian Languages|chapter=Tulu|pages=158–177|publisher=[[Routledge]]|isbn=0-415-10023-2}}
* Bhat D. N. S. (1967). Descriptive analysis of Tulu. Poona: Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute.
* [[Julien Vinson|Vinson, Julien]] (1878), {{lang|fr|Le verbe dans les langues dravidiennes: tamoul, canara, télinga, malayâla, tulu, etc.}}, Maisonneuve et cie., Paris
* [[Arthur Coke Burnell|Burnell, Arthur Coke]] (1874), ''Elements of South-Indian Palæography from the Fourth to the Seventeenth Century A.D.'', Trübner & Co.
* [[Bhadriraju Krishnamurti|Krishnamurti, Bhadriraju]] (2003), ''The Dravidian Languages'', Cambridge University Press. {{ISBN|0-521-77111-0}}
* G., L. R. (2013). Elements of comparative philology. Place of publication not identified: Hardpress Ltd.
* Bhatt, S. L. (2005). A grammar of Tulu: a Dravidian language. Thiruvananthapuram: Dravidian linguistics association.
* Goddard, C. (2009). The languages of East and Southeast Asia: an introduction. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press.
* Padmanabha, Kekunnaya. K. (1994). A comparative study of Tulu dialects. Udupi.
* Narayana, S. B. (1967). Descriptive analysis of Tulu. Poona: Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute.
* Upadhyaya, U. P. (n.d.). Tulu Lexicon: Tulu-Kannada-English Dictionary. Udupi.
* Aiyar, L. R. (1936). Materials for a sketch of Tulu phonology. Lahore.

* {{Citation
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| title= Tuhfat-al-Mujahidin: An Historical Work in The Arabic Language | publisher=University of Madras
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| title= Madras District Manuals - South Canara (Volume-I) | publisher=Madras Government Press
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* {{Citation
| author = Government of Madras | year=1953
| title= 1951 Census Handbook- South Canara District | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/6023/1/7746_1951.pdf
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* {{Citation
| author = J. I. Arputhanathan | year=1955
| title= South Kanara, The Nilgiris, Malabar and Coimbatore Districts (Village-wise Mother-tongue Data for Bilingual or Multilingual Taluks) | publisher=Madras Government Press
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* {{Citation |title=Statistical Atlas of the Madras State (1951)|last=Rajabhushanam|first=D. S.|publisher=Director of Statistics, Government of Madras|year=1963|location=Madras (Chennai)|url=http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/6454/1/9111_1951_STA.pdf}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Interwiki|code=tcy}}
* [http://www.tuluacademy.org/ Official Website of Karnataka Government's Tulu Academy]
* [http://tuludictionary.in/dictionary/cgi-bin/web/frame.html Online Tulu Dictionary]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090622104844/http://www.tuluver.com/home/ Tuluver.com]
* [https://www.omniglot.com/writing/tulu.htm Tulu Language and Alphabets]

{{Dravidian languages}}
{{Languages spoken in Kerala}}
{{Languages of India}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tulu Language}}
[[Category:Tulu language| ]]
[[Category:Dravidian languages]]
[[Category:Udupi]]
[[Category:Culture of Kasaragod district]]
[[Category:Agglutinative languages]]
[[Category:Vowel-harmony languages]]
[[Category:Dakshina Kannada district]]
[[Category:Languages of Kerala]]
[[Category:Tulu Nadu]]
[[Category:Culture of Tulu Nadu]]

Tulu language

2021-12-12T14:24:34Z

Knowledge: Added correct information

{{Short description|Indian Dravidian language of Tulu Nadu region}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox language
| name = Tulu
| nativename = {{lang|kn|ತುಳು}} {{lang|ml|തുളു}}
| states = [[India]]
| region = [[Tulu Nadu]]{{efn|([[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Udupi District]] of Karnataka State and [[Kasaragod district]] of Kerala State)}}<ref name="BhatSteveer" /><ref name="acharya1b" /><ref name="ciil.org"/>
| ethnicity = [[Tulu people|Tuluvas]]
| speakers = over 3 million<ref name="Cenus2021">{{cite web|title=ABSTRACT OF SPEAKERS' STRENGTH OF LANGUAGES AND MOTHER TONGUES - 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011Census/Language-2011/Statement-1.pdf|website=censusindia.gov.in|publisher=Indian Census 2011, Government of India|access-date=7 July 2018}}</ref>
| date = 2011 census
| familycolor = Dravidian
| fam2 = [[Southern Dravidian]]
| fam3 = Tulu languages
| script = [[Tulu script]] [[Kannada script]] [[Malayalam script]]
| minority = {{flag|India}}

*[[Karnataka]]
*[[Kerala]]
| agency = [[Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy]] [[Kerala Tulu Academy]]
| iso3 = tcy
| image = Tulubaase4.png
| imagesize = 250px
| imagecaption = ''Tulu Baase'' written in [[Tulu script]]
| map = Tuluspeakers.PNG
| mapcaption = Distribution of native Tulu speakers in India
| notice = Indic
| glotto = tulu1258
| glottorefname = Tulu
| notice2 = IPA
}}
{{Tulu transliteration}}
[[File:Vishwanath Badikana.webm|thumb|A Tulu speaker, recorded in [[India]].]]
'''Tulu''' ({{lang|tcy-Latn|Tulu Bāse}}) {{efn| Tulu can be written in three different scripts: ''Tulu bāse'' is written [[File:Tulubaase4.png|alt=<File: Tuḷu bāse>|75x75px]] in [[Tulu script]], {{lang-kn|ತುಳು ಬಾಸೆ}} in [[Kannada script]], {{lang-ml|ത‍ുള‍ു ഭാഷ}} in [[Malayalam script]]. {{lang|tcy|ಭಾಷೆ}} ''bhāṣe'', {{lang|tcy|ಭಾಶೆ}}, ''bhāśe'', and {{lang|tcy|ಬಾಶೆ}} ''bāśe'' are alternative spellings for the Tulu word ''bāse'' in the Kannada script. The correct spelling for the word "language" in [[Kannada language|Kannada]] is {{lang-kn|ಭಾಷೆ}} ''bhāṣe'', but that is not necessarily true in Tulu. Männer's ''Tulu-English and English-Tulu Dictionary'' (1886) says, "{{lang|tcy|ಬಾಶೆ, ಬಾಸೆ}} '''bāšè''', '''bāsè''', ''see'' {{lang|tcy|ಭಾಷೆ}}." (vol. 1, p. 478), "{{lang|tcy|ಭಾಶೆ, ಭಾಷೆ}} '''bhāšè''', '''bhāshè''', ''s''. Speech, language." (vol. 1, p. 508), meaning that the four spellings are more or less acceptable. The word is actually pronounced {{lang|tcy|ಬಾಸೆ}} ''bāse'' in Tulu. Note that '''š''' and '''sh''' in his dictionary correspond to ''ś'' and ''ṣ'', respectively, in [[ISO 15919]]}}. is a<ref> {{Cite web|title=Five Languages in Karnataka, Including Tulu Vanishing: Unesco|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay.aspx?newsID=62360|access-date=2020-09-18|website=daijiworld.com}}</ref> [[Dravidian languages|Dravidian language]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.udupitourism.com/Udupi-Tulu-Language |title=UDUPI |website=Udupitourism.com|access-date=18 November 2016}}</ref> whose speakers are concentrated [[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Udupi district|Udupi]] of [[Karnataka]] state in South-Western [[India]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tulu Page, Tulu Language, History of Tulu language|url=https://www.nriol.com/indian-languages/tulu-page.asp|access-date=2020-11-17|website=nriol.com}}</ref> and [[Kasaragod]] district of [[Kerala]] state. The native speakers of Tulu are referred to as ''[[Tulu people|Tuluva]]'' or [[Tulu people]] and the geographical area is unofficially called [[Tulu Nadu]].

The [[2011 Census of India|Indian census report of 2011]] reported a total of 1,846,427 native Tulu speakers in India.<ref name="Cenus2021" /> The [[2001 Census of India|2001 census]] had reported a total of 1,722,768 native speakers and over 3 million speakers all over the world,<ref>{{cite web|title=Census of India - Statement 1|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_Data_Online/Language/Statement1.htm|access-date=13 November 2009|publisher=Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India}}</ref> According to one estimate reported in 2009, Tulu is spoken by 3 to 5 million speakers in the world.<ref>{{citation|last=Mannan|first=Moiz|title=Convention to Draw Attention to Tulu Culture|url=http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=world_news&month=august2009&file=world_news2009083021843.xml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017162358/http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=world_news&month=august2009&file=world_news2009083021843.xml|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 October 2015|date=30 August 2009|newspaper=[[The Peninsula (newspaper)|The Peninsula On-line]]|publisher=The Peninsula}}</ref> There is some difficulty in counting Tulu speakers who have migrated from their native region as they often get counted as [[Tulu]] speakers in [[Census of India|Indian census reports]].<ref name="BhatSteveer">{{cite book |last1=Steever |first1=Sanford B |title=The Dravidian Languages |date=2015 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781136911644 |pages=158–163 }}</ref>

Separated early from [[Southern Dravidian|Proto-South Dravidian]],<ref>"[http://www.ethnologue.com/show_family.asp?subid=1286-16 Language Family Trees: Dravidian, Southern]", ''Ethnologue'' (16th ed.).</ref> Tulu has several features not found in [[Tamil–Kannada languages|Tamil–Kannada]]. For example, it has the [[pluperfect]] and the [[future perfect]], like [[French language|French]] or [[Spanish language|Spanish]], but formed [[Agglutination|without an auxiliary verb]].

Tulu is the primary spoken language in [[Tulu Nadu]] consisting of [[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Udupi]] districts in west of the of Karnataka state and [[Kasaragod district]] of Kerala state.<ref name="BhatSteveer" /><ref name="acharya1b">{{cite web |url=http://www.ciil-ebooks.net/html/piil/acharya1b.html |access-date=11 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117094833/http://www.ciil-ebooks.net/html/piil/acharya1b.html |title=Social Aspects and Dynamics of Convergence |author=Susheela Thomas |archive-date=17 January 2008 }}</ref><ref name="ciil.org">[http://www.ciil.org/Main/Announcement/Abstracts/Abstacts/11.htm] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720110615/http://www.ciil.org/Main/Announcement/Abstracts/Abstacts/11.htm |date=20 July 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Tulu Nadu, Kasaragod, Kerala, India|url=https://www.keralatourism.org/bekal/tulu-nadu.php|publisher=Kerala Tourism|access-date=12 June 2017|language=en}}</ref> A significant number of native tulu speakers are found in [[Kalasa]] and [[Mudigere]] taluks of [[Chikkamagaluru]] district. Non-native speakers of Tulu include those who are residents in the Tulunadu region but who speak the [[Beary language]], the [[Havigannada|Havyaka]] language and also [[Konkani language|Konkani]] and [[Koraga language|Koraga]] as their mother tongues.<ref name="dravidian">{{cite book |title= The Dravidian Languages |last= Steever |first= Sanford B. |year= 1998 |publisher= Taylor & Francis |isbn= 0-415-10023-2 |page= 158 }}</ref> Apart from Tulunadu, a significant emigrant population of Tulu speaking people is found in [[Maharashtra]],<ref name="languageinindia.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.languageinindia.com/may2003/maharashtraurdu.html |title=Language in India |publisher=Language in India |date=5 May 2003 |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref> [[Bangalore]], [[Chennai]], the [[English-speaking world]], and the [[Arab states of the Persian Gulf|Gulf countries]].<ref name="mangalorean.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=139752 |title=Serving Mangaloreans Around The World! |publisher=Mangalorean.Com |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=63861& |title=Dr. Veerendra Heggade in Dubai to Unite Tuluvas for Tulu Sammelan |publisher=Daijiworld.com |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref>

The various medieval inscriptions of Tulu from the 15th century are in the [[Tulu script]].<ref name="BhatSteveer" /> Two Tulu epics named ''Sri Bhagavato'' and ''Kaveri'' from the 17th century were also written in the same script.<ref name="BhatSteveer" /> However, in modern times the Tulu language is mostly written using the [[Kannada script]].<ref name="BhatSteveer" /> The Tulu language is known for its [[oral literature]] in the form of epic poems called ''pardana''. The ''[[Epic of Siri]]'' and the legend of [[Koti and Chennayya]] belong to this category of Tulu literature.<ref name="BhatSteveer" />

==Classification==
{{Main|Dravidian languages}}
Tulu belongs to the southern branch of the family of [[Dravidian languages]]. It descends directly from Proto-Southern Dravidian, which in turn descends directly from [[Proto-Dravidian]], the hypothesized mother language from which all Dravidian languages descend. The Tulu language originates in the southern part of India.

==Etymology==
Linguist [[P. Gururaja Bhat]] specified in ''Tulunadu'' (a research book) that ''tuluva'' originated from the word ''turuva'' (ತುರುವ), where ''turu'' means 'cow' and refers to the place dominated by the ''yadava'' or cowherd (ತುರುಗಳೇ ಪ್ರಧಾನವಾದ ನಾಡು ತುಳುನಾಡು).

Linguist [[:kn:ಪುರುಷೋತ್ತಮ ಬಿಳಿಮಲೆ|Purushottama Bilimale (ಪುರುಷೋತ್ತಮ ಬಿಳಿಮಲೆ)]] has suggested that the word ''tulu'' means 'that which is connected with water'. ''Tulave'' (jack fruit) means 'watery' in Tulu. Other water-related words in Tulu include ''talipu'', ''teli'', ''teLi'', ''teLpu'', ''tuLipu'', ''tulavu'' and ''tamel''. In Kannada, there are words such as ''tuLuku'' meaning 'that which has characteristics of water' and ''toLe''.{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} In Tamil, ''thuli'' means 'drop of water'{{citation needed|date=August 2012}}; ''thulli'' means the same in Malayalam.

== Official status ==
Tulu is not an official language of India or any other country. Efforts are being made to include Tulu in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.<ref>{{cite news|title=Centre still examining inclusion of Tulu, Kodava in 8th Schedule|url=http://www.coastaldigest.com/news/101637-centre-still-examining-inclusion-of-tulu-kodava-in-8th-schedule|work=Coastaldigest.com - The Trusted News Portal of India, Coastal Karnataka|date=22 July 2017|language=en}}</ref> In December 2009, during the First Vishwa Tulu Sammelan organized at Ujire-Dharmastala, then Karnataka Chief Minister [[B. S. Yediyurappa]] promised to send a fresh proposal on including the Tulu language in the eighth schedule of the constitution.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2009/dec/11/cm-inaugurates-vishwa-tulu-sammelan-112014.html|title=CM inaugurates Vishwa Tulu Sammelan|work=The New Indian Express|access-date=11 December 2009}}</ref> In August 2017, an online campaign was organized to include Tulu in 8th schedule of constitution<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/twitter-campaign-to-include-tulu-in-eighth-schedule-of-constitution/article19459992.ece|title=Twitter campaign to include Tulu in Eighth Schedule of Constitution|date=10 August 2017|work=The Hindu|access-date=12 November 2017|others=Special Correspondent|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> In October 2017, when the prime minister, [[Narendra Modi]], visited [[Dharmasthala Temple]] the same demand was presented in front of him.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mangaluru/demand-to-include-tulu-in-eight-schedule-grows-louder-with-pms-visit/articleshow/61327370.cms|title=Demand to include Tulu in Eight Schedule grows louder with PM's visit - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=12 November 2017}}</ref> Similarly, in 2018, a [[Member of Parliament]] from the [[Kasargod]] constituency, namely [[P. Karunakaran]], also rose the same demand for inclusion of Tulu language in the 8th schedule of the constitution. On 19 February 2020, Vedavyas Kamath who is a member of the [[Mangalore (Lok Sabha constituency)|Mangaluru (south) segment of the Legislative Assembly]], submitted a memorandum to chief minister B. S. Yediyurappa and to the minister for tourism, Kannada and culture, C. T. Ravi, seeking official status for the Tulu language.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay.aspx?newsID=675865|title=Mangaluru: MLA Vedavyasa Kamath seeks official recognition for Tulu language|work=DaijiWorld News|access-date=19 February 2020}}</ref> In February 2020, another MLA from Moodbidri Umanath Kotian urged the state government to put pressure on the union government to add the Tulu language to the eighth schedule during the assembly session. In July 2021, members of the three main parties in Karnataka politics: BJP, Congress and Janata Dal (Secular), lent their support to the idea.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-05|title=Campaign to get official status for Tulu gains steam|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/campaign-to-get-official-status-for-tulu-gains-steam-1004948.html|access-date=2021-07-05|website=Deccan Herald|language=en}}</ref>

==History==
The oldest available inscriptions in Tulu are from the period between 14th to 15th century AD.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CF5Qo4NDE64C&pg=PA162 |title=The Dravidian languages - Sanford B. Steever - Google Books |date= 24 June 2003|isbn=9780203424353 |access-date=21 May 2012|last1=Steever |first1=Sanford B. }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H3lUIIYxWkEC&pg=PA46 |title=A History of Ancient and Early ... - Upinder Singh - Google Books |isbn=9788131711200 |access-date=21 May 2012|last1=Singh |first1=Upinder |year=2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zsQc6oFXvPkC&pg=PA64 |title=Brahmanas of South India - Nagendra Rao - Google Books |isbn=9788178353005 |access-date=21 May 2012|last1=Rao |first1=Nagendra |year=2005 }}</ref><ref>[http://amazingudupi.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091024041555/http://www.amazingudupi.com/|date=24 October 2009}}</ref> These inscriptions are in the Tulu script and are found in areas in and around [[Barkur]] which was the capital of Tulu Nadu during the [[Vijayanagara Empire|Vijayanagar]] period. Another group of inscriptions is found in the ''Ullur'' ''Subrahmanya'' Temple near [[Kundapura]]. Many linguists like S.U. Panniyadi and [[L. V. Ramaswami Iyer]] as well as, P.S. Subrahmanya, suggested that Tulu is among the oldest languages in the Dravidian family which branched independently from its Proto-Dravidian roots nearly 2000 years ago. This assertion is based on the fact that Tulu still preserves many aspects of the [[Proto-Dravidian language]].

This dating of Tulu is also based on the fact that the region where Tulu is natively spoken was known to the ancient Tamils as Tulu Nadu. Also, the [[Tamil people|Tamil]] poet Mamular who belongs to the Sangam Age (200 AD) describes Tulu Nadu and its dancing beauties in one of his poems.<ref name="thehindu.com">{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2002/07/16/stories/2002071602460300.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105070037/http://www.hindu.com/2002/07/16/stories/2002071602460300.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=5 November 2012 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Tulu fit to be included in Eighth Schedule | date=16 July 2002}}</ref> In the Halmidi inscriptions, one finds mention of the Tulu country as the kingdom of the [[Alupas]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-01-25/mangalore/28038826_1_tulu-language-karnataka-tulu-sahitya-academy-tulu-nadu | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024131607/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-01-25/mangalore/28038826_1_tulu-language-karnataka-tulu-sahitya-academy-tulu-nadu | url-status=dead | archive-date=24 October 2012 | work=[[The Times of India]] | title=Teaching Tulu at primary level sought | date=25 January 2009}}</ref> The region was also known to the Greeks of the 2nd century as ''Tolokoyra''. The [[Charition mime]], a [[Greek language|Greek]] play belonging to the 2nd century BC, has its plot centered around the coastal Karnataka, where Tulu is mainly spoken. The play is mostly in Greek, but the [[India]]n characters in the play are seen speaking a language different from Greek. There is considerable ambiguity regarding the Indian language in the play, though all scholars agree the Indian language is Dravidian, there is considerable dispute over which form of it. Noted German Indologist [[E. Hultzsch]] (1857–1927) was the first to suggest that the language was Dravidian.{{clarify|date=June 2015}} The dispute regarding the language in the play is yet to be settled, but scholars agree that the dispute arises from the fact that Old Kannada, Old Tamil, and Tulu during the time when the play was written were perhaps dialectical variations of the same [[wiktionary:proto-language|proto-language]], and that over the years they evolved into their present forms as separate languages.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}

=== Status ===
Found largely in Karnataka, it is spoken primarily within the Indian state. Dating back several hundred years, the language has developed numerous defining qualities. The Tulu people follow a saying which promotes leaving negative situations and finding newer, more positive ones. The language, however, is not as popular as others which means it could become endangered and extinct very soon. The influence of other mainstream languages is a present danger for the Tulu language.[https://archive.org/stream/elementsofcompar00lathrich/elementsofcompar00lathrich_djvu.txt <nowiki>[1]</nowiki>] Today, it is spoken by nearly 1.8 million people around the globe. Large parts of the language are altered and changed constantly because it is commonly passed down through oral tradition. Oral traditions within Tulu have meant that certain phrases have not always maintained the same meaning or importance.

==Geographic distribution==
[[File:Alvakheda map.jpg|thumb|Map Showing the ancient Tulu kingdom of Alva Kheda]]
According to [[Malayalam]] works like [[Keralolpathi]] and [[Sangam literature]] in [[Tamil language|Tamil]], the region stretching from the [[Chandragiri river]], now part of the [[Kasaragod district]], Kerala, to [[Gokarna, India|Gokarna]], now part of [[Uttara Kannada]] district of Karnataka, was ruled by the [[Alupas]] and was known as Alva Kheda. This Kingdom was the Homeland of Tulu speaking people.
However the present day Tulu linguistic majority area is confined to the region of [[Tulu Nadu]], which comprises the districts of part of [[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Udupi]] in the Indian state of [[Karnataka]] and the northern part of [[Kasaragod district]] of Kerala up to the river Payaswani also known as Chandragiri.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/13/stories/2006081317290300.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091125011349/http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/13/stories/2006081317290300.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=25 November 2009 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Tulu Nadu Movement Gaining Momentum | date=13 August 2006}}</ref> The cities of [[Mangalore]], [[Udupi]] and [[Kasaragod Town|Kasaragod]] being the cultural centres of Tulu culture.

Even today Tulu is widely spoken in the Dakshina Kannada, partially in [[Udupi district]] of Karnataka state and to some extent in Kasaragod of Kerala. Efforts are also being made to include Tulu in the list of [[Languages of India|Official languages of India]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yakshagana.com/tulu-recog.htm |title=Why Tulu Language Deserves Recognition from Kendra Sahithya Academy and Why It Should Be Included in Schedule 8B of the Constitution |publisher=Yakshagana.com |date=12 August 2000 |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref> As a whole, Tulu is largely contained to the southern part of India. The Indian state of Karnataka is where the language seems to thrive in the present day. Some of the major cities within the Tulu culture include Mangalore and Kasaragod. [http://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay.aspx?newsID=138784 <nowiki>[1]</nowiki>] Speakers of the language have reflected interest in spreading to more modern nations such as the United States.

==Writing system==
[[File:Tululipi4.svg|thumb|right|215px|alt=tigalari script.|Tigalari Script.]]
{{Main|Tigalari script|Kannada alphabet|Malayalam script}}
The various historical inscriptions of Tulu found around Barkur and Kundapura are in the [[Tigalari script]]. Historically, Brahmins of [[Tulu Nadu]] and [[Havyaka Brahmin]]s used the Tigalari script to write [[Vedas]] and other [[Sanskrit]] works. The Tigalari script is descended from the [[Brahmi script|Brahmi]] through the [[Grantha script]]. It is a sister script of the [[Malayalam script]]. However, very few works written in vernacular languages like Kannada and Tulu are available. Hence, the Tigalari script was employed by Tulu Brahmins to write Tulu and Kannada languages apart from the Kannada script. The National Mission for Manuscripts has conducted several workshops on this script with the help of a scholar, Keladi Gunda Jois. In the 18th century, the use of the Kannada script for writing Tulu and non-availability of print in the Tigalari script contributed to the marginalization of the Tigalari script. The script is studied by few scholars and manuscriptologists for research and religious purposes. The [[Kannada script]] has become the contemporary script for the Tulu language gradually. All contemporary works and literature are done in the Kannada script.

The Tulu alphabet resembles the Malayalam script in many ways. It is also similar to many characters found in the Tigalari alphabet. This is from the same region in the state of Karnataka. The Tigalari and Kannada alphabets include a stress on vowels with "a" and "o" sounds. [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/tulu.htm <nowiki>[1]</nowiki>] Other vowels include sounds such as "au" "am" and "ah". Numerous consonants have their own origin from the Dravidian languages like "kha" "gha" "dha" and "jha". These are derived from the Tigalari alphabet.{{Clarification needed|date=October 2020}}

==Dialects==
Tulu language has four dialects, which are broadly similar, with slight variations.

The four dialects are:
;Common Tulu<ref name="ethnologue">{{cite web|url=http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=tcy |title=Ethnologue report for language code: tcy |publisher=Ethnologue.com |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref>
:Spoken by the majority includes the [[Mogaveera]], [[Bunt (community)|Bunts]], Tulu Madivala ( Madialnakl), [[Tulu Gowda]], [[Billava]], [[Kulala]], [[Devadiga]], [[Jogi (caste)|Jogi]], [[Padmasali (caste)|Padmashali]] communities and others. This is the dialect of commerce, trade and entertainment and is mainly used for inter-community communication. It is further subdivided into seven groups:
:#Central Tulu: Spoken in [[Mangalore]].
:#Northwest Tulu: Spoken in [[Udupi]].
:#Northeast Tulu: Spoken in [[Karkala]] and [[Belthangady]].
:#Northern Tulu: Spoken in [[Kundapura]], Also known as [[KundaTulu]] because of [[Kundagannada dialect]] Influence
:#Southwest Tulu: Spoken in [[Manjeshwar]] and [[Kasaragod district|Kasaragod]], known as Kasaragod Tulu influencing [[Malayalam]].
:#Southcentral Tulu: Spoken in [[Bantwal]].
:#Southeast Tulu: Spoken in [[Puttur, Karnataka|Puttur]] [[Sullia]].
:#Southern Tulu: Spoken in South of [[Kasaragod]] and [[Payaswini]] (Chandragiri) river influencing [[Malayalam]] known as Thenkaayi Tulu.
;Brahmin Tulu<ref name="ethnologue"/>
:Spoken by the Tulu Brahmins who are subdivided into [[Shivalli Brahmins]], [[Sthanika Brahmins]] and [[Tuluva Hebbars]]. It is more influenced by [[Sanskrit]].
;Jain Dialect<ref name="b">{{cite web|url=http://www.boloji.com/places/0020a.htm |title=Places |publisher=Boloji.com |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref>
:Spoken by the [[Tulu Jains]]. It is a dialect where the initial letters 'T' and 'S' have been replaced by the letter 'H'. For example, the word ''Tare'' is pronounced as ''Hare'', ''Saadi'' is pronounced as ''Haadi''.
;Adivasi Dialect<ref name="b"/>
:Spoken by the [[Koraga people|Koraga]], Mansa, and other tribals of Tulu Nadu

==Phonology==
=== Vowels ===
Five short and five long vowels (''a'', ''ā'', ''e'', ''ē'', ''u'', ''ū'', ''i'', ''ī'', ''o'', ''ō'') are common in [[Dravidian languages]]. Like [[Kodava Takk]] (and also like [[Konkani language|Konkani]] and [[Sinhala language|Sinhala]]), Tulu also has an {{IPA|[ɛ]}}- or {{IPA|[æ]}}-like vowel, generally occurring word-finally. The [[Kannada script]] does not have a symbol to specifically represent this vowel, which is often written as a normal ''e''.<ref name="s163">Bhat (1998), p. 163.</ref> For example, the first person singular form and the third person singular masculine of a verb are spelled identically in all tenses, both ending in ''e'', but are pronounced differently: the terminating ''e'' in the former sounds nearly like ‘a’ in the English word ‘man’ ({{lang|tcy|ಮಲ್ಪುವೆ}} ''maḷpuve'' {{IPA|/maɭpuvæ/}}, "I make"), while that in the latter like ‘e’ in ‘men’ ({{lang|tcy|ಮಲ್ಪುವೆ}} ''maḷpuve'' {{IPA|/maɭpuve/}}, "he makes").<ref>{{cite web|last=Brigel|first=J.|title=A Grammar of the Tulu Language|year=1872|publisher=C. Stolz|url=https://archive.org/details/grammaroftululan00briguoft|access-date=31 October 2009|page=47}}</ref>

In his grammar of 1932, S. U. Paniyadi used a special vowel sign to denote Tulu /ɛ/ in the Kannada script: according to Bhat, he used two ''telakaṭṭu''s for this purpose (usually, a ''telakaṭṭu'' means the crest that a Kannada character like {{lang|kn|ಕ, ತ, ನ}} has), and the same convention was adopted by Upadhyaya in his 1988 Tulu Lexicon.<ref name="s163"/> The long counterpart of this vowel occurs in some words.<ref name="s161">Bhat (1998), p. 161.</ref> In all dialects, the pair /e/ and /ɛ/ contrasts.<ref name="s161"/>

Additionally, like [[Kodava Takk]] and [[Toda language|Toda]], and like [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]] ''saṁvr̥tōkāram'', Tulu has an {{IPA|[ɯ]}}-like vowel (or [[schwa]] {{IPA|/ə/}}) as a [[phoneme]], which is [[Romanization|romanized]] as ''ŭ'' (ISO), ''ɯ'', or ''u̥''. Both J. Brigel and A. Männer say that it is pronounced like ''e'' in the French ''je''. Bhat describes this phoneme as /ɯ/. However, if it is like Malayalam "half-u", {{IPA|[ə]}} or {{IPA|[ɨ]}} may be a better description. In the Kannada script, Brigel and Männer used a [[virama]] (halant), {{lang|kn| ್}}, to denote this vowel. Bhat says a ''telakaṭṭu'' is used for this purpose, but apparently he too means a virama.<ref>Bhat (1998), pp. 162–163.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+[[Vowel]]s
|-
!rowspan="3"| 
!colspan="2" rowspan="2"|[[Front vowel|Front]]
!colspan="4"|[[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
!colspan="2"|[[Roundedness|Rounded]]
!colspan="2"|Unrounded
|-
![[Vowel length|Short]]
!Long
!Short
!Long
!Short
!Long
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Close vowel|Close]]
|{{IPA|i}}||{{IPA|iː}}||{{IPA|u}}||{{IPA|uː}}||{{IPA|ɯ}} ({{IPA|ə}})|| 
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Mid vowel|Mid]]
|{{IPA|e}}||{{IPA|eː}}||{{IPA|o}}||{{IPA|oː}}|| || 
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Open vowel|Open]]
|{{IPA|ɛ}} ({{IPA|æ}})||{{IPA|ɛː}} ({{IPA|æː}})||{{IPA|ɒ}}||{{IPA|ɒː}}|| || 
|}

=== Consonants ===
The following are consonant phonemes in Tulu:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+[[Consonant]]s
|-
!colspan="2"| 
![[Labial consonant|Labial]]
![[Dental consonant|Dental]]
![[Retroflex consonant|Retroflex]]
![[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
![[Velar consonant|Velar]]
|-
!colspan="2" style="text-align:left"|[[Nasal stop|Nasal]]
|{{IPA|m}}||{{IPA|n}}||{{IPA|ɳ}}||{{IPA|ɲ}}||{{IPA|ŋ}}
|-
!rowspan="2"|[[Plosive]]
!style="text-align:left"|[[Voiceless]]
|{{IPA|p}}||{{IPA|t}}||{{IPA|ʈ}}||{{IPA|c}} ({{IPA|t͡ʃ}})||{{IPA|k}}
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Voice (phonetics)|Voiced]]
|{{IPA|b}}||{{IPA|d}}||{{IPA|ɖ}}||{{IPA|ɟ}} ({{IPA|d͡ʒ}})||{{IPA|ɡ}}
|-
!colspan="2" style="text-align:left"|[[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
| ||{{IPA|s}}|| ||{{IPA|ç}} ({{IPA|ʃ}})||
|-
!colspan="2" style="text-align:left"|[[Approximant consonant|Approximant]]
|{{IPA|ʋ}}|| || ||{{IPA|j}}||
|-
!colspan="2" style="text-align:left"|[[Lateral consonant|Lateral]]
| ||{{IPA|l}}||( {{IPA|ɭ}} )|| ||
|-
!colspan="2" style="text-align:left"|[[Flap consonant|Tap]]
| ||{{IPA|ɾ}}|| || ||
|}

The contrast between {{IPA|/l/}} and {{IPA|/ɭ/}} is preserved in the South Common dialect and in the Brahmin dialect, but is lost in several dialects.<ref name="s161"/> Additionally, the Brahmin dialect has {{IPA|/ʂ/}} and {{IPA|/ɦ/}}. Aspirated consonants are sometimes used in the Brahmin dialect, but are not phonemic.<ref name="s161"/> In the [[Koraga language|Koraga]] and [[Holeya]] dialects, ''s'' {{IPA|/s/}} and ''ś'' {{IPA|/ʃ/}} merge with ''c'' {{IPA|/t͡ʃ/}} (the Koraga dialect of the Tulu language is different from the Koraga language).<ref name="s161"/> Word-initial consonant clusters are rare and occur mainly in Sanskrit loanwords.<ref name="s161"/>

== Grammar ==
===Morphology===
Tulu has five [[Lexical category|parts of speech]]: [[noun]]s (substantives and [[adjective]]s), [[pronoun]]s, numerals, [[verb]]s, and [[Grammatical particle|particle]]s.<ref>Brigel (1872), p. 10.</ref>

Substantives have three [[grammatical gender]]s (masculine, feminine, and neuter), two [[grammatical number|numbers]] (singular and plural), and eight [[grammatical case|cases]] (nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, locative, ablative or instrumental, communicative, and vocative). According to Bhat, Tulu has two distinct locative cases. The communicative case is used with verbs like "tell", "speak", "ask", "beseech", "inquire", and denotes ''at whom'' a message, an inquiry, or a request is aimed, as in "I told ''him''." or "I speak ''to them''." It is also used to denote ''relationship with whom'' it is about, in a context like "I am on good terms ''with him''." or "I have nothing ''against him''."<ref>Brigel (1872), p. 122</ref> Bhat calls it the [[sociative case]]. It is somewhat similar to the [[comitative case]], but different in that it denotes communication or relationship, not physical companionship. The plural suffix is ''-rŭ'', ''-ḷu'', ''-kuḷu'', or ''-āḍḷu''; as, ''mēji'' ("table"), ''mējiḷu'' ("tables").<ref>Brigel (1872), pp. 10–11.</ref> The nominative case is unmarked, while the remaining cases are expressed by different suffixes.

The following table shows the declension of a noun, based on Brigel and Bhat (''u̥'' used by Brigel and ''ɯ'' used by Bhat are both shown as ''ŭ'' for clarity): when two forms are given, the one in parentheses is by Bhat, and the other is by Brigel.<ref>Brigel (1872), pp. 14–15.</ref><ref>Bhat (1998), p. 164.</ref> Some of these differences may be dialectal variations.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Declension of substantives: example ''mara'' ("a tree")
|-
![[Grammatical case|Case]]
![[Grammatical number|Singular]]
!Meaning
!Plural
!Meaning
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Nominative case|Nominative]]
|''mara''||a tree||''marokuḷu'' (marakulu)||trees
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Genitive case|Genitive]]
|''marata''||of a tree||''marokuḷe'' (marakulena)||of trees
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Dative case|Dative]]
|''maroku'' (marakŭ)||to a tree||''marokuḷegŭ'' (marakulegŭ)||to trees
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Accusative case|Accusative]]
|''maronu'' (maranŭ)||a tree ([[Object (grammar)|object]])||''marokuḷenŭ'' (marakulenŭ)||trees (object)
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Locative case|Locative]]
|''maroṭu'' (maraṭŭ)||in a tree||''marokuḷeḍŭ'' (marakuleḍŭ)||in trees
|-
!style="text-align:left"|Locative 2
|— (maraṭɛ)||at or through a tree||— (marakuleḍɛ)||at or through trees
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Ablative case|Ablative]]
|''maroḍŭdu'' (maraḍdŭ)||from, by, or through a tree||''marokuḷeḍŭdŭ'' (marakuleḍdŭ)||from, by, or through trees
|-
!style="text-align:left"|Communicative
|''maraṭa''||to a tree||''marokuḷeḍa'' (marakuleḍa)||to trees
|-
!style="text-align:left"|[[Vocative case|Vocative]]
|''marā''||O tree!||''marokuḷē'' (marakulɛ̄)||O trees!
|}

The personal pronouns are irregularly inflected: ''yānŭ'' "I" becomes ''yen-'' in [[oblique case]]s.<ref>Brigel (1872), p. 37.</ref> Tulu makes the distinction between the [[Clusivity|inclusive]] and exclusive "we" (See [[Clusivity#Dravidian languages|''Clusivity: Dravidian languages'']]): ''nama'' "we (including you)" as opposed to ''yenkuḷu'' "we (not including you)".<ref name="Brigel33">Brigel (1872), p. 33.</ref> For verbs, this distinction does not exist. The personal pronouns of the second person are ''ī'' (oblique: ''nin-'') "you (singular)" and ''nikuḷu'' "you (plural)". Three genders are distinguished in the third person, as well as proximate and remote forms. For example, ''imbe'' "he (proximate)", ''āye'' "he (remote)". The suffix ''-rŭ'' makes a polite form of personal pronouns, as in ''īrŭ'' "you (respectfully)", ''ārŭ'' "he (remote; respectfully)".<ref name="Brigel33"/>
[[Preposition and postposition|Postpositions]] are used usually with a noun in the genitive case, as in ''guḍḍe-da mittŭ'' "on the hill".

Tulu verbs have three forms: [[Voice (grammar)|active]], [[causative]], and [[Reflexive verb|reflexive]] (or middle voice).<ref>Brigel (1872), p. 43.</ref>
They [[Grammatical conjugation|conjugate]] for [[Grammatical person|person]], number, gender, [[Grammatical tense|tense]] (present, past, [[pluperfect]], future, and [[future perfect]]), [[Mood (grammar)|mood]] (indicative, imperative, conditional, infinitive, potential, and subjunctive), and [[Grammatical polarity|polarity]] (positive and negative).<ref>Brigel (1872), p. 45.</ref>

=== Syntax ===
Each sentence is composed of a subject and a predicate and every sentence is a full speech or thought in words. There is both singular and plural while being expressed in first through third person. There are several exceptions to each of these depending on the instance. For example: the verb has to be in a plural style if there are numerous nominatives within a sentence or of different genders that agree with the previous sentence. The verb may also be omitted in some sentences. Present tense and past tense may change and their perception.[https://archive.org/details/grammaroftululan00briguoft A grammar of the Tulu language]

==Written literature==
The written literature of Tulu is not as large as the literature of other literary Dravidian languages such as Tamil.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/21/stories/2009052150550200.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090527213736/http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/21/stories/2009052150550200.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=27 May 2009 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Tulu is a Highly Developed Language of the Dravidian Family | date=21 May 2009}}</ref> Nevertheless, Tulu is one of only five literary Dravidian languages, the other four being [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Telugu language|Telugu]], [[Kannada]] and [[Malayalam]]. The earliest available Tulu literature that survives to this date is the Tulu translation of the great [[Sanskrit]] epic of [[Mahabharata]] called ''Mahabharato'' (ಮಹಾಭಾರತೊ). It was written by ''Arunabja'' (1657 AD), a poet who lived in [[Kodavur]] near [[Udupi]]<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/11/13/stories/2004111302140500.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050319042026/http://www.hindu.com/2004/11/13/stories/2004111302140500.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=19 March 2005 | location=Chennai, India | newspaper=[[The Hindu]] | title=Tulu Academy Yet to Realise Its Goal | date=13 November 2004}}</ref> around late 14th to early 15th century AD.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kannadauniversity.org/EN/index.html|title=-:: Kannada University, Hampi ::|date=26 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111126113813/http://www.kannadauniversity.org/EN/index.html|archive-date=26 November 2011}}</ref>
Other important literary works in Tulu are:
* [[Devi Mahatmyam]]'s (ಶ್ರೀ ದೇವಿ ಮಹಾತ್ಮೆ) 1200 AD - Tulu translation
* Sri Bhagavata (ಶ್ರೀ ಭಾಗವತೊ) 1626 AD - written by Vishnu Tunga
* Kaveri (1391 AD)

This script was mainly used to write religious and literary works in Sanskrit.<ref name="Ethnologue">http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011Census/Language-2011/Statement-1.pdf</ref><ref name="b35">Burnell (1874), p. 35.</ref> Even today the official script of the eight Tulu monasteries ([[Ashta Mathas of Udupi]]) founded by [[Madhvacharya]] in Udupi is Tulu.<ref>{{cite news|last=K T Vinobha|title=Pejawar pontiff signs mutt papers in Tulu|url=http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/mobile.aspx?article=yes&pageid=6&edlabel=TOIBG&mydateHid=11-10-2011&pubname=&edname=&articleid=Ar00602&format=&publabel=TOI|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113104557/http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/mobile.aspx?article=yes&pageid=6&edlabel=TOIBG&mydateHid=11-10-2011&pubname=&edname=&articleid=Ar00602&format=&publabel=TOI|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 January 2012|access-date=22 November 2011|newspaper=The Times of India}}</ref><ref name="thecanaratimes.com">{{cite web|url=http://thecanaratimes.com/epaper/index.php/archives/12807 |title=Pejawar Seer's Signature Is in Tulu Script |work=The Canara Times |date=12 October 2011 |access-date=12 March 2012}}</ref> The pontiffs of the monasteries write their names using this script when they are appointed.<ref name="thecanaratimes.com"/>

Modern-day Tulu literature is written using the Kannada script. ''Mandara Ramayana'' is the most notable piece of modern Tulu literature. Written by Mandara Keshava Bhatt, it received the Sahitya Academy award for best poetry.<ref>[http://www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in/old_version/awa4.htm] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223183029/http://www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in/old_version/awa4.htm|date=23 February 2009}}</ref> ''Madipu'', ''Mogaveera'', ''Saphala'' and ''Samparka'' are popular Tulu periodicals published from Mangalore. The Tulu Sahitya Academy, established by the state government of Karnataka in 1994, as also the Kerala Tulu Academy established by the Indian State Government of Kerala in [[Manjeshwaram]] in 2007, are important governmental organisations that promote Tulu literature. Nevertheless, there are numerous organisations spread all over the world with significant Tulu-migrated populations that contribute to Tulu literature. Some notable contributors of Tulu literature are [[Kayyar Kinhanna Rai]], [[M. K. Seetharam Kulal]], Amruta Someshwara, B. A. Viveka Rai, Kedambadi Jattappa Rai, Venkataraja Puninchattaya, Paltadi Ramakrishna Achar, Dr. Sunitha M. Shetty, Dr. Vamana Nandavara, Sri. Balakrishna Shetty Polali.
<gallery>
Tulu-Book-Kaveri.jpg|One of the old Tulu works ''Kaveri''
Tulu-Book-Mahabharato.jpg|One of the old Tulu works ''Mahabharato''
File:Tulu-Book-Shree-Bhagavato.jpg|One of the old Tulu works ''Shree Bhagavato''
File:Tulu-Book-Mandara-Ramayana.jpg|''Mandara Ramayana''
</gallery>

==Oral traditions==
The oral traditions of Tulu are one of the major traditions that greatly show the finer aspects of the language. The following are various forms of Tulu oral tradition and literature.

*[[Paddanas]]: A form of oral [[epic poem]] sung in a highly stylised manner during the [[Hindu]] rituals of [[Bhuta Kola]] and [[Nagaradhane]], which are peculiar to the Tulu people. These Paddanas are mostly legends about gods or historical personalities among the people. The longest of them being [[Epic of Siri|Siri Paddana]], which is about a woman called Siri who shows strength and integrity during adverse times and in turn attains divinity. The Paddana greatly depicts the independent nature of the Tulu womenfolk. The entire Paddana was written down by [[Finnish people|Finnish]] scholar [[Lauri Honko]]<ref name="thehindu.com"/> of the [[University of Turku]] and it falls four lines short of [[Homer]]'s [[Iliad]].
*Riddles: They are another important aspect of Tulu oral traditions. These riddles are largely tongue twisting and mostly deal with kinship and agriculture.
*[[Bhajan]]s: Bhajans sung in numerous temples across the Tulu region are varied and are dedicated to various gods and goddesses. Most of these are of the Hindu tradition, others being [[Jain]]. They are sung in both the [[Carnatic music|Carnatic]] style as well a style similar to what is used in [[Yakshagana]].
*Kabitol: Songs sung during the cultivation of crops, the traditional occupation of the people. O Bele is considered the finest among them.

==Theatre==
[[File:Kondadakuli.jpg|thumb|140px|A [[Yakshagana]] Artist]]
Theatre in the form of the traditional [[Yakshagana]], prevalent in coastal Karnataka and northern Kerala has greatly preserved the finer aspects of the Tulu language. Yakshagana which is conducted in Tulu is very popular among the Tuluva people. It can also be seen as a form of temple art, as there are many Yakshagana groups that are attached to temples, for example that of [[Kateel|Kateel Durga Parameshwari Temple]] as also the [[Udupi Krishna Temple]].

Presently, eight professional Yakshagana troupes perform Tulu-language Yakshagana{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} not only during the Yakshagana season but also during the off-season in various places in Karnataka and outside.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} In [[Mumbai]], Tulu Yakshagana is very popular among the Tulu audiences. More than 2,000 Yakshagana artistes take part in the performance in various places in Mumbai annually.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} Notable performers include Kalladi Koraga Shetty, Pundur Venkatraja Puninchathaya, Guru Bannanje Sanjiva Suvarna and Pathala Venkatramana Bhat.

Tulu plays are among the major entertainment for admirers of art and culture in the [[Tulu Nadu]]. Tulu plays, generally centered on the comic genre, are very popular in Mumbai and [[Bangalore]] outside [[Tulu Nadu]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/chan/exclusive_arch.asp?ex_id=107 |title=D A I J I W O R L D |publisher=D A I J I W O R L D |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref>

==Tulu cinema==
{{main|Tulu cinema}}
The [[Tulu cinema]] industry is fairly small; it produces around five films annually. The first film, ''Enna Thangadi'', was released in 1971. Usually these films are released in theatres across the [[Tulu Nadu]] region and on DVD.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.raveeshkumar.com/2006/08/tulu-cinema-at-35_31.html |title=Ee Prapancha: Tulu Cinema at 35 |publisher=Raveeshkumar.com |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref> The critically acclaimed film ''[[Suddha (film)|Suddha]]'' won the award for Best Indian Film at the [[Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema]] in [[New Delhi]] in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1063429/|title=Quiet voices from afar & Updates at Daily News & Analysis|date=11 November 2006|website=Daily News and Analysis}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/04/29/stories/2006042903020300.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070314090425/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/04/29/stories/2006042903020300.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=14 March 2007 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Things Fall Apart | date=29 April 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/07/21/stories/2006072108810200.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070314041809/http://www.hindu.com/2006/07/21/stories/2006072108810200.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=14 March 2007 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Filmmaker Extraordinary | date=21 July 2006}}</ref> As of 2015, ''[[Oriyardori Asal]]'' (2011) has been the most commercially successful Tulu film.<ref name="'Oriyardori Asal' headed for 175-day run in theatres!">{{cite web|title='Oriyardori Asal' Headed for 175-day Run in Theatres!|url=http://www.dakshintimes.com/dakshina-kannada/mangalore/news/11114532259/oriyardori-asal-headed-175-day-run-theatres.html|publisher=Dakshintimes.com|access-date=7 November 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111108190457/http://www.dakshintimes.com/dakshina-kannada/mangalore/news/11114532259/oriyardori-asal-headed-175-day-run-theatres.html|archive-date=8 November 2011}}</ref> [[Chaali Polilu]] is the longest-running film in Tulu film history, as well as the highest-grossing film in the Tulu film industry. It has successfully completed 470 days at [[PVR Cinemas]] in Mangalore.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31806&articlexml=Tulu-cinema-returns-to-centrestage-27022016010022|title=The Times Group|website=The Times of India}}</ref> The 2014 film ''[[Madime]]'' was reported to be remade in Marathi, thereby becoming the first Tulu film to be remade in another language.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vijaykarnatakaepaper.com/Details.aspx?id=9902&boxid=3251337|title=Details|website=Vijaykarnatakaepaper.com}}</ref> ''Shutterdulai'' was the first remake in Tulu cinema.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/kannada/Shutterdulai-First-Remake-in-Tulu/2016/02/18/article3282609.ece|title=Shutterdulai, First Remake in Tulu|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> ''[[Eregla Panodchi]]'' is the second remake in Tulu cinemas. A suit for damages of Rs. 2.5 million was filed against the makers of the Telugu film ''[[Brahmotsavam (film)|Brahmotsavam]]'' for copying the first 36 seconds of the song ''A...lele...yereg madme'' by Dr. Vamana Nandaavara found in the ''Deepanalike'' CD composed for the Siri channel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newskarnataka.com/sandalwood/telugu-blockbuster-brahomotsavam-film-team-in-a-fix-for-copying-tulu-song|title=Telugu blockbuster Brahomotsavam film team in a fix for copying Tulu song|website=News karnataka}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://epaper.udayavani.com/archive/home.php?edition=Sudina+(Mangalore)&date=2017-03-23&pageno=6&pid=UVANI_MAN|title=Udayavani ePaper Sudina (Mangalore) Edition|website=Epaper.udayavani.com|access-date=1 October 2017}}</ref> ''Prajavani'' reported that with its dubbing rights sold to Hindi for 2.1 million, the 2018 movie ''[[Umil]]'' became the first Tulu movie to achieve the feat.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://epaper.prajavani.net/|title=Prajavani e-Paper - Read Kannada Newspaper Online by Prajavani ಪ್ರಜಾವಾಣಿ ePaper - ಕನ್ನಡ ePaper ಅನ್ನು ಪ್ರಜಾವಾಣಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಓದಿರಿ|website=epaper.prajavani.net}}</ref> Ashwini Kotiyan (Chaya Harsha) became the first female director in the Tulu industry after directing and releasing her first movie ''Namma Kudla''.<ref name="udayavani.com">https://www.udayavani.com/english/news/karavali/294591/17-tulu-movies-ready-coastalwood</ref> ''Brahmashree Narayana Guruswamy'' released on 2 May 2014 was the 50th Tulu film.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/tulu-cinema-reaches-a-milestone/article25488035.ece|title=Tulu cinema reaches a milestone|first=Raviprasad|last=Kamila|date=13 November 2018|work=The Hindu}}</ref> ''Panoda Bodcha'' marked the 75th release anniversary of a Tulu film.<ref name="udayavani.com"/> The 100th Tulu movie ''Karne'' was released on 16 November 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/100th-tulu-language-film-brings-industrys-opportunities-challenges-to-the-fore/article25531982.ece|title=100th Tulu language film brings industry's opportunities, challenges to the fore|website=@businessline}}</ref>

==Centres of Tulu study and research==
[[File:Tuluenglishdictionary.jpg|thumb|160px|The front cover of the Tulu dictionary published by Männer in 1886.]]
Tulu as a language continues to thrive in coastal [[Karnataka]] and [[Kasaragod district|Kasaragod]] in [[Kerala]]. Tulu Sahitya Academy,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tuluacademy.org/en/tulu-nadu/|title=Welcome tuluacademy.org |website=Tuluacademy.org}}</ref> an institute established by the state government of Karnataka, has introduced Tulu as a language in schools around coastal [[Karnataka]], including Alva's High School, [[Moodbidri]]; Dattanjaneya High School, Odiyoor; Ramakunjeshwara English-medium High School, Ramakunja; and Vani Composite Pre-University College, [[Belthangady]]. Initially started in 16 schools,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bangaloremirror.com/news/state/626-students-from-16-Dakshina-Kannada-schools-opt-for-Tulu/articleshow/53217026.cms|title=626 students from 16 Dakshina Kannada schools opt for Tulu - Bangalore Mirror -|website=Bangaloremirror.com}}</ref> the language is now taught in over 33 schools, of which 30 are in Dakshina Kannada district. More than 1500 students have opted this language.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.india.com/news/agencies/1584-students-take-tulu-as-3rd-language-in-undivided-dk-dist-2266671/|title=1584 students take Tulu as 3rd language in undivided DK dist|date=24 June 2017|website=India.com}}</ref>

The Government of Kerala established The [[Kerala Tulu Academy]] in 2007.The Academy focuses on the retrieval and Propagation of Tulu Language and Culture in Kerala through various activities such as Organising Seminars and Publishing Tulu periodicals etc.The Academy is based in Hosangadi, [[Manjeshwar]] in [[Kasaragod]].

Tulu is also taught as a language at the post graduate level in [[Mangalore University]], and there is a dedicated department for Tulu studies''',''' Translation and Research at [[Dravidian University]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dravidianuniversity.ac.in/tuludept.html |title= |access-date=21 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512045846/http://dravidianuniversity.ac.in/tuludept.html |archive-date=12 May 2012 }}</ref> in [[Kuppam]] [[Andhra Pradesh]].The Government Degree College<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kannuruniversity.ac.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=117 |title= |access-date=26 August 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827091932/http://www.kannuruniversity.ac.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=117 |archive-date=27 August 2016 }}</ref> at Kasaragod in Kerala has also introduced a certificate course in Tulu for the academic year 2009–2010. It has also introduced Tulu as an optional subject in its Kannada post-graduation course. It has adopted syllabi from the books published by the Tulu Sahitya Academy.

German missionaries Revs. Kammerer and Männer were the first people to conduct research on the language. Rev. Krammer collected about 3,000 words and their meanings until he died. Later his work was carried on by Rev. Männer, who completed the research and published the first dictionary of the Tulu language in 1886 with the help of the then Madras government. The effort was incomplete, as it did not cover all aspects of the language. The Govinda Pai Research Centre at MGM College, [[Udupi]] started an 18-year Tulu lexicon project in the year 1979.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/sep/22udupi.htm |title=Rediff on the Net: Now, Tulu has a real dictionary! |work=Rediff.com |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref>

Different [[dialect]]s, special vocabularies used for different occupational activities, rituals, and folk literature in the forms of [[Paād-danāas]] were included in this project. The Centre has also released a six-volume, trilingual, modestly priced Tulu-[[Kannada]]-[[English language|English]] lexicon.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-12-08/mangalore/28086486_1_lexicon-world-tulu-convention-dictionary |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428082816/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-12-08/mangalore/28086486_1_lexicon-world-tulu-convention-dictionary |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 April 2013 |title= Tulu Nighantu a Lexicon That Speaks a Million Words|author= Leena Mudbidri|work=[[The Times of India]] |date= 8 December 2009 }}</ref> The Tulu [[lexicon]] was awarded the Gundert Award for the best [[dictionary]] in the country in 1996. In September 2011, the Academic Council of Mangalore University accepted a proposal, to allow the university and the colleges affiliated to it to offer certificates, diplomas and postgraduate diploma courses in Tulu, both in regular and correspondence modes<ref>{{cite news|last=Special Correspondent|title=Varsity Okays Proposals to Offer Courses in Biotechnology, Tulu|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/article2499919.ece|access-date=2 October 2011|newspaper=The Hindu|date=30 September 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=TNN|title=MU to Offer Tulu Courses|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-30/mangalore/30229799_1_diploma-tulu-script-karnataka-tulu-sahitya-academy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428194633/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-30/mangalore/30229799_1_diploma-tulu-script-karnataka-tulu-sahitya-academy|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 April 2013|access-date=2 October 2011|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=30 September 2011}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Gokak agitation]]
*[[List of Tulu films]]
*[[Mangalore]]
*[[Udupi]]
*[[Yakshagana]]
*[[Aliyasantana|Aliya Kattu]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* [[Robert Caldwell|Caldwell, R.]], ''[[A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian or South-Indian family of languages]]'', London: Harrison, 1856.; Reprinted London, K. Paul, Trench, Trubner & co., ltd., 1913; rev. ed. by J. L. Wyatt and T. Ramakrishna Pillai, Madras, University of Madras, 1961, reprint Asian Educational Services, 1998. {{ISBN|81-206-0117-3}}
* C. (1875). ''[[A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian or South-Indian family of languages]]''. London: Trübner and Co., Ludgate Hill.
* [[Alain Danielou|Danielou, Alain]] (1985), ''Histoire de l'Inde'', Fayard, Paris. {{ISBN|2-213-01254-7}}
* Hall, Edith (2002), "The singing actors of antiquity" in Pat Easterling & Edith Hall, ed., ''Greek and Roman Actors: Aspects of an Ancient Profession'', Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. {{ISBN|0-521-65140-9}}
* [[Lauri Honko]], ''Textualisation of Oral Epics''. {{ISBN|3-11-016928-2}}
* William Pais, ''Land Called South Canara''. {{ISBN|81-7525-148-4}}
* Bhat, S.L. ''A Grammar of Tulu: a Dravidian language''. {{ISBN|81-85691-12-6}}
* Männer, A. ''Tuḷu-English dictionary'', Mangalore: Printed at the Basel Mission Press 1886
* Männer, A. ''English-Tuḷu dictionary'', Mangalore: Printed at the Basel Mission Press 1888
* Brigel, J. ''A Grammar of the Tulu language'', Mangalore, published by C. Stolz, Basel Mission Book & Tract Depository, 1872
* {{citation|last=Bhat|first=D. N. S.|editor-last=Steever|editor-first=Sanford B.|year=1998|title=The Dravidian Languages|chapter=Tulu|pages=158–177|publisher=[[Routledge]]|isbn=0-415-10023-2}}
* Bhat D. N. S. (1967). Descriptive analysis of Tulu. Poona: Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute.
* [[Julien Vinson|Vinson, Julien]] (1878), {{lang|fr|Le verbe dans les langues dravidiennes: tamoul, canara, télinga, malayâla, tulu, etc.}}, Maisonneuve et cie., Paris
* [[Arthur Coke Burnell|Burnell, Arthur Coke]] (1874), ''Elements of South-Indian Palæography from the Fourth to the Seventeenth Century A.D.'', Trübner & Co.
* [[Bhadriraju Krishnamurti|Krishnamurti, Bhadriraju]] (2003), ''The Dravidian Languages'', Cambridge University Press. {{ISBN|0-521-77111-0}}
* G., L. R. (2013). Elements of comparative philology. Place of publication not identified: Hardpress Ltd.
* Bhatt, S. L. (2005). A grammar of Tulu: a Dravidian language. Thiruvananthapuram: Dravidian linguistics association.
* Goddard, C. (2009). The languages of East and Southeast Asia: an introduction. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press.
* Padmanabha, Kekunnaya. K. (1994). A comparative study of Tulu dialects. Udupi.
* Narayana, S. B. (1967). Descriptive analysis of Tulu. Poona: Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute.
* Upadhyaya, U. P. (n.d.). Tulu Lexicon: Tulu-Kannada-English Dictionary. Udupi.
* Aiyar, L. R. (1936). Materials for a sketch of Tulu phonology. Lahore.

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==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Interwiki|code=tcy}}
* [http://www.tuluacademy.org/ Official Website of Karnataka Government's Tulu Academy]
* [http://tuludictionary.in/dictionary/cgi-bin/web/frame.html Online Tulu Dictionary]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090622104844/http://www.tuluver.com/home/ Tuluver.com]
* [https://www.omniglot.com/writing/tulu.htm Tulu Language and Alphabets]

{{Dravidian languages}}
{{Languages spoken in Kerala}}
{{Languages of India}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tulu Language}}
[[Category:Tulu language| ]]
[[Category:Dravidian languages]]
[[Category:Udupi]]
[[Category:Culture of Kasaragod district]]
[[Category:Agglutinative languages]]
[[Category:Vowel-harmony languages]]
[[Category:Dakshina Kannada district]]
[[Category:Languages of Kerala]]
[[Category:Tulu Nadu]]
[[Category:Culture of Tulu Nadu]]

Ladakh

2021-12-03T15:07:17Z

Knowledge: Fixed typo

{{Short description|Union territory of India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = LADAKH
| settlement_type = UNION TERRITORY
| image_skyline = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Rangdum village grazing fields.jpg
| photo2a = Shyok river Ladakh.jpg
| photo3a =
| photo4a =
| spacing =
| position = centre
| size = 250
| border = 0
| color =
| foot_montage = Sheep grazing near [[Rangdum]] village; [[Shyok River]] in northern Ladakh
}}
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| image_flag =
| flag_size
=
| flag_type
=
| image_blank_emblem =
| blank_emblem_size =
| blank_emblem_type =
| image_map
= [[File:Map of UT of Jammu and Kashmir and UT of Ladakh.jpg|1500px]]
| map_alt = Jammu and Kashmir
| map_caption = A map of union territory of ladakh bordered with blue colour
| image_map1 = [[File:Kashmir Region November 2019.jpg|250px]]
| map_caption1 = A map of the disputed [[Jammu and Kashmir]] region showing the Indian-administered union territory of Ladakh
| coordinates = {{coord|34.0|N|77.5|E|region:IN-LA_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = COUNTRY
| subdivision_name = {{Flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 =
| subdivision_type2 =
| subdivision_name1 =
| subdivision_name2 =
| established_title = [[Union territory]]
| established_date = 31 October 2019<ref name="egazette.nic.in">{{cite web |title=The Gazette of India |url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2019/210412.pdf |website=egazette.nic.in |access-date=3 January 2021}}</ref>
| seat_type = Capital
| seat = [[Leh]] <ref>{{Cite web | url=https://kashmirobserver.net/2019/10/17/ladakh-gets-civil-secretariat/ | title=Ladakh Gets Civil Secretariat| date=17 October 2019}}</ref>
| parts_type = [[List of Indian districts|Districts]]
| parts_style = para
| p1 = [[List of Districts of Ladakh|2]]
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body = [[Administration of Ladakh]]
| leader_title = [[List of lieutenant governors of Ladakh|Lieutenant Governor]]
| leader_name = [[R. K. Mathur|Radha Krishna Mathur]]
| leader_title1 = [[Ladakh (Lok Sabha constituency)|Member of Parliament]]
| leader_name1 = [[Jamyang Tsering Namgyal]] ([[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]])
| leader_title2 = [[High Courts of India|High Court]]
| leader_name2 = [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]]
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |title=MHA.nic.in |publisher=MHA.nic.in |access-date=21 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208212815/http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |archive-date=8 December 2008 }}</ref>{{efn|Ladakh has {{cvt|59146|km2}} of area controlled by [[India]] and {{cvt|72971|km2}} of area controlled by Pakistan under Gilgit-Baltistan, which is claimed by India as part of Ladakh. Additionally, it has {{cvt|5180|km2}} of area controlled by the People's Republic of China under Trans-Karakoram Tract and {{cvt|37555|km2}} of area controlled by the People's Republic of China under Aksai Chin, which is claimed by India as part of Ladakh.}}
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 = 59146
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| elevation_max_footnotes =
| elevation_max_m = 7,742
| elevation_max_ft =
| elevation_max_point = [[Saltoro Kangri]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=10533|title=Saltoro Kangri, India/Pakistan|website=peakbagger.com|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref>
| elevation_max_rank =
| elevation_min_footnotes =
| elevation_min_m = 2550
| elevation_min_ft =
| elevation_min_point = [[Indus River]]
| elevation_min_rank =
| population_total = 274289
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym = [[Ladakhi people|Ladakhi]]
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Hindi]] and [[English language|English]]
| demographics1_title2 = Spoken
| demographics1_info2 = [[Ladakhi language|Ladakhi]] and [[Purgi language|Purgi]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +05:30
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|IN-LA]]
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code = [[Leh]]: 194101; [[Kargil]]: 194103
| registration_plate = [[Vehicle registration plates of India|LA]]<ref name="vehicleregistrationinladakh">{{citation |url= http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2019/214357.pdf |title=Part II—Section 3—Sub-section (ii) |work=Gazette of India, Extraordinary |date=25 November 2019 |page=2 |publisher=Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054}}</ref>
| website = {{URL|https://ladakh.nic.in/}}
| footnotes =
}}
[[File:Entering the Indus Valley, Ladakh coming from Lahaul.jpg|thumb|300px|Entering the [[Indus Valley]], Ladakh coming from [[Lahaul]].]]
'''Ladakh''' {{IPAc-en|l|ə||ˈ|d|ɑː|k}}<ref name=OED-Ladakhi>{{citation|title=Ladakhi, n.|last=OED Online|publisher=Oxford University Press|date=December 2020|access-date=6 March 2021|url=https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/104974|quote=/ləˈdɑːki/ A native or inhabitant of Ladakh, a district of eastern Kashmir. Attested use: 1911 ''Encycl. Brit. XVI.'' 59/1 It [sc. Ladakh] was, however, conquered and annexed in 1834–1841 by Gulab Singh of Jammu—the unwarlike Ladakhis, even with nature fighting on their side, and against indifferent generalship, being no match for the Dogra troops.}}</ref> is a region administered by [[India]] as a [[union territory]]. The region constitutes a part of the larger [[Kashmir]] region, which has been the subject of dispute between India, [[Pakistan]], and [[China]] since 1947.<ref name=britannica-jammu-kashmir>{{citation |last1=Akhtar |first1=Rais |last2=Kirk |first2=William |title=Jammu and Kashmir, State, India |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Jammu-and-Kashmir |access-date=7 August 2019}} (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir, state of India, located in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent in the vicinity of the Karakoram and westernmost Himalayan mountain ranges. From 1947 to 2019, Ladakh was part of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since the partition of the subcontinent in 1947."</ref><ref name="Jan·Osma鈔czykOsmańczyk2003">{{citation |last1=Jan·Osma鈔czyk |first1=Edmund |last2=Osmańczyk |first2=Edmund Jan |title=Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: G to M |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fSIMXHMdfkkC&pg=PA1191 |year=2003 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-0-415-93922-5 |pages=1191–}} Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir: Territory in northwestern India, subject to a dispute between India and Pakistan. It has borders with Pakistan and China."</ref> It is bordered by the [[Tibet Autonomous Region]] to the east, the Indian state of [[Himachal Pradesh]] to the south, both the Indian-administered union territory of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]] and the Pakistan-administered [[Gilgit-Baltistan]] to the west, and the southwest corner of [[Xinjiang]] across the [[Karakoram Pass]] in the far north. It extends from the [[Siachen Glacier]] in the [[Karakoram]] range to the north to the main Great [[Himalaya]]s to the south.<ref>{{harvp|Jina, Ladakh|1996}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/south_asia/2002/kashmir_flashpoint/default.stm|title=In Depth – Kashmir Flashpoint
|chapter-url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/south_asia/03/kashmir_future/html/default.stm |chapter=Kashmir options. Maps showing the options and pitfalls of possible solutions. The Future of Kashmir? |work=[[BBC News]] |date=19 May 2011 |access-date=16 April 2013}}</ref> The eastern end, consisting of the uninhabited [[Aksai Chin]] plains, is claimed by the Indian Government as part of Ladakh, and has been under Chinese control since [[Sino-Indian War|1962]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Fantasy frontiers |url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/05/indian_pakistani_and_chinese_border_disputes |access-date=24 September 2014 |newspaper=The Economist |date=8 February 2012}}</ref><ref name="GlobalSecurity">{{cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/india-china_conflicts.htm |title=India-China Border Dispute |publisher=GlobalSecurity.org}}</ref> Until 2019, Ladakh was a region of the Indian-administered state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]]. In August 2019, the [[Parliament of India]] passed an [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019|act]] by which Ladakh became a union territory on 31 October 2019.<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/jammu-and-kashmir-crisis-live-updates-governor-reviews-security-situation-in-state/story/370856.html |title=Article 370 revoked Updates: Jammu & Kashmir is now a Union Territory, Lok Sabha passes bifurcation bill |work=[[Business Today (India)]] |date=6 August 2019 |access-date=27 July 2020}}</ref>

In the past Ladakh gained importance from its strategic location at the crossroads of important trade routes,<ref name="TransHimalayan">{{cite book |last=Rizvi |first=Janet |year=2001 |title=Trans-Himalayan Caravans – Merchant Princes and Peasant Traders in Ladakh |publisher=Oxford India Paperbacks }}</ref> but as the Chinese authorities closed the borders between Tibet Autonomous Region and Ladakh in the 1960s, international trade dwindled. Since 1974, the [[Government of India]] has successfully encouraged [[tourism in Ladakh]]. As Ladakh is a part of the strategically important Kashmir region, the [[Indian military]] maintains a strong presence in the region.

The largest town in Ladakh is [[Leh]], followed by [[Kargil]], each of which headquarters a district.<ref>Osada et al. (2000), p. 298.</ref> The [[Leh district]] contains the [[Indus River|Indus]], [[Shyok River|Shyok]] and [[Nubra River|Nubra]] river valleys. The [[Kargil district]] contains the [[Suru River (Indus)|Suru]], [[Dras River|Dras]] and [[Zanskar River|Zanskar]] river valleys. The main populated regions are the river valleys, but the mountain slopes also support the pastoral [[Changpa]] nomads. The main religious groups in the region are [[Islam|Muslims]] (mainly [[Shia Islam|Shia]]) (46%), [[Tibetan Buddhism|Tibetan Buddhists]] (40%), [[Hinduism|Hindus]] (12%) and others (2%).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/government-toys-with-delimitation-commission-in-j-k-1542446-2019-06-04|title=Government planning to redraw Jammu and Kashmir assembly constituency borders: Sources|first1=Kamaljit Kaur|last1=S|first2=hu New|last2=DelhiJune 4|first3=2019UPDATED|last3=June 4|first4=2019 20:00|last4=Ist|website=India Today}}</ref><ref name="Crossroads">{{cite book |last=Rizvi |first=Janet |year=1996 |title=Ladakh – Crossroads of High Asia |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] }}</ref> Ladakh is one of the most sparsely populated regions in India. As its culture and history are closely related to that of [[Tibet]], it is known as the "Little Tibet".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pile |first1=Tim |title=Ladakh: the good, bad and ugly sides to India's 'Little Tibet', high in the Himalayas |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3020805/ladakh-good-bad-and-ugly-sides-indias-little-tibet |website=scmp.com |access-date=17 June 2020 |date=1 August 2019}}</ref>

Ladakh is the [[List of states and union territories of India by area|largest]] and the [[List of states and union territories of India by population|second least populous]] union territory of India.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}

== Names ==
The [[Classical Tibetan|Tibetan]] and [[Ladakhi language|Ladakhi]] name ''La-dwags'' {{Bo-textonly|ལ་དྭགས}} (historically transliterated as ''La-dvags'') means "land of high passes". ''Ladak'' is its pronunciation in several Tibetan districts. The English spelling ''Ladakh'' is derived from {{lang-fa|script=latn|ladāx}}.<ref name="Francke1992">
{{citation|last=Francke|first=August Hermann|title=Antiquities of Indian Tibet, Volume II|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.96793/page/n353/mode/2up|year=1926|publisher=Superintendent Government Printing Press|location=Calcutta|isbn=978-81-206-0769-9|pages=93–}}
Quote: Ladakh, the Persian transliteration of the Tibetan La-dvags, is warranted by the pronunciation of the word in several Tibetan districts. The terminal ''gs'' has the sound of the guttural ''gh'' or even ''kh'' in various Tibetan dialects. (Volume II, page 93)
</ref><ref>
{{citation|title=Art and Architecture in Ladakh: Cross-cultural Transmissions in the Himalayas and Karakoram|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CJCfAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA3|year=2014|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-27180-7|pages=3–}} Quote: The single most important source is the ''La dvags rgyal rabs'', the royal chronicle of Ladakh, which dates back to the 17th century. At the same time literary sources need to be supplemented by evidence from inscriptions on rocks and wall paintings as well as the buildings themselves. Many of the early researchers on these topics in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were either missionaries or colonial officials. The two-volume study Antiquities of Indian Tibet by the Moravian missionary August Hermann Francke marks an important early 20th century landmark. In 1909 Francke embarked on an extended research expedition under the auspices of the Archaeological Survey of India (As1), travelling from Simla to Kinnaur and then via Spiti to Ladakh. The first volume of the Antiquities, which was published in 1914, includes a description and a preliminary analysis of the paintings in Alchi in Ladakh. The second volume (1926) contains a critical edition of the ''La dvags rgyal rabs''.
</ref>

The region was previously known as [[Maryul]].

Medieval Islamic scholars called Ladakh the '''Great Tibet''' (derived from Turko-Arabic ''Ti-bat'', meaning "highland"); [[Baltistan]] and other trans-Himalayan states in Kashmir's vicinity were referred to as "Little Tibets".<ref>{{citation |last=Petech |first=Luciano |author-link=Luciano Petech |title=The Kingdom of Ladakh, c. 950–1842 A.D. |publisher=Instituto Italiano Per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente |year=1977 |url=https://www.academia.edu/download/48901732/1977_Kingdom_of_Ladakh_c_950-1842_AD_by_Petech_s.pdf |via=academia.edu |page=22}}</ref><ref>{{citation |first1=H. S. |last1=Pirumshoev |first2=Ahmad Hasan |last2=Dani |author-link2=Ahmad Hasan Dani |chapter=The Pamirs, Badakhshan and the Trans-Pamir States |editor1=Chahryar Adle |editor2=Irfan Habib |title=History of Civilizations of Central Asia, Vol. V — Development in contrast: From the sixteenth to the mid-nineteenth century |chapter-url=http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001302/130205e.pdf |date=2003 |publisher=UNESCO |isbn=978-92-3-103876-1 |pages=238–239}}: "Under Aurangzeb (1659–1707), Mughal suzerainty was also acknowledged by Ladakh ('Great Tibet') in 1665, though it was contested in 1681–3 by the Oirat or Kalmuk (Qalmaq) rulers of Tibet."</ref>{{efn|The extension of the term "Tibet" to the modern day [[Tibet]] is due to the Europeans in India in the 18th century.<ref>{{citation |last1=Bogle |first1=George |last2=Manning |first2=Thomas |title=Narratives of the Mission of George Bogle to Tibet: And of the Journey of Thomas Manning to Lhasa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9Y7slbgVL4AC&pg=PR26 |year=2010 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-108-02255-2 |page=26}}</ref>}}

== History ==
{{Main|History of Ladakh}}

=== Ancient history ===
[[File:Kushanshas-Hepthalites 565ad.jpg|thumb|left|South Asia in 565 CE]]
Rock carvings found in many parts of Ladakh indicate that the area has been inhabited from [[Neolithic]] times.<ref name="LoramCharlie" /> Ladakh's earliest inhabitants consisted of a mixed [[Indo-Aryans|Indo-Aryan]] population of ''Mons'' and ''[[Dard people|Dards]]'',<ref name="Ray">{{cite book |last=Ray |first=John |year=2005 |title=Ladakhi Histories – Local and Regional Perspectives |publisher=Koninklijke Brill NV |location=[[Leiden]], [[Netherlands]]}}</ref> who find mention in the works of [[Herodotus]],{{efn|He mentions twice a people called ''Dadikai'', first along with the ''Gandarioi'', and again in the catalogue of king [[Xerxes I of Persia|Xerxes]]'s army invading Greece. Herodotus also mentions the gold-digging ants of Central Asia.}} and classical writers as well as the Indian [[Purana]]s.<ref name="Luciano">{{harvp|Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh|1977}}</ref> Around the 1st century, Ladakh was a part of the [[Kushan Empire]]. [[Buddhism]] spread into western Ladakh from Kashmir in the 2nd century. The 7th-century Buddhist traveller [[Xuanzang]] describes the region in his accounts.<ref>{{harvp|Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh|1977|p=7}}: [[Xuanzang]] describes a journey from ''Ch'u-lu-to'' (Kuluta, [[Kullu]]) to ''Lo-hu-lo'' ([[Lahul]]), then goes on saying that "from there to the north, for over 2000 ''[[Li (unit)|li]]'', the road is very difficult, with cold wind and flying snow; thus one arrives in the kingdom of ''Mo-lo-so''". Petech states, "geographically speaking, the region thus indicated is unmistakably
Ladakh."</ref> Xuanzang's term of Ladakh is ''Mo-lo-so'', which has been reconstructed by academics as ''*Malasa'', ''*Marāsa'', or ''*Mrāsa'', which is believed to have been the original name of the region.{{sfnp|Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh|1977|pp=7–8}}{{sfnp|Howard & Howard, Historic Ruins in the Gya Valley|2014|p=86}}

For much of the first millennium, the western Tibet comprised [[Zhangzhung]] kingdom(s), which practised the [[Bon religion]]. Sandwiched between Kashmir and Zhangzhung, Ladakh is believed to have been alternatively under the control of one or other of these powers. Academics find strong influences of Zhangzhung language and culture in "upper Ladakh" (from the middle section of the Indus valley to the southeast).<ref>{{citation |first=Bettina |last=Zeisler |chapter=Kenhat, The Dialects of Upper Ladakh and Zanskari |title=Himalayan Languages and Linguistics: Studies in Phonology, Semantics, Morphology and Syntax |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V-R5DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA293 |year=2011 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-21653-2 |pages=293}}:
"While the whole of Ladakh and adjacent regions were originally populated by speakers of Eastern Iranian (Scythian), Lower Ladakh (as well as Baltistan) was also subject to several immigration waves of Indoaryan (Dardic) speakers and other groups from Central Asia. Upper Ladakh and the neighbouring regions to the east, by contrast, seem to have been populated additionally by speakers of a non-Tibetan Tibeto-Burman language, namely West Himalayan (Old Zhangzhung;...)."</ref> The penultimate king of Zhangzhung is said to have been from Ladakh.<ref>{{citation |last=Bellezza |first=John Vincent |title=The Dawn of Tibet: The Ancient Civilization on the Roof of the World |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bZFuBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA101 |year=2014 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers |isbn=978-1-4422-3462-8 |page=101}}</ref>

From around 660 CE, Central Tibet and China started contesting the "four garrisons" of the [[Tarim Basin]] (present day [[Xinjiang]]), a struggle that lasted three centuries. Zhangzhung fell victim to Tibet's ambitions in {{circa|634}} and disappeared for ever. Kashmir's [[Karkota Empire]] and the [[Umayyad Caliphate]] too joined the contest for Xinjiang soon afterwards. Baltistan and Ladakh were at the centre of these struggles.<ref>{{harvp|Fisher, Rose & Huttenback, Himalayan Battleground|1963|pp=12–15}}: "Ladakh's geographical position leaves no room for doubt that its ancient caravan routes must have often served as a path first for conquest and then for retreat of the opposing armies as they alternated between victory and defeat."</ref> Academics infer from the slant of Ladakhi chronicles that Ladakh may have owed its primary allegiance to Tibet during this time, but that it was more political than cultural. Ladakh remained Buddhist and its culture was not yet Tibetan.{{sfnp|Fisher, Rose & Huttenback, Himalayan Battleground|1963|pp=15–16}}

=== Early medieval history ===
{{Further|Maryul}}
[[File:The Empire of King Nyimagon with three divisions about 975 A. D.- 1000 A.D..jpg|thumb|left|The empire of Kyide Nyimagon divided among his three sons, {{circa|930 CE}}. The border between Ladakh/Maryul and Guge-Purang is shown in a thin dotted line, north of [[Gartok]]]]
[[File:Guge in Maryul.png|thumb|right|Maryul in the 11-12th centuries, ''Historical and Commercial Atlas of China''<ref>Albert Hermann, ''Historical and Commercial Atlas of China'', Harvard University Press, 1935</ref>]]
In the 9th century, Tibet's ruler [[Langdarma]] was assassinated and Tibet [[Era of Fragmentation|fragmented]]. Kyide Nyimagon, Langdarma's great grandson, fled to West Tibet {{circa|900 CE}}, and founded a new West Tibetan kingdom at the heart of the old Zhangzhung, now called [[Ngari Prefecture|Ngari]] in the Tibetan language.

Nyimagon's eldest son, [[Lhachen Palgyigon]], is believed to have conquered the regions to the north, including Ladakh and [[Rutog County|Rutog]]. After the death of Nyimagon, his kingdom was divided among his three sons, Palgyigon receiving Ladakh, Rutog, [[Thok Jalung]] and an area referred to as [[Demchok Karpo]] (a holy mountain near the present day [[Demchok, Ladakh|Demchok]] village). The second son received [[Guge-Purang Kingdom|Guge–Purang]] (called "Ngari Korsum") and the third son received [[Zanskar]] and [[Spiti]] (to the southwest of Ladakh). This three-way division of Nyimagon's empire was recognised as historic and remembered in the chronicles of all the three regions as a founding narrative.
<blockquote>He gave to each of his sons a separate kingdom, viz., to the eldest ''Dpal-gyi-gon'', ''Maryul'' of ''Mngah-ris'', the inhabitants using black bows; ''ru-thogs'' [Rutog] of the east and the Gold-mine of ''Hgog'' [possibly Thok Jalung]; nearer this way ''Lde-mchog-dkar-po'' [Demchok Karpo]; ...</blockquote>

The first West Tibetan dynasty of [[Maryul]] founded by Palgyigon lasted five centuries, being weakened towards its end by the conquests of the Mongol/Mughal noble [[Mirza Haidar Dughlat]]. Throughout this period the region was called "Maryul", possibly from the original proper name ''*Mrasa'' (Xuangzhang's, ''Mo-lo-so''), but in the Tibetan language it was interpreted to mean "lowland" (the lowland of Ngari). Maryul remained staunchly Buddhist during this period, having participated in the second diffusion of Buddhism from India to Tibet via Kashmir and Zanskar.

<gallery mode="packed" style="font-size:88%; line-height:130%; border-bottom:1px #aaa solid;" heights="120">
File:The 9 Stupas.jpg|The nine stupas at [[Thiksey Monastery]]
File:Likir Buddha.jpg|Statue of [[Maitreya]] at [[Likir Monastery]], [[Leh district]]
</gallery>

=== Medieval history ===
{{Main|Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh}}
[[File:Leh Palace and Jama Masjid minarets.jpg|thumb|right|Jama Masjid of Leh next to the Leh Palace]]

Between the 1380s and early 1510s, many Islamic missionaries propagated Islam and proselytised the Ladakhi people. [[Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani|Sayyid Ali Hamadani]], [[Shah Syed Muhammad Nurbakhsh Qahistani|Sayyid Muhammad Nur Baksh]] and [[Mir Shamsuddin Iraqi]] were three important Sufi missionaries who propagated Islam to the locals. Mir Sayyid Ali was the first one to make Muslim converts in Ladakh and is often described as the founder of Islam in Ladakh. Several mosques were built in Ladakh during this period, including in Mulbhe, [[Padum]] and [[Shey]], the capital of Ladakh.<ref name="Howard">{{citation |first=Neil |last=Howard |chapter=History of Ladakh |title=Recent Research on Ladakh 6 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |page=122 |isbn=9788120814325 |year=1997 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4jX552GiSmYC&pg=PA122}}</ref><ref name="Sheikh">{{citation |first=Abdul Ghani |last=Sheikh |chapter=A Brief History of Muslims in Ladakh |title=Recent Research on Ladakh 4 & 5|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|page=189|isbn=9788120814042|year=1995 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mCy2mBVNqSoC&pg=PA189}}</ref> His principal disciple, Sayyid Muhammad Nur Baksh also propagated Islam to Ladakhis and the [[Balti people]] rapidly converted to Islam. [[Noorbakshia Islam]] is named after him and his followers are only found in Baltistan and Ladakh. During his youth, [[Sultan]] [[Zain-ul-Abidin]] expelled the mystic [[Nund Rishi|Sheikh Zain Shahwalli]] for showing disrespect to him. The sheikh then went to Ladakh and proselytised many people to Islam. In 1505, Shamsuddin Iraqi, a noted Shia scholar, visited Kashmir and Baltistan. He helped in spreading Shia Islam in Kashmir and converted the overwhelming majority of Muslims in Baltistan to his school of thought.<ref name="Sheikh" />

[[File:Ladakh Monastery.jpg|thumb|left|[[Thikse Monastery]], Ladakh]]

It is unclear what happened to Islam after this period and it seems to have received a setback. [[Mirza Muhammad Haidar Dughlat]] who invaded and briefly conquered Ladakh in 1532, 1545 and 1548, does not record any presence of Islam in Leh during his invasion although Shia Islam and Noorbakshia Islam continued to flourish in other regions of Ladakh.<ref name="Howard" /><ref name="Sheikh" />

King [[Bhagan]] reunited and strengthened Ladakh and founded the [[Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh|Namgyal dynasty]] (''Namgyal'' means "victorious" in several Tibetan languages). The Namgyals repelled most Central Asian raiders and temporarily extended the kingdom as far as Nepal.<ref name="LoramCharlie" /> During the Balti invasion led by [[Raja]] [[Ali Sher Khan Anchan]], many Buddhist temples and artefacts were damaged. Ali Sher Khan took the king and his soldiers as captives. Jamyang Namgyal was later restored to the throne by Ali Sher Khan and given the hand of a Muslim princess in marriage. Her name was Gyal Khatun or Argyal Khatoom. She was to be the first queen and her son was to become the next ruler. Historical accounts differ upon who her father was. Some identify Ali's ally and Raja of [[Khaplu]] Yabgo Shey Gilazi as her father, while others identify Ali himself as the father.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R4VuovXa5YUC&q=ali%20sher%20khan%20daughter&pg=PA140 |title=Buddhist Western Himalaya: A politico-religious history |date=1 January 2001 |publisher=Indus Publishing |access-date=19 December 2016 |via=Google Books |isbn=9788173871245}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8J3YdskW00sC&q=ali+sher+khan+daughter&pg=PA49 |title=Ladakh Through the Ages, Towards a New Identity |isbn=9788185182759 |last1=Kaul |first1=Shridhar |last2=Kaul |first2=H. N. |year=1992}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kjhcZgDy-WMC&q=gyal+khatun&pg=PA149 |title=Ladakh |isbn=9788173870576 |last1=Jina |first1=Prem Singh |year=1996}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mCy2mBVNqSoC&q=gyal+khatun&pg=PA190 |title=Recent Research on Ladakh 4 & 5 |isbn=9788120814042 |last1=Osmaston |first1=Henry |last2=Denwood |first2=Philip |year=1995}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8eReFv7cVZ0C&q=gyal+khatun&pg=PA46 |title=Ladakh |isbn=9788179750124 |last1=Bora |first1=Nirmala |year=2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mg8My6WaWRcC&pg=PA60 |title=Rediscovery of Ladakh |isbn=9788173870866 |last1=Kaul |first1=H. N. |year=1998}}</ref> In the early 17th century efforts were made to restore the destroyed artefacts and ''gonpas'' by [[Sengge Namgyal]], the son of Jamyang and Gyal. He expanded the kingdom into [[Zanskar|Zangskar]] and [[Spiti]]. Despite a defeat of Ladakh by the [[Mughals]], who had already annexed Kashmir and Baltistan, Ladakh retained its independence.
[[File:The empire of King Tsewang Rnam Rgyal 1., and that of King Jamyang Rnam Rgyal., about 1560 and 1600 A.D.jpg|thumb|right|The empire of kings Tsewang Namgyal and Jamyang Namgyal, about 1560–1600 CE]]

[[File:Cham dance during Dosmoche festival in Leh Palace DSCN5692 1.jpg|thumb|left|[[Cham dance]] during [[Dosmoche]] festival in [[Leh Palace]]]]
[[Islam]] begins to take root in the Leh area in the beginning of the 17th century after the Balti invasion and the marriage of Gyal to Jamyang. A large group of Muslim servants and musicians were sent along with Gyal to Ladakh and private mosques were built where they could pray. The Muslim musicians later settled in Leh. Several hundred Baltis migrated to the kingdom and according to oral tradition many Muslim traders were granted land to settle. Many other Muslims were invited over the following years for various purposes.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mCy2mBVNqSoC&q=17th+century+islam+leh&pg=PA190 |title=Recent Research on Ladakh 4 & 5 |isbn=9788120814042 |last1=Osmaston |first1=Henry |last2=Denwood |first2=Philip |year=1995}}</ref>

In the late 17th century, Ladakh sided with [[Bhutan]] in its dispute with Tibet which, among other reasons, resulted in its invasion by the [[Ganden Phodrang|Tibetan Central Government]]. This event is known as the [[Tibet–Ladakh–Mughal war]] of 1679–1684.<ref>See the following studies (1) Halkias, T. Georgios(2009) "Until the Feathers of the Winged Black Raven Turn White: Sources for the Tibet-Bashahr Treaty of 1679–1684," in ''Mountains, Monasteries and Mosques'', ed. John Bray. Supplement to Rivista Orientali, pp. 59–79; (2) Emmer, Gerhard(2007) "Dga' ldan tshe dbang dpal bzang po and the Tibet-Ladakh-Mughal War of 1679–84," in ''The Mongolia-Tibet Interface. Opening new Research Terrains in Inner Asia'', eds. Uradyn Bulag, Hildegard Diemberger, Leiden, Brill, pp. 81–107; (3) Ahmad, Zahiruddin (1968) "New Light on the Tibet-Ladakh-Mughal War of 1679–84." ''East and West'', XVIII, 3, pp. 340–361; (4) Petech, Luciano(1947) "The Tibet-Ladakhi Moghul War of 1681–83." ''The Indian Historical Quarterly'', XXIII, 3, pp. 169–199.</ref> Kashmiri historians assert that the king converted to Islam in return for the assistance by Mughal Empire after this however Ladakhi chronicles do not mention such a thing. The king agreed to pay tribute to the Mughals in return for defending the kingdom.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z6y2E9gw5oIC&q=deldan+namgyal&pg=PA34 |title=India-China Border Dispute |isbn=9788170249641 |last1=Sali |first1=M. L. |year=1998}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mg8My6WaWRcC&q=delek+namgyal&pg=PA63 |title=Rediscovery of Ladakh |isbn=9788173870866 |last1=Kaul |first1=H. N. |year=1998}}</ref> The Mughals however withdrew after being paid off by the [[5th Dalai Lama]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Johan Elverskog |title=Buddhism and Islam on the Silk Road |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N7_4Gr9Q438C&pg=PA223 |date=6 June 2011 |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |isbn=978-0-8122-0531-2 |pages=223–}}</ref> With the help of reinforcements from [[Galdan Boshugtu Khan]], [[Khan (title)|Khan]] of the [[Zunghar Khanate|Zungar Empire]], the Tibetans attacked again in 1684. The Tibetans were victorious and concluded a treaty with Ladakh then they retreated back to [[Lhasa]] in December 1684. The Treaty of Tingmosgang in 1684 settled the dispute between Tibet and Ladakh but severely restricted Ladakh's independence.

<gallery mode="packed" style="font-size:88%; line-height:130%; border-bottom:1px #aaa solid;" heights="120">
File:View of the Lakir Monastery.JPG|[[Likir Monastery]], Ladakh
File:Phyang Monastery 01.jpg|[[Phyang Monastery|Phyang Gompa]], Ladakh
File:Hemis Monastery Ladakh 1876.jpg|[[Hemis Monastery]] in the 1870s
</gallery>

=== Princely state of Jammu and Kashmir ===
{{Main|Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)}}
[[File:Kashmir map.svg|thumb|The disputed territory of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir: divided between [[Pakistan-administered Kashmir|Pakistan]] (green), [[India-administered Kashmir|India]] (blue) and [[China administered Kashmir|China]] (yellow)]]
In 1834, the [[Sikh]] [[General Zorawar Singh|Zorawar Singh]], a general of [[Gulab Singh|Raja Gulab Singh of Jammu]], invaded and annexed Ladakh to Jammu under the suzerainty of the [[Sikh Empire]]. After the defeat of the Sikhs in the [[First Anglo-Sikh War]], the state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] was established as a separate [[princely state]] under British [[British Empire|suzerainty]]. The Namgyal family was given the ''[[jagir]]'' of [[Stok]], which it nominally retains to this day. European influence began in Ladakh in the 1850s and increased. Geologists, sportsmen, and tourists began exploring Ladakh. In 1885, [[Leh]] became the headquarters of a mission of the [[Moravian Church]].
[[File:"BRITISH JOINT COMMISSIONER LADAKH" ink stamp in 1902 detail, from- A Tibetan-English Dictionary with Sanskrit Synonyms (page 9 crop).jpg|left|thumb|Ink stamp in English and Urdu: "British Joint Commissioner Ladakh" (1902)]]
Ladakh was administered as a ''wazarat'' during the Dogra rule, with a governor termed ''wazir-e-wazarat''. It had three tehsils, based at [[Leh]], [[Skardu]] and [[Kargil]]. The headquarters of the ''wazarat'' was at [[Leh]] for six months of the year and at [[Skardu]] for six months. When the legislative assembly called ''Praja Sabha'' was established in 1934, Ladakh was given two nominated seats in the assembly.

Ladakh was claimed as part of Tibet by [[Phuntsok Wangyal]], a Tibetan Communist leader.<ref name="TuttleSchaeffer2013">{{cite book |author1=Gray Tuttle |author2=Kurtis R. Schaeffer |title=The Tibetan History Reader |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J7urAgAAQBAJ&q=ladakh+pan+tibetan&pg=PA603 |date=12 March 2013 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=978-0-231-14468-1 |pages=603–}}</ref>

=== Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir ===
{{Main|Jammu and Kashmir (state)}}
At the time of the [[partition of India]] in 1947, the Dogra ruler [[Maharaja]] [[Hari Singh]] signed the [[Instrument of Accession (Jammu and Kashmir)|Instrument of Accession]] to India. Pakistani raiders from [[Gilgit Agency|Gilgit]] had reached Ladakh and military operations were initiated to evict them. The wartime conversion of the pony trail from [[Sonamarg]] to [[Zoji La]] by army engineers permitted tanks to move up and successfully capture the pass. The advance continued. [[Dras]], Kargil and Leh were liberated and Ladakh cleared of the infiltrators.<ref name="Madras_Sappers">Menon, P.M & Proudfoot, C.L., ''The [[Madras Sappers]], 1947–1980'', 1989, Thomson Press, Faridabad, India.</ref>

In 1949, China closed the border between [[Nubra Valley|Nubra]] and [[Xinjiang]], blocking old trade routes. In 1955 China began to build roads connecting Xinjiang and Tibet through the [[Aksai Chin]] area. The Indian effort to retain control of Aksai Chin led to the [[Sino-Indian War]] of 1962, which India lost. China also built the [[Karakoram highway]] jointly with Pakistan. India built the [[Srinagar-Leh Highway]] during this period, cutting the journey time between Srinagar and Leh from 16 days to two. The route, however, remains closed during the winter months due to heavy snowfall. Construction of a {{cvt|6.5|km|adj=on}} tunnel across Zoji La pass is under consideration to make the route functional throughout the year.<ref name="LoramCharlie" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Government-may-clear-all-weather-tunnel-to-Leh-today/articleshow/14971889.cms |title=Government may clear all weather tunnel to Leh today |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |date=16 July 2012 |first1=Dipak K. |last1=Dash |access-date=27 July 2020}}</ref>
[[File:Srinagar Leh National Highway No 1.jpg|thumb|left|National Highway No 1]]
The [[Kargil War]] of 1999, codenamed "Operation Vijay" by the [[Indian Army]], saw infiltration by Pakistani troops into parts of Western Ladakh, namely Kargil, Dras, [[Mushkoh Valley|Mushkoh]], Batalik and Chorbatla, overlooking key locations on the [[National Highway 1 (India)|Srinagar-Leh highway]]. Extensive operations were launched in high altitudes by the Indian Army with considerable artillery and air force support. Pakistani troops were evicted from the Indian side of the [[Line of Control]] which the Indian government ordered was to be respected and which was not crossed by Indian troops. The Indian government was criticised by the Indian public because India respected geographical co-ordinates more than India's opponents: Pakistan and China.<ref name="Bammi">Bammi, Y.M., ''Kargil 1999 – the impregnable conquered.'' (2002) Natraj Publishers, Dehradun.</ref>{{page needed|date=March 2018}}

The Ladakh region was divided into the Kargil and Leh districts in 1979. In 1989, there were violent riots between Buddhists and Muslims. Following demands for autonomy from the [[Kashmiri people|Kashmiri]] dominated state government, the [[Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil|Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council]] was created in the 1990s. [[Leh district|Leh]] and [[Kargil district|Kargil]] districts now each have their own locally elected Hill Councils with some control over local policy and development funds. In 1991, a [[Peace Pagoda]] was erected in Leh by [[Nipponzan Myohoji]].

There was a heavy presence of [[Indian Army]] and [[Indo-Tibetan Border Police]] forces in Ladakh. These forces and [[People's Liberation Army]] forces from China have, since the 1962 [[Sino-Indian War]], had frequent stand-offs along the Lakakh portion of the [[Line of Actual Control]]. Out of the {{convert|857|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} border in Ladakh, only {{cvt|368|km}} is the International Border, and the remaining {{cvt|489|km}} is [[Line of Actual Control]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-ladakh-warning-india-china-border-dispute-6427131/ |title=As China intrudes across LAC, India must be alert to a larger strategic shift |work=[[The Indian Express]] |date=26 May 2020 |first1=Phunchok |last1=Stobdan |author-link=Phunchok Stobdan |access-date=26 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/ladakh-concern-overrides-lac-dispute-90880 |title=Ladakh concern overrides LAC dispute |work=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)]] |date=28 May 2020 |first1=Phunchok |last1=Stobdan |author-link=Phunchok Stobdan |access-date=26 July 2020}}</ref> The stand-off involving the most troops was in September 2014 in the disputed [[Chumar]] region when 800 to 1,000 Indian troops and 1,500 Chinese troops came into close proximity to each other.<ref>{{cite news |first=Pranav |last=Kulkarni |title=Ground report: Half of Chinese troops leave, rest to follow |newspaper=[[The Indian Express]] |date=26 September 2014 |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/chinese-troops-start-withdrawing-from-chumar/ |access-date=12 December 2014}}</ref>

==== Ladakh Division ====

In February 2019, Ladakh became a separate [[Divisions of India|Revenue and Administrative Division]] within Jammu and Kashmir, having previously been part of the [[Kashmir Division]]. As a division, Ladakh was granted its own [[Divisional Commissioner]] and [[Inspector General of Police]].<ref>[https://jkgad.nic.in/common/showOrder.aspx?actCode=S28568 Notification, Jammu, 8 February 2019], Government of Jammu and Kashmir</ref>

Leh was initially chosen to be the headquarters of the new division however, following protests, it was announced that Leh and Kargil will jointly serve as the divisional headquarters, each hosting an Additional Divisional Commissioner to assist the Divisional Commissioner and Inspector General of Police who will spend half their time in each town.<ref name="kln">{{Cite web | url=https://kashmirlife.net/ladakh-division-headquarters-to-shuttle-between-leh-and-kargil-governor-malik-201719/ |title = Ladakh division headquarters to shuttle between Leh and Kargil: Governor Malik|date = 15 February 2019}}</ref>

=== Union territory of Ladakh ===
[[File:J,K and L - Indian Union Territories.jpg|thumb|J&K and Ladakh - Indian Union Territories]]
Some activists from Leh in recent times called for Ladakh to be constituted as a [[union territory]] because of perceived unfair treatment by Kashmir and Ladakh's cultural differences with predominantly Muslim [[Kashmir valley]], while some people in Kargil opposed union territory status for Ladakh.<ref name="LoramCharlie">{{cite book |last=Loram |first=Charlie |orig-year=2000 |year=2004 |title=Trekking in Ladakh |edition=2nd |publisher=Trailblazer Publications }}</ref><ref name="Statesman">{{cite web |year=2003 |url=http://www.jammu-kashmir.com/archives/archives2003/kashmir20030809c.html | title=Kargil Council For Greater Ladakh |publisher=The Statesman, 9 August 2003 |access-date=22 August 2006}}</ref>

In August 2019, a [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019|reorganisation act]] was passed by the [[Parliament of India]] which contained provisions to reconstitute Ladakh as a [[union territory]], separate from the rest of Jammu and Kashmir on 31 October 2019.<ref name="egazette.nic.in" /><ref name="auto" /><ref>[https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bill-to-bifurcate-jammu-and-kashmir-into-2-union-territories-passed-by-rajya-sabha-2080688 Already, Rajya Sabha Clears J&K As Union Territory Instead Of State], NDTV, 5 August 2019.</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.prsindia.org/sites/default/files/bill_files/Jammu%20and%20Kashmir%20Reorganisation%20Bill%2C%202019.pdf |title=The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 |issue=Bill No. XXIX of 2019 |work=Ministry of Home Affairs |date=2019}}</ref> Under the terms of the act, the union territory is administered by a [[Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh|Lieutenant Governor]] acting on behalf of the Central Government of India and does not have an elected legislative assembly or chief minister. Each district within the union territory continues to elect an [[autonomous district council]] as done previously.<ref name="dailyexcelsior.com">{{Cite news |work=[[Daily Excelsior]] | url=https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/lahdc-act-would-continue-and-the-amendments-of-2018-to-be-protected-governor/ | title=LAHDC Act would continue and the Amendments of 2018 to be protected: Governor| date=30 August 2019 |access-date=27 July 2020}}</ref>

The demand for Ladakh as separate Union Territory (UT) was first raised by the parliamentarian [[Kushok Bakula Rinpoche]] around 1955, which was later carried forward by another parliamentarian [[Thupstan Chhewang]].<ref name=happy1>[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/one-year-of-union-territory-status-ladakh-brims-with-hope/articleshow/77326052.cms One year of union territory status: Ladakh brims with hope], Times of India, 3 usgust 2020.</ref> The former [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir state]] use to obtain large allocation of annual funds from the union government based on the fact that the large geographical area of the Ladakh (comprising 65% of total area), but Ladakh was allocated only 2% of the state budget based on its relative population.<ref name=happy1/> Within the first year of the formation of Ladakh as separate union territory, its annual budget allocation has increased 4 times from {{INR}}57 [[crore]] to {{INR}}232 crore.<ref name=happy1/>

== Geography ==
{{Main|Geography of Ladakh}}
[[File:Ladakh2.svg|thumb|upright=1.75|Map of the central Ladakh region]]

Ladakh is the highest plateau in India with much of it being over {{cvt|3000|m|ft}}.<ref name="Crossroads" /> It extends from the [[Himalayas|Himalayan]] to the [[Kunlun Mountains|Kunlun]]<ref>The [[Gazetteer]] of Kashmir and Ladák published in 1890 Compiled under the direction of the Quarter Master General in India in the Intelligence Branch in fact unequivocally states inter alia in pages 520 and 364 that Khotán is "a province in the Chinese Empire lying to the north of the Eastern Kuenlun (Kun Lun) range, which here forms the ''boundary'' of Ladák" and "The eastern range forms the southern boundary of Khotán, and is crossed by two passes, the Yangi or Elchi Díwan, crossed in 1865 by Johnson and the Hindútak Díwan, crossed by Robert Schlagentweit in 1857".</ref> Ranges and includes the upper [[Indus River]] valley.
[[File:Indus Zanskar confluence.jpg|thumb|upright|The confluence of the Indus (green water to the left) and Zanskar (brown water to the right) rivers.]]
[[File:Kashmir top.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|The Ladakh region has high altitude]]
[[File:Viewofleh.jpg|thumb|View of Leh Town Along with [[Stok Kangri]]]]

Historically, the region included the [[Baltistan]] ([[Baltiyul]]) valleys (now mostly in Pakistani administered part of [[Kashmir]]), the entire upper [[Indus Valley]], the remote [[Zanskar]], [[Lahaul and Spiti]] to the south, much of [[Ngari]] including the [[Rudok]] region and [[Guge]] in the east, [[Aksai Chin]] in the northeast, and the [[Nubra Valley]] to the north over [[Khardung La|Khardong La]] in the Ladakh Range. Contemporary Ladakh borders [[Tibet]] to the east, the [[Lahul and Spiti|Lahaul and Spiti]] regions to the south, the Vale of [[Kashmir]], [[Jammu]] and [[Baltiyul]] regions to the west, and the southwest corner of [[Xinjiang]] across the [[Karakoram Pass]] in the far north. The historic but imprecise divide between Ladakh and the Tibetan Plateau commences in the north in the intricate maze of ridges east of [[Rudok]] including Aling Kangri and Mavang Kangri, and continues southeastward toward northwestern [[Nepal]]. Before partition, [[Baltistan]], now under Pakistani control, was a district in Ladakh. [[Skardu|Skardo]] was the winter capital of Ladakh while Leh was the summer capital.

The mountain ranges in this region were formed over 45 million years by the folding of the [[Indian Plate]] into the more stationary [[Eurasian Plate]]. The drift continues, causing frequent earthquakes in the Himalayan region.{{efn|All of Indian Ladakh is placed in high risk Zone VIII, while areas from Kargil and Zanskar southwestward are in lower risk zones on the [[Earthquake hazard zoning of India|earthquake hazard scale]].}}<ref>{{cite web|year=2007 |url=http://www.drrgateway.net/sites/default/files/india_disaster_response_plan_2007.pdf |title=Multi-hazard Map of India |publisher=[[United Nations Development Program]] |access-date=31 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031170144/http://www.drrgateway.net/sites/default/files/india_disaster_response_plan_2007.pdf |archive-date=31 October 2014 }}</ref> The peaks in the Ladakh Range are at a medium altitude close to the [[Zoji-la]] ({{cvt|5000|-|5500|m|disp=or}}) and increase toward southeast, culminating in the twin summits of [[Nun-Kun]] ({{cvt|7000|m|disp=or}}).

The Suru and Zanskar valleys form a great trough enclosed by the Himalayas and the [[Zanskar Range]]. [[Rangdum]] is the highest inhabited region in the Suru valley, after which the valley rises to {{cvt|4400|m|ft}} at [[Pensi-la]], the gateway to Zanskar. Kargil, the only town in the Suru valley, is the second most important town in Ladakh. It was an important staging post on the routes of the trade [[Caravan (travellers)|caravans]] before 1947, being more or less equidistant, at about 230 kilometres from [[Srinagar]], [[Leh]], [[Skardu]] and [[Padum]]. The Zangskar valley lies in the troughs of the Stod and the Lungnak rivers. The region experiences heavy snowfall; the Pensi-la is open only between June and mid-October. [[Dras]] and the [[Mushkoh Valley]] form the western extremity of Ladakh.

The Indus River is the backbone of Ladakh. Most major historical and current towns – [[Shey]], [[Leh]], [[Basgo]] and [[Tingmosgang]] (but not Kargil), are close to the Indus River. After the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, the stretch of the Indus flowing through Ladakh became the only part of this river, which is greatly venerated in the Hindu religion and culture, that still flows through India.

The [[Siachen Glacier]] is in the eastern Karakoram Range in the Himalaya Mountains along the disputed India-Pakistan border. The Karakoram Range forms a great watershed that separates China from the Indian subcontinent and is sometimes called the "Third Pole." The glacier lies between the Saltoro Ridge immediately to the west and the main Karakoram Range to the east. At {{cvt|76|km}} long, it is the longest glacier in the Karakoram and second-longest in the world's non-polar areas. It falls from an altitude of {{cvt|5753|m|ft}} above sea level at its source at [[Indira Col]] on the China border down to {{cvt|3620|m|ft}} at its snout. [[Saser Kangri]] is the highest peak in the Saser Muztagh, the easternmost subrange of the Karakoram Range in India, Saser Kangri I having an altitude of {{cvt|7672|m|ft}}.

The [[Ladakh Range]] has no major peaks; its average height is a little less than {{cvt|6000|m|ft}}, and few of its passes are less than {{cvt|5000|m|ft}}. The [[Pangong range]] runs parallel to the Ladakh Range for about {{cvt|100|km}} northwest from [[Chushul]] along the southern shore of the [[Pangong Tso|Pangong Lake]]. Its highest point is about {{cvt|6700|m|ft}} and the northern slopes are heavily glaciated. The region comprising the valley of the Shayok and Nubra rivers is known as Nubra. The Karakoram Range in Ladakh is not as mighty as in Baltistan. The massifs to the north and east of the Nubra–Siachen line include the [[Apsarasas Kangri|Apsarasas Group]] (highest point at {{cvt|7245|m|ft|disp=or}}) the [[Rimo Muztagh]] (highest point at {{cvt|7385|m|ft|disp=or}}) and the [[Teram Kangri]] Group (highest point at {{cvt|7464|m|ft|disp=or}}) together with [[Mamostong Kangri]] ({{cvt|7526|m|ft|disp=or}}) and [[Singhi Kangri]] ({{cvt|7202|m|ft|disp=or}}). North of the Karakoram lies the Kunlun. Thus, between Leh and eastern Central Asia there is a triple barrier – the Ladakh Range, Karakoram Range, and Kunlun. Nevertheless, a major trade route was established between Leh and [[Yarkent County|Yarkand]].
[[File:Ladakhtemp2.svg|thumb|Monthly average temperature in Leh]]

Ladakh is a high altitude desert as the Himalayas create a [[rain shadow]], generally denying entry to monsoon clouds. The main source of water is the winter snowfall on the mountains. Recent flooding in the region (e.g., the [[2010 Leh floods|2010 floods]]) has been attributed to abnormal rain patterns and retreating glaciers, both of which have been found to be linked to global climate change.<ref>{{cite book |title=As Climate Changes: International Impacts and Implications |last=Strzepek |first=Kenneth M. |author2=Joel B. Smith |year=1995 |publisher= Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-46796-4 }}</ref> The Leh Nutrition Project, headed by [[Chewang Norphel]], also known as the "Glacier Man", creates artificial glaciers as one solution for retreating glaciers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/136661/1/?PrintableVersion=enabled|title=OneWorld South Asia – Glacier man Chewang Norphel brings water to Ladakh|date=2 July 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070702182937/http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/136661/1/?PrintableVersion=enabled|archive-date=2 July 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://edugreen.teri.res.in/misc/path/path.htm#norphel |title=Edugreen.teri.res.in |publisher=Edugreen.teri.res.in |access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref>

The regions on the north flank of the Himalayas – Dras, the Suru valley and Zangskar – experience heavy snowfall and remain cut off from the rest of the region for several months in the year, as the whole region remains cut off by road from the rest of the country. Summers are short, though they are long enough to grow crops. The summer weather is dry and pleasant. Temperature ranges are from {{cvt|3|to|35|°C|lk=in}} in summer and minimums range from {{cvt|-20|to|-35|°C}} in winter.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.lehladakhindia.com/climate-in-ladakh.html |title=Climate in Ladakh |access-date=3 March 2008
|publisher=LehLadakhIndia.com}}</ref>

Zanskar is the main river of the region along with its tributaries. The Zanskar gets frozen during winter and the famous [[Chadar trek]] takes place on this magnificent frozen river.

== Flora and fauna ==
{{Main|Wildlife of Ladakh}}
[[File:Ladakh Travel.jpg|thumb|left|Lake in Ladakh]]

[[File:Black-necked Crane Tso Kar Ladakh Jammu and Kashmir India Asia 12.08.2013.png|thumb|225px|The [[black-necked crane]] comes to India every year for breeding. Photograph has been taken at [[Tso Kar]], Ladakh.]]

Vegetation is extremely sparse in Ladakh except along streambeds and wetlands, on high slopes, and irrigated places. About 1250 plant species, including crops, were reported from Ladakh.<ref>{{Cite book|title=A field guide to the flora of Ladakh|last=Dvorský|first=Miroslav|publisher=Academia|year=2018|isbn=978-80-200-2826-6|location=Prague}}</ref> The plant ''[[Ladakiella klimesii]]'', growing up to {{Convert|6150|m|ft}} above sea level, was first described here and named after this region.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=German |first1=Dmitry A. |last2=Al-Shehbaz |first2=Ihsan A. |title=Nomenclatural novelties in miscellaneous Asian Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) |journal=Nordic Journal of Botany |date=1 December 2010 |volume=28 |issue=6 |pages=646–651 |doi=10.1111/j.1756-1051.2010.00983.x |issn=1756-1051}}</ref> The first European to study the wildlife of this region was [[William Moorcroft (explorer)|William Moorcroft]] in 1820, followed by [[Ferdinand Stoliczka]], an [[Austrian people|Austrian]]-[[Czech people|Czech]] [[palaeontologist]], who carried out a massive expedition there in the 1870s.

The [[bharal]] or blue sheep is the most abundant mountain ungulate in the Ladakh region, although it is not found in some parts of Zangskar and Sham areas.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Namgail |first1=T. |last2=Fox |first2=J.L. |last3=Bhatnagar |first3=Y.V. |year=2004 |title=Habitat segregation between sympatric Tibetan argali Ovis ammon hodgsoni and blue sheep Pseudois nayaur in the Indian Trans-Himalaya |work=Journal of Zoology |location=London |chapter= 262 |pages=57–63 |chapter-url=http://www.reg.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CF6DD450-51CA-46E7-950A-5655E5E00336/69530/NamgailetalJZool.pdf |publisher=reg.wur.nl}}</ref> The [[Asiatic ibex]] is a very elegant mountain goat that is distributed in the western part of Ladakh. It is the second most abundant mountain ungulate in the region with a population of about 6000 individuals. It is adapted to rugged areas where it easily climbs when threatened.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Namgail |first1=T |year=2006 |title=Winter Habitat Partitioning between Asiatic Ibex and Blue Sheep in Ladakh, Northern India |url=http://www.reg.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CF6DD450-51CA-46E7-950A-5655E5E00336/69532/NamgailIbexBlusSheep.pdf |journal=Journal of Mountain Ecology |volume=8 |pages=7–13 }}</ref> The Ladakhi Urial is another unique mountain sheep that inhabits the mountains of Ladakh. The population is declining, however, and there are not more than 3000 individuals left in Ladakh.<ref>Namgail, T. (2006). Trans-Himalayan large herbivores: status, conservation, and niche relationships. Report submitted to the Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx Zoo, New York.</ref> The urial is endemic to Ladakh, where it is distributed only along two major river valleys: the Indus and Shayok. The animal is often persecuted by farmers whose crops are allegedly damaged by it. Its population declined precipitously in the last century due to indiscriminate shooting by hunters along the Leh-Srinagar highway. The [[argali|Tibetan argali or Nyan]] is the largest wild sheep in the world, standing {{convert|3.5|to|4|ft|order=flip}} at the shoulder with the horn measuring {{cvt|900|-|1000|mm}}. It is distributed on the Tibetan plateau and its marginal mountains encompassing a total area of {{convert|2.5|e6km2|abbr=unit}}. There is only a small population of about 400 animals in Ladakh. The animal prefers open and rolling terrain as it runs, unlike wild goats that climb into steep cliffs, to escape from predators.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Namgail |first1=T. |last2=Fox |first2=J.L. |last3=Bhatnagar |first3=Y.V. |s2cid=12451184 |year=2007 |title=Habitat shift and time budget of the Tibetan argali: the influence of livestock grazing |url=http://www.reg.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CF6DD450-51CA-46E7-950A-5655E5E00336/69531/NamgailetalHabitatShift.pdf |journal=Ecological Research |volume=22 |pages=25–31 |doi=10.1007/s11284-006-0015-y}}</ref> The endangered [[Tibetan antelope]], known as ''chiru'' in Indian English, or Ladakhi ''tsos'', has traditionally been hunted for its wool (''[[shahtoosh]]'') which is a natural fibre of the finest quality and thus valued for its light weight and warmth and as a [[status symbol]]. The wool of chiru must be pulled out by hand, a process done after the animal is killed. The fibre is smuggled into Kashmir and woven into exquisite shawls by Kashmiri workers. Ladakh is also home to the [[Tibetan gazelle]], which inhabits the vast rangelands in eastern Ladakh bordering Tibet.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Namgail |first1=T. |last2=Bagchi |first2=S. |last3=Mishra |first3=C. |last4=Bhatnagar |first4=Y.V. |year=2008 |title=Distributional correlates of the Tibetan gazelle in northern India: Towards a recovery programme |url=http://www.reg.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CF6DD450-51CA-46E7-950A-5655E5E00336/69527/NamgailetalOryx2008Gazelle.pdf |journal=Oryx |volume=42 |pages=107–112 |doi=10.1017/s0030605308000768}}</ref>
[[File:Ibex m f.jpg|thumb|Wild animals of Ladakh]]
[[File:Yaks in ladakh.JPG|thumb|left|[[Yak]]s in Ladakh]]
The [[kiang]], or Tibetan wild ass, is common in the grasslands of Changthang, numbering about 2,500 individuals. These animals are in conflict with the nomadic people of Changthang who hold the Kiang responsible for pasture degradation.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bhatnagar |first1=Y. V. |last2=Wangchuk |first2=R. |last3=Prins |first3=H. H. |last4=van Wieren |first4=S. E. |last5=Mishra |first5=C. |year=2006 |title=Perceived conflicts between pastoralism and conservation of the Kiang Equus kiang in the Ladakh Trans- Himalaya |journal=Environmental Management |volume=38 |issue=6|pages=934–941 |doi=10.1007/s00267-005-0356-2|pmid=16955231 |pmc=1705511 }}</ref> There are about 200 [[snow leopard]]s in Ladakh of an estimated 7,000 worldwide. The [[Hemis High Altitude National Park]] in central Ladakh is an especially good habitat for this predator as it has abundant prey populations. The [[Eurasian lynx]], is another rare cat that preys on smaller herbivores in Ladakh. It is mostly found in Nubra, Changthang and Zangskar.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Namgail |first1=T |year=2004 |title=Eurasian lynx in Ladakh |journal=Cat News |volume=40 |pages=21–22 }}</ref> The [[Pallas's cat]], which looks somewhat like a house cat, is very rare in Ladakh and not much is known about the species. The [[Tibetan wolf]], which sometimes preys on the livestock of the Ladakhis, is the most persecuted amongst the predators.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Namgail |first1=T. |last2=Fox |first2=J.L. |last3=Bhatnagar |first3=Y.V. |s2cid=30967502 |year=2007 |title=Carnivore-caused livestock mortality in Trans-Himalaya |url=http://www.reg.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CF6DD450-51CA-46E7-950A-5655E5E00336/69528/NamgailetalLivestockMortality.pdf |journal=Environmental Management |volume=39 |issue=4|pages=490–496 |doi=10.1007/s00267-005-0178-2|pmid=17318699 }}</ref> There are also a few [[brown bear]]s in the [[Suru Valley]] and the area around Dras. The [[Vulpes ferrilata|Tibetan sand fox]] has been discovered in this region.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Namgail |first1=T. |last2=Bagchi |first2=S. |last3=Bhatnagar |first3=Y.V. |last4=Wangchuk |first4=R. |year=2005 |title=Occurrence of the Tibetan sand fox Vulpes ferrilata Hodgson in Ladakh: A new record for the Indian sub-Continent |journal=Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society |volume=102 |pages=217–219 }}</ref> Among smaller animals, [[marmot]]s, [[hare]]s, and several types of [[pika]] and [[vole]] are common.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bagchi |first1=S. |last2=Namgail |first2=T. |last3=Ritchie |first3=M.E. |year=2006 |title=Small mammalian herbivores as mediators of plant community dynamics in the high-altitude arid rangelands of Trans-Himalayas |url=http://www.reg.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CF6DD450-51CA-46E7-950A-5655E5E00336/69524/BagchietalPika.pdfreg.wur.nl |journal=Biological Conservation |volume=127 |issue=4|pages=438–442 |doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2005.09.003}}</ref>

=== Flora ===
Scant precipitation makes Ladakh a high-altitude desert with extremely scarce vegetation over most of its area. Natural vegetation mainly occurs along water courses and on high altitude areas that receive more snow and cooler summer temperatures. Human settlements, however, are richly vegetated due to irrigation.<ref>{{cite book |author=Vishwas S. Kale |title=Landscapes and Landforms of India |publisher=Springer |isbn=9789401780292 |date=23 May 2014 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t_MsBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA114}}</ref>
Natural vegetation commonly seen along watercourses includes [[seabuckthorn]] (''Hippophae'' spp.), wild roses of pink or yellow varieties, tamarisk (''Myricaria'' spp.), [[caraway]], [[Urtica dioica|stinging nettles]], mint, ''[[Physochlaina]] praealta'', and various grasses.<ref>{{cite book |author=Satish K. Sharma |title=Temperate Horticulture: Current Scenario |publisher=New India Publisher |year=2006 |isbn=9788189422363 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k_Sjt-7O_eAC&q=Hippophae+spp&pg=PA64 }}</ref>

== Administration ==
[[Image:Indian Union territory flag of Ladakh (proposed).png|thumb|upright=0.85||[[Flag of Ladakh|Union Territory flag of Ladakh]].]]
[[File:Ladakh Government Banner.png|thumb|upright=0.85|[[Emblem of Ladakh|Emblem of the Administration of Ladakh]]]]
{{Main|Administration of Ladakh|Politics of Ladakh}}
Under the terms of the [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019|Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act]], Ladakh is administered as a [[union territory]] without a [[State Legislative Assembly (India)|legislative assembly]] or elected government. The head of government is a [[List of lieutenant governors of Ladakh|Lieutenant Governor]] appointed by the [[President of India]] who is assisted by civil servants of the [[Indian Administrative Service]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/new-jk-to-be-like-puducherry-here-is-how-indias-new-union-territory-jk-will-function/articleshow/70532687.cms|title=New J&K to be like Puducherry: Here is how India's new Union territory J&K will function|date=5 August 2019|newspaper=The Economic Times|access-date=16 April 2019}}</ref>

=== Districts ===
{{Main|List of districts of Ladakh}}

Ladakh is divided into two [[Districts of India|districts]]:

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-bottom: 0;"
! Name of District!! Headquarters !! Area (km2) !! Population 2001 Census !! Population 2011 Census
|-
| [[Kargil District]] || [[Kargil town|Kargil]] || {{formatnum: 14036}} || {{formatnum: 119307}} || {{formatnum: 143388}}
|-
| [[Leh District]] || [[Leh]] || {{formatnum: 45110}} || {{formatnum: 117232}} || {{formatnum: 147104}}
|-
|Total ||2 ||{{formatnum: 59146}}||{{formatnum: 236539}} ||{{formatnum: 290492}}
|-
|}

==== Autonomous District Councils ====
Each district of Ladakh is administered by an [[autonomous district council]], they are:

*[[Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil]]
*[[Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh]]

The two autonomous district councils work with village [[panchayat]]s to take decisions on economic development, healthcare, education, land use, taxation, and local governance which are further reviewed at the block headquarters in the presence of the chief executive councillor and executive councillors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://reference.allrefer.com/country-guide-study/india/india78.html|title=India|publisher=Allrefer country study guide|access-date=21 August 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521234810/http://reference.allrefer.com/country-guide-study/india/india78.html|archive-date=21 May 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> The government of Jammu and Kashmir looks after law and order, the judicial system, communications and the higher education in the region.

The two autonomous district councils continue to exist following the formation of the union territory of Ladakh on 31 October 2019.<ref name="dailyexcelsior.com" />

=== Law enforcement and justice ===
Ladakh is under the jurisdiction of the [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Kashmir updates: Rajya Sabha passes bill that divides J&K, Ladakh with 125 votes in favour, 61 against |url=https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/kashmir-turmoil-live-updates-schools-colleges-closed-mobile-service-suspended-section-144-imposed-in-jk/story/370544.html |access-date=16 April 2021 |work=Business Today |date=5 October 2019}}</ref> The union territory of Ladakh has its own [[Ladakh Police|police force]] headed by a [[Director general of police]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dixit |first1=Pranjal |title=लद्दाख की अपनी होगी खाकी, जम्मू-कश्मीर पुलिस भी दिल्ली की तरह उप राज्यपाल को करेगी रिपोर्ट |url=https://www.amarujala.com/jammu/ladakh-will-have-its-own-state-police-jammu-kashmir-police-will-report-to-lieutenant-governor |access-date=16 April 2021 |work=Amar Ujala |date=6 August 2019 |language=hi}}</ref>

=== Ladakh in the Parliament of India ===
Ladakh sends one member (MP) to the lower house of the [[Indian parliament]] the [[Lok Sabha]]. The MP for the [[Ladakh (Lok Sabha constituency)|Ladakh constituency]] in the current Lok Sabha is [[Jamyang Tsering Namgyal]] a candidate from the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP).<ref>{{cite web |title=Khan, Shri Hassan: Member's Bioprofile |publisher=Lok Sabha |url=http://results.eci.gov.in/pc/en/constituencywise/ConstituencywiseS094.htm|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513025423/http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/Members/Biography.aspx?mpsno=191 |archive-date=13 May 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/member-of-parliament.html|title=Members of Parliament, MPs of India 2014, Sixteenth Lok Sabha Members|website=elections.in|access-date=28 September 2016}}</ref>

== Economy ==
[[File:LK130030.jpg|thumb|upright|Street market in [[Leh]]]]
[[File:Preparing apricots. Alchi Monastery, Ladakh.jpg|thumb|left|Preparing aricots. Alchi Monastery]]
The land is irrigated by a system of channels which funnel water from the ice and snow of the mountains. The principal crops are [[barley]] and wheat. Rice was previously a luxury in the Ladakhi diet, but, subsidised by the government, has now become a cheap staple.<ref name="Crossroads" />

Naked barley (Ladakhi: ''nas'', Urdu: ''grim'') was traditionally a staple crop all over Ladakh. Growing times vary considerably with altitude. The extreme limit of cultivation is at [[Korzok]], on the [[Tso-moriri]] lake, at {{cvt|4600|m|ft}}, which has what are widely considered to be the highest fields in the world.<ref name="Crossroads" />

A minority of Ladakhi people were also employed as merchants and caravan traders, facilitating trade in textiles, carpets, [[dye]]stuffs and [[narcotics]] between Punjab and [[Xinjiang]]. However, since the Chinese Government closed the borders between Tibet Autonomous Region and Ladakh, this international trade has completely dried up.<ref name="LoramCharlie" /><ref name="LP">{{cite book |last=Weare |first=Garry |year=2002 |title=Trekking in the Indian Himalaya |edition=4th |publisher=[[Lonely Planet]] }}</ref>

[[Indus river]] flowing in the Ladakh region is endowed with vast hydropower potential. Solar and wind power potentials are also substantial. Though the region is a remote hilly area without all-weather roads, the area is also rich in limestone deposits to manufacture cement from the locally available cheap electricity for various construction needs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ikashmir.net/geography/chapter3.2.html |title= Distribution of Rocks and Minerals in J&K state |access-date=30 November 2017 }}</ref>

Since 1974, the Indian Government has encouraged a shift in trekking and other tourist activities from the troubled [[Kashmir]] region to the relatively unaffected areas of Ladakh. Although tourism employs only 4% of Ladakh's working population, it now accounts for 50% of the region's [[Gross National Product|GNP]].<ref name="LoramCharlie" />

This era is recorded in Arthur Neves ''The Tourist's Guide to Kashmir, Ladakh, and Skardo'', first published in 1911.<ref name="LP" />

== Transportation ==
[[File:Ladakh Highway.jpg|left|thumb|A vehicle on the Himalaya Highway 3]]
There are about {{cvt|1800|km|mi}} of roads in Ladakh of which {{cvt|800|km|mi}} are surfaced.<ref name="PlanningCommision2">{{cite web |year=2001 |url=http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/stateplan/sdr_jandk/sdr_jkch3a.pdf |title=State Development Report—Jammu and Kashmir, Chapter 3A |publisher=Planning Commission of India |access-date=21 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130192441/http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/stateplan/sdr_jandk/sdr_jkch3a.pdf |archive-date=30 November 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The majority of roads in Ladakh are looked after by the [[Border Roads Organisation]]. The third road to Ladakh is the [[Nimmu–Padam–Darcha road]], which is under construction.<ref>{{Cite web|date=5 September 2020|others=ANI|title=LAC stand-off: BRO's new highway untraceable by enemy, saves hours and gives 365-day connectivity|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/lac-stand-off-bros-new-highway-untraceable-by-enemy-saves-hours-and-gives-365-day-connectivity/articleshow/77952231.cms|access-date=7 September 2020|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

[[File:IXL Front 2010.jpg|thumb|[[Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport]]]]

There is an airport in Leh, [[Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport]], from which there are daily flights to [[Delhi]] and weekly flights to Srinagar and Jammu. There are two airstrips at [[Daulat Beg Oldie]] and [[Fukche]] for military transport.<ref>{{cite web |author=IAF craft makes successful landing near China border |url=http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080071230 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905091342/http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080071230 |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 September 2012 |title=NDTV.com |publisher=NDTV.com |date=4 November 2008 |access-date=21 June 2012 }}</ref> The airport at Kargil, [[Kargil Airport]], was intended for civilian flights but is currently is used by the Indian Army. The airport is a political issue for the locals who argue that the airport should serve its original purpose, i.e., should open up for civilian flights. Since past few years the [[Indian Air Force]] has been operating AN-32 air courier service to transport the locals during the winter seasons to [[Jammu]], [[Srinagar]] and [[Chandigarh]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=783401 |title=Air Courier Service From Kargil Begins Operation |publisher=news.outlookindia.com |access-date=6 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517161012/http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=783401 |archive-date=17 May 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/iaf-to-start-air-services-to-kargil-during-winter-from-December%206-70300 |title=IAF to start air services to Kargil during winter from December 6 |publisher=NDTV.com |date=3 December 2010 |access-date=6 June 2013}}</ref> A private aeroplane company [[Air Mantra]] landed a 17-seater aircraft at the airport, in presence of dignitaries like the Chief Minister [[Omar Abdullah]], marking the first ever landing by a civilian airline company at Kargil Airport.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Ahmed Ali |last1=Fayyaz |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/kargil-gets-first-civil-air-connectivity/article4283179.ece |title=Kargil gets first civil air connectivity |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |date=7 January 2013 |access-date=6 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=GK News Network |url=http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2013/Jan/2/-air-mantra-to-operate-flights-to-kargil--69.asp |title=Air Mantra to operate flights to Kargil |work=[[Greater Kashmir]] |date=2 January 2013 |access-date=6 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130604034510/http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2013/Jan/2/-air-mantra-to-operate-flights-to-kargil--69.asp |archive-date= 4 June 2013 }}</ref>

== Demographics ==
{{Pie chart|label1=[[Islam in India|Islam]]|value7=0.02|color8=Black|color7=chartreuse|color6=brown|color4=darkkhaki|color5=dodgerblue|color3=darkorange|color2=Gold|color1=Green|value8=0.47|label8=Religion not stated|label7=Other|value1=46.41|value6=0.05|label6=[[Jainism]]|value5=0.46|label5=[[Christianity]]|value4=0.83|label4=[[Sikhism]]|value3=12.11|label3=[[Hinduism]]|value2=39.65|label2=[[Buddhism]]|caption=Religions in Ladakh (2011)<ref>{{cite web|title=Population by religion community – 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|website=Census of India, 2011|publisher=The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825155850/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|archive-date=25 August 2015}}</ref>}}
{{Pie chart
|thumb = left
| caption=Ladakh (Kargil and Leh Districts) : mother-tongue of population, according to the 2011 Census.<ref name="census2011-C16"/>
|label1 = Bauti |value1 = 35.72 |color1 = DarkGreen
|label2 = Purkhi |value2 = 33.61 |color2 = DarkBlue
|label3 = Hindi |value3 = 8.94 |color3 = Yellow
|label4 = Others |value4 = 6.42 |color4 = Black
|label5 = Shina |value5 = 4.30 |color5 = ForestGreen
|label6 = Balti |value6 = 3.58 |color6 = DarkSlateBlue
|label7 = Tibetan |value7 = 2.33 |color7 = Lime
|label8 = Ladakhi |value8 = 2.06 |color8 = DarkOliveGreen
|label9 = Punjabi |value9 = 1.00 |color9 = SandyBrown
|label10 = Dardi |value10 = 0.76 |color10 = Indigo
|label11 = Marathi |value11 = 0.73 |color11 = Purple
|label12 = Nepali |value12 = 0.55 |color12 = Cyan
}}

People of Dard descent predominate in Dras and Dha-Hanu areas. The residents of the [[Dha-Hanu]] area, known as [[Brokpa]], are predominately followers of Islam while small minorities follow Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism<ref>{{Cite web|title=Religion Data of Census 2011: XXXIII JK-HP-ST|url=https://blog.cpsindia.org/2016/12/religion-data-of-census-2011-xxxiii-jk.html|language=en-GB|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> and most Brokpa have preserved much of their original Dardic traditions and customs. The Dards of Dras, however, have converted to [[Islam]] and have been strongly influenced by their Kashmiri neighbours. The Mons are believed to be descendants of earlier Indian settlers in Ladakh, and traditionally worked as musicians, blacksmiths, and carpenters.
The region's population is split roughly in half between the districts of [[Leh district|Leh]] and [[Kargil district|Kargil]]. 76.87% population of Kargil is Muslim (mostly [[Shia]]),<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tarun-vijay/the-right-view/Endangered-Ladakh/articleshow/2742608.cms |title=Endangered Ladakh |work=[[The Times of India]] |first1=Tarun |last1=Vijay |date=30 January 2008 |access-date=27 July 2020}}</ref><ref name="census2011-C01"/> with a total population of 140,802, while that of Leh is 66.40% Buddhist, with a total population of 133,487, as per the 2011 census.<ref name="census2011-C01">{{cite report |title=C-1 Population By Religious Community – Jammu & Kashmir |url = https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW01C-01%20MDDS.XLS |publisher = Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |access-date=28 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.census2011.co.in/census/district/622-kargil.html|title=Kargil District Population Census 2011-2020, Jammu and Kashmir literacy sex ratio and density|website=www.census2011.co.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.census2011.co.in/census/district/621-leh.html|title=Leh District Population Census 2011-2020, Jammu and Kashmir literacy sex ratio and density|website=www.census2011.co.in}}</ref>

The predominant mother-tongue in Leh district is [[Bauti language|Bauti]], a [[Tibetan languages|Tibetan language]].<ref name="census2011-C16"/>  However, the [[Purgi language|Purkhi]] is the predominant mother-tongue of Kargil district.<ref name="census2011-C16"/><ref>{{citation|last=Rather |first=Ali Mohammad |title=Kargil: The Post-War Scenario |journal=Journal of Peace Studies |publisher=International Center for Peace Studies |volume=6 |number=5–6 |date=September 1999 |url=http://www.icpsnet.org/description.php?ID=138 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141201063036/http://www.icpsnet.org/description.php?ID=138 |archive-date= 1 December 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Educated Ladakhis usually know Hindi, Urdu and often English. Within Ladakh, there is a range of dialects, so that the language of the [[Changpa|Chang-pa]] people may differ markedly from that of the [[Purigpa|Purig-pa]] in Kargil, or the Zangskaris, but they are all mutually comprehensible.

{|class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
! colspan=4| Ladakh (Kargil and Leh Districts) : mother-tongue of population, according to the 2011 Census.<ref name="census2011-C16">{{cite report |title=C-16 Population By Mother Tongue – Jammu & Kashmir |url = https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-16/DDW-C16-STMT-MDDS-0100.XLSX |publisher = Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |access-date=18 July 2020}}</ref>
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
! Mother tongue code
! Mother tongue
! People
! Percentage
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 001002 || [[Assamese language|Assamese]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 571
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.21%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 002007 || [[Bengali language|Bengali]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,146
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.42%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 004001 || [[Dogri language|Dogri]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,031
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.38%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 005018 || [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 438
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.16%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006102 || [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 182
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.07%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006195 || [[Garhwali language|Garhwali]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 267
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.10%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006207 || [[Gojri language|Gojri/Gujjari/Gujar]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 123
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.04%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006235 || [[Haryanvi language|Haryanvi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 86
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.03%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006240 || [[Hindi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 24,511
| style="text-align:right;" | 8.94%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006340 || [[Kumauni language|Kumauni]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 66
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.02%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006439 || [[Pahari language|Pahari]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 168
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.06%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006489 || [[Rajasthani language|Rajasthani]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 139
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.05%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006503 || [[Sadan language|Sadan/Sadri]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 16
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 007016 || [[Kannada language|Kannada]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 472
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.17%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 008005 || [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,020
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.37%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 008010 || [[Kishtwari language|Kishtwari]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 17
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 008019 || Dardi
| style="text-align:right;" | 2,072
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.76%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 010008 || [[Maithili language|Maithili]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 25
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 010011 || Purbi Maithili
| style="text-align:right;" | 53
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.02%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 011016 || [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 797
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.29%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 012003 || [[Meitei language|Meitei]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 151
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.06%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 013071 || [[Marathi language|Marathi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 2,001
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.73%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 014011 || [[Nepali language|Nepali]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,516
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.55%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 015043 || [[Odia language|Odia]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 594
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.22%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 016002 || [[Bagri language|Bagri]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 14
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 016038 || [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 2,747
| style="text-align:right;" | 1.00%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 020027 || [[Tamil language|Tamil]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,009
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.37%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 021046 || [[Telugu language|Telugu]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,011
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.37%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 022015 || [[Urdu language|Urdu]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 226
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.08%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 024001 || [[Pashto language|Afghani/Kabuli/Pashto]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 18
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 029002 || [[Balti language|Balti]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 9,825
| style="text-align:right;" | 3.58%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 031001 || [[Bhotia language|Bhotia]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 320
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.12%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 031011 || [[Bauti language|Bauti]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 97,979
| style="text-align:right;" | 35.72%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 040001 || [[English language|English]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 29
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 053005 || [[Gujari language|Gujari]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 31
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 055007 || [[Khasi language|Khasi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 14
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 071008 || [[Kuki language|Kuki]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 69
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.03%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 073003 || [[Ladakhi language|Ladakhi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 5,640
| style="text-align:right;" | 2.06%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 082005 || [[Lushai language|Lushai/Mizo]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 127
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.05%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 108001 || [[Sherpa language|Sherpa]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 21
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 109005 || [[Shina language|Shina]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 11,798
| style="text-align:right;" | 4.30%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 111001 || [[Tamang language|Tamang]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 18
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 115008 || [[Standard Tibetan|Tibetan]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 6,393
| style="text-align:right;" | 2.33%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 115011 || [[Purgi language|Purkhi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 92,176
| style="text-align:right;" | 33.61%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 116014 || [[Tripuri language|Tripuri]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 18
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| style="text-align:center;" | –
|| [[Languages of India|Others]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 7,344
| style="text-align:right;" | 2.68%
|- style="vertical-align:top;" class=sortbottom
| colspan=2 | Total
| style="text-align:right;" | 274,289
| style="text-align:right;" | 100.00%
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Population of Leh and Kargil districts
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year{{efn|Census was not carried out in Jammu and Kashmir in 1991 due to militancy}} || colspan="3"| [[Leh District]] || colspan="3"| [[Kargil District]]
|-
!| Population||Percentage change ||Females per 1000 males ||Population||Percentage change ||Females per 1000 males
|- style="text-align:right;"
| 1951 || 40,484 ||— ||1011|| 41,856 ||— || 970
|- style="text-align:right;"
| 1961 || 43,587 ||0.74||1010|| 45,064 ||0.74 || 935
|- style="text-align:right;"
| 1971 || 51,891 ||1.76 ||1002|| 53,400 ||1.71 || 949
|- style="text-align:right;"
| 1981 || 68,380 ||2.80 ||886|| 65,992 ||2.14 || 853
|- style="text-align:right;"
| 2001 || 117,637 ||2.75 ||805|| 115,287 ||2.83 || 901
|- style="text-align:right;"
| 2011 || 133,487 || || 690|| 140,802 || || 810
|}

The sex ratio for Leh district declined from 1011 females per 1000 males in 1951 to 805 in 2001, while for Kargil district it declined from 970 to 901.<ref name=PlanningCommision1>{{cite web |title=State Development Report—Jammu and Kashmir, Chapter 2 – Demographics |publisher=Planning Commission of India |year=1999 |url=http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/stateplan/sdr_jandk/sdr_jkch2.pdf |access-date=21 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111213160104/http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/stateplan/sdr_jandk/sdr_jkch2.pdf |archive-date=13 December 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The urban sex ratio in both the districts is about 640. The adult sex ratio reflects large numbers of mostly male seasonal and migrant labourers and merchants. About 84% of Ladakh's population lives in villages.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rural population |publisher=Education for all in India |year=1999 |url=http://www.educationforallinindia.com/rudpop2001.html |access-date=21 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710171729/http://www.educationforallinindia.com/rudpop2001.html |archive-date=10 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The average annual population growth rate from 1981 to 2001 was 2.75% in Leh District and 2.83% in Kargil district.<ref name=PlanningCommision1 />

== Culture ==

Ladakhi culture is similar to [[Tibetan culture]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Ladakh Festival – a Cultural Spectacle |publisher=EF News International |access-date=28 August 2006 |url-status=dead |url=http://www.efi-news.com/2011/09/ladakh-festival-cultural-spectacle.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502152610/http://www.efi-news.com/2011/09/ladakh-festival-cultural-spectacle.html |archive-date= 2 May 2012 }}</ref>

=== Cuisine ===
[[File:Thukpa, Manali, Himachal Pradesh.JPG|thumb|[[Thukpa]]]]
Ladakhi food has much in common with [[Tibetan food]], the most prominent foods being ''[[thukpa]]'' (noodle soup) and ''[[tsampa]]'', known in Ladakhi as ''ngampe'' (roasted barley flour). Edible without cooking, ''tsampa'' makes useful trekking food. Strictly Ladakhi dishes include ''skyu'' and ''chutagi'', both heavy and rich soup pasta dishes, ''skyu'' being made with root vegetables and meat, and ''chutagi'' with leafy greens and vegetables.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Motup|first=Sonam|date=|title=Food & Cuisine: 10 Best Dishes to Eat in Leh-Ladakh 🥄🥣|url=https://www.leh-ladakh-taxi-booking.com/practical-info/food-and-cuisine-10-best-dishes-to-eat-in-ladakh|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref> As Ladakh moves toward a cash-based economy, foods from the plains of India are becoming more common.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Namgail, T., Jensen, A., Padmanabhan, S., Desor, S. & Dolma, R. |title=Dhontang: Food in Ladakh |date=2019 |publisher=Central Institute of Buddhist Studies, Local Futures |isbn=978-93-83802-15-9 |pages=1–44}}</ref> As in other parts of Central Asia, tea in Ladakh is traditionally made with strong green tea, butter, and salt. It is mixed in a large churn and known as ''[[Butter tea|gurgur cha]]'', after the sound it makes when mixed. Sweet tea (''cha ngarmo'') is common now, made in the Indian style with milk and sugar. Most of the surplus barley that is produced is fermented into ''chang'', an alcoholic beverage drunk especially on festive occasions.<ref name="WomensAlliance">{{cite book |last=Norberg-Hodge |first=Helena |year=2000 |title=Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh |publisher=Oxford India Paperbacks }}</ref>

=== Music and dance ===
{{main|Music of Ladakh}}
[[File:Buddhist deity.jpg|thumb|Dancer in masked dance festival]]
[[File:Jabro Dance Ladakh.jpg|thumb|Jabro Dance]]
The music of Ladakhi Buddhist monastic festivals, like [[Music of Tibet|Tibetan music]], often involves religious [[chanting]] in [[Classical Tibetan|Tibetan]] as an integral part of the religion. These chants are complex, often recitations of sacred texts or in celebration of various festivals. ''Yang'' chanting, performed without metrical timing, is accompanied by resonant drums and low, sustained syllables. Religious mask dances are an important part of Ladakh's cultural life. [[Hemis monastery]], a leading centre of the [[Drukpa Lineage|Drukpa]] tradition of Buddhism, holds an annual masked dance festival, as do all major Ladakhi monasteries. The dances typically narrate a story of the fight between good and evil, ending with the eventual victory of the former.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dollsofindia.com/library/article0010/2/ |title=Masks: Reflections of Culture and Religion |publisher=Dolls of India |access-date=21 August 2006 |date=12 January 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710143621/http://www.dollsofindia.com/library/article0010/2/ |archive-date=10 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Weaving is an important part of traditional life in eastern Ladakh. Both women and men weave, on different looms.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=62-0834805219-0 |title=Living Fabric: Weaving Among the Nomads of Ladakh Himalaya |access-date=21 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629123453/http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=62-0834805219-0 |archive-date=29 June 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Sport ===
[[File:Sul-ma, woman’s woollen dress (detail), Ladakh, late 19th-early 20th century.JPG|thumb|Sul-ma, woman's woollen dress (detail), Ladakh, late 19th-early 20th century]]
The most popular sport in Ladakh is [[Ice hockey in India|ice hockey]], which is played only on natural ice generally mid-December through mid-February.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sherlip |first=Adam |title=Hockey Foundation |url=http://www.hockeyfoundation.org}}</ref> Cricket is also very popular.

Archery is a traditional sport in Ladakh, and many villages hold archery festivals, which are as much about traditional dancing, drinking and gambling, as they are about the sport. The sport is conducted with strict etiquette, to the accompaniment of the music of ''surna'' and ''daman'' ([[shehnai]] and drum). Polo, the other traditional sport of Ladakh, is indigenous to Baltistan and [[Gilgit]], and was probably introduced into Ladakh in the mid-17th century by King Singge Namgyal, whose mother was a Balti princess.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jktourism.org/cities/ladakh/culture/index.htm |title=Ladakh culture |publisher=Jammu and Kashmir Tourism |access-date=21 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060712004749/http://www.jktourism.org/cities/ladakh/culture/index.htm  |archive-date=12 July 2006}}</ref>

Polo, popular among the Baltis, is an annual affair in Drass region of Kargil district.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2011/Jul/10/lalit-group-organises-polo-tourney-in-drass-19.asp |title=Lalit Group Organises Polo Tourney in Drass, Celebrating 100 Years, Sports Events Imperative To Showcase Talent: Omar |work=[[Greater Kashmir]] |date=10 July 2011 |access-date=6 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730165436/http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2011/Jul/10/lalit-group-organises-polo-tourney-in-drass-19.asp |archive-date=30 July 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://khagta.photoshelter.com/gallery/-/G0000A0sXWCwJqug/ |title=Traditonal [sic] Polo in Drass, Ladakh | Himanshu Khagta – Travel Photographer in India |last=Khagta |first=Himanshu |author-link=Himanshu Khagta |date=18 July 2011 |website=PhotoShelter: Himanshu Khagta |access-date=6 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.statetimes.in/news/manipur-lifts-lalit-suri-polo-cup/ |title=Manipur lifts Lalit Suri Polo Cup |work=[[State Times]] |date=12 June 2012 |access-date=6 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517115507/http://www.statetimes.in/news/manipur-lifts-lalit-suri-polo-cup/ |archive-date=17 May 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thelalit.com/the-lalit-events/the-lalit-suri-exhibition-polo-2009 |title=Business Hotels in India – Event Planning in India – The Lalit Hotels |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130314203252/http://www.thelalit.com/the-lalit-events/the-lalit-suri-exhibition-polo-2009 |archive-date=14 March 2013}}</ref>

The [[Ladakh Marathon]] is a high-altitude [[marathon]] held in [[Leh]] every year since 2012. Held at a height of {{convert|11500|to|17,618|ft}}, it is one of the world's highest marathons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/lahdc-organises-3rd-ladakh-marathon-at-leh-114091501153_1.html |title=LAHDC organises 3rd Ladakh Marathon at Leh | Business Standard News |publisher=Business-standard.com |access-date=14 September 2015}}</ref>

[[File:First ever Khelo India Winter Games.jpg|thumb|250px| First ever [[Khelo India Youth Games|Khelo India]] Winter Games in Ladakh]]

=== Social status of women ===
[[File:Woman wearing traditional Ladakhi hat (2014).jpg|thumb|Woman wearing traditional Ladakhi hat]]
A feature of Ladakhi society that distinguishes it from the rest of the state is the high status and relative emancipation enjoyed by women compared to other rural parts of India. Fraternal [[polyandry]] and inheritance by [[primogeniture]] were common in Ladakh until the early 1940s when these were made illegal by the government of Jammu and Kashmir. However, the practice remained in existence into the 1990s especially among the elderly and the more isolated rural populations.<ref name="Gielen, U. P. 1993">{{cite journal |last=Gielen |first=Uwe |title=Gender roles in traditional Tibetan cultures |year=1998 |journal= In L.L Adler (Ed.), International Handbook on Gender Roles. Westport, CT: Greenwood.|pages=413–437}}</ref> Another custom is known as ''khang-bu'', or 'little house', in which the elders of a family, as soon as the eldest son has sufficiently matured, retire from participation in affairs, yielding the headship of the family to him and taking only enough of the property for their own sustenance.<ref name =Crossroads />

=== Traditional medicine ===
{{main|Traditional Tibetan medicine}}
[[Tibetan medicine]] has been the traditional health system of Ladakh for over a thousand years. This school of traditional healing contains elements of [[Ayurveda]] and [[Chinese medicine]], combined with the philosophy and [[cosmology]] of Tibetan Buddhism. For centuries, the only medical system accessible to the people have been the ''[[Sowa Rigpa|amchi]]'', traditional doctors following the Tibetan medical tradition. ''[[Sowa Rigpa|Amchi]]'' medicine remains a component of public health, especially in remote areas.<ref name="Plantlife">{{cite web |url=http://www.plantlife.org.uk/international/plantlife-med-plants-projects-allachy-India-Ladakh.htm |title=Plantlife.org project on medicinal plants of importance to amchi medicine |publisher=Plantlife.org.uk |access-date=21 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617115651/http://www.plantlife.org.uk/international/plantlife-med-plants-projects-allachy-India-Ladakh.htm |archive-date=17 June 2009 }}</ref>

Programmes by the government, local and international organisations are working to develop and rejuvenate this traditional system of healing.<ref name="Plantlife" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://cbhi-hsprod.nic.in/listdetails.asp?roid=127 |title=A government of India project in support of Sowa Rigpa-'amchi' medicine |publisher=Cbhi-hsprod.nic.in |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222103818/http://cbhi-hsprod.nic.in/listdetails.asp?roid=127 |archive-date=22 February 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Efforts are underway to preserve the intellectual property rights of [[Sowa Rigpa|''amchi'' medicine]] for the people of Ladakh. The government has also been trying to promote the [[Hippophae|sea buckthorn]] in the form of juice and jam, as some claim it possess medicinal properties.

The [[National Research Institute for Sowa-Rigpa]] in Leh is an institute for research into traditional medicine and a hospital providing traditional treatments.<ref>{{cite web | title=Modi govt to promote Tibetan healing system with AIIMS-like Sowa-Rigpa hospital in Leh | website=ThePrint | date=28 November 2019 | url=https://theprint.in/health/modi-govt-to-promote-tibetan-healing-system-with-aiims-like-sowa-rigpa-hospital-in-leh/326946/ | access-date=3 August 2020}}</ref>

== Education ==
According to the 2001 census, the overall literacy rate in Leh District is 62% (72% for males and 50% for females), and in Kargil District 58% (74% for males and 41% for females).<ref>{{cite web |year =2001 |url=http://www.educationforallinindia.com/page157.html |title=District-specific Literates and Literacy Rates |publisher=Education for all website |access-date=21 August 2006}}</ref> Traditionally there was little or nothing by way of formal education except in the monasteries. Usually, one son from every family was obliged to master the Tibetan script in order to read the holy books.<ref name="Crossroads" />

The [[Moravian Church|Moravian Mission]] opened a school in Leh in October 1889, and the ''Wazir-i Wazarat'' (''ex officio'' Joint Commissioner with a British officer) of Baltistan and Ladakh ordered that every family with more than one child should send one of them to school. This order met with great resistance from the local people who feared that the children would be forced to convert to Christianity. The school taught Tibetan, Urdu, English, Geography, Sciences, Nature study, Arithmetic, Geometry and Bible study.<ref name =Ray /> It is still in existence today. The first local school to provide western education was opened by a local Society called "Lamdon Social Welfare Society" in 1973. Later, with support from [[Dalai Lama]] and some international organisations, the school, now known as Lamdon Model Senior Secondary School, has grown to accommodate approximately two thousand pupils in several branches. It prides itself on preserving Ladakhi tradition and culture.<ref name="Lamdon">{{Cite web |url=https://www.internationaledventures.com/ |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20090326084955/http://www.internationaledventures.com/Files/Who%20we%20support/Lamdon%20.pdf |url-status=dead |title=Leh, Ladakh. A History of Lamdon School |publisher=The Lamdon Social Welfare Society |archive-date=26 March 2009 |website=internationaledventures.com}}</ref>

Schools are well distributed throughout Ladakh but 75% of them provide only primary education. 65% of children attend school, but absenteeism of both students and teachers remains high. In both districts the failure rate at school-leaving level ([[Education in India|class X]]) had for many years been around 85%–95%, while of those managing to scrape through, barely half succeeded in qualifying for college entrance (class XII). Before 1993, students were taught in Urdu until they were 14, after which the medium of instruction shifted to English.

In 1994 the [[Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh]] (SECMOL) launched Operation New Hope (ONH), a campaign to provide "culturally appropriate and locally relevant education" and make government schools more functional and effective.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.himalmag.com/component/content/article/1285-Education-reform,-interrupted.html |title=Education reform, interrupted |access-date=17 February 2008 |year=2009 |orig-year=2007 |author=Justin Shilad |work=Himal Southasian |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111014438/http://www.himalmag.com/component/content/article/1285-Education-reform%2C-interrupted.html |archive-date=11 November 2013 }}</ref>

[[File:Hanle observatory.jpg|thumb|[[Indian Astronomical Observatory]] near Leh]]
[[University of Ladakh]] and [[Eliezer Joldan Memorial College Leh, Ladakh|Eliezer Joldan Memorial College]], a government degree college, enables students to pursue higher education without having to leave Ladakh.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.visit-ladakh.com/ladakh-education.html |title=Education in Ladakh |publisher=Visit Ladakh Travel |access-date=22 August 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928003704/http://www.visit-ladakh.com/ladakh-education.html |archive-date=28 September 2007 }}</ref> The [[Indian Astronomical Observatory]] is located in [[Hanle (village)|Hanle]] and is operated by the [[Indian Institute of Astrophysics]].<ref>{{cite web | title=New gamma ray telescope coming up in Ladakh to observe exploding stars, black holes | website=Firstpost | date=21 September 2018 | url=https://www.firstpost.com/tech/science/new-gamma-ray-telescope-coming-up-in-ladakh-to-observe-exploding-stars-black-holes-5230301.html | access-date=5 October 2020}}</ref>

In December 2019, the union minister of state for home affairs Mr [[G. Kishan Reddy|G Kishan Reddy]], in a written response has stated in Parliament that the Government of India has approved to establish a Medical College and [[National Research Institute for Sowa-Rigpa]] in the district of Leh.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/education/two-aiims-like-institutions-8-medical-colleges-in-jammu-kashmir-ladakh-govt-6159847/|title=Two AIIMS-like institutions, 8 medical colleges in Jammu-Kashmir, Ladakh: Govt|date=10 December 2019|website=The Indian Express|access-date=11 December 2019}}</ref>

== Media ==
{{See also|Ladakh International Film Festival}}
The government radio broadcaster [[All India Radio]] (AIR)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Station/LEH/Pages/default.aspx |title=AIR Leh |publisher=[[Prasar Bharati]] |access-date=2 August 2013}}</ref> and government television station [[Doordarshan]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ddindia.gov.in/About+DD/Doordarshan+Studios |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120031304/http://www.ddindia.gov.in/About+DD/Doordarshan+Studios |url-status=dead |title=List of Doordarshan studios |archive-date=20 January 2011}}</ref> have stations in Leh that broadcast local content for a few hours a day. Beyond that, Ladakhis produce feature films that are screened in auditoriums and community halls. They are often made on fairly modest budgets.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/entertainment/ladakhi-films-overshadow-bollywood-in-the-himalayas_100258767.html |title=Thaindia News |publisher=Thaindian.com |date=10 October 2009 |access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref>

There are a handful of private news outlets.
* ''Reach Ladakh Bulletin'',<ref>{{cite web |last=Deptt |first=Information |url=http://www.reachladakh.com |title=ReachLadakh.com |publisher=ReachLadakh.com |access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref> a biweekly newspaper in English, is the only print media published by and for Ladakhis.
* ''Rangyul'' or ''Kargil Number'' is a newspaper published from Kashmir covering Ladakh in English and Urdu.
* ''Ladags Melong'', an initiative of SECMOL, was published from 1992 to 2005 in English and Ladakhi.
* ''Sintic Magazine'', a lifestyle and tourist magazine of Ladakh, was started in 2018 in English.

Some publications that cover Jammu and Kashmir as a whole provide some coverage of Ladakh.
* ''[[The Daily Excelsior]]'' claims to be "The largest circulated daily of Jammu and Kashmir".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailyexcelsior.com |title=The Daily Excelsior |access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref>
*''Epilogue'', a monthly magazine covering Jammu and Kashmir.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.epilogue.in |title=Epilogue's website |publisher=Epilogue.in |access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref>
*''Kashmir Times'', a daily newspaper covering Jammu and Kashmir.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kashmirtimes.com |title=The Kashmir Times |access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="134">
File:Pensi La-Stod.JPG|Pensi La
File:Lake-on-shingo-la.jpg|Shingo La
File:Shanti Stupa, Leh, 20180814.jpg|Shanti Stupa, Leh
File:Front of the Thiksey Monastery.jpg|Front of the Thiksey Monastery
File:Likir (224).jpg|Likir Monastery
File:Himalayan Backdrop near Leh.jpg|Trees nestled in front of the Himalayas near Leh
File:Nubra Valley view with Reflection.jpg|Nubra Valley view with reflection
File:Mune wall col.jpg|Carved stone tablets, each with the inscription "[[Om Mani Padme Hum]]" along the paths of Zanskar
</gallery>

== See also ==

{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Balti language]]
* [[Ladakh Buddhist Association]]
* [[Ladakh (Lok Sabha constituency)]]
* [[Ladakh Scouts]]
* [[Ladakh Police]]
* [[Ladakh Union Territory Front]]
* [[Polyandry in Tibet]]
{{div col end}}

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==

=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
* {{citation |first=Gerhard |last=Emmer |chapter=Dga' Ldan Tshe Dbang Dpal Bzang Po and the Tibet-Ladakh-Mugha1 War of 1679–84 |title=Proceedings of the Tenth Seminar of the IATS, 2003. Volume 9: The Mongolia-Tibet Interface: Opening New Research Terrains in Inner Asia |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GPKvCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA95 |year= 2007 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-474-2171-9 |pages=81–108 |ref={{sfnref|Emmer, the Tibet-Ladakh-Mughal War|2007}}}}
* {{citation |last1=Fisher |first1=Margaret W. |last2=Rose |first2=Leo E. |last3=Huttenback |first3=Robert A. |title=Himalayan Battleground: Sino-Indian Rivalry in Ladakh |year=1963 |publisher=Praeger |url=http://www.questia.com/read/10466588 |url-access=subscription |via=[[Questia]] |ref={{sfnref|Fisher, Rose & Huttenback, Himalayan Battleground|1963}}}}
* {{citation |last=Francke |first=August Hermann |author-link=August Hermann Francke (Tibetologist) |title=A History of Western Tibet |publisher=S. W. Partridge & Co |year=1907 |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofwestern00ahfr/page/n6 |via=archive.org |ref={{sfnref|Francke, A History of Western Tibet|1907}}}}
* {{cite book |last=Francke |first=August Hermann |title=Antiquities of Indian Tibet |work=Volume 38; Volume 50 of New imperial series |publisher=[[Asian Educational Services]] |page=94 |year=1992 |orig-year=first published 1926 |isbn=81-206-0769-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WG4J4IKd014C |ref={{sfnref|Francke, Antiquities of Indian Tibet|1992}}}}
* {{citation |last1=Handa |first1=O. C. |title=Buddhist Western Himalaya: A politico-religious history |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R4VuovXa5YUC&pg=PA130 |year=2001 |publisher=Indus Publishing |isbn=978-81-7387-124-5 |ref={{sfnref|Handa, Buddhist Western Himalaya|2001}}}}
* {{citation |first=Prem Singh |last=Jina |title=Ladakh: The Land and the People |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kjhcZgDy-WMC |year=1996 |publisher=Indus Publishing |isbn=978-81-7387-057-6 |ref={{sfnref|Jina, Ladakh|1996}}}}
* {{citation |editor1-first=Erberto |editor1-last=Lo Bue |editor2-first=John |editor2-last=Bray |chapter=Introduction |title=Art and Architecture in Ladakh: Cross-cultural Transmissions in the Himalayas and Karakoram |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CJCfAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA5 |year=2014 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-27180-7 |ref={{sfnref|Lo Bue & Bray, Art and Architecture in Ladakh|2014}}}}
** {{citation |first=Phuntsog |last=Dorjay |chapter=Embedded in Stone—Early Buddhist Rock Art of Ladakh |title=Ibid |year=2014 |isbn=9789004271807 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CJCfAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA35 |pages=35–67 |ref={{sfnref|Dorjay, Embedded in Stone|2014}}}}
** {{citation |last1=Howard |first1=Neil |last2=Howard |first2=Kath |chapter=Historic Ruins in the Gya Valley, Eastern Ladakh, and a Consideration of Their Relationship to the History of Ladakh and Maryul |title=Ibid |year=2014 |isbn=9789004271807 |pages=68–99 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CJCfAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA68 |ref={{sfnref|Howard & Howard, Historic Ruins in the Gya Valley|2014}}}}
* {{citation |last=Petech |first=Luciano |author-link=Luciano Petech |title=The Kingdom of Ladakh, c. 950–1842 A.D. |publisher=Instituto Italiano Per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente |year=1977 |url=https://www.academia.edu/download/48901732/1977_Kingdom_of_Ladakh_c_950-1842_AD_by_Petech_s.pdf |via=academia.edu |ref={{sfnref|Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh|1977}}}}
* {{cite book |first=Prem Singh |last=Jina |title=Famous Western Expolorers to Ladakh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9QTJbvggV6EC&q=turki+woman+married+to&pg=PA123 |date=1 January 1995 |publisher=Indus Publishing |isbn =978-81-7387-031-6 |pages=123–}}

== Further reading ==
{{refbegin|30em}}
* Allan, Nigel J. R. 1995 ''Karakorum Himalaya: Sourcebook for a Protected Area''. [https://web.archive.org/web/20061110121202/http://www.iucn.org/places/pakistan/pdf/Karakoram-sourcebook.pdf IUCN]. {{ISBN|969-8141-13-8}}
* [[Alexander Cunningham|Cunningham, Alexander]]. 1854. ''Ladak: Physical, Statistical, and Historical; with notices of the surrounding countries''. Reprint: Sagar Publications, New Delhi. 1977.
* [[Ippolito Desideri|Desideri, Ippolito]] (1932). ''An Account of Tibet: The Travels of Ippolito Desideri 1712–1727''. Ippolito Desideri. Edited by [[Filippo De Filippi (explorer)|Filippo De Filippi]]. Introduction by C. Wessels. Reproduced by Rupa & Co, New Delhi. 2005
* Drew, Federic. 1877. ''The Northern Barrier of India: a popular account of the Jammoo and Kashmir Territories with Illustrations.'' 1st edition: Edward Stanford, London. Reprint: Light & Life Publishers, Jammu. 1971.
* Francke, A. H. (1914), 1920, 1926. ''Antiquities of Indian Tibet. Vol. 1: Personal Narrative; Vol. 2: The Chronicles of Ladak and Minor Chronicles, texts and translations, with Notes and Maps''. Reprint: 1972. S. Chand & Co., New Delhi. ([https://books.google.com/books?id=WG4J4IKd014C&dq=Antiquities+of+indian+Tibet&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=BiuhhHjBgj&sig=qXScEP1IS27HYdwHmZR_IRea1dE&hl=de&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result Google Books])
* Gielen, U. P. 1998. "Gender roles in traditional Tibetan cultures". In L. L. Adler (Ed.), ''International handbook on gender roles'' (pp. 413–437). Westport, CT: Greenwood.
* Gillespie, A. (2007). [https://lse.academia.edu/AlexGillespie/Papers/1347720/Time_self_and_the_other_the_striving_tourist Time, Self and the Other: The striving tourist in Ladakh, north India]. In Livia Simao and Jaan Valsiner (eds) ''Otherness in question: Development of the self''. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing, Inc.
* Gillespie, A. (2007). [https://lse.academia.edu/AlexGillespie/Papers/97290/In_the_other_we_trust_Buying_souvenirs_in_Ladakh_North_India In the other we trust: Buying souvenirs in Ladakh, north India]. In [[Ivana Marková]] and Alex Gillespie (Eds.), ''Trust and distrust: Sociocultural perspectives''. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing, Inc.
* ''The Road to Lamaland'' by [[Louis Gompertz|Martin Louis Alan Gompertz]]
* ''Magic Ladakh'' by [[Louis Gompertz|Martin Louis Alan Gompertz]]
* Gordon, T. E. 1876. ''The Roof of the World: Being the Narrative of a Journey over the high plateau of Tibet to the Russian Frontier and the Oxus sources on Pamir.'' Edinburgh. Edmonston and Douglas. Reprint: Ch'eng Wen Publishing Company. Tapei. 1971.
* Ham, Peter Van. 2015. '' Indian Tibet Tibetan India: The Cultural Legacy of the Western Himalayas''. Niyogi Books. {{ISBN|9789383098934}}.
* Halkias, Georgios (2009) "Until the Feathers of the Winged Black Raven Turn White: Sources for the Tibet-Bashahr Treaty of 1679–1684", in ''Mountains, Monasteries and Mosques'', ed. John Bray. Supplement to Rivista Orientali, pp. 59–79.[https://www.academia.edu/601756/Until_the_Feathers_of_the_Winged_Black_Raven_Turn_White_Sources_for_the_Tibet-Bashahr_Treaty_of_1679-1684 Until the Feathers of the Winged Black Raven Turn White: Sources for the Tibet-Bashahr Treaty of 1679–1684]
* Halkias, Georgios (2010). ''The Muslim Queens of the Himalayas: Princess Exchange in Ladakh and Baltistan.'' In Islam-Tibet: Interactions along the Musk Routes, eds. Anna Akasoy et al. Ashgate Publications, 231–252. [https://www.academia.edu/601746/The_Muslim_Queens_of_the_Himalayas_Princess_Exchanges_in_Baltistan_and_Ladakh The Muslim Queens of the Himalayas: Princess Exchanges in Baltistan and Ladakh]
* [[Andrew Harvey (religious writer)|Harvey, Andrew]]. 1983. ''A Journey in Ladakh''. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York.
*[[K. N. Pandit|Pandit, K. N.]] (1986). ''Ladakh, life & culture.'' Srinagar, Kashmir, India: Centre of Central Asian Studies, Kashmir University.
*Knight, E. F. 1893. ''Where Three Empires Meet: A Narrative of Recent Travel in: Kashmir, Western Tibet, Gilgit, and the adjoining countries''. Longmans, Green, and Co., London. Reprint: Ch'eng Wen Publishing Company, Taipei. 1971.
* Knight, William, Henry. 1863. ''Diary of a Pedestrian in Cashmere and Thibet''. Richard Bentley, London. Reprint 1998: Asian Educational Services, New Delhi.
* [[William Moorcroft (explorer)|Moorcroft, William]] and [[Trebeck, George]]. 1841. ''Travels in the Himalayan Provinces of Hindustan and the Panjab; in Ladakh and Kashmir, in Peshawar, Kabul, Kunduz, and Bokhara ... from 1819 to 1825'', Vol. II. Reprint: New Delhi, Sagar Publications, 1971.
* [[Norberg-Hodge, Helena]]. 2000. ''[[Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh]]''. Rider Books, London.
* [[Peissel, Michel]]. 1984. ''The Ants' Gold: The Discovery of the Greek El Dorado in the Himalayas''. Harvill Press, London.
* Rizvi, Janet. 1998. ''Ladakh, Crossroads of High Asia''. Oxford University Press. 1st edition 1963. 2nd revised edition 1996. 3rd impression 2001. {{ISBN|0-19-564546-4}}.
* Sen, Sohini. 2015. ''Ladakh: A Photo Travelogue''. Niyogi Books. {{ISBN|9789385285028}}.
* ''Trekking in Zanskar & Ladakh: Nubra Valley, Tso Moriri & Pangong Lake, Step By step Details of Every Trek: a Most Authentic & Colourful Trekkers' guide with maps 2001–2002''
* Zeisler, Bettina. (2010). "East of the Moon and West of the Sun? Approaches to a Land with Many Names, North of Ancient India and South of Khotan." In: ''The Tibet Journal'', Special issue. Autumn 2009 vol XXXIV n. 3-Summer 2010 vol XXXV n. 2. "The Earth Ox Papers", edited by Roberto Vitali, pp. 371–463.
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Ladakh}}
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Wikivoyage|Ladakh}}
*{{Britannica|327440}}
*[http://ladakh.nic.in/ Government of Ladakh]
*[http://jkladakhaffairs.nic.in/ Department of Ladakh Affairs]

{{Ladakh}}
{{States and territories of India}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ladakh| ]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 2019]]
[[Category:Union Territories of India]]
[[Category:North India|*]]
[[Category:History of the Republic of India]]
[[Category:2019 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of China]]
[[Category:Disputed territories in Asia]]
[[Category:States and union territories of India]]

Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)

2021-12-03T14:21:12Z

Knowledge: Fixed typo

{{Short description|Union territory of India}}
{{About|the Union Territory of the Indian Union|the [[princely state]] during the [[British Raj]]|Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|the [[former state]] of India|Jammu and Kashmir (state)|}}

{{pp-30-500|small=yes}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Jammu and Kashmir
| settlement_type = [[States and union territories of India|UNION TERRITORY]]
| image_skyline = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Pahalgam Valley.jpg
| photo2a = Akhnoor Fort - Jammu - Jammu and Kashmir - DSC 0001 JPEG.jpg
| photo3a =
| photo4a =
| spacing = 2
| position = centre
| size = 220
| border = 0
| color = #000000
| foot_montage = [[Lidder Valley]], [[Akhnoor Fort]]
}}
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| image_flag =
| flag_size =
| flag_type =
| image_blank_emblem =
| blank_emblem_size =
| blank_emblem_type =
| image_map = [[File:Map of UT of Jammu and Kashmir and UT of Ladakh.jpg|1500px]]
| map_alt = Jammu and Kashmir
| map_caption = A map of Jammu and Kashmir (union Territory) bordered with yellow colour
| image_map1 = [[File:Kashmir Region November 2019.jpg|250px]]
| map_caption1 = A map of the disputed [[Jammu and Kashmir]] region showing the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir
| coordinates = {{coord|33.5|75.0|region:IN-JK_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{Flag|India}}
| established_title = [[States and union territories of India|Union territory]]
| established_date = 31 October 2019
| seat_type = Capital
| seat = [[Srinagar]] (May–October) [[Jammu]] (Nov-April)<ref name="Darbar Move">{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-darbar-move-in-j-k-all-about/article18409452.ece |title=What is the Darbar Move in J&K all about? |last=Desk |first=The Hindu Net |date=8 May 2017 |newspaper=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110135648/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-darbar-move-in-j-k-all-about/article18409452.ece |archive-date=10 November 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| parts_type = [[List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir|Districts]]
| parts_style = para
| p1 = [[List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir|20]]
| government_footnotes =
| governing_body = [[Government of Jammu and Kashmir]]
| leader_title = [[List of lieutenant governors of Jammu and Kashmir|Lieutenant Governor]]
| leader_name = [[Manoj Sinha]]
| leader_title1 = [[Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]]
| leader_name1 = ''Vacant''
| leader_title2 = [[Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly|Legislature]]
| leader_name2 = [[Unicameralism|Unicameral]] (114 seats)<ref>{{cite news |url =https://www.livemint.com/news/india/new-dawn-for-j-k-begins-two-new-federal-units-take-shape-11572493040564.html|title =Jammu and Kashmir transitions from a state into 2 federal units|author =Shaswati Das|publisher =Live Mint|website =livemint.com|quote =Jammu and Kashmir will also have its own legislative assembly, under which, according to the Act, the number of seats will go up to 114 from 87 currently, following a delimitation exercise.|access-date =30 June 2020}}</ref>
| leader_title3 = [[17th Lok Sabha|Parliamentary constituency]]
| leader_name3 = [[Rajya Sabha]] (4) [[Lok Sabha]] (5)
| leader_title4 = [[High Courts of India|High Court]]
| leader_name4 = [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]]
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes = {{efn|Jammu and Kashmir is a [[disputed territory]] between [[India]] and [[Pakistan]]. Jammu and Kashmir has 42,241 km2 of area administered by India and 13,297 km2 of area controlled by Pakistan under Azad Kashmir which is claimed by India as part of Jammu and Kashmir.}}
| area_total_km2 = 42,241
| area_rank =
| elevation_max_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197506500/Saser-Kangri|title=Saser Kangri |journal= The American Alpine Journal (AAJ)|date=1975 |first1=Jogindar |last1=Singh |access-date=14 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214115923/http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197506500/Saser-Kangri|archive-date=14 February 2019|url-status=live |pages=67–67}} [https://aac-publications.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/aaj/1975/PDF/AAJ_1975_20_1_065.pdf pdf of original pages]</ref>
| elevation_max_m = 7135
| elevation_max_ft =
| elevation_max_point = [[Nun Kun|Nun Peak]]
| elevation_max_rank =
| elevation_min_footnotes =
| elevation_min_m = 247
| elevation_min_ft =
| elevation_min_point =  [[Chenab River]]
| elevation_min_rank =
| population_total = 12,267,013
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Vijaita |title=Only J&K will use 2011 Census for delimitation |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/only-jk-will-use-2011-census-for-delimitation/article30952006.ece |access-date=6 November 2020 |work=The Hindu |date=29 February 2020 |language=en-IN}}</ref>
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_rank =
| population_note =
| registration_plate = JK
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +05:30
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|IN-JK]]
| unemployment_rate =
| blank_info_sec1 = {{Increase}} 0.688 (Medium)
| blank_name_sec1 = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] {{nobold|(2018)}}
| blank1_info_sec1 =
| blank_name_sec2 = [[Literacy in India|Literacy]]
| blank_info_sec2 =
| blank2_name_sec2 =
| blank2_info_sec2 =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]], [[Dogri language|Dogri]], [[Urdu]], [[Hindi]], [[English language|English]].<ref name="OfficialLang">{{cite web |url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2020/222037.pdf |title=The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020 |publisher=The Gazette of India|date=27 September 2020 |access-date=27 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020 | work=Rising Kashmir | date=23 September 2020| url=http://risingkashmir.com/news/parliament-passes-jk-official-languages-bill-2020 | access-date=23 September 2020}}</ref>
| demographics1_title2 = Spoken
| demographics1_info2 = [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], [[Pahari-Pothwari|Pahari]], [[Gujari language|Gojri]], Dadri<ref name="Languages">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RRbIAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA184 |title=The Parchment of Kashmir: History, Society, and Polity |last=Khan |first=N. |date=6 August 2012 |publisher=Springer |isbn=9781137029584 |page=184 |language=en |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190223184947/https://books.google.com/books?id=RRbIAAAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&pg=PA184#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=23 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Dadri">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XNqOjvaAb9cC&pg=PA6 |title=Modern History of Jammu and Kashmir: Ancient times to Shimla Agreement |last1=Aggarwal |first1=J. C. |last2=Agrawal |first2=S. P. |date=1995 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |isbn=9788170225577 |language=en |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224001711/https://books.google.com/books?id=XNqOjvaAb9cC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA6#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=24 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Bhadarwahi]],<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Bhadrawahi |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/bhd |language=en|website=Ethnologue.com|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> [[Bateri language|Bateri]],<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Bateri |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/btv |language=en}}</ref> [[Shina language|Shina]],<ref name="Crane1956">{{cite book|last=Crane|first=Robert I.|title=Area Handbook on Jammu and Kashmir State|year=1956|publisher=University of Chicago for the Human Relations Area Files|language=en|page=179|quote=Shina is the most eastern of these languages and in some of its dialects such as the Brokpa of Dah and Hanu and the dialect of Dras, it impinges upon the area of the Sino-Tibetan language family and has been affected by Tibetan with an overlay of words and idioms.}}</ref> [[Burushaski]]<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Pakistan's "Burushaski" Language Finds New Relatives |url=https://www.npr.org/2012/06/20/155454736/pakistans-burushaski-language-finds-new-relatives |language=en|website=Npr.org|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> and [[Khowar language|Khowar]]<ref name="SimonsFenning2017">{{cite book|last1=Simons|first1= Gary F. |last2=Fennig|first2=Charles D. |title=Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Twentieth Edition|year=2017|publisher=[[SIL International]]|location= Dallas|language=en}}</ref>
| website = https://www.jk.gov.in
| footnotes =
| official_name =
| module =
| leader_name5 = (280 seats)
| leader_title5 = [[District Development Council|DDC]]
}}

'''Jammu and Kashmir'''{{efn|Pronounced variably as {{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|æ|m|uː}} or {{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|ʌ|m|uː}}, {{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|æ|ʃ|m|ɪər}} or {{IPAc-en|k|æ|ʃ|ˈ|m|ɪər}}.<ref>{{Citation |last=Jones |first=Daniel |author-link= Daniel Jones (phonetician) |title= English Pronouncing Dictionary |editor=Peter Roach |editor2=James Hartmann |editor3=Jane Setter |place=Cambridge |publisher= Cambridge University Press |orig-year=1917 |year=2003 |isbn=978-3-12-539683-8 }}</ref>}} is a region administered by India as a [[union territory]] and consists of the southern portion of the larger [[Jammu and Kashmir]] region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947, and between India and China since 1962.<ref name=britannica-jammu-kashmir>(a) {{citation|last1=Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannia|title=Kashmir, region Indian subcontinent|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Kashmir-region-Indian-subcontinent |access-date=15 August 2019}} (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcontinent ... has been the subject of dispute between India and Pakistan since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. The northern and western portions are administered by Pakistan and comprise three areas: Azad Kashmir, Gilgit, and Baltistan, the last two being part of a territory called the Northern Areas. Administered by India are the southern and southeastern portions, which constitute the state of Jammu and Kashmir but are slated to be split into two union territories. China became active in the eastern area of Kashmir in the 1950s and has controlled the northeastern part of Ladakh (the easternmost portion of the region) since 1962."; (b) {{citation|chapter=Kashmir|title=Encyclopedia Americana|publisher=Scholastic Library Publishing|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l_cWAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA328|year=2006|isbn=978-0-7172-0139-6|page=328}} C. E Bosworth, University of Manchester Quote: "KASHMIR, kash'mer, the northernmost region of the Indian subcontinent, administered partlv by India, partly by Pakistan, and partly by China. The region has been the subject of a bitter dispute between India and Pakistan since they became independent in 1947";</ref><ref name="Osmanczyk2003">{{citation|last1=Osmańczyk|first1=Edmund Jan|title=Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: G to M|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fSIMXHMdfkkC&pg=PA1191|year=2003|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-415-93922-5|pages=1191–}} Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir: Territory in northwestern India, subject to a dispute between India and Pakistan. It has borders with Pakistan and China."</ref> The region of Jammu and Kashmir is separated by the [[Line of Control]] from the [[Kashmir#Current status and political divisions|Pakistani-administered]] territories of [[Azad Kashmir]] and [[Gilgit-Baltistan]] in the west and north, respectively. It lies to the north of the Indian states of [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] and to the west of [[Ladakh]], which is also subject to the dispute as a part of Kashmir, and administered by India as a union territory.

Provisions for the formation of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir were contained within the [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019]], which was passed by both houses of the [[Parliament of India]] in August 2019. The act re-constituted the former [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|state of Jammu and Kashmir]] into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, with effect from 31 October 2019.<ref name="Gazette2" />

== Terminology ==
Jammu and Kashmir is named after the two regions it encompasses {{ndash}} the [[Jammu region]] and the [[Kashmir Valley]].

The Government of Pakistan and Pakistani sources refer to Jammu and Kashmir as a part of "Indian-occupied Kashmir" ("IOK") or "Indian-held Kashmir" (IHK).<ref>{{cite web |first= Ali | last=Zain |url= http://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pakistani-flag-hoisted-pro-freedom-slogans-chanted-in-indian-occupied-kashmir-567/ |title= Pakistani flag hoisted, pro-freedom slogans chanted in Indian Occupied Kashmir – Daily Pakistan Global |publisher= En.dailypakistan.com.pk |date= 13 September 2015 |access-date= 17 November 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151118114311/http://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pakistani-flag-hoisted-pro-freedom-slogans-chanted-in-indian-occupied-kashmir-567/ |archive-date= 18 November 2015 |url-status=live |df= dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://dunyanews.tv/index.php/en/World/298421-Pakistani-flag-hoisted-once-again-in-Indian-Occupi |title= Pakistani flag hoisted once again in Indian Occupied Kashmir |website=Dunya News |date= 11 September 2015 |access-date=17 November 2015}}</ref> The Government of India and Indian sources in turn, call the [[Pakistan-administered Kashmir|territory under Pakistan control]] "Pakistan-occupied Kashmir" ("POK") or "Pakistan-held Kashmir" ("PHK").<ref name="Snedden 2013 p.2-3">{{cite book |first=Christopher |last=Snedden |author-link=Christopher Snedden |title=Kashmir: The Unwritten History |publisher=HarperCollins India |year=2013 |isbn=978-9350298985 |pages=2–3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-enigma-of-terminology/article5621801.ece|title=The enigma of terminology|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016082903/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-enigma-of-terminology/article5621801.ece|archive-date=16 October 2015|newspaper=The Hindu|date=27 January 2014}}</ref>
"Indian-administered Kashmir" and "Indian-controlled Kashmir" are often used by neutral sources.<ref>South Asia: fourth report of session 2006–07 by By Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Foreign Affairs Committee page 37</ref>

== History ==
{{For|the 1954–2019 history|Jammu and Kashmir (state)#History}}
{{For|the pre-1954 history|Kashmir#History}}

The state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] was accorded special status by [[Article 370 of the Constitution of India]]. In contrast to other [[states of India]], Jammu and Kashmir had its own [[Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir|constitution]], [[Flag of Jammu and Kashmir|flag]] and administrative autonomy.<ref>{{citation |author=K. Venkataramanan |title=How the status of Jammu and Kashmir is being changed |newspaper=The Hindu |date=5 August 2019 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/explained-how-the-status-of-jammu-and-kashmir-is-being-changed/article28822866.ece?homepage=true}}</ref> Indian citizens from other states were not allowed to purchase land or property in Jammu and Kashmir.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/article-370-and-35a-revoked-how-it-would-change-the-face-of-kashmir/articleshow/70531959.cms|title=Article 370 and 35(A) revoked: How it would change the face of Kashmir|newspaper=The Economic Times|date=5 August 2019}}</ref>

Jammu and Kashmir had three distinct areas: Hindu-majority [[Jammu region]], Muslim-majority [[Kashmir Valley]] and Buddhist-dominated [[Ladakh]].<ref name=BBC6Aug>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-49234708 Article 370: What happened with Kashmir and why it matters]. BBC (6 August 2019). Retrieved 7 August 2019.</ref> Unrest and violence persisted in the Kashmiri Valley and, following a disputed state election in 1987, an [[insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir|insurgency persisted]] in protest over autonomy and rights.<ref name="BBC6Aug" /><ref>{{cite web|last1=Jeelani|first1=Mushtaq A.|title=Kashmir: A History Littered With Rigged Elections|url=http://www.mediamonitors.net/jeelani4.html|website=Media Monitors Network|access-date=24 February 2017|date=25 June 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304051443/http://www.mediamonitors.net/jeelani4.html|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref>

The [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) came to power in the [[2014 Indian general election]] and five years later included in their [[2019 Indian general election|2019 election manifesto]] the revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India, in order to bring Jammu and Kashmir to equal status with other states.<ref name=BBC6Aug/>

A resolution to [[Revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir|repeal Article 370]] was passed by both the houses of the [[Parliament of India]] in August 2019. At the same time, a [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019|reorganisation act]] was also passed, which would reconstitute the state into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/parliament-live-govt-to-move-jammu-and-kashmir-reorganisation-bill-for-passage-in-lok-sabha/article28831274.ece|title=Parliament Live | Lok Sabha passes Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, Ayes: 370, Noes 70|date=6 August 2019|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> The reorganisation took effect from 31 October 2019.<ref name="Gazette2">{{citation|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2019/210412.pdf|title=In exercise of the powers conferred by clause a of section 2 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act.|date=9 August 2019|access-date=9 August 2019|author=Ministry of Home Affairs|work=[[The Gazette of India]]}}</ref>

Thousands of Kashmiris, including two former Chief Ministers and hundreds of other politicians, were detained in prisons all across India,<ref name="reuters">{{cite news |title=Thousands detained in Indian Kashmir crackdown, official data reveals |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-kashmir-detentions/thousands-detained-in-indian-kashmir-crackdown-official-data-reveals-idUSKCN1VX142 |work=Reuters |date=September 12, 2019}}</ref> the state was put under a [[2019–2021 Jammu and Kashmir lockdown|lockdown]] and communication and internet services were suspended.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kashmir in lockdown after autonomy scrapped |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-49246434 |access-date=6 June 2021 |work=BBC News |date=6 August 2019}}</ref>

==Geography==


===Topography===
[[File:Kashmir top.jpg|thumb|[[Topographic map]] of Jammu and Kashmir, with visible altitude for the Kashmir valley and Jammu region.]]

Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, Tawi Valley, [[Chenab Valley]], [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]] Valley, [[Sind Valley]] and [[Lidder Valley]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Vij|first=Shivam|date=5 May 2017|title=Kashmir Is A Prison With Three Walls|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/05/04/kashmir-is-a-prison-with-three-walls_a_22070340/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505073150/http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/05/04/kashmir-is-a-prison-with-three-walls_a_22070340/|archive-date=5 May 2017|access-date=9 August 2019|work=[[HuffPost]]}} [https://shivamvij.in/2017/05/05/755/ Alt URL]</ref> The Kashmir valley is {{convert|100|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|15520.3|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} in area.<ref name="AA1">{{cite web|url=https://www.asianage.com/columnists/indus-water-flow-can-t-be-stopped-721|title=Indus: The water flow can't be stopped|first=Mohan|last=Guruswamy|work=[[The Asian Age]]|date=28 September 2016|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Himalayas]] divide the Kashmir valley from the [[Tibetan plateau]] while the [[Pir Panjal]] range, which encloses the valley from the west and the south, separates it from the [[Punjab Plain]] of the [[Indo-Gangetic Plain]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/opinion/a-tryst-of-the-heart-and-history-along-the-karakoram-highway/|title=A Tryst of the Heart and History along the Karakoram Highway|first=Asma|last=Khan|work=[[Greater Kashmir]]|date=26 April 2018|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> Along the northeastern flank of the Valley runs the main range of the Himalayas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zmescience.com/other/feature-post/india-pakistan-conflict-07032019/|title=Why India and Pakistan keep fighting over Kashmir – the history of the Kashmir conflict|first=Mihai|last=Andrei|work=GME Science|date=11 March 2019|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> This valley has an average height of {{convert|1850|m|ft}} above sea-level,<ref name="AA1"/> but the surrounding Pir Panjal range has an average elevation of {{convert|10000|ft|m}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/in-the-past-the-mountain-passes-were-entry-exit-points-for-travellers-and-invaders/article22136536.ece|title=Doorway of the gods: Himalaya crosses five countries|author1=Vrinda|author2=J. Ramanan|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=21 December 2017|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Jhelum River]] is the major Himalayan river which flows through the Kashmir valley.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Jhelum-River|title=Jhelum River|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|date=15 December 2015|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Tawi River|Tawi]], [[Ravi River|Ravi]] and [[Chenab River|Chenab]] are the other important rivers flowing through the region.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nation.com.pk/29-Jul-2019/flooding-alert-issued-as-india-releases-water|title=Flooding alert issued as India releases water|work=[[The Nation (Pakistan)|The Nation]]|author=Agencies|date=29 July 2019|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref>

==Administrative divisions==
[[File:J,K and L - Indian Union Territories.jpg|thumb|'''''Jammu and Kashmir union territory''''' (J and K) is bordered in carmine colour. '''''Ladakh union territory''''' (L) is bordered in blue colour.]]
{{Main|List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir}}

The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir consists of two [[Divisions of India|divisions]]: [[Jammu Division]] and [[Kashmir Division]], and is further divided into 20 [[Districts of India|districts]].<ref name=MHA>{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |title=Ministry of Home Affairs:: Department of Jammu & Kashmir Affairs |access-date=28 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208212815/http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |archive-date=8 December 2008 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-bottom: 0;"
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
!| Division
!| Name
!| Headquarters
!| Area (km2)
!| Area (sq miles)
!| Rural Area (km2)
!| Urban Area (km2)
!|

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
|rowspan=11|[[Jammu Division|Jammu]]
||[[Kathua district]]
|| [[Kathua]]
| {{convert|2502|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2458.84|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|43.16|2}}
|| <ref>{{cite report
|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0107_PART_A_DCHB_KATHUA.pdf |page=8 |work=Census of India 2011, Part A |title=District Census Handbook Kathua |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Jammu district]]
|| [[Jammu (city)|Jammu]]
| {{convert|2342|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2089.87|2}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|252.13|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0121_PART_A_DCHB_JAMMU.pdf |pages=13, 51, 116 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Jammu, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0121_PART_B_DCHB_JAMMU.pdf |pages=13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Jammu, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Samba district]]
|| [[Samba, Jammu|Samba]]
| {{convert|904|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|865.24|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|38.76|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0122_PART_A_DCHB_SAMBA.pdf |pages=9, 34, 36, 100 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Samba, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0122_PART_B_DCHB_SAMBA.pdf |pages=10, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Samba, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Udhampur district]]
|| [[Udhampur]]
| {{convert|2637.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2593.28|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|43.72|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0119_PART_B_DCHB_UDHAMPUR.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Udhampur |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Reasi district]]
|| [[Reasi]]
| {{convert|1719|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1679.99|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|39.01|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0120_PART_A_DCHB_REASI.pdf |pages=9, 37, 88 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Reasi, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0120_PART_B_DCHB_REASI.pdf |pages=9, 13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Reasi, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Rajouri district]]
|| [[Rajouri]]
| {{convert|2630|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2608.11|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|21.89|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0106_PART_A_DCHB_RAJOURI.pdf |pages=11, 107 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Rajouri, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0106_PART_B_DCHB_RAJOURI.pdf |pages=9, 10, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Rajouri, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir|Poonch district]]
|| [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]]
| {{convert|1674|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1649.92|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|24.08|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0105_PART_A_DCHB_PUNCH.pdf |pages=9, 99 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Punch, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0105_PART_B_DCHB_PUNCH.pdf |pages=11, 13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Punch, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Doda district]]
|| [[Doda, Jammu and Kashmir|Doda]]
| {{convert|8912.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|8892.25|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|19.75|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0116_PART_B_DCHB_DODA.pdf |pages=9, 12, 99 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Doda, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Ramban district]]
|| [[Ramban (Jammu and Kashmir)|Ramban]]
| {{convert|1329.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1313.92|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|15.08|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0117_PART_B_DCHB_RAMBAN.pdf |pages=10, 12 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Ramban, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kishtwar district]]
|| [[Kishtwar]]
| {{convert|1644.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1643.37|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|0.63|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0118_PART_B_DCHB_KISHTWAR.pdf |pages=9, 10, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kishtwar, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 9 says the rural area is 1643.65 km2, whilst pages 10 and 22 says 1643.37 km2.</ref>

|- style="background:lightblue; vertical-align:top;"
||Total for division
|| [[Jammu Division|Jammu]]
| {{convert|26293|km2|sqmi|disp=tablecen|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|25794.95|2}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|498.05|2}}
||

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
|rowspan=11 |[[Kashmir Division|Kashmir]]
||[[Anantnag district]]
|| [[Anantnag]]
| {{convert|3574|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|3475.76|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|98.24|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0114_PART_A_DCHB_ANANTNAG.pdf |page=9 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Anantnag, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0114_PART_B_DCHB_ANANTNAG.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Anantnag, Part B |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kulgam district]]
|| [[Kulgam]]
| {{convert|410|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|360.20|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.80|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0115_PART_A_DCHB_KULGAM.pdf |page=10 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kulgam, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0115_PART_B_DCHB_KULGAM.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kulgam, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 12 says the are of the district is 404 km2, but page 22 says 410 km2.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Pulwama district]]
|| [[Pulwama]]
| {{convert|1086.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1047.45|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|38.55|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0112_PART_B_DCHB_PULWAMA.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Pulwama, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Shopian district]]
|| [[Shopian]]
| {{convert|312.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|306.56|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|5.44|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0113_PART_A_DCHB_SHUPIYAN.pdf |page=10 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Shupiyan, Part A |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0113_PART_B_DCHB_SUPHIYAN.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Shupiyan, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B pages 12 and 22 say the district area is 312.00 km2, but Part A page 10 says 307.42 km2.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Budgam district]]
|| [[Budgam]]
| {{convert|1361|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1311.95|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.05|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0102_PART_A_DCHB_BADGAM.pdf |pages=10, 46 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Badgam, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0102_PART_B_DCHB_BADGAM.pdf |pages=11, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Badgam, Part B |date=16 June 2014|access-date=21 November 2020}} Part A says the district area is 1371 km2, Part B says 1371 km2 (page 11) and 1361 km2 (page 12s and 22).</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Srinagar district]]
|| [[Srinagar]]
| {{convert|1978.95|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1684.42|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|294.53|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0110_PART_A_DCHB_SRINAGAR.pdf |pages=11, 48 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Srinagar, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part A page 48 says the district area was 2228.0 km2 in 2001 and 1978.95 km2 in 2011.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Ganderbal district]]
|| [[Ganderbal]]
| {{convert|259|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|233.60|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|25.40|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0111_PART_B_DCHB_GANDERBAL.pdf |pages=11, 12 and 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Ganderbal, Part B |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 11 says the district area is 393.04 km2, but pages 12 and 22 say 259.00 km2.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Bandipora district]]
|| [[Bandipore|Bandipora]]
| {{convert|345|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|295.37|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.63|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0109_PART_A_DCHB_BANDIPORE.pdf |pages=10, 47 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Bandipora, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0109_PART_B_DCHB_BANDIPORE.pdf |pages=11, 20 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Bandipora, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Baramulla district]]
|| [[Baramulla]]
| {{convert|4243|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|4179.44|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|63.56|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0108_PART_A_DCHB_BARAMULA.pdf |page=11 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Baramulla, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0108_PART_B_DCHB_BARAMULA.pdf|page=22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Baramulla, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kupwara district]]
|| [[Kupwara]]
| {{convert|2379|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2331.66|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|47.34|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0101_PART_A_DCHB_KUPWARA.pdf |page=7 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kupwara, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0101_PART_B_DCHB_KUPWARA.pdf|pages=11, 12 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kupwara, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|- style="background:lightblue; vertical-align:top;"
||Total for division
|| [[Kashmir Division|Kashmir]]
| {{convert|15,948.00|km2|sqmi|disp=tablecen|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|15226.41|2}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|721.54|2}}
||

|}

==Demographics==
===Religion===
{{Pie chart|label1=[[Islam]]|value1=68.8|color1=Green|label2=[[Hinduism]]|value2=28.8|color2=orange|label3=[[Sikhism]]|value3=1.9|color3=yellow|label4=[[Christianity]]|value4=0.28|color4=blue|label5=[[Buddhism]]|value5=0.03|color5=Gold|label6=[[Jainism]]|value6=0.01|color6=Maroon|label7=Others|value7=0.01|color7=Grey|label8=Not Stated|value8=0.15|color8=Black|caption=Religions in Jammu and Kashmir (2011)<ref name="2011 Census">{{cite web|title=Population by religion community – 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|website=Census of India, 2011|publisher=The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825155850/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|archive-date=25 August 2015}}</ref>}}

Muslims constitutes the majority of the population of Jammu and Kashmir with a significant Hindu minority.<ref name="2011 Census"/>

The [[Kashmir Division]] is largely Muslim (96.41%) with a small Hindu (2.45%) and Sikh (0.81%) population. The [[Jammu Division]] is predominantly Hindu (66%) with a significant Muslim population (30%). The Muslims form a majority in the Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts of Jammu, while the Hindus form a majority in Kathua, Samba, Jammu and Udhampur districts. Reasi district has an almost equal number of Hindus and Muslims.<ref name="2011 Census"/>

==Government and politics==
{{main|Government of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir|Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly}}

The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir is administered under the provisions of [[:s:Constitution of India/Part VIII#Article 239|Article 239]] of the [[Constitution of India]]. The Article 239A, originally formulated for the union territory of [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puduchery]], will also be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir.<ref name="Indian Express">
[https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jammu-kashmir-bifurcation-ladakh-union-territory-key-takeaways-from-reorganisation-bill-article-370-amit-shah-5880177/ Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Bill passed by Rajya Sabha: Key takeaways], The Indian Express, 5 August 2019.
</ref>

===Executive branch===
The [[President of India]] appoints a [[List of Governors of Jammu and Kashmir|Lieutenant Governor]] for the union territory.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

A Council of Ministers led by a [[Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]] is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor from the membership of the legislative assembly. Their role is to advise the Lieutenant Governor in the exercise of functions in matters under the jurisdiction of the legislative assembly. In other matters, the Lieutenant Governor is empowered to act in his own capacity.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

===Legislative branch===
The legislative branch is of government is a unicameral [[Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir|legislative assembly]], whose tenure is five years. The legislative assembly may make laws for any of the matters in the [[State List]] of the Constitution of India except "public order" and "police", which will remain the preserve of the central [[Government of India]]. The Lieutenant Governor also has the power to promulgate ordinances which have the same force as the acts of the legislative assembly.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

Elections for the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly are to be held following the implementation of new constituency boundaries which is expected to be completed in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zeenews.india.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir-assembly-election-in-2021-after-delimitation-ec-sources-2230726.html|title=Jammu and Kashmir assembly election in 2021 after delimitation: EC sources|date=29 August 2019|website=Zee News}}</ref>

===Judicial branch===
[[FILE:Stamp of India - 2006 - Colnect 158978 - High Court of Jammu - Kashmir.jpeg|thumb|The [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]] on postal stamps of India]]
The union territory is under the jurisdiction of the [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]], which also serves as high court for [[Ladakh]].<ref name="Indian Express"/> Police services are provided by the [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]].<ref name="trnscpt">{{cite web|url=https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/salient-features-of-jammu-kashmir-reorganization-bill-146998|title=Salient Features Of Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization Bill [Read Bill]|first1=Devesh|first2=Iti|last1=Ratan|last2=Johri|date=7 August 2019|website=LiveLaw.in: All about law|access-date=7 August 2019}}</ref>

===Parties===
The main political parties active in the region are the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (State President: [[Ravinder Raina]]), the [[Indian National Congress]] (State President: [[Ghulam Ahmad Mir]]), the [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference]] (President: [[Farooq Abdullah]]) and the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party]] (President: [[Mehbooba Mufti]]). Other parties with a presence in the region parties include the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party]] (President: [[Altaf Bukhari]]), the [[Jammu and Kashmir Workers Party]] (President: Mir Junaid) and [[Ikkjutt Jammu]] (President: Ankur Sharma).

===Jammu and Kashmir in the Parliament of India===
Jammu and Kashmir sends five members (MPs) to the lower house of the [[Indian parliament]] (the [[Lok Sabha]]) and four members to the upper house (the [[Rajya Sabha]]).

;Lok Sabha constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Constituency No. !! style="width:180px;" |Constituency !! Reserved for (SC/ST/None)
|-
| align="centre" |1||[[Baramulla (Lok Sabha constituency)|Baramulla]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |2 ||[[Srinagar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Srinagar]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |3 ||[[Anantnag (Lok Sabha constituency)|Anantnag]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |4 ||[[Udhampur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Udhampur]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |5 ||[[Jammu (Lok Sabha constituency)|Jammu]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
|}

== Tourism ==
{{Main|Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir}}
Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, [[Chenab Valley]], [[Sind Valley|Sindh Valley]] and [[Lidder Valley]]. Some major tourist attractions in Jammu and Kashmir are [[Srinagar]], the [[Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar|Mughal Gardens]], [[Gulmarg]], [[Pahalgam]], [[Patnitop]] and [[Jammu]]. Every year, thousands of Hindu [[pilgrim]]s visit holy shrines of [[Vaishno Devi]] and [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath]] which has had significant impact on the state's economy.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200709130350.htm | work=Online edition of The Hindu|title=Amarnath Board to study yatra impact on Kashmir economy | access-date=6 June 2009|location=Chennai, India|date=13 September 2007}}</ref>

The Kashmir valley is one of the top tourist destinations of India.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200903181221.htm|work=Online edition of The Hindu|title=Foreign tourists flock Kashmir|access-date=18 March 2009|location=Chennai, India|date=18 March 2009}}</ref> [[Gulmarg]], one of the most popular [[ski resort]] destinations in India, is also home to the world's highest green [[golf course]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB119332713217271534?mod=googlenews_wsj|title=Fairway to Heaven|author=Cris Prystay|date=26 October 2007|work=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref> The decrease in violence in the state has boosted the state's economy, specifically tourism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sify.com/news/Tourists-arrival-gives-boost-to-J-K-economy-news-jm3v4cihjai.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716071016/http://www.sify.com/news/Tourists-arrival-gives-boost-to-J-K-economy-news-jm3v4cihjai.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-07-16|title=Tourists arrival gives boost to J-K economy|work=Sify}}</ref>

Jammu and Kashmir is also famous for its scenic beauty, flower gardens, apple farms and more. It attracts tourists for its unique handicrafts and the world-famous [[Kashmir shawl|Kashmiri Shawls]].

<gallery mode="packed" heights="134">
File:River Chenab Ramban.jpg|River Chenab in [[Chenab Valley]]
File:Gund village.jpg|[[Sind Valley|Sindh Valley]]
File:Pahalgam Valley.jpg|[[Lidder Valley]]
File:Shalimar Mughal Garden Srinagar 2.jpg|the [[Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar|Mughal Gardens]]
File:Pahalgam views 13.JPG|[[Pahalgam]] views
File:Gulmarg in 1969.jpg|[[Gulmarg]]
File:Sanasar Lake.jpeg|Sanasar Lake which is around 11 km from [[Patnitop]]
File:Amarnath 4.jpg|View of [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath]] Valley.
</gallery>

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Geography|Asia|India}}
* [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)]], for the entity that existed till 1952
* [[Kashmiriyat]]
* [[Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[Kashmiri cinema]]
* [[Literature of Kashmir]]
* [[Music of Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[Kus Bani Koshur Karorpaet]]
* [[DD Kashir]]
* [[AIR Srinagar]]
* [[University of Kashmir]]
* [[University of Jammu]]
* [[Central University of Kashmir]]
* [[Central University of Jammu]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir cricket team]]
* [[Real Kashmir F.C.]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir football team]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Rifles]]
{{-}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://jk.gov.in/ Government of Jammu and Kashmir]
* [https://jkgad.nic.in/ General Administration Department]
* [http://jkrajbhawan.nic.in/ Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir]
* [https://jammukashmir.s3waas.gov.in/ Jammu and Kashmir district portal]

{{Jammu and Kashmir topics}}
{{Kashmir Valley}}
{{States and Union Territories of India}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jammu And Kashmir}}
[[Category:Jammu and Kashmir| ]]
[[Category:North India|*]]
[[Category:History of the Republic of India]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 2019]]
[[Category:2019 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Urdu-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Kashmiri-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Disputed territories in Asia]]
[[Category:Union territories of India]]
[[Category:States and union territories of India]]

Puducherry (union territory)

2021-12-03T06:45:05Z

Knowledge: Reverted unconstructive edits

{{short description|Union territory of India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Puducherry
| other_name =
| image_skyline = {{photomontage
| photo1a = Rock beach aerial view.jpg
| photo2a = Image pondicherry.jpg
| photo2b = Matrimandir, Soul of the Auroville, near Pondicherry.JPG
| photo3b = Long exposure shot of Beach road near Pondicherry harbour.jpg
| spacing = 2
| position = centre
| size = 300
| border = 0
| color =
}}
| image_caption = Clockwise from the top: [[Promenade Beach]], [[Matrimandir]], Pondicherry harbour, Beach in Pondicherry
| native_name =
| type = [[Union territory]]
| image_flag =
| flag_type =
| flag_size
=
| image_blank_emblem = Seal of Puducherry.svg
| anthem = [[Tamil Thai Valthu (Puducherry)|Tamil Thai Valthu]]
| blank_emblem_type = Emblem
| blank_emblem_size = 125px
| image_map = IN-PY.svg
| map_caption = Location of Puducherry (marked in red) in [[India]]
| coordinates = {{coord|11.911082|79.812533|region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = Region
| subdivision_name1 = [[South India]]
| established_title1 = Formation
| established_date1 = 1 November 1954
(16 August 1962 as a UT)
| seat_type = Capital and Largest city
| seat = [[Pondicherry]]
| parts_type = [[List of Indian districts|Districts]]
| parts_style = para
| p1 = [[List of districts of Puducherry|4]]
| leader_title = [[List of lieutenant governors of Puducherry|Lieutenant Governor]]
| leader_name = [[Tamilisai Soundararajan]] [[Additional Charge]]
| leader_title1 = [[Chief Ministers of Puducherry|Chief Minister]]
| leader_name1 = [[N. Rangaswamy]] ([[All India NR Congress|AINRC]])
| area_total_km2 = 483
| area_rank = [[List of states and territories of India by area|34th]]
| population_total = 1,394,467
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_rank = [[List of states and territories of India by population|29th]]
| population_demonym = Puducherrian, Pondicherrian, Pondian
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +05:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN CODE]]
| postal_code = 6050(01)-(14)
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|IN-PY]]
| registration_plate = PY 01, PY 02, PY 03, PY 04, PY 05
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_title2 = Additional
| demographics1_info1 = [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Indian English|English]], [[Indian French|French]]<ref name="1965act">{{cite web |title=The Pondicherry Official Languages Act, 1965 |url=http://www.lawsofindia.org/pdf/puducherry/1965/1965Pondicherry3.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200503022028/http://www.lawsofindia.org/pdf/puducherry/1965/1965Pondicherry3.pdf |archive-date=3 May 2020 |website=lawsofindia.org |publisher=Laws of India |access-date=10 June 2019}}</ref>
| demographics1_info2 = [[Malayalam]]'' (in [[Mahé district|Mahé]])'', [[Telugu language|Telugu]] ''(in [[Yanam district|Yanam]])''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://districts.ecourts.gov.in/pondicherry/history |title=Official Languages of Pondicherry - E-Courts Mission, Government of India |access-date=12 June 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402195506/http://ecourts.gov.in/pondicherry/history |archive-date=2 April 2015 }}</ref>
| footnotes = {{note|leg|*}} 30 elected, 3 nominated
| leader_title2 = [[Chief Secretary (India)|Chief Secretary]]
| leader_name2 = Ashwani Kumar, [[Indian Administrative Service|IAS]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/new-chief-secretary-assumes-charge/article7288665.ece|title=New Chief Secretary assumes charge|last=Varma|first=M. Dinesh|date=6 June 2015|newspaper=The Hindu|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X|access-date=9 November 2016}}</ref>
| leader_title3 = [[Director General of Police]]
| leader_name3 = Balaji Srivastava, [[Indian Police Service|IPS]]
| leader_title4 = [[Puducherry Legislative Assembly|Legislature]]
| leader_name4 = [[Unicameral]] (33{{ref|leg|*}}seats) <ref>{{cite web|title=PUDUCHERRY LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY|url=http://legislativebodiesinindia.nic.in/PONDICHERY.htm|access-date=26 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171103094411/http://legislativebodiesinindia.nic.in/PONDICHERY.htm|archive-date=3 November 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
| blank_name_sec1 = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] {{nobold|(2018)}}
| blank_info_sec1 = {{increase}}0.738 (High) •[[List of Indian states and territories by Human Development Index|7th]]
| website = [https://www.py.gov.in www.py.gov.in]
| module = {{Infobox place symbols| embedded=yes
| region = Puducherry
| emblem = [[File:Seal of Puducherry.svg|50px|left]] [[Emblem of Puducherry]]
| country = India
| mammal = [[File:Funambulus palmarum (Bengaluru).jpg|50px|left]] [[Indian palm squirrel]] (Funambulus palmarum)<ref name="symbols"/>
| bird =[[File:Asian koel.jpg|50px|left]] [[Koel]] (Eudynamys scolopaceus)<ref name="symbols"/>
| flower = [[File:Lingam Flower.jpg|50px|left]] [[Cannonball tree|Cannonball tree flower]]<ref name="symbols"/>
| tree =[[File:Bael (Aegle marmelos) tree at Narendrapur W IMG 4116.jpg|50px|left]] [[Bael fruit tree]]<ref name="symbols">{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/04/21/stories/2007042103560200.htm |title=Tamil Nadu News : Puducherry comes out with list of State symbols |date=21 April 2007 |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130104225327/http://www.hindu.com/2007/04/21/stories/2007042103560200.htm |archive-date=4 January 2013 |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |url-status=dead }}</ref>
}}
}}
'''Puducherry''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|p|ʊ|d|ᵿ|ˈ|tʃ|ɛr|i}}), also known as '''Pondicherry''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|p|ɒ|n|d|ᵻ|ˈ|tʃ|ɛr|i}}), is a [[States and union territories of India|union territory]] of India. It was formed out of four territories of former [[French India]], namely [[Puducherry district|Pondichéry]] (Pondicherry; now Puducherry), [[Karaikal district|Karikal]] (Karaikal), [[Mahé district|Mahé]] and [[Yanaon]] ([[Yanam]]), excluding [[Chandannagar]]. It is named after the largest district, Puducherry. Historically known as Pondicherry ({{transl|ta|ISO|Pāṇṭiccēri}}), the territory [[Renaming of cities in India|changed its official name]] to Puducherry on 20 September 2006.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5365248.stm |title=South Asia | New name for old French territory |work=BBC News |date=20 September 2006 |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222055544/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5365248.stm |archive-date=22 February 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/22/stories/2006082207481000.htm |title=National : Bill to rename Pondicherry as Puducherry passed |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |date=22 August 2006 |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021123517/http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/22/stories/2006082207481000.htm |archive-date=21 October 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Union Territory of Puducherry lies in the [[South India|southern part]] of the Indian Peninsula. The areas of [[Puducherry district]] and [[Karaikal district]] are bound by the state of [[Tamil Nadu]], while [[Yanam district]] and [[Mahé district]] are enclosed by the states of [[Andhra Pradesh]] and [[Kerala]], respectively. Puducherry is the 29th most populous and the third most densely populated of the states and union territories of India. It has a gross domestic product (GDP) of {{INRConvert|210|b}} and ranks [[List of Indian states by GDP|25th in India]].<ref>{{cite web|title=State Domestic Product and other aggregates, 2004–05 series |url=http://mospi.nic.in/Mospi_New/upload/State-wise%20SDP-27.02.2015.xls |publisher=Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation |access-date=18 June 2015|archive-date=23 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150323115356/http://mospi.nic.in/Mospi_New/upload/State-wise%20SDP-27.02.2015.xls|date=27 February 2015}}</ref>

== History ==
{{Main|History of Puducherry}}
The earliest recorded history of the [[Pondicherry|municipality of Puducherry]] can be traced to the second century AD. The ''[[Periplus of the Erythraean Sea]]'' mentions a marketplace named ''Poduke'' (ch 60). [[G. W. B. Huntingford]] suggested this might be a site about 2 miles from the modern Puducherry, which was possibly the location of [[Arikamedu]] (now part of [[Ariyankuppam]]). Huntingford noted that Roman pottery was found at Arikamedu in 1937. In addition, [[archeology|archaeological]] excavations between 1944 and 1949 showed that it was "a trading station to which goods of Roman manufacture were imported during the first half of the 1st century" Subsequent investigation by Vimala Begley from 1989 to 1992 modified this assessment, and now place the period of occupation from the third or second century BC to the eighth century AD.<ref>
{{cite web | title=The Dating of Arikamedu and its Bearing on the Archaeology of Early Historical South India | author=Vimala Begley | url=http://utilisateurs.linguist.univ-paris-diderot.fr/~chevilla/FestSchrift/V_Beg_3x.pdf | access-date=1 January 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190101100834/http://utilisateurs.linguist.univ-paris-diderot.fr/~chevilla/FestSchrift/V_Beg_3x.pdf | archive-date=1 January 2019 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }}
</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea: Travel and Trade in the Indian Ocean by a Merchant of the First Century|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZoZwPQAACAAJ|date=July 2007|publisher=Kessinger Publishing|isbn=978-0-548-20943-1|page=119|access-date=15 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160517054619/https://books.google.com/books?id=ZoZwPQAACAAJ|archive-date=17 May 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1674, the municipality of Pondicherry (Pondichéry) became a French colony of the [[French colonial empire]]. Together with [[Chandannagar|Chandernagor]] (already French since 1673), [[Mahé, Puducherry|Mahé]] (since 1721), [[Yanam]] ([[Yanaon]]) (since 1731), [[Karaikal]] (Karikal) (since 1739) and [[Masulipatam]] (1760), it formed the French colony of [[French India]], under a single French governor in Pondicherry, although French rule over one or more of these enclaves was repeatedly interrupted by [[United Kingdom|British]] occupations. The territories of [[French India]] were completely transferred to the Republic of India de facto on 1 November 1954, and de jure on 16 August 1962, when French India ceased to exist, becoming the present Indian constituent union territory of Pondicherry, combining four coastal enclaves (with the exception of [[Chandannagar]], which merged with the state of [[West Bengal]] in 1954).

==Geography==
[[File:Puducherry Map.svg|thumb|left|Map showing the districts of Puducherry]]
{{further|List of rivers of Puducherry}}
The Union Territory of Puducherry consists of [[List of districts of Puducherry|four small unconnected districts]]: [[Puducherry district]] ({{cvt|293|sqkm|sqmi|disp=or}}), [[Karaikal district]] ({{cvt|161|sqkm|sqmi|disp=or}}) and [[Yanam district]] ({{cvt|20|sqkm|sqmi|disp=or}}) on the [[Bay of Bengal]] and [[Mahé district]] ({{cvt|9|sqkm|sqmi|disp=or}}) on the [[Laccadive Sea]], covering a total area of {{cvt|483|sqkm|sqmi}}. Puducherry and Karaikal have the largest areas and population, and are both [[enclaves]] of [[Tamil Nadu]]. Yanam and Mahé are enclaves of [[Andhra Pradesh]] and [[Kerala]], respectively. Its population, as per the [[2011 Census of India|2011 Census]], is 1,244,464.

Some of Puducherry's regions are themselves amalgamations of non-contiguous enclaves, often called "pockets" in India. The Puducherry region is made of 11 such pockets, some of which are very small and entirely surrounded by the territory of Tamil Nadu. Mahé region is made up of three pockets. This unusual geography is a legacy of the [[Colonialism|colonial period]] with Puducherry retaining the borders of former [[French India]].

All four regions of Puducherry are located in the coastal region. Five rivers in [[Puducherry district]], seven in [[Karaikal district]], two in [[Mahé district]] and one in [[Yanam district]] drain into the sea, but none originates within the territory.

===Districts of Union Territory of Puducherry===

* [[Puducherry district]] is an enclave of [[Tamil Nadu]].
* [[Karaikal district]] is also an enclave of [[Tamil Nadu]].
* [[Mahé district]] is an enclave of [[Kerala]].
* [[Yanam district]] is an enclave of [[Andhra Pradesh]].

==Demographics==
{{historical populations|11=1901|12=2,46,354|13=1911|14=2,57,179|15=1921|16=2,44,156|17=1931|18=2,58,628|19=1941|20=2,85,011|21=1951|22=3,17,253|23=1961|24=3,69,079|25=1971|26=4,71,707|27=1981|28=6,04,471|29=1991|30=8,07,785|31=2001|32=9,74,345|33=2011|34=12,47,953|percentages=pagr|footnote=source:<ref>[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/A2_Data_Table.html Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901]</ref>|align=right}}{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Religion in Puducherry
|label1 = [[Hinduism]]
|color1 = DarkOrange
|value1 = 87.30
|label2 = [[Christianity]]
|color2 = DodgerBlue
|value2 = 6.29
|label3 = [[Islam]]
|color3 = Green
|value3 = 6.05
|label4 = Others
|value4 = 0.36
|color4 = Chartreuse
}}

[[Hinduism]] is the major religion with 87.3% of the population adhering to it. Other religions include [[Christianity]] (6.29%) and [[Islam]] (6.05%).<ref>{{cite web|title=Population by religion community – 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|website=Census of India, 2011|publisher=The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825155850/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|archive-date=25 August 2015}}</ref>

== Government and administration ==

{{main|Puducherry Legislative Assembly|Puducherry Municipal Council}}
{{See also|List of Lieutenant Governors of Puducherry|List of Chief Ministers of Puducherry|List of districts of Puducherry}}

[[File:Puducherry Electoral Constituencies Map.svg|thumb|Puducherry Assembly seats]]

Puducherry is a [[Union Territory]] of India rather than a state, which implies that governance and administration fall directly under federal authority. However, Puducherry is one of the three union territories in India (the other being [[Delhi|National Capital Territory of Delhi]] and [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]) that is entitled by a [[Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of India|special constitutional amendment]] to have an elected legislative assembly and a cabinet of ministers, thereby conveying partial statehood.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lankabbc.com/blog/tag/pondicherry |title=Lanka BBC Info Know Puducherry: Government Name Pondicherry As Puducherry |website=lankabbc.com |date=29 June 2012 |access-date=24 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202235835/https://lankabbc.com/blog/tag/pondicherry/ |archive-date=2 February 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> There has been some interest by the territory's government in receiving full statehood, but budgetary issues remain a consideration. Also, Mahe and Yanam may oppose such a change of status.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2018/jul/26/will-pondys-attempt-to-get-statehood-succeed-1848833.html|title=Will Pondy's attempt to get statehood succeed?|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref>

The Centre is represented by the [[List of lieutenant governors of Puducherry|Lieutenant Governor]], who resides at the Raj Nivas (Le Palais du Gouverneur) at the Park, the former palace of the French governor. The central government is more directly involved in the territory's financial well-being unlike states, which have a central grant that they administer. Consequently, Puducherry has at various times, enjoyed lower taxes, especially in the [[indirect taxation|indirect]] category.

=== Special administration status ===

According to the Treaty of Cession of 1956, the [[French India|four territories of former French India]] territorial administration are permitted to make laws with respect to specific matters. In many cases, such legislation may require ratification from the federal government or the assent of the [[President of India]].

Article II of the Treaty states:
<blockquote>The Establishments will keep the benefit of the special administrative status which was in force prior to 1 November 1954. Any constitutional changes in this status which may be made subsequently shall be made after ascertaining the wishes of the people.</blockquote>

=== Languages ===
{{main article|Languages of Puducherry}}
The most widely spoken first language is [[Tamil language|Tamil]], which is native to {{sigfig|88.237|3}}% of the population. There are also speakers of [[Telugu language|Telugu]] ({{sigfig|5.9585|3}}%), [[Malayalam]] ({{sigfig|3.8448|3}}%) and [[Urdu]] ({{sigfig|0.6913|2}}%).

[[French language|French]] was the [[official language]] according to Article XXVIII of the ''[[Treaty establishing De Jure Cession of French Establishments in India|Traité de Cession]] (Treaty of Cession) of 1956''. According to the treaty, "''the French language shall remain the official language of the Establishments so long as the elected representatives of the people shall not decide otherwise''".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/hindi/sites/upload_files/mhahindi/files/pdf/GovernmentUnionterritoriesAct1963.pdf|title=The Government of Union Territories Act, 1963|publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India|access-date=1 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011621/http://mha.nic.in/hindi/sites/upload_files/mhahindi/files/pdf/GovernmentUnionterritoriesAct1963.pdf|archive-date=5 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Puducherry code volume 1|url=http://py.gov.in/portalapp/citizens/actsrules/LAWVOL1.pdf|publisher=Government of Puducherry|access-date=1 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925050612/https://www.py.gov.in/portalapp/citizens/actsrules/LAWVOL1.pdf|archive-date=25 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> After independence, the new official languages were recognised by The Pondicherry Official Language Act, 1965 (Act No. 3 of 1965) which makes no mention of French (but also not officially denying it)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ecourts.gov.in/pondicherry/history |title=History |publisher=District Court of Puducherry |access-date=12 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402195506/http://ecourts.gov.in/pondicherry/history |archive-date=2 April 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> This act stated that "the Tamil language shall (...) be the language to be used for all or any of the official purposes of the Union territory".<ref name="1965act" /> It also provides for the use of the Malayalam and Telugu languages in the Mahé and Yanam districts. The law also states that English "may be used for all or any of the official purposes of the Union territory".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cidif.go1.cc/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=84:0390-le-francais-a-pondichery-par-roland-breton&catid=25:lettre-nd22&Itemid=3|title=06-Le français à Pondichéry, par Roland Breton|author=CIDIF|work=go1.cc|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409112352/http://cidif.go1.cc/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=84:0390-le-francais-a-pondichery-par-roland-breton&catid=25:lettre-nd22&Itemid=3|archive-date=9 April 2015}}</ref> While the Union Territory official gazette's name is in French (''La Gazette de L'État de Poudouchéry'') it is published exclusively in English.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gstcouncil.gov.in/sites/default/files/sgst-notification/PUD-(R)-(18)-9.pdf |title=La Gazette de L' État de Poudouchéry The Gazette of Puducherry |website=gstcouncil.gov.in |access-date=21 June 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> Through the ''1963 Union Territories Act'', Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam became official languages used region-wide.

== Economy ==

The gross domestic product of Puducherry, at market prices estimated by Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation with figures in millions of [[Indian rupee]]s grew from 1,840 to 258,190 million rupees from 1980 to 2014.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year || Gross domestic product{{Clarify|date=June 2019}}
|-
| 1980 || 1,840
|-
| 1985 || 3,420
|-
| 1990 || 6,030
|-
| 1995 || 13,200
|-
| 2000 || 37,810
|-
| 2010 || 130,920
|-
| 2014 || 258,190<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://statisticstimes.com/economy/economy-of-puducherry.php|title=Economy of Puducherry - StatisticsTimes.com|website=statisticstimes.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.southasiaathudson.org/indian-states-1/2016/4/5/puducherry|title=Union Territory of Puducherry|website=South Asia Program at Hudson Institute}}</ref><ref>[[List of Indian states by GDP]]</ref>{{Better source needed|date=June 2019}}
|}

===Fisheries===
The potential for [[fishery|fisheries]] is substantial in the Union Territory. The four regions of the Union Territory have a coastline of 45 km with {{var|675|km2}} of inshore waters, {{convert|1.347|ha}} of inland water and 800 ha of [[brackish water]]. 27 marine fishing villages and 23 inland fishing villages host a fishermen population of about 65,000 of which 13,000 are actively engaged in fishing. Tanks and ponds are also tapped for commercial fish rearing.

===Tourism===
{{Main|Tourism in Puducherry}}

Puducherry is one of the most popular tourist spots in India for national and international tourists. Puducherry was the residence of [[Sri Aurobindo]] (1872–1950) and the [[Sri Aurobindo Ashram]] still operates from Puducherry. A unique experimental city [[Auroville]], the brainchild of [[Mirra Alfassa|the Mother]], whose inhabitants are drawn from all parts of the world is situated on the outskirts of the city. There are several temples, churches, monuments, parks, and mosques which attract tourists.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="134">
File:Pondicherry Legislative Assembly.jpg|Puducherry Legislative Assembly
File:Puducherry Coast.jpg|Puducherry Coast view
File:Mahe Boat House.jpg|Mahe riverside
File:A camel on the beach in Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, India.jpg|A camel on the beach in Puducherry, India
File:Karaikal Church.jpg|Karaikal church
File:Puducherry Immaculate Conception Cathedral retouched.jpg|Immaculate Conception Cathedral
File:Overview of Yanam.jpg|A bird's eye view of Yanam
File:Karaikal main road.JPG|Downtown Karaikal
</gallery>

==Transport==

=== Rail ===
[[File:Puducherry train station.JPG|thumbnail|[[Pondicherry railway station|Puducherry railway station]]]]
Puducherry is connected by a railway branch line from the five-way junction at [[Viluppuram]] and [[Chennai]]. The railway line is a [[broad gauge]] line with 16 originating trains and 17 terminating trains.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indiarailinfo.com/departures/puducherry-pondicherry-pdy/1232|title=Pondicherry Station - 16 Train Departures SR/Southern Zone - Railway Enquiry|last=karthik|website=indiarailinfo.com|access-date=17 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817161727/https://indiarailinfo.com/departures/puducherry-pondicherry-pdy/1232|archive-date=17 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Mean while [[Karaikal district|Karaikal]] and [[Mahé district|Mahe]] also well connected by railway lines. [[Peralam–Karaikal line|Several railway lines]] are also under construction in [[Karaikal district]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Rajaram|first=R.|date=2021-02-05|title=Karaikal-Peralam railway line project gets an impetus|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/karaikal-peralam-railway-line-project-gets-an-impetus/article33761412.ece|access-date=2021-05-12|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

=== Air ===
Puducherry has an airport called [[Pondicherry Airport|Puducherry airport]]. It has flight operations between Puducherry and Hyderabad.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Puducherry airport becomes AAI’s first 100% solar-powered airport - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/puducherry/puducherry-airport-becomes-aais-first-100-solar-powered-airport/articleshow/78464506.cms|access-date=2021-05-12|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref> A new airport is proposed in karaikal which is called as [[Karaikal Airport|karaikal airport]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-03-04|title=Greenfield airport at Karaikal waiting to take wings|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/greenfield-airport-at-karaikal-waiting-to-take-wings/article30979514.ece|access-date=2021-05-12|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

=== Sea ===
Puducherry U.T. has several ports namely Karaikal port, Puducherry port, Mahe port. Among them, Largest port is [[Karaikal Port]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=India's Largest Private Port to Handle large Vessels and Diverse Cargo Mix|url=https://karaikalport.com/|access-date=2021-05-12|website=karaikalport.com}}</ref>

=== Road ===
{{Main|Road Network in Puducherry District}}
{{further|Puducherry Road Transport Corporation}}
Puducherry has a network all-weather metalled roads connecting the territory. Puducherry has a road length of 2,552 km (road length per 4.87 km2), the highest in the country. [[Puducherry Road Transport Corporation|PRTC]] busses plays a vital role in puducherry U.T.
[[File:Yanam Draksharamam Road.jpg|thumb|Yanam Draksharamam Road, Puducherry]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! colspan="4" | Road length comparison with Tamil Nadu and India as a whole
|-
! colspan="3" | Total road length (in Puducherry)
| 2,552 km
|-
! rowspan="2" | Road length per 1000 km2
! Puducherry
! Tamil Nadu
! India
|-
| 4,575
| 1,572
| 663
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Classification of roads
! Sl. No.
! Type of road
! Length (km)
|-
| 1 || align=left | National highways || 64.450
|-
| 2 || align=left | State highways || 49.304
|-
| 3 || align=left | District and other roads {{blist|Puducherry– 173.384| [[Karaikal]]– 55.162| [[Mahé, India|Mahé]]– 19.622| [[Yanam]]– 26.460}} || '''274.628'''
|-
|-
| 4 || align=left | Rural roads {{blist|Puducherry–164.964| [[Karaikal]]– 83.470}} || '''248.434'''
|-
! colspan=2 align=left | Total length || 636.816
|}

== Education ==
[[File:JIPMER admin block.jpg|thumb|[[Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research]]]]
{{main|List of educational institutions in Puducherry}}
According to the 2011 census, Puducherry had a literacy rate of 86.55.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/data_files/india/Final_PPT_2011_chapter6.pdf|title=Ranking of states and union territories by literacy rate: 2011|publisher=Government of India|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706191931/http://censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/data_files/india/Final_PPT_2011_chapter6.pdf|archive-date=6 July 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Pondicherry University]] is a university centrally located in Puducherry.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pondicherry University |url=http://www.pondiuni.edu.in/about_uni.htm |publisher=Pondicherry University |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425174938/http://www.pondiuni.edu.in/about_uni.htm |archive-date=25 April 2011 }}</ref> Other educational institutions include [[Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research]] (JIPMER), Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (Government of Puducherry), Mahathma gandhi post graduate institute of dental science[GOVT OF PUDUCHERRY], Tagore Arts and Science College, Indira Gandhi College of Arts and Science (Government of Puducherry), [[Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute]], [[National Institute of Technology, Puducherry]], [[Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Institute of Engineering and Technology]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pkiet.edu.in |title=Welcome to the Website of PKIET |publisher=Pkiet.edu.in |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140217215809/http://www.pkiet.edu.in/ |archive-date=17 February 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Pondicherry Engineering College]], Mother Theresa Post Graduate and Research Institute of Health Sciences, Achariya College of Engineering Technology (ACET), [[Rajiv Gandhi College of Engineering and Technology]], [[Rajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences]], Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Research Institute, Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College Hospital, Sri Ganesh College of Engineering and Technology, and [[Sri Venkateshwaraa Medical College Hospital and Research Centre]].

== In popular culture ==
{{in popular culture|date=December 2020}}
* Puducherry was the setting for [[Yann Martel]]'s first third of his [[Booker Prize]]-winning novel ''[[Life of Pi]]'' (2001). A portion of the subsequent [[Life of Pi (film)|film adaptation]] was filmed there.<ref name=IMDBLifeofPi>{{cite web|title=Filming Locations|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0454876/locations|publisher=[[IMDb]]|access-date=3 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121201104912/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0454876/locations|archive-date=1 December 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Lee Langley]]'s novel ''A House in Pondicherry'' (1996) was set there.
* ''Prince Pondicherry'' is an Indian character from [[Roald Dahl]]'s children's novel ''[[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory]]'' (1964). The prince orders [[Willy Wonka]] to build a palace of chocolate in [[India]]; the palace melts in the hot sun.

== See also ==
{{Portal|Geography|Asia|India}}
* [[Puducherry (Lok Sabha constituency)]]
* [[Chandannagar]]
* [[French East India Company]]
* [[French colonial empire]]
* [[Municipal Administration in French India]]

== References ==
{{reflist|group=note}}
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Wikivoyage|Pondicherry (union territory)}}
{{commons category|Puducherry (union territory)}}
{{wikiquote}}
* [https://www.py.gov.in/ Official website of the Government of the Union Territory of Puducherry]
* [http://mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/5302/Treaty+establishing+De+Jure+Cession+of+French+Establishments+in+India Treaty establishing De Jure Cession of French Establishments in India]
* [http://tourism.puducherry.gov.in/ Official website of Department of Tourism, Pondicherry]
* {{Wikivoyage-inline}}
* [https://frenchbooksonindia.com/ Frenchbooksonindia.com an open access multilingual discovery tool on Pondicherry with book data from 1673 to 2020, full-text ebooks from 1531 to 1937 and in-text search from c. 1830 to c. 1920]
{{Puducherry}}
{{States and territories of India}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Puducherry| ]]
[[Category:South India|.]]
[[Category:Union territories of India]]
[[Category:English-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Tamil-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1963]]
[[Category:1963 establishments in India]]
[[Category:States and union territories of India]]

Puducherry (union territory)

2021-12-03T06:38:22Z

Knowledge: Fixed typo

{{short description|Union territory of India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Puducherry
| other_name =
| image_skyline = {{photomontage
| photo1a = Rock beach aerial view.jpg
| photo2a = Image pondicherry.jpg
| photo2b = Matrimandir, Soul of the Auroville, near Pondicherry.JPG
| photo3b = Long exposure shot of Beach road near Pondicherry harbour.jpg
| spacing = 2
| position = centre
| size = 300
| border = 0
| color =
}}
| image_caption = Clockwise from the top: [[Promenade Beach]], [[Matrimandir]], Pondicherry harbour, Beach in Pondicherry
| native_name =
| type = [[Union territory]]
| image_flag =
| flag_type =
| flag_size
=
| image_blank_emblem = Seal of Puducherry.svg
| anthem = [[Tamil Thai Valthu (Puducherry)|Tamil Thai Valthu]]
| blank_emblem_type = Emblem
| blank_emblem_size = 125px
| image_map = IN-PY.svg
| map_caption = Location of Puducherry (marked in red) in [[India]]
| coordinates = {{coord|11.911082|79.812533|region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = Region
| subdivision_name1 = [[South India]]
| established_title1 = Formation
| established_date1 = 1 November 1954
(16 August 1962 as a UT)
| seat_type = Capital and Largest city
| seat = [[Pondicherry]]
| parts_type = [[List of Indian districts|Districts]]
| parts_style = para
| p1 = [[List of districts of Puducherry|4]]
| leader_title = [[List of lieutenant governors of Puducherry|Lieutenant Governor]]
| leader_name = [[Tamilisai Soundararajan]] [[Additional Charge]]
| leader_title1 = [[Chief Ministers of Puducherry|Chief Minister]]
| leader_name1 = [[N. Rangaswamy]] ([[All India NR Congress|AINRC]])
| area_total_km2 = 483
| area_rank = [[List of states and territories of India by area|34th]]
| population_total = 1,394,467
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_rank = [[List of states and territories of India by population|29th]]
| population_demonym = Puducherrian, Pondicherrian, Pondian
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +05:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN CODE]]
| postal_code = 6050(01)-(14)
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|IN-PY]]
| registration_plate = PY 01, PY 02, PY 03, PY 04, PY 05
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_title2 = Additional
| demographics1_info1 = [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Indian English|English]], [[Indian French|French]]<ref name="1965act">{{cite web |title=The Pondicherry Official Languages Act, 1965 |url=http://www.lawsofindia.org/pdf/puducherry/1965/1965Pondicherry3.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200503022028/http://www.lawsofindia.org/pdf/puducherry/1965/1965Pondicherry3.pdf |archive-date=3 May 2020 |website=lawsofindia.org |publisher=Laws of India |access-date=10 June 2019}}</ref>
| demographics1_info2 = [[Malayalam]]'' (in [[Mahé district|Mahé]])'', [[Telugu language|Telugu]] ''(in [[Yanam district|Yanam]])''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://districts.ecourts.gov.in/pondicherry/history |title=Official Languages of Pondicherry - E-Courts Mission, Government of India |access-date=12 June 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402195506/http://ecourts.gov.in/pondicherry/history |archive-date=2 April 2015 }}</ref>
| footnotes = {{note|leg|*}} 30 elected, 3 nominated
| leader_title2 = [[Chief Secretary (India)|Chief Secretary]]
| leader_name2 = Ashwani Kumar, [[Indian Administrative Service|IAS]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/new-chief-secretary-assumes-charge/article7288665.ece|title=New Chief Secretary assumes charge|last=Varma|first=M. Dinesh|date=6 June 2015|newspaper=The Hindu|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X|access-date=9 November 2016}}</ref>
| leader_title3 = [[Director General of Police]]
| leader_name3 = Balaji Srivastava, [[Indian Police Service|IPS]]
| leader_title4 = [[Puducherry Legislative Assembly|Legislature]]
| leader_name4 = [[Unicameral]] (33{{ref|leg|*}}seats) <ref>{{cite web|title=PUDUCHERRY LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY|url=http://legislativebodiesinindia.nic.in/PONDICHERY.htm|access-date=26 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171103094411/http://legislativebodiesinindia.nic.in/PONDICHERY.htm|archive-date=3 November 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
| blank_name_sec1 = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] {{nobold|(2018)}}
| blank_info_sec1 = {{increase}}0.738 (High) •[[List of Indian states and territories by Human Development Index|7th]]
| website = [https://www.py.gov.in www.py.gov.in]
| module = {{Infobox place symbols| embedded=yes
| region = Puducherry
| flag = [[File:Indian Territory flag of Puducherry (proposed).png|50px|left]] [[Flag of Puducherry]]
| emblem = [[File:Seal of Puducherry.svg|50px|left]] [[Emblem of Puducherry]]
| country = India
| mammal = [[File:Funambulus palmarum (Bengaluru).jpg|50px|left]] [[Indian palm squirrel]] (Funambulus palmarum)<ref name="symbols"/>
| bird =[[File:Asian koel.jpg|50px|left]] [[Koel]] (Eudynamys scolopaceus)<ref name="symbols"/>
| flower = [[File:Lingam Flower.jpg|50px|left]] [[Cannonball tree|Cannonball tree flower]]<ref name="symbols"/>
| tree =[[File:Bael (Aegle marmelos) tree at Narendrapur W IMG 4116.jpg|50px|left]] [[Bael fruit tree]]<ref name="symbols">{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/04/21/stories/2007042103560200.htm |title=Tamil Nadu News : Puducherry comes out with list of State symbols |date=21 April 2007 |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130104225327/http://www.hindu.com/2007/04/21/stories/2007042103560200.htm |archive-date=4 January 2013 |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |url-status=dead }}</ref>
}}
}}
'''Puducherry''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|p|ʊ|d|ᵿ|ˈ|tʃ|ɛr|i}}), also known as '''Pondicherry''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|p|ɒ|n|d|ᵻ|ˈ|tʃ|ɛr|i}}), is a [[States and union territories of India|union territory]] of India. It was formed out of four territories of former [[French India]], namely [[Puducherry district|Pondichéry]] (Pondicherry; now Puducherry), [[Karaikal district|Karikal]] (Karaikal), [[Mahé district|Mahé]] and [[Yanaon]] ([[Yanam]]), excluding [[Chandannagar]]. It is named after the largest district, Puducherry. Historically known as Pondicherry ({{transl|ta|ISO|Pāṇṭiccēri}}), the territory [[Renaming of cities in India|changed its official name]] to Puducherry on 20 September 2006.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5365248.stm |title=South Asia | New name for old French territory |work=BBC News |date=20 September 2006 |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222055544/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5365248.stm |archive-date=22 February 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/22/stories/2006082207481000.htm |title=National : Bill to rename Pondicherry as Puducherry passed |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |date=22 August 2006 |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021123517/http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/22/stories/2006082207481000.htm |archive-date=21 October 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Union Territory of Puducherry lies in the [[South India|southern part]] of the Indian Peninsula. The areas of [[Puducherry district]] and [[Karaikal district]] are bound by the state of [[Tamil Nadu]], while [[Yanam district]] and [[Mahé district]] are enclosed by the states of [[Andhra Pradesh]] and [[Kerala]], respectively. Puducherry is the 29th most populous and the third most densely populated of the states and union territories of India. It has a gross domestic product (GDP) of {{INRConvert|210|b}} and ranks [[List of Indian states by GDP|25th in India]].<ref>{{cite web|title=State Domestic Product and other aggregates, 2004–05 series |url=http://mospi.nic.in/Mospi_New/upload/State-wise%20SDP-27.02.2015.xls |publisher=Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation |access-date=18 June 2015|archive-date=23 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150323115356/http://mospi.nic.in/Mospi_New/upload/State-wise%20SDP-27.02.2015.xls|date=27 February 2015}}</ref>

== History ==
{{Main|History of Puducherry}}
The earliest recorded history of the [[Pondicherry|municipality of Puducherry]] can be traced to the second century AD. The ''[[Periplus of the Erythraean Sea]]'' mentions a marketplace named ''Poduke'' (ch 60). [[G. W. B. Huntingford]] suggested this might be a site about 2 miles from the modern Puducherry, which was possibly the location of [[Arikamedu]] (now part of [[Ariyankuppam]]). Huntingford noted that Roman pottery was found at Arikamedu in 1937. In addition, [[archeology|archaeological]] excavations between 1944 and 1949 showed that it was "a trading station to which goods of Roman manufacture were imported during the first half of the 1st century" Subsequent investigation by Vimala Begley from 1989 to 1992 modified this assessment, and now place the period of occupation from the third or second century BC to the eighth century AD.<ref>
{{cite web | title=The Dating of Arikamedu and its Bearing on the Archaeology of Early Historical South India | author=Vimala Begley | url=http://utilisateurs.linguist.univ-paris-diderot.fr/~chevilla/FestSchrift/V_Beg_3x.pdf | access-date=1 January 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190101100834/http://utilisateurs.linguist.univ-paris-diderot.fr/~chevilla/FestSchrift/V_Beg_3x.pdf | archive-date=1 January 2019 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }}
</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea: Travel and Trade in the Indian Ocean by a Merchant of the First Century|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZoZwPQAACAAJ|date=July 2007|publisher=Kessinger Publishing|isbn=978-0-548-20943-1|page=119|access-date=15 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160517054619/https://books.google.com/books?id=ZoZwPQAACAAJ|archive-date=17 May 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1674, the municipality of Pondicherry (Pondichéry) became a French colony of the [[French colonial empire]]. Together with [[Chandannagar|Chandernagor]] (already French since 1673), [[Mahé, Puducherry|Mahé]] (since 1721), [[Yanam]] ([[Yanaon]]) (since 1731), [[Karaikal]] (Karikal) (since 1739) and [[Masulipatam]] (1760), it formed the French colony of [[French India]], under a single French governor in Pondicherry, although French rule over one or more of these enclaves was repeatedly interrupted by [[United Kingdom|British]] occupations. The territories of [[French India]] were completely transferred to the Republic of India de facto on 1 November 1954, and de jure on 16 August 1962, when French India ceased to exist, becoming the present Indian constituent union territory of Pondicherry, combining four coastal enclaves (with the exception of [[Chandannagar]], which merged with the state of [[West Bengal]] in 1954).

==Geography==
[[File:Puducherry Map.svg|thumb|left|Map showing the districts of Puducherry]]
{{further|List of rivers of Puducherry}}
The Union Territory of Puducherry consists of [[List of districts of Puducherry|four small unconnected districts]]: [[Puducherry district]] ({{cvt|293|sqkm|sqmi|disp=or}}), [[Karaikal district]] ({{cvt|161|sqkm|sqmi|disp=or}}) and [[Yanam district]] ({{cvt|20|sqkm|sqmi|disp=or}}) on the [[Bay of Bengal]] and [[Mahé district]] ({{cvt|9|sqkm|sqmi|disp=or}}) on the [[Laccadive Sea]], covering a total area of {{cvt|483|sqkm|sqmi}}. Puducherry and Karaikal have the largest areas and population, and are both [[enclaves]] of [[Tamil Nadu]]. Yanam and Mahé are enclaves of [[Andhra Pradesh]] and [[Kerala]], respectively. Its population, as per the [[2011 Census of India|2011 Census]], is 1,244,464.

Some of Puducherry's regions are themselves amalgamations of non-contiguous enclaves, often called "pockets" in India. The Puducherry region is made of 11 such pockets, some of which are very small and entirely surrounded by the territory of Tamil Nadu. Mahé region is made up of three pockets. This unusual geography is a legacy of the [[Colonialism|colonial period]] with Puducherry retaining the borders of former [[French India]].

All four regions of Puducherry are located in the coastal region. Five rivers in [[Puducherry district]], seven in [[Karaikal district]], two in [[Mahé district]] and one in [[Yanam district]] drain into the sea, but none originates within the territory.

===Districts of Union Territory of Puducherry===

* [[Puducherry district]] is an enclave of [[Tamil Nadu]].
* [[Karaikal district]] is also an enclave of [[Tamil Nadu]].
* [[Mahé district]] is an enclave of [[Kerala]].
* [[Yanam district]] is an enclave of [[Andhra Pradesh]].

==Demographics==
{{historical populations|11=1901|12=2,46,354|13=1911|14=2,57,179|15=1921|16=2,44,156|17=1931|18=2,58,628|19=1941|20=2,85,011|21=1951|22=3,17,253|23=1961|24=3,69,079|25=1971|26=4,71,707|27=1981|28=6,04,471|29=1991|30=8,07,785|31=2001|32=9,74,345|33=2011|34=12,47,953|percentages=pagr|footnote=source:<ref>[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/A2_Data_Table.html Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901]</ref>|align=right}}{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Religion in Puducherry
|label1 = [[Hinduism]]
|color1 = DarkOrange
|value1 = 87.30
|label2 = [[Christianity]]
|color2 = DodgerBlue
|value2 = 6.29
|label3 = [[Islam]]
|color3 = Green
|value3 = 6.05
|label4 = Others
|value4 = 0.36
|color4 = Chartreuse
}}

[[Hinduism]] is the major religion with 87.3% of the population adhering to it. Other religions include [[Christianity]] (6.29%) and [[Islam]] (6.05%).<ref>{{cite web|title=Population by religion community – 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|website=Census of India, 2011|publisher=The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825155850/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|archive-date=25 August 2015}}</ref>

== Government and administration ==

{{main|Puducherry Legislative Assembly|Puducherry Municipal Council}}
{{See also|List of Lieutenant Governors of Puducherry|List of Chief Ministers of Puducherry|List of districts of Puducherry}}

[[File:Puducherry Electoral Constituencies Map.svg|thumb|Puducherry Assembly seats]]

Puducherry is a [[Union Territory]] of India rather than a state, which implies that governance and administration fall directly under federal authority. However, Puducherry is one of the three union territories in India (the other being [[Delhi|National Capital Territory of Delhi]] and [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]) that is entitled by a [[Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of India|special constitutional amendment]] to have an elected legislative assembly and a cabinet of ministers, thereby conveying partial statehood.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lankabbc.com/blog/tag/pondicherry |title=Lanka BBC Info Know Puducherry: Government Name Pondicherry As Puducherry |website=lankabbc.com |date=29 June 2012 |access-date=24 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202235835/https://lankabbc.com/blog/tag/pondicherry/ |archive-date=2 February 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> There has been some interest by the territory's government in receiving full statehood, but budgetary issues remain a consideration. Also, Mahe and Yanam may oppose such a change of status.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2018/jul/26/will-pondys-attempt-to-get-statehood-succeed-1848833.html|title=Will Pondy's attempt to get statehood succeed?|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref>

The Centre is represented by the [[List of lieutenant governors of Puducherry|Lieutenant Governor]], who resides at the Raj Nivas (Le Palais du Gouverneur) at the Park, the former palace of the French governor. The central government is more directly involved in the territory's financial well-being unlike states, which have a central grant that they administer. Consequently, Puducherry has at various times, enjoyed lower taxes, especially in the [[indirect taxation|indirect]] category.

=== Special administration status ===

According to the Treaty of Cession of 1956, the [[French India|four territories of former French India]] territorial administration are permitted to make laws with respect to specific matters. In many cases, such legislation may require ratification from the federal government or the assent of the [[President of India]].

Article II of the Treaty states:
<blockquote>The Establishments will keep the benefit of the special administrative status which was in force prior to 1 November 1954. Any constitutional changes in this status which may be made subsequently shall be made after ascertaining the wishes of the people.</blockquote>

=== Languages ===
{{main article|Languages of Puducherry}}
The most widely spoken first language is [[Tamil language|Tamil]], which is native to {{sigfig|88.237|3}}% of the population. There are also speakers of [[Telugu language|Telugu]] ({{sigfig|5.9585|3}}%), [[Malayalam]] ({{sigfig|3.8448|3}}%) and [[Urdu]] ({{sigfig|0.6913|2}}%).

[[French language|French]] was the [[official language]] according to Article XXVIII of the ''[[Treaty establishing De Jure Cession of French Establishments in India|Traité de Cession]] (Treaty of Cession) of 1956''. According to the treaty, "''the French language shall remain the official language of the Establishments so long as the elected representatives of the people shall not decide otherwise''".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/hindi/sites/upload_files/mhahindi/files/pdf/GovernmentUnionterritoriesAct1963.pdf|title=The Government of Union Territories Act, 1963|publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India|access-date=1 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011621/http://mha.nic.in/hindi/sites/upload_files/mhahindi/files/pdf/GovernmentUnionterritoriesAct1963.pdf|archive-date=5 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Puducherry code volume 1|url=http://py.gov.in/portalapp/citizens/actsrules/LAWVOL1.pdf|publisher=Government of Puducherry|access-date=1 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925050612/https://www.py.gov.in/portalapp/citizens/actsrules/LAWVOL1.pdf|archive-date=25 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> After independence, the new official languages were recognised by The Pondicherry Official Language Act, 1965 (Act No. 3 of 1965) which makes no mention of French (but also not officially denying it)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ecourts.gov.in/pondicherry/history |title=History |publisher=District Court of Puducherry |access-date=12 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402195506/http://ecourts.gov.in/pondicherry/history |archive-date=2 April 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> This act stated that "the Tamil language shall (...) be the language to be used for all or any of the official purposes of the Union territory".<ref name="1965act" /> It also provides for the use of the Malayalam and Telugu languages in the Mahé and Yanam districts. The law also states that English "may be used for all or any of the official purposes of the Union territory".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cidif.go1.cc/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=84:0390-le-francais-a-pondichery-par-roland-breton&catid=25:lettre-nd22&Itemid=3|title=06-Le français à Pondichéry, par Roland Breton|author=CIDIF|work=go1.cc|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409112352/http://cidif.go1.cc/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=84:0390-le-francais-a-pondichery-par-roland-breton&catid=25:lettre-nd22&Itemid=3|archive-date=9 April 2015}}</ref> While the Union Territory official gazette's name is in French (''La Gazette de L'État de Poudouchéry'') it is published exclusively in English.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gstcouncil.gov.in/sites/default/files/sgst-notification/PUD-(R)-(18)-9.pdf |title=La Gazette de L' État de Poudouchéry The Gazette of Puducherry |website=gstcouncil.gov.in |access-date=21 June 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> Through the ''1963 Union Territories Act'', Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam became official languages used region-wide.

== Economy ==

The gross domestic product of Puducherry, at market prices estimated by Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation with figures in millions of [[Indian rupee]]s grew from 1,840 to 258,190 million rupees from 1980 to 2014.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year || Gross domestic product{{Clarify|date=June 2019}}
|-
| 1980 || 1,840
|-
| 1985 || 3,420
|-
| 1990 || 6,030
|-
| 1995 || 13,200
|-
| 2000 || 37,810
|-
| 2010 || 130,920
|-
| 2014 || 258,190<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://statisticstimes.com/economy/economy-of-puducherry.php|title=Economy of Puducherry - StatisticsTimes.com|website=statisticstimes.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.southasiaathudson.org/indian-states-1/2016/4/5/puducherry|title=Union Territory of Puducherry|website=South Asia Program at Hudson Institute}}</ref><ref>[[List of Indian states by GDP]]</ref>{{Better source needed|date=June 2019}}
|}

===Fisheries===
The potential for [[fishery|fisheries]] is substantial in the Union Territory. The four regions of the Union Territory have a coastline of 45 km with {{var|675|km2}} of inshore waters, {{convert|1.347|ha}} of inland water and 800 ha of [[brackish water]]. 27 marine fishing villages and 23 inland fishing villages host a fishermen population of about 65,000 of which 13,000 are actively engaged in fishing. Tanks and ponds are also tapped for commercial fish rearing.

===Tourism===
{{Main|Tourism in Puducherry}}

Puducherry is one of the most popular tourist spots in India for national and international tourists. Puducherry was the residence of [[Sri Aurobindo]] (1872–1950) and the [[Sri Aurobindo Ashram]] still operates from Puducherry. A unique experimental city [[Auroville]], the brainchild of [[Mirra Alfassa|the Mother]], whose inhabitants are drawn from all parts of the world is situated on the outskirts of the city. There are several temples, churches, monuments, parks, and mosques which attract tourists.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="134">
File:Pondicherry Legislative Assembly.jpg|Puducherry Legislative Assembly
File:Puducherry Coast.jpg|Puducherry Coast view
File:Mahe Boat House.jpg|Mahe riverside
File:A camel on the beach in Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, India.jpg|A camel on the beach in Puducherry, India
File:Karaikal Church.jpg|Karaikal church
File:Puducherry Immaculate Conception Cathedral retouched.jpg|Immaculate Conception Cathedral
File:Overview of Yanam.jpg|A bird's eye view of Yanam
File:Karaikal main road.JPG|Downtown Karaikal
</gallery>

==Transport==

=== Rail ===
[[File:Puducherry train station.JPG|thumbnail|[[Pondicherry railway station|Puducherry railway station]]]]
Puducherry is connected by a railway branch line from the five-way junction at [[Viluppuram]] and [[Chennai]]. The railway line is a [[broad gauge]] line with 16 originating trains and 17 terminating trains.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indiarailinfo.com/departures/puducherry-pondicherry-pdy/1232|title=Pondicherry Station - 16 Train Departures SR/Southern Zone - Railway Enquiry|last=karthik|website=indiarailinfo.com|access-date=17 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817161727/https://indiarailinfo.com/departures/puducherry-pondicherry-pdy/1232|archive-date=17 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Mean while [[Karaikal district|Karaikal]] and [[Mahé district|Mahe]] also well connected by railway lines. [[Peralam–Karaikal line|Several railway lines]] are also under construction in [[Karaikal district]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Rajaram|first=R.|date=2021-02-05|title=Karaikal-Peralam railway line project gets an impetus|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/karaikal-peralam-railway-line-project-gets-an-impetus/article33761412.ece|access-date=2021-05-12|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

=== Air ===
Puducherry has an airport called [[Pondicherry Airport|Puducherry airport]]. It has flight operations between Puducherry and Hyderabad.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Puducherry airport becomes AAI’s first 100% solar-powered airport - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/puducherry/puducherry-airport-becomes-aais-first-100-solar-powered-airport/articleshow/78464506.cms|access-date=2021-05-12|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref> A new airport is proposed in karaikal which is called as [[Karaikal Airport|karaikal airport]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-03-04|title=Greenfield airport at Karaikal waiting to take wings|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/greenfield-airport-at-karaikal-waiting-to-take-wings/article30979514.ece|access-date=2021-05-12|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

=== Sea ===
Puducherry U.T. has several ports namely Karaikal port, Puducherry port, Mahe port. Among them, Largest port is [[Karaikal Port]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=India's Largest Private Port to Handle large Vessels and Diverse Cargo Mix|url=https://karaikalport.com/|access-date=2021-05-12|website=karaikalport.com}}</ref>

=== Road ===
{{Main|Road Network in Puducherry District}}
{{further|Puducherry Road Transport Corporation}}
Puducherry has a network all-weather metalled roads connecting the territory. Puducherry has a road length of 2,552 km (road length per 4.87 km2), the highest in the country. [[Puducherry Road Transport Corporation|PRTC]] busses plays a vital role in puducherry U.T.
[[File:Yanam Draksharamam Road.jpg|thumb|Yanam Draksharamam Road, Puducherry]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! colspan="4" | Road length comparison with Tamil Nadu and India as a whole
|-
! colspan="3" | Total road length (in Puducherry)
| 2,552 km
|-
! rowspan="2" | Road length per 1000 km2
! Puducherry
! Tamil Nadu
! India
|-
| 4,575
| 1,572
| 663
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Classification of roads
! Sl. No.
! Type of road
! Length (km)
|-
| 1 || align=left | National highways || 64.450
|-
| 2 || align=left | State highways || 49.304
|-
| 3 || align=left | District and other roads {{blist|Puducherry– 173.384| [[Karaikal]]– 55.162| [[Mahé, India|Mahé]]– 19.622| [[Yanam]]– 26.460}} || '''274.628'''
|-
|-
| 4 || align=left | Rural roads {{blist|Puducherry–164.964| [[Karaikal]]– 83.470}} || '''248.434'''
|-
! colspan=2 align=left | Total length || 636.816
|}

== Education ==
[[File:JIPMER admin block.jpg|thumb|[[Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research]]]]
{{main|List of educational institutions in Puducherry}}
According to the 2011 census, Puducherry had a literacy rate of 86.55.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/data_files/india/Final_PPT_2011_chapter6.pdf|title=Ranking of states and union territories by literacy rate: 2011|publisher=Government of India|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706191931/http://censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/data_files/india/Final_PPT_2011_chapter6.pdf|archive-date=6 July 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Pondicherry University]] is a university centrally located in Puducherry.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pondicherry University |url=http://www.pondiuni.edu.in/about_uni.htm |publisher=Pondicherry University |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425174938/http://www.pondiuni.edu.in/about_uni.htm |archive-date=25 April 2011 }}</ref> Other educational institutions include [[Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research]] (JIPMER), Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (Government of Puducherry), Mahathma gandhi post graduate institute of dental science[GOVT OF PUDUCHERRY], Tagore Arts and Science College, Indira Gandhi College of Arts and Science (Government of Puducherry), [[Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute]], [[National Institute of Technology, Puducherry]], [[Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Institute of Engineering and Technology]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pkiet.edu.in |title=Welcome to the Website of PKIET |publisher=Pkiet.edu.in |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140217215809/http://www.pkiet.edu.in/ |archive-date=17 February 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Pondicherry Engineering College]], Mother Theresa Post Graduate and Research Institute of Health Sciences, Achariya College of Engineering Technology (ACET), [[Rajiv Gandhi College of Engineering and Technology]], [[Rajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences]], Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Research Institute, Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College Hospital, Sri Ganesh College of Engineering and Technology, and [[Sri Venkateshwaraa Medical College Hospital and Research Centre]].

== In popular culture ==
{{in popular culture|date=December 2020}}
* Puducherry was the setting for [[Yann Martel]]'s first third of his [[Booker Prize]]-winning novel ''[[Life of Pi]]'' (2001). A portion of the subsequent [[Life of Pi (film)|film adaptation]] was filmed there.<ref name=IMDBLifeofPi>{{cite web|title=Filming Locations|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0454876/locations|publisher=[[IMDb]]|access-date=3 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121201104912/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0454876/locations|archive-date=1 December 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Lee Langley]]'s novel ''A House in Pondicherry'' (1996) was set there.
* ''Prince Pondicherry'' is an Indian character from [[Roald Dahl]]'s children's novel ''[[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory]]'' (1964). The prince orders [[Willy Wonka]] to build a palace of chocolate in [[India]]; the palace melts in the hot sun.

== See also ==
{{Portal|Geography|Asia|India}}
* [[Puducherry (Lok Sabha constituency)]]
* [[Chandannagar]]
* [[French East India Company]]
* [[French colonial empire]]
* [[Municipal Administration in French India]]

== References ==
{{reflist|group=note}}
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Wikivoyage|Pondicherry (union territory)}}
{{commons category|Puducherry (union territory)}}
{{wikiquote}}
* [https://www.py.gov.in/ Official website of the Government of the Union Territory of Puducherry]
* [http://mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/5302/Treaty+establishing+De+Jure+Cession+of+French+Establishments+in+India Treaty establishing De Jure Cession of French Establishments in India]
* [http://tourism.puducherry.gov.in/ Official website of Department of Tourism, Pondicherry]
* {{Wikivoyage-inline}}
* [https://frenchbooksonindia.com/ Frenchbooksonindia.com an open access multilingual discovery tool on Pondicherry with book data from 1673 to 2020, full-text ebooks from 1531 to 1937 and in-text search from c. 1830 to c. 1920]
{{Puducherry}}
{{States and territories of India}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Puducherry| ]]
[[Category:South India|.]]
[[Category:Union territories of India]]
[[Category:English-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Tamil-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1963]]
[[Category:1963 establishments in India]]
[[Category:States and union territories of India]]

Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)

2021-12-03T06:29:41Z

Knowledge: Added content

{{Short description|Union territory of India}}
{{About|the Union Territory of the Indian Union|the [[princely state]] during the [[British Raj]]|Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|the [[former state]] of India|Jammu and Kashmir (state)|}}

{{pp-30-500|small=yes}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Jammu and Kashmir
| settlement_type = [[States and union territories of India|UNION TERRITORY]]
| image_skyline = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Pahalgam Valley.jpg
| photo2a = Akhnoor Fort - Jammu - Jammu and Kashmir - DSC 0001 JPEG.jpg
| photo3a =
| photo4a =
| spacing = 2
| position = centre
| size = 220
| border = 0
| color = #000000
| foot_montage = [[Lidder Valley]], [[Akhnoor Fort]]
}}
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| image_flag =
| flag_size =
| flag_type =
| image_blank_emblem =
| blank_emblem_size =
| blank_emblem_type =
| image_map = File:Map of UT of Jammu and Kashmir and UT of Ladakh.jpg
| map_alt = Jammu and Kashmir
| map_caption = A map of Jammu and Kashmir (union Territory) bordered with yellow colour
| image_map1 = Kashmir Region November 2019.jpg
| map_caption1 = A map of the disputed [[Jammu and Kashmir]] region showing the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir
| coordinates = {{coord|33.5|75.0|region:IN-JK_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{Flag|India}}
| established_title = [[States and union territories of India|Union territory]]
| established_date = 31 October 2019
| seat_type = Capital
| seat = [[Srinagar]] (May–October) [[Jammu]] (Nov-April)<ref name="Darbar Move">{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-darbar-move-in-j-k-all-about/article18409452.ece |title=What is the Darbar Move in J&K all about? |last=Desk |first=The Hindu Net |date=8 May 2017 |newspaper=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110135648/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-darbar-move-in-j-k-all-about/article18409452.ece |archive-date=10 November 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| parts_type = [[List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir|Districts]]
| parts_style = para
| p1 = [[List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir|20]]
| government_footnotes =
| governing_body = [[Government of Jammu and Kashmir]]
| leader_title = [[List of lieutenant governors of Jammu and Kashmir|Lieutenant Governor]]
| leader_name = [[Manoj Sinha]]
| leader_title1 = [[Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]]
| leader_name1 = ''Vacant''
| leader_title2 = [[Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly|Legislature]]
| leader_name2 = [[Unicameralism|Unicameral]] (114 seats)<ref>{{cite news |url =https://www.livemint.com/news/india/new-dawn-for-j-k-begins-two-new-federal-units-take-shape-11572493040564.html|title =Jammu and Kashmir transitions from a state into 2 federal units|author =Shaswati Das|publisher =Live Mint|website =livemint.com|quote =Jammu and Kashmir will also have its own legislative assembly, under which, according to the Act, the number of seats will go up to 114 from 87 currently, following a delimitation exercise.|access-date =30 June 2020}}</ref>
| leader_title3 = [[17th Lok Sabha|Parliamentary constituency]]
| leader_name3 = [[Rajya Sabha]] (4) [[Lok Sabha]] (5)
| leader_title4 = [[High Courts of India|High Court]]
| leader_name4 = [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]]
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes = {{efn|Jammu and Kashmir is a [[disputed territory]] between [[India]] and [[Pakistan]]. Jammu and Kashmir has 42,241 km2 of area administered by India and 13,297 km2 of area controlled by Pakistan under Azad Kashmir which is claimed by India as part of Jammu and Kashmir.}}
| area_total_km2 = 42,241
| area_rank =
| elevation_max_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197506500/Saser-Kangri|title=Saser Kangri |journal= The American Alpine Journal (AAJ)|date=1975 |first1=Jogindar |last1=Singh |access-date=14 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214115923/http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197506500/Saser-Kangri|archive-date=14 February 2019|url-status=live |pages=67–67}} [https://aac-publications.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/aaj/1975/PDF/AAJ_1975_20_1_065.pdf pdf of original pages]</ref>
| elevation_max_m = 7135
| elevation_max_ft =
| elevation_max_point = [[Nun Kun|Nun Peak]]
| elevation_max_rank =
| elevation_min_footnotes =
| elevation_min_m = 247
| elevation_min_ft =
| elevation_min_point =  [[Chenab River]]
| elevation_min_rank =
| population_total = 12,267,013
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Vijaita |title=Only J&K will use 2011 Census for delimitation |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/only-jk-will-use-2011-census-for-delimitation/article30952006.ece |access-date=6 November 2020 |work=The Hindu |date=29 February 2020 |language=en-IN}}</ref>
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_rank =
| population_note =
| registration_plate = JK
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +05:30
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|IN-JK]]
| unemployment_rate =
| blank_info_sec1 = {{Increase}} 0.688 (Medium)
| blank_name_sec1 = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] {{nobold|(2018)}}
| blank1_info_sec1 =
| blank_name_sec2 = [[Literacy in India|Literacy]]
| blank_info_sec2 =
| blank2_name_sec2 =
| blank2_info_sec2 =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]], [[Dogri language|Dogri]], [[Urdu]], [[Hindi]], [[English language|English]].<ref name="OfficialLang">{{cite web |url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2020/222037.pdf |title=The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020 |publisher=The Gazette of India|date=27 September 2020 |access-date=27 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020 | work=Rising Kashmir | date=23 September 2020| url=http://risingkashmir.com/news/parliament-passes-jk-official-languages-bill-2020 | access-date=23 September 2020}}</ref>
| demographics1_title2 = Spoken
| demographics1_info2 = [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], [[Pahari-Pothwari|Pahari]], [[Gujari language|Gojri]], Dadri<ref name="Languages">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RRbIAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA184 |title=The Parchment of Kashmir: History, Society, and Polity |last=Khan |first=N. |date=6 August 2012 |publisher=Springer |isbn=9781137029584 |page=184 |language=en |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190223184947/https://books.google.com/books?id=RRbIAAAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&pg=PA184#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=23 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Dadri">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XNqOjvaAb9cC&pg=PA6 |title=Modern History of Jammu and Kashmir: Ancient times to Shimla Agreement |last1=Aggarwal |first1=J. C. |last2=Agrawal |first2=S. P. |date=1995 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |isbn=9788170225577 |language=en |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224001711/https://books.google.com/books?id=XNqOjvaAb9cC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA6#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=24 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Bhadarwahi]],<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Bhadrawahi |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/bhd |language=en|website=Ethnologue.com|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> [[Bateri language|Bateri]],<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Bateri |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/btv |language=en}}</ref> [[Shina language|Shina]],<ref name="Crane1956">{{cite book|last=Crane|first=Robert I.|title=Area Handbook on Jammu and Kashmir State|year=1956|publisher=University of Chicago for the Human Relations Area Files|language=en|page=179|quote=Shina is the most eastern of these languages and in some of its dialects such as the Brokpa of Dah and Hanu and the dialect of Dras, it impinges upon the area of the Sino-Tibetan language family and has been affected by Tibetan with an overlay of words and idioms.}}</ref> [[Burushaski]]<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Pakistan's "Burushaski" Language Finds New Relatives |url=https://www.npr.org/2012/06/20/155454736/pakistans-burushaski-language-finds-new-relatives |language=en|website=Npr.org|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> and [[Khowar language|Khowar]]<ref name="SimonsFenning2017">{{cite book|last1=Simons|first1= Gary F. |last2=Fennig|first2=Charles D. |title=Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Twentieth Edition|year=2017|publisher=[[SIL International]]|location= Dallas|language=en}}</ref>
| website = https://www.jk.gov.in
| footnotes =
| official_name =
| module =
| leader_name5 = (280 seats)
| leader_title5 = [[District Development Council|DDC]]
}}

'''Jammu and Kashmir'''{{efn|Pronounced variably as {{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|æ|m|uː}} or {{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|ʌ|m|uː}}, {{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|æ|ʃ|m|ɪər}} or {{IPAc-en|k|æ|ʃ|ˈ|m|ɪər}}.<ref>{{Citation |last=Jones |first=Daniel |author-link= Daniel Jones (phonetician) |title= English Pronouncing Dictionary |editor=Peter Roach |editor2=James Hartmann |editor3=Jane Setter |place=Cambridge |publisher= Cambridge University Press |orig-year=1917 |year=2003 |isbn=978-3-12-539683-8 }}</ref>}} is a region administered by India as a [[union territory]] and consists of the southern portion of the larger [[Jammu and Kashmir]] region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947, and between India and China since 1962.<ref name=britannica-jammu-kashmir>(a) {{citation|last1=Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannia|title=Kashmir, region Indian subcontinent|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Kashmir-region-Indian-subcontinent |access-date=15 August 2019}} (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcontinent ... has been the subject of dispute between India and Pakistan since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. The northern and western portions are administered by Pakistan and comprise three areas: Azad Kashmir, Gilgit, and Baltistan, the last two being part of a territory called the Northern Areas. Administered by India are the southern and southeastern portions, which constitute the state of Jammu and Kashmir but are slated to be split into two union territories. China became active in the eastern area of Kashmir in the 1950s and has controlled the northeastern part of Ladakh (the easternmost portion of the region) since 1962."; (b) {{citation|chapter=Kashmir|title=Encyclopedia Americana|publisher=Scholastic Library Publishing|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l_cWAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA328|year=2006|isbn=978-0-7172-0139-6|page=328}} C. E Bosworth, University of Manchester Quote: "KASHMIR, kash'mer, the northernmost region of the Indian subcontinent, administered partlv by India, partly by Pakistan, and partly by China. The region has been the subject of a bitter dispute between India and Pakistan since they became independent in 1947";</ref><ref name="Osmanczyk2003">{{citation|last1=Osmańczyk|first1=Edmund Jan|title=Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: G to M|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fSIMXHMdfkkC&pg=PA1191|year=2003|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-415-93922-5|pages=1191–}} Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir: Territory in northwestern India, subject to a dispute between India and Pakistan. It has borders with Pakistan and China."</ref> The region of Jammu and Kashmir is separated by the [[Line of Control]] from the [[Kashmir#Current status and political divisions|Pakistani-administered]] territories of [[Azad Kashmir]] and [[Gilgit-Baltistan]] in the west and north, respectively. It lies to the north of the Indian states of [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] and to the west of [[Ladakh]], which is also subject to the dispute as a part of Kashmir, and administered by India as a union territory.

Provisions for the formation of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir were contained within the [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019]], which was passed by both houses of the [[Parliament of India]] in August 2019. The act re-constituted the former [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|state of Jammu and Kashmir]] into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, with effect from 31 October 2019.<ref name="Gazette2" />

== Terminology ==
Jammu and Kashmir is named after the two regions it encompasses {{ndash}} the [[Jammu region]] and the [[Kashmir Valley]].

The Government of Pakistan and Pakistani sources refer to Jammu and Kashmir as a part of "Indian-occupied Kashmir" ("IOK") or "Indian-held Kashmir" (IHK).<ref>{{cite web |first= Ali | last=Zain |url= http://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pakistani-flag-hoisted-pro-freedom-slogans-chanted-in-indian-occupied-kashmir-567/ |title= Pakistani flag hoisted, pro-freedom slogans chanted in Indian Occupied Kashmir – Daily Pakistan Global |publisher= En.dailypakistan.com.pk |date= 13 September 2015 |access-date= 17 November 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151118114311/http://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pakistani-flag-hoisted-pro-freedom-slogans-chanted-in-indian-occupied-kashmir-567/ |archive-date= 18 November 2015 |url-status=live |df= dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://dunyanews.tv/index.php/en/World/298421-Pakistani-flag-hoisted-once-again-in-Indian-Occupi |title= Pakistani flag hoisted once again in Indian Occupied Kashmir |website=Dunya News |date= 11 September 2015 |access-date=17 November 2015}}</ref> The Government of India and Indian sources in turn, call the [[Pakistan-administered Kashmir|territory under Pakistan control]] "Pakistan-occupied Kashmir" ("POK") or "Pakistan-held Kashmir" ("PHK").<ref name="Snedden 2013 p.2-3">{{cite book |first=Christopher |last=Snedden |author-link=Christopher Snedden |title=Kashmir: The Unwritten History |publisher=HarperCollins India |year=2013 |isbn=978-9350298985 |pages=2–3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-enigma-of-terminology/article5621801.ece|title=The enigma of terminology|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016082903/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-enigma-of-terminology/article5621801.ece|archive-date=16 October 2015|newspaper=The Hindu|date=27 January 2014}}</ref>
"Indian-administered Kashmir" and "Indian-controlled Kashmir" are often used by neutral sources.<ref>South Asia: fourth report of session 2006–07 by By Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Foreign Affairs Committee page 37</ref>

== History ==
{{For|the 1954–2019 history|Jammu and Kashmir (state)#History}}
{{For|the pre-1954 history|Kashmir#History}}

The state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] was accorded special status by [[Article 370 of the Constitution of India]]. In contrast to other [[states of India]], Jammu and Kashmir had its own [[Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir|constitution]], [[Flag of Jammu and Kashmir|flag]] and administrative autonomy.<ref>{{citation |author=K. Venkataramanan |title=How the status of Jammu and Kashmir is being changed |newspaper=The Hindu |date=5 August 2019 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/explained-how-the-status-of-jammu-and-kashmir-is-being-changed/article28822866.ece?homepage=true}}</ref> Indian citizens from other states were not allowed to purchase land or property in Jammu and Kashmir.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/article-370-and-35a-revoked-how-it-would-change-the-face-of-kashmir/articleshow/70531959.cms|title=Article 370 and 35(A) revoked: How it would change the face of Kashmir|newspaper=The Economic Times|date=5 August 2019}}</ref>

Jammu and Kashmir had three distinct areas: Hindu-majority [[Jammu region]], Muslim-majority [[Kashmir Valley]] and Buddhist-dominated [[Ladakh]].<ref name=BBC6Aug>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-49234708 Article 370: What happened with Kashmir and why it matters]. BBC (6 August 2019). Retrieved 7 August 2019.</ref> Unrest and violence persisted in the Kashmiri Valley and, following a disputed state election in 1987, an [[insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir|insurgency persisted]] in protest over autonomy and rights.<ref name="BBC6Aug" /><ref>{{cite web|last1=Jeelani|first1=Mushtaq A.|title=Kashmir: A History Littered With Rigged Elections|url=http://www.mediamonitors.net/jeelani4.html|website=Media Monitors Network|access-date=24 February 2017|date=25 June 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304051443/http://www.mediamonitors.net/jeelani4.html|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref>

The [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) came to power in the [[2014 Indian general election]] and five years later included in their [[2019 Indian general election|2019 election manifesto]] the revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India, in order to bring Jammu and Kashmir to equal status with other states.<ref name=BBC6Aug/>

A resolution to [[Revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir|repeal Article 370]] was passed by both the houses of the [[Parliament of India]] in August 2019. At the same time, a [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019|reorganisation act]] was also passed, which would reconstitute the state into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/parliament-live-govt-to-move-jammu-and-kashmir-reorganisation-bill-for-passage-in-lok-sabha/article28831274.ece|title=Parliament Live | Lok Sabha passes Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, Ayes: 370, Noes 70|date=6 August 2019|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> The reorganisation took effect from 31 October 2019.<ref name="Gazette2">{{citation|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2019/210412.pdf|title=In exercise of the powers conferred by clause a of section 2 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act.|date=9 August 2019|access-date=9 August 2019|author=Ministry of Home Affairs|work=[[The Gazette of India]]}}</ref>

Thousands of Kashmiris, including two former Chief Ministers and hundreds of other politicians, were detained in prisons all across India,<ref name="reuters">{{cite news |title=Thousands detained in Indian Kashmir crackdown, official data reveals |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-kashmir-detentions/thousands-detained-in-indian-kashmir-crackdown-official-data-reveals-idUSKCN1VX142 |work=Reuters |date=September 12, 2019}}</ref> the state was put under a [[2019–2021 Jammu and Kashmir lockdown|lockdown]] and communication and internet services were suspended.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kashmir in lockdown after autonomy scrapped |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-49246434 |access-date=6 June 2021 |work=BBC News |date=6 August 2019}}</ref>

==Geography==


===Topography===
[[File:Kashmir top.jpg|thumb|[[Topographic map]] of Jammu and Kashmir, with visible altitude for the Kashmir valley and Jammu region.]]

Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, Tawi Valley, [[Chenab Valley]], [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]] Valley, [[Sind Valley]] and [[Lidder Valley]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Vij|first=Shivam|date=5 May 2017|title=Kashmir Is A Prison With Three Walls|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/05/04/kashmir-is-a-prison-with-three-walls_a_22070340/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505073150/http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/05/04/kashmir-is-a-prison-with-three-walls_a_22070340/|archive-date=5 May 2017|access-date=9 August 2019|work=[[HuffPost]]}} [https://shivamvij.in/2017/05/05/755/ Alt URL]</ref> The Kashmir valley is {{convert|100|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|15520.3|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} in area.<ref name="AA1">{{cite web|url=https://www.asianage.com/columnists/indus-water-flow-can-t-be-stopped-721|title=Indus: The water flow can't be stopped|first=Mohan|last=Guruswamy|work=[[The Asian Age]]|date=28 September 2016|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Himalayas]] divide the Kashmir valley from the [[Tibetan plateau]] while the [[Pir Panjal]] range, which encloses the valley from the west and the south, separates it from the [[Punjab Plain]] of the [[Indo-Gangetic Plain]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/opinion/a-tryst-of-the-heart-and-history-along-the-karakoram-highway/|title=A Tryst of the Heart and History along the Karakoram Highway|first=Asma|last=Khan|work=[[Greater Kashmir]]|date=26 April 2018|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> Along the northeastern flank of the Valley runs the main range of the Himalayas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zmescience.com/other/feature-post/india-pakistan-conflict-07032019/|title=Why India and Pakistan keep fighting over Kashmir – the history of the Kashmir conflict|first=Mihai|last=Andrei|work=GME Science|date=11 March 2019|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> This valley has an average height of {{convert|1850|m|ft}} above sea-level,<ref name="AA1"/> but the surrounding Pir Panjal range has an average elevation of {{convert|10000|ft|m}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/in-the-past-the-mountain-passes-were-entry-exit-points-for-travellers-and-invaders/article22136536.ece|title=Doorway of the gods: Himalaya crosses five countries|author1=Vrinda|author2=J. Ramanan|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=21 December 2017|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Jhelum River]] is the major Himalayan river which flows through the Kashmir valley.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Jhelum-River|title=Jhelum River|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|date=15 December 2015|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Tawi River|Tawi]], [[Ravi River|Ravi]] and [[Chenab River|Chenab]] are the other important rivers flowing through the region.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nation.com.pk/29-Jul-2019/flooding-alert-issued-as-india-releases-water|title=Flooding alert issued as India releases water|work=[[The Nation (Pakistan)|The Nation]]|author=Agencies|date=29 July 2019|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref>

==Administrative divisions==
[[File:J,K and L - Indian Union Territories.jpg|thumb|'''''Jammu and Kashmir union territory''''' (J and K) is bordered in carmine colour. '''''Ladakh union territory''''' (L) is bordered in blue colour.]]
{{Main|List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir}}

The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir consists of two [[Divisions of India|divisions]]: [[Jammu Division]] and [[Kashmir Division]], and is further divided into 20 [[Districts of India|districts]].<ref name=MHA>{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |title=Ministry of Home Affairs:: Department of Jammu & Kashmir Affairs |access-date=28 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208212815/http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |archive-date=8 December 2008 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-bottom: 0;"
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
!| Division
!| Name
!| Headquarters
!| Area (km2)
!| Area (sq miles)
!| Rural Area (km2)
!| Urban Area (km2)
!|

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
|rowspan=11|[[Jammu Division|Jammu]]
||[[Kathua district]]
|| [[Kathua]]
| {{convert|2502|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2458.84|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|43.16|2}}
|| <ref>{{cite report
|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0107_PART_A_DCHB_KATHUA.pdf |page=8 |work=Census of India 2011, Part A |title=District Census Handbook Kathua |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Jammu district]]
|| [[Jammu (city)|Jammu]]
| {{convert|2342|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2089.87|2}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|252.13|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0121_PART_A_DCHB_JAMMU.pdf |pages=13, 51, 116 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Jammu, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0121_PART_B_DCHB_JAMMU.pdf |pages=13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Jammu, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Samba district]]
|| [[Samba, Jammu|Samba]]
| {{convert|904|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|865.24|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|38.76|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0122_PART_A_DCHB_SAMBA.pdf |pages=9, 34, 36, 100 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Samba, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0122_PART_B_DCHB_SAMBA.pdf |pages=10, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Samba, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Udhampur district]]
|| [[Udhampur]]
| {{convert|2637.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2593.28|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|43.72|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0119_PART_B_DCHB_UDHAMPUR.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Udhampur |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Reasi district]]
|| [[Reasi]]
| {{convert|1719|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1679.99|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|39.01|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0120_PART_A_DCHB_REASI.pdf |pages=9, 37, 88 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Reasi, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0120_PART_B_DCHB_REASI.pdf |pages=9, 13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Reasi, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Rajouri district]]
|| [[Rajouri]]
| {{convert|2630|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2608.11|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|21.89|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0106_PART_A_DCHB_RAJOURI.pdf |pages=11, 107 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Rajouri, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0106_PART_B_DCHB_RAJOURI.pdf |pages=9, 10, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Rajouri, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir|Poonch district]]
|| [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]]
| {{convert|1674|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1649.92|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|24.08|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0105_PART_A_DCHB_PUNCH.pdf |pages=9, 99 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Punch, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0105_PART_B_DCHB_PUNCH.pdf |pages=11, 13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Punch, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Doda district]]
|| [[Doda, Jammu and Kashmir|Doda]]
| {{convert|8912.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|8892.25|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|19.75|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0116_PART_B_DCHB_DODA.pdf |pages=9, 12, 99 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Doda, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Ramban district]]
|| [[Ramban (Jammu and Kashmir)|Ramban]]
| {{convert|1329.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1313.92|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|15.08|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0117_PART_B_DCHB_RAMBAN.pdf |pages=10, 12 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Ramban, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kishtwar district]]
|| [[Kishtwar]]
| {{convert|1644.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1643.37|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|0.63|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0118_PART_B_DCHB_KISHTWAR.pdf |pages=9, 10, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kishtwar, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 9 says the rural area is 1643.65 km2, whilst pages 10 and 22 says 1643.37 km2.</ref>

|- style="background:lightblue; vertical-align:top;"
||Total for division
|| [[Jammu Division|Jammu]]
| {{convert|26293|km2|sqmi|disp=tablecen|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|25794.95|2}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|498.05|2}}
||

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
|rowspan=11 |[[Kashmir Division|Kashmir]]
||[[Anantnag district]]
|| [[Anantnag]]
| {{convert|3574|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|3475.76|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|98.24|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0114_PART_A_DCHB_ANANTNAG.pdf |page=9 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Anantnag, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0114_PART_B_DCHB_ANANTNAG.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Anantnag, Part B |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kulgam district]]
|| [[Kulgam]]
| {{convert|410|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|360.20|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.80|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0115_PART_A_DCHB_KULGAM.pdf |page=10 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kulgam, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0115_PART_B_DCHB_KULGAM.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kulgam, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 12 says the are of the district is 404 km2, but page 22 says 410 km2.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Pulwama district]]
|| [[Pulwama]]
| {{convert|1086.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1047.45|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|38.55|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0112_PART_B_DCHB_PULWAMA.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Pulwama, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Shopian district]]
|| [[Shopian]]
| {{convert|312.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|306.56|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|5.44|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0113_PART_A_DCHB_SHUPIYAN.pdf |page=10 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Shupiyan, Part A |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0113_PART_B_DCHB_SUPHIYAN.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Shupiyan, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B pages 12 and 22 say the district area is 312.00 km2, but Part A page 10 says 307.42 km2.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Budgam district]]
|| [[Budgam]]
| {{convert|1361|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1311.95|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.05|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0102_PART_A_DCHB_BADGAM.pdf |pages=10, 46 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Badgam, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0102_PART_B_DCHB_BADGAM.pdf |pages=11, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Badgam, Part B |date=16 June 2014|access-date=21 November 2020}} Part A says the district area is 1371 km2, Part B says 1371 km2 (page 11) and 1361 km2 (page 12s and 22).</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Srinagar district]]
|| [[Srinagar]]
| {{convert|1978.95|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1684.42|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|294.53|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0110_PART_A_DCHB_SRINAGAR.pdf |pages=11, 48 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Srinagar, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part A page 48 says the district area was 2228.0 km2 in 2001 and 1978.95 km2 in 2011.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Ganderbal district]]
|| [[Ganderbal]]
| {{convert|259|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|233.60|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|25.40|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0111_PART_B_DCHB_GANDERBAL.pdf |pages=11, 12 and 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Ganderbal, Part B |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 11 says the district area is 393.04 km2, but pages 12 and 22 say 259.00 km2.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Bandipora district]]
|| [[Bandipore|Bandipora]]
| {{convert|345|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|295.37|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.63|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0109_PART_A_DCHB_BANDIPORE.pdf |pages=10, 47 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Bandipora, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0109_PART_B_DCHB_BANDIPORE.pdf |pages=11, 20 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Bandipora, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Baramulla district]]
|| [[Baramulla]]
| {{convert|4243|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|4179.44|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|63.56|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0108_PART_A_DCHB_BARAMULA.pdf |page=11 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Baramulla, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0108_PART_B_DCHB_BARAMULA.pdf|page=22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Baramulla, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kupwara district]]
|| [[Kupwara]]
| {{convert|2379|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2331.66|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|47.34|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0101_PART_A_DCHB_KUPWARA.pdf |page=7 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kupwara, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0101_PART_B_DCHB_KUPWARA.pdf|pages=11, 12 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kupwara, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|- style="background:lightblue; vertical-align:top;"
||Total for division
|| [[Kashmir Division|Kashmir]]
| {{convert|15,948.00|km2|sqmi|disp=tablecen|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|15226.41|2}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|721.54|2}}
||

|}

==Demographics==
===Religion===
{{Pie chart|label1=[[Islam]]|value1=68.8|color1=Green|label2=[[Hinduism]]|value2=28.8|color2=orange|label3=[[Sikhism]]|value3=1.9|color3=yellow|label4=[[Christianity]]|value4=0.28|color4=blue|label5=[[Buddhism]]|value5=0.03|color5=Gold|label6=[[Jainism]]|value6=0.01|color6=Maroon|label7=Others|value7=0.01|color7=Grey|label8=Not Stated|value8=0.15|color8=Black|caption=Religions in Jammu and Kashmir (2011)<ref name="2011 Census">{{cite web|title=Population by religion community – 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|website=Census of India, 2011|publisher=The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825155850/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|archive-date=25 August 2015}}</ref>}}

Muslims constitutes the majority of the population of Jammu and Kashmir with a significant Hindu minority.<ref name="2011 Census"/>

The [[Kashmir Division]] is largely Muslim (96.41%) with a small Hindu (2.45%) and Sikh (0.81%) population. The [[Jammu Division]] is predominantly Hindu (66%) with a significant Muslim population (30%). The Muslims form a majority in the Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts of Jammu, while the Hindus form a majority in Kathua, Samba, Jammu and Udhampur districts. Reasi district has an almost equal number of Hindus and Muslims.<ref name="2011 Census"/>

==Government and politics==
{{main|Government of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir|Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly}}

The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir is administered under the provisions of [[:s:Constitution of India/Part VIII#Article 239|Article 239]] of the [[Constitution of India]]. The Article 239A, originally formulated for the union territory of [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puduchery]], will also be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir.<ref name="Indian Express">
[https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jammu-kashmir-bifurcation-ladakh-union-territory-key-takeaways-from-reorganisation-bill-article-370-amit-shah-5880177/ Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Bill passed by Rajya Sabha: Key takeaways], The Indian Express, 5 August 2019.
</ref>

===Executive branch===
The [[President of India]] appoints a [[List of Governors of Jammu and Kashmir|Lieutenant Governor]] for the union territory.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

A Council of Ministers led by a [[Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]] is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor from the membership of the legislative assembly. Their role is to advise the Lieutenant Governor in the exercise of functions in matters under the jurisdiction of the legislative assembly. In other matters, the Lieutenant Governor is empowered to act in his own capacity.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

===Legislative branch===
The legislative branch is of government is a unicameral [[Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir|legislative assembly]], whose tenure is five years. The legislative assembly may make laws for any of the matters in the [[State List]] of the Constitution of India except "public order" and "police", which will remain the preserve of the central [[Government of India]]. The Lieutenant Governor also has the power to promulgate ordinances which have the same force as the acts of the legislative assembly.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

Elections for the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly are to be held following the implementation of new constituency boundaries which is expected to be completed in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zeenews.india.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir-assembly-election-in-2021-after-delimitation-ec-sources-2230726.html|title=Jammu and Kashmir assembly election in 2021 after delimitation: EC sources|date=29 August 2019|website=Zee News}}</ref>

===Judicial branch===
[[FILE:Stamp of India - 2006 - Colnect 158978 - High Court of Jammu - Kashmir.jpeg|thumb|The [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]] on postal stamps of India]]
The union territory is under the jurisdiction of the [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]], which also serves as high court for [[Ladakh]].<ref name="Indian Express"/> Police services are provided by the [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]].<ref name="trnscpt">{{cite web|url=https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/salient-features-of-jammu-kashmir-reorganization-bill-146998|title=Salient Features Of Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization Bill [Read Bill]|first1=Devesh|first2=Iti|last1=Ratan|last2=Johri|date=7 August 2019|website=LiveLaw.in: All about law|access-date=7 August 2019}}</ref>

===Parties===
The main political parties active in the region are the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (State President: [[Ravinder Raina]]), the [[Indian National Congress]] (State President: [[Ghulam Ahmad Mir]]), the [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference]] (President: [[Farooq Abdullah]]) and the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party]] (President: [[Mehbooba Mufti]]). Other parties with a presence in the region parties include the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party]] (President: [[Altaf Bukhari]]), the [[Jammu and Kashmir Workers Party]] (President: Mir Junaid) and [[Ikkjutt Jammu]] (President: Ankur Sharma).

===Jammu and Kashmir in the Parliament of India===
Jammu and Kashmir sends five members (MPs) to the lower house of the [[Indian parliament]] (the [[Lok Sabha]]) and four members to the upper house (the [[Rajya Sabha]]).

;Lok Sabha constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Constituency No. !! style="width:180px;" |Constituency !! Reserved for (SC/ST/None)
|-
| align="centre" |1||[[Baramulla (Lok Sabha constituency)|Baramulla]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |2 ||[[Srinagar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Srinagar]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |3 ||[[Anantnag (Lok Sabha constituency)|Anantnag]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |4 ||[[Udhampur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Udhampur]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |5 ||[[Jammu (Lok Sabha constituency)|Jammu]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
|}

== Tourism ==
{{Main|Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir}}
Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, [[Chenab Valley]], [[Sind Valley|Sindh Valley]] and [[Lidder Valley]]. Some major tourist attractions in Jammu and Kashmir are [[Srinagar]], the [[Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar|Mughal Gardens]], [[Gulmarg]], [[Pahalgam]], [[Patnitop]] and [[Jammu]]. Every year, thousands of Hindu [[pilgrim]]s visit holy shrines of [[Vaishno Devi]] and [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath]] which has had significant impact on the state's economy.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200709130350.htm | work=Online edition of The Hindu|title=Amarnath Board to study yatra impact on Kashmir economy | access-date=6 June 2009|location=Chennai, India|date=13 September 2007}}</ref>

The Kashmir valley is one of the top tourist destinations of India.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200903181221.htm|work=Online edition of The Hindu|title=Foreign tourists flock Kashmir|access-date=18 March 2009|location=Chennai, India|date=18 March 2009}}</ref> [[Gulmarg]], one of the most popular [[ski resort]] destinations in India, is also home to the world's highest green [[golf course]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB119332713217271534?mod=googlenews_wsj|title=Fairway to Heaven|author=Cris Prystay|date=26 October 2007|work=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref> The decrease in violence in the state has boosted the state's economy, specifically tourism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sify.com/news/Tourists-arrival-gives-boost-to-J-K-economy-news-jm3v4cihjai.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716071016/http://www.sify.com/news/Tourists-arrival-gives-boost-to-J-K-economy-news-jm3v4cihjai.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-07-16|title=Tourists arrival gives boost to J-K economy|work=Sify}}</ref>

Jammu and Kashmir is also famous for its scenic beauty, flower gardens, apple farms and more. It attracts tourists for its unique handicrafts and the world-famous [[Kashmir shawl|Kashmiri Shawls]].

<gallery mode="packed" heights="134">
File:River Chenab Ramban.jpg|River Chenab in [[Chenab Valley]]
File:Gund village.jpg|[[Sind Valley|Sindh Valley]]
File:Pahalgam Valley.jpg|[[Lidder Valley]]
File:Shalimar Mughal Garden Srinagar 2.jpg|the [[Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar|Mughal Gardens]]
File:Pahalgam views 13.JPG|[[Pahalgam]] views
File:Gulmarg in 1969.jpg|[[Gulmarg]]
File:Sanasar Lake.jpeg|Sanasar Lake which is around 11 km from [[Patnitop]]
File:Amarnath 4.jpg|View of [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath]] Valley.
</gallery>

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Geography|Asia|India}}
* [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)]], for the entity that existed till 1952
* [[Kashmiriyat]]
* [[Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[Kashmiri cinema]]
* [[Literature of Kashmir]]
* [[Music of Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[Kus Bani Koshur Karorpaet]]
* [[DD Kashir]]
* [[AIR Srinagar]]
* [[University of Kashmir]]
* [[University of Jammu]]
* [[Central University of Kashmir]]
* [[Central University of Jammu]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir cricket team]]
* [[Real Kashmir F.C.]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir football team]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Rifles]]
{{-}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://jk.gov.in/ Government of Jammu and Kashmir]
* [https://jkgad.nic.in/ General Administration Department]
* [http://jkrajbhawan.nic.in/ Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir]
* [https://jammukashmir.s3waas.gov.in/ Jammu and Kashmir district portal]

{{Jammu and Kashmir topics}}
{{Kashmir Valley}}
{{States and Union Territories of India}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jammu And Kashmir}}
[[Category:Jammu and Kashmir| ]]
[[Category:North India|*]]
[[Category:History of the Republic of India]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 2019]]
[[Category:2019 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Urdu-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Kashmiri-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Disputed territories in Asia]]
[[Category:Union territories of India]]
[[Category:States and union territories of India]]

Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)

2021-12-02T17:44:56Z

Knowledge: Added information

{{Short description|Union territory in India}}
{{About|the Union Territory of the Indian Union|the [[princely state]] during the [[British Raj]]|Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|the [[former state]] of India|Jammu and Kashmir (state)|}}

{{pp-30-500|small=yes}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Jammu and Kashmir
| settlement_type = [[States and union territories of India|UNION TERRITORY]]
| image_skyline = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Pahalgam Valley.jpg
| photo2a = Akhnoor Fort - Jammu - Jammu and Kashmir - DSC 0001 JPEG.jpg
| photo3a =
| photo4a =
| spacing = 2
| position = centre
| size = 220
| border = 0
| color = #000000
| foot_montage = [[Lidder Valley]], [[Akhnoor Fort]]
}}
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| image_flag =
| flag_size =
| flag_type =
| image_blank_emblem =
| blank_emblem_size =
| blank_emblem_type =
| image_map = Kashmir Region November 2019.jpg
| map_alt = Jammu and Kashmir
| map_caption = A map of the disputed [[Jammu and Kashmir]] region showing the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir
| image_map1 =
| map_caption1 =
| coordinates = {{coord|33.5|75.0|region:IN-JK_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{Flag|India}}
| established_title = [[States and union territories of India|Union territory]]
| established_date = 31 October 2019
| seat_type = Capital
| seat = [[Srinagar]] (May–October) [[Jammu]] (Nov-April)<ref name="Darbar Move">{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-darbar-move-in-j-k-all-about/article18409452.ece |title=What is the Darbar Move in J&K all about? |last=Desk |first=The Hindu Net |date=8 May 2017 |newspaper=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110135648/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-darbar-move-in-j-k-all-about/article18409452.ece |archive-date=10 November 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| parts_type = [[List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir|Districts]]
| parts_style = para
| p1 = [[List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir|20]]
| government_footnotes =
| governing_body = [[Government of Jammu and Kashmir]]
| leader_title = [[List of lieutenant governors of Jammu and Kashmir|Lieutenant Governor]]
| leader_name = [[Manoj Sinha]]
| leader_title1 = [[Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]]
| leader_name1 = ''Vacant''
| leader_title2 = [[Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly|Legislature]]
| leader_name2 = [[Unicameralism|Unicameral]] (114 seats)<ref>{{cite news |url =https://www.livemint.com/news/india/new-dawn-for-j-k-begins-two-new-federal-units-take-shape-11572493040564.html|title =Jammu and Kashmir transitions from a state into 2 federal units|author =Shaswati Das|publisher =Live Mint|website =livemint.com|quote =Jammu and Kashmir will also have its own legislative assembly, under which, according to the Act, the number of seats will go up to 114 from 87 currently, following a delimitation exercise.|access-date =30 June 2020}}</ref>
| leader_title3 = [[17th Lok Sabha|Parliamentary constituency]]
| leader_name3 = [[Rajya Sabha]] (4) [[Lok Sabha]] (5)
| leader_title4 = [[High Courts of India|High Court]]
| leader_name4 = [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]]
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes = {{efn|Jammu and Kashmir is a [[disputed territory]] between [[India]] and [[Pakistan]]. Jammu and Kashmir has 42,241 km2 of area administered by India and 13,297 km2 of area controlled by Pakistan under Azad Kashmir which is claimed by India as part of Jammu and Kashmir.}}
| area_total_km2 = 42,241
| area_rank =
| elevation_max_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197506500/Saser-Kangri|title=Saser Kangri |journal= The American Alpine Journal (AAJ)|date=1975 |first1=Jogindar |last1=Singh |access-date=14 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214115923/http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197506500/Saser-Kangri|archive-date=14 February 2019|url-status=live |pages=67–67}} [https://aac-publications.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/aaj/1975/PDF/AAJ_1975_20_1_065.pdf pdf of original pages]</ref>
| elevation_max_m = 7135
| elevation_max_ft =
| elevation_max_point = [[Nun Kun|Nun Peak]]
| elevation_max_rank =
| elevation_min_footnotes =
| elevation_min_m = 247
| elevation_min_ft =
| elevation_min_point =  [[Chenab River]]
| elevation_min_rank =
| population_total = 12,267,013
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Vijaita |title=Only J&K will use 2011 Census for delimitation |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/only-jk-will-use-2011-census-for-delimitation/article30952006.ece |access-date=6 November 2020 |work=The Hindu |date=29 February 2020 |language=en-IN}}</ref>
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_rank =
| population_note =
| registration_plate = JK
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +05:30
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|IN-JK]]
| unemployment_rate =
| blank_info_sec1 = {{Increase}} 0.688 (Medium)
| blank_name_sec1 = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] {{nobold|(2018)}}
| blank1_info_sec1 =
| blank_name_sec2 = [[Literacy in India|Literacy]]
| blank_info_sec2 =
| blank2_name_sec2 =
| blank2_info_sec2 =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]], [[Dogri language|Dogri]], [[Urdu]], [[Hindi]], [[English language|English]].<ref name="OfficialLang">{{cite web |url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2020/222037.pdf |title=The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020 |publisher=The Gazette of India|date=27 September 2020 |access-date=27 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020 | work=Rising Kashmir | date=23 September 2020| url=http://risingkashmir.com/news/parliament-passes-jk-official-languages-bill-2020 | access-date=23 September 2020}}</ref>
| demographics1_title2 = Spoken
| demographics1_info2 = [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], [[Pahari-Pothwari|Pahari]], [[Gujari language|Gojri]], Dadri<ref name="Languages">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RRbIAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA184 |title=The Parchment of Kashmir: History, Society, and Polity |last=Khan |first=N. |date=6 August 2012 |publisher=Springer |isbn=9781137029584 |page=184 |language=en |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190223184947/https://books.google.com/books?id=RRbIAAAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&pg=PA184#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=23 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Dadri">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XNqOjvaAb9cC&pg=PA6 |title=Modern History of Jammu and Kashmir: Ancient times to Shimla Agreement |last1=Aggarwal |first1=J. C. |last2=Agrawal |first2=S. P. |date=1995 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |isbn=9788170225577 |language=en |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224001711/https://books.google.com/books?id=XNqOjvaAb9cC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA6#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=24 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Bhadarwahi]],<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Bhadrawahi |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/bhd |language=en|website=Ethnologue.com|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> [[Bateri language|Bateri]],<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Bateri |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/btv |language=en}}</ref> [[Shina language|Shina]],<ref name="Crane1956">{{cite book|last=Crane|first=Robert I.|title=Area Handbook on Jammu and Kashmir State|year=1956|publisher=University of Chicago for the Human Relations Area Files|language=en|page=179|quote=Shina is the most eastern of these languages and in some of its dialects such as the Brokpa of Dah and Hanu and the dialect of Dras, it impinges upon the area of the Sino-Tibetan language family and has been affected by Tibetan with an overlay of words and idioms.}}</ref> [[Burushaski]]<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Pakistan's "Burushaski" Language Finds New Relatives |url=https://www.npr.org/2012/06/20/155454736/pakistans-burushaski-language-finds-new-relatives |language=en|website=Npr.org|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> and [[Khowar language|Khowar]]<ref name="SimonsFenning2017">{{cite book|last1=Simons|first1= Gary F. |last2=Fennig|first2=Charles D. |title=Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Twentieth Edition|year=2017|publisher=[[SIL International]]|location= Dallas|language=en}}</ref>
| website = https://www.jk.gov.in
| footnotes =
| official_name =
| module =
| leader_name5 = (280 seats)
| leader_title5 = [[District Development Council|DDC]]
}}

'''Jammu and Kashmir'''{{efn|Pronounced variably as {{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|æ|m|uː}} or {{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|ʌ|m|uː}}, {{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|æ|ʃ|m|ɪər}} or {{IPAc-en|k|æ|ʃ|ˈ|m|ɪər}}.<ref>{{Citation |last=Jones |first=Daniel |author-link= Daniel Jones (phonetician) |title= English Pronouncing Dictionary |editor=Peter Roach |editor2=James Hartmann |editor3=Jane Setter |place=Cambridge |publisher= Cambridge University Press |orig-year=1917 |year=2003 |isbn=978-3-12-539683-8 }}</ref>}} is a region administered by India as a [[union territory]] and consists of the southern portion of the larger [[Kashmir]] region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947, and between India and China since 1962.<ref name=britannica-jammu-kashmir>(a) {{citation|last1=Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannia|title=Kashmir, region Indian subcontinent|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Kashmir-region-Indian-subcontinent |access-date=15 August 2019}} (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcontinent ... has been the subject of dispute between India and Pakistan since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. The northern and western portions are administered by Pakistan and comprise three areas: Azad Kashmir, Gilgit, and Baltistan, the last two being part of a territory called the Northern Areas. Administered by India are the southern and southeastern portions, which constitute the state of Jammu and Kashmir but are slated to be split into two union territories. China became active in the eastern area of Kashmir in the 1950s and has controlled the northeastern part of Ladakh (the easternmost portion of the region) since 1962."; (b) {{citation|chapter=Kashmir|title=Encyclopedia Americana|publisher=Scholastic Library Publishing|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l_cWAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA328|year=2006|isbn=978-0-7172-0139-6|page=328}} C. E Bosworth, University of Manchester Quote: "KASHMIR, kash'mer, the northernmost region of the Indian subcontinent, administered partlv by India, partly by Pakistan, and partly by China. The region has been the subject of a bitter dispute between India and Pakistan since they became independent in 1947";</ref><ref name="Osmanczyk2003">{{citation|last1=Osmańczyk|first1=Edmund Jan|title=Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: G to M|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fSIMXHMdfkkC&pg=PA1191|year=2003|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-415-93922-5|pages=1191–}} Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir: Territory in northwestern India, subject to a dispute between India and Pakistan. It has borders with Pakistan and China."</ref> The region of Jammu and Kashmir is separated by the [[Line of Control]] from the [[Kashmir#Current status and political divisions|Pakistani-administered]] territories of [[Azad Kashmir]] and [[Gilgit-Baltistan]] in the west and north, respectively. It lies to the north of the Indian states of [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] and to the west of [[Ladakh]], which is also subject to the dispute as a part of Kashmir, and administered by India as a union territory.

Provisions for the formation of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir were contained within the [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019]], which was passed by both houses of the [[Parliament of India]] in August 2019. The act re-constituted the former [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|state of Jammu and Kashmir]] into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, with effect from 31 October 2019.<ref name="Gazette2" />

== Terminology ==
Jammu and Kashmir is named after the two regions it encompasses {{ndash}} the [[Jammu region]] and the [[Kashmir Valley]].

The Government of Pakistan and Pakistani sources refer to Jammu and Kashmir as a part of "Indian-occupied Kashmir" ("IOK") or "Indian-held Kashmir" (IHK).<ref>{{cite web |first= Ali | last=Zain |url= http://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pakistani-flag-hoisted-pro-freedom-slogans-chanted-in-indian-occupied-kashmir-567/ |title= Pakistani flag hoisted, pro-freedom slogans chanted in Indian Occupied Kashmir – Daily Pakistan Global |publisher= En.dailypakistan.com.pk |date= 13 September 2015 |access-date= 17 November 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151118114311/http://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pakistani-flag-hoisted-pro-freedom-slogans-chanted-in-indian-occupied-kashmir-567/ |archive-date= 18 November 2015 |url-status=live |df= dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://dunyanews.tv/index.php/en/World/298421-Pakistani-flag-hoisted-once-again-in-Indian-Occupi |title= Pakistani flag hoisted once again in Indian Occupied Kashmir |website=Dunya News |date= 11 September 2015 |access-date=17 November 2015}}</ref> The Government of India and Indian sources in turn, call the [[Pakistan-administered Kashmir|territory under Pakistan control]] "Pakistan-occupied Kashmir" ("POK") or "Pakistan-held Kashmir" ("PHK").<ref name="Snedden 2013 p.2-3">{{cite book |first=Christopher |last=Snedden |author-link=Christopher Snedden |title=Kashmir: The Unwritten History |publisher=HarperCollins India |year=2013 |isbn=978-9350298985 |pages=2–3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-enigma-of-terminology/article5621801.ece|title=The enigma of terminology|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016082903/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-enigma-of-terminology/article5621801.ece|archive-date=16 October 2015|newspaper=The Hindu|date=27 January 2014}}</ref>
"Indian-administered Kashmir" and "Indian-controlled Kashmir" are often used by neutral sources.<ref>South Asia: fourth report of session 2006–07 by By Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Foreign Affairs Committee page 37</ref>

== History ==
{{For|the 1954–2019 history|Jammu and Kashmir (state)#History}}
{{For|the pre-1954 history|Kashmir#History}}

The state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] was accorded special status by [[Article 370 of the Constitution of India]]. In contrast to other [[states of India]], Jammu and Kashmir had its own [[Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir|constitution]], [[Flag of Jammu and Kashmir|flag]] and administrative autonomy.<ref>{{citation |author=K. Venkataramanan |title=How the status of Jammu and Kashmir is being changed |newspaper=The Hindu |date=5 August 2019 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/explained-how-the-status-of-jammu-and-kashmir-is-being-changed/article28822866.ece?homepage=true}}</ref> Indian citizens from other states were not allowed to purchase land or property in Jammu and Kashmir.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/article-370-and-35a-revoked-how-it-would-change-the-face-of-kashmir/articleshow/70531959.cms|title=Article 370 and 35(A) revoked: How it would change the face of Kashmir|newspaper=The Economic Times|date=5 August 2019}}</ref>

Jammu and Kashmir had three distinct areas: Hindu-majority [[Jammu region]], Muslim-majority [[Kashmir Valley]] and Buddhist-dominated [[Ladakh]].<ref name=BBC6Aug>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-49234708 Article 370: What happened with Kashmir and why it matters]. BBC (6 August 2019). Retrieved 7 August 2019.</ref> Unrest and violence persisted in the Kashmiri Valley and, following a disputed state election in 1987, an [[insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir|insurgency persisted]] in protest over autonomy and rights.<ref name="BBC6Aug" /><ref>{{cite web|last1=Jeelani|first1=Mushtaq A.|title=Kashmir: A History Littered With Rigged Elections|url=http://www.mediamonitors.net/jeelani4.html|website=Media Monitors Network|access-date=24 February 2017|date=25 June 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304051443/http://www.mediamonitors.net/jeelani4.html|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref>

The [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) came to power in the [[2014 Indian general election]] and five years later included in their [[2019 Indian general election|2019 election manifesto]] the revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India, in order to bring Jammu and Kashmir to equal status with other states.<ref name=BBC6Aug/>

A resolution to [[Revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir|repeal Article 370]] was passed by both the houses of the [[Parliament of India]] in August 2019. At the same time, a [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019|reorganisation act]] was also passed, which would reconstitute the state into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/parliament-live-govt-to-move-jammu-and-kashmir-reorganisation-bill-for-passage-in-lok-sabha/article28831274.ece|title=Parliament Live | Lok Sabha passes Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, Ayes: 370, Noes 70|date=6 August 2019|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> The reorganisation took effect from 31 October 2019.<ref name="Gazette2">{{citation|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2019/210412.pdf|title=In exercise of the powers conferred by clause a of section 2 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act.|date=9 August 2019|access-date=9 August 2019|author=Ministry of Home Affairs|work=[[The Gazette of India]]}}</ref>

Thousands of Kashmiris, including two former Chief Ministers and hundreds of other politicians, were detained in prisons all across India,<ref name="reuters">{{cite news |title=Thousands detained in Indian Kashmir crackdown, official data reveals |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-kashmir-detentions/thousands-detained-in-indian-kashmir-crackdown-official-data-reveals-idUSKCN1VX142 |work=Reuters |date=September 12, 2019}}</ref> the state was put under a [[2019–2021 Jammu and Kashmir lockdown|lockdown]] and communication and internet services were suspended.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kashmir in lockdown after autonomy scrapped |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-49246434 |access-date=6 June 2021 |work=BBC News |date=6 August 2019}}</ref>

==Geography==


===Topography===
[[File:Kashmir top.jpg|thumb|[[Topographic map]] of Jammu and Kashmir, with visible altitude for the Kashmir valley and Jammu region.]]

Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, Tawi Valley, [[Chenab Valley]], [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]] Valley, [[Sind Valley]] and [[Lidder Valley]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Vij|first=Shivam|date=5 May 2017|title=Kashmir Is A Prison With Three Walls|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/05/04/kashmir-is-a-prison-with-three-walls_a_22070340/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505073150/http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/05/04/kashmir-is-a-prison-with-three-walls_a_22070340/|archive-date=5 May 2017|access-date=9 August 2019|work=[[HuffPost]]}} [https://shivamvij.in/2017/05/05/755/ Alt URL]</ref> The Kashmir valley is {{convert|100|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|15520.3|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} in area.<ref name="AA1">{{cite web|url=https://www.asianage.com/columnists/indus-water-flow-can-t-be-stopped-721|title=Indus: The water flow can't be stopped|first=Mohan|last=Guruswamy|work=[[The Asian Age]]|date=28 September 2016|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Himalayas]] divide the Kashmir valley from the [[Tibetan plateau]] while the [[Pir Panjal]] range, which encloses the valley from the west and the south, separates it from the [[Punjab Plain]] of the [[Indo-Gangetic Plain]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/opinion/a-tryst-of-the-heart-and-history-along-the-karakoram-highway/|title=A Tryst of the Heart and History along the Karakoram Highway|first=Asma|last=Khan|work=[[Greater Kashmir]]|date=26 April 2018|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> Along the northeastern flank of the Valley runs the main range of the Himalayas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zmescience.com/other/feature-post/india-pakistan-conflict-07032019/|title=Why India and Pakistan keep fighting over Kashmir – the history of the Kashmir conflict|first=Mihai|last=Andrei|work=GME Science|date=11 March 2019|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> This valley has an average height of {{convert|1850|m|ft}} above sea-level,<ref name="AA1"/> but the surrounding Pir Panjal range has an average elevation of {{convert|10000|ft|m}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/in-the-past-the-mountain-passes-were-entry-exit-points-for-travellers-and-invaders/article22136536.ece|title=Doorway of the gods: Himalaya crosses five countries|author1=Vrinda|author2=J. Ramanan|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=21 December 2017|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Jhelum River]] is the major Himalayan river which flows through the Kashmir valley.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Jhelum-River|title=Jhelum River|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|date=15 December 2015|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Tawi River|Tawi]], [[Ravi River|Ravi]] and [[Chenab River|Chenab]] are the other important rivers flowing through the region.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nation.com.pk/29-Jul-2019/flooding-alert-issued-as-india-releases-water|title=Flooding alert issued as India releases water|work=[[The Nation (Pakistan)|The Nation]]|author=Agencies|date=29 July 2019|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref>

==Administrative divisions==
[[File:J,K and L - Indian Union Territories.jpg|thumb|'''''Jammu and Kashmir union territory''''' (J and K) is bordered in carmine colour. '''''Ladakh union territory''''' (L) is bordered in blue colour.]]
{{Main|List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir}}

The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir consists of two [[Divisions of India|divisions]]: [[Jammu Division]] and [[Kashmir Division]], and is further divided into 20 [[Districts of India|districts]].<ref name=MHA>{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |title=Ministry of Home Affairs:: Department of Jammu & Kashmir Affairs |access-date=28 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208212815/http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |archive-date=8 December 2008 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-bottom: 0;"
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
!| Division
!| Name
!| Headquarters
!| Area (km2)
!| Area (sq miles)
!| Rural Area (km2)
!| Urban Area (km2)
!|

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
|rowspan=11|[[Jammu Division|Jammu]]
||[[Kathua district]]
|| [[Kathua]]
| {{convert|2502|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2458.84|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|43.16|2}}
|| <ref>{{cite report
|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0107_PART_A_DCHB_KATHUA.pdf |page=8 |work=Census of India 2011, Part A |title=District Census Handbook Kathua |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Jammu district]]
|| [[Jammu (city)|Jammu]]
| {{convert|2342|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2089.87|2}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|252.13|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0121_PART_A_DCHB_JAMMU.pdf |pages=13, 51, 116 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Jammu, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0121_PART_B_DCHB_JAMMU.pdf |pages=13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Jammu, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Samba district]]
|| [[Samba, Jammu|Samba]]
| {{convert|904|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|865.24|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|38.76|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0122_PART_A_DCHB_SAMBA.pdf |pages=9, 34, 36, 100 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Samba, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0122_PART_B_DCHB_SAMBA.pdf |pages=10, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Samba, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Udhampur district]]
|| [[Udhampur]]
| {{convert|2637.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2593.28|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|43.72|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0119_PART_B_DCHB_UDHAMPUR.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Udhampur |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Reasi district]]
|| [[Reasi]]
| {{convert|1719|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1679.99|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|39.01|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0120_PART_A_DCHB_REASI.pdf |pages=9, 37, 88 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Reasi, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0120_PART_B_DCHB_REASI.pdf |pages=9, 13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Reasi, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Rajouri district]]
|| [[Rajouri]]
| {{convert|2630|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2608.11|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|21.89|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0106_PART_A_DCHB_RAJOURI.pdf |pages=11, 107 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Rajouri, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0106_PART_B_DCHB_RAJOURI.pdf |pages=9, 10, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Rajouri, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir|Poonch district]]
|| [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]]
| {{convert|1674|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1649.92|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|24.08|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0105_PART_A_DCHB_PUNCH.pdf |pages=9, 99 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Punch, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0105_PART_B_DCHB_PUNCH.pdf |pages=11, 13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Punch, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Doda district]]
|| [[Doda, Jammu and Kashmir|Doda]]
| {{convert|8912.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|8892.25|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|19.75|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0116_PART_B_DCHB_DODA.pdf |pages=9, 12, 99 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Doda, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Ramban district]]
|| [[Ramban (Jammu and Kashmir)|Ramban]]
| {{convert|1329.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1313.92|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|15.08|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0117_PART_B_DCHB_RAMBAN.pdf |pages=10, 12 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Ramban, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kishtwar district]]
|| [[Kishtwar]]
| {{convert|1644.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1643.37|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|0.63|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0118_PART_B_DCHB_KISHTWAR.pdf |pages=9, 10, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kishtwar, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 9 says the rural area is 1643.65 km2, whilst pages 10 and 22 says 1643.37 km2.</ref>

|- style="background:lightblue; vertical-align:top;"
||Total for division
|| [[Jammu Division|Jammu]]
| {{convert|26293|km2|sqmi|disp=tablecen|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|25794.95|2}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|498.05|2}}
||

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
|rowspan=11 |[[Kashmir Division|Kashmir]]
||[[Anantnag district]]
|| [[Anantnag]]
| {{convert|3574|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|3475.76|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|98.24|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0114_PART_A_DCHB_ANANTNAG.pdf |page=9 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Anantnag, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0114_PART_B_DCHB_ANANTNAG.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Anantnag, Part B |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kulgam district]]
|| [[Kulgam]]
| {{convert|410|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|360.20|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.80|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0115_PART_A_DCHB_KULGAM.pdf |page=10 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kulgam, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0115_PART_B_DCHB_KULGAM.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kulgam, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 12 says the are of the district is 404 km2, but page 22 says 410 km2.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Pulwama district]]
|| [[Pulwama]]
| {{convert|1086.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1047.45|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|38.55|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0112_PART_B_DCHB_PULWAMA.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Pulwama, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Shopian district]]
|| [[Shopian]]
| {{convert|312.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|306.56|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|5.44|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0113_PART_A_DCHB_SHUPIYAN.pdf |page=10 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Shupiyan, Part A |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0113_PART_B_DCHB_SUPHIYAN.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Shupiyan, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B pages 12 and 22 say the district area is 312.00 km2, but Part A page 10 says 307.42 km2.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Budgam district]]
|| [[Budgam]]
| {{convert|1361|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1311.95|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.05|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0102_PART_A_DCHB_BADGAM.pdf |pages=10, 46 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Badgam, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0102_PART_B_DCHB_BADGAM.pdf |pages=11, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Badgam, Part B |date=16 June 2014|access-date=21 November 2020}} Part A says the district area is 1371 km2, Part B says 1371 km2 (page 11) and 1361 km2 (page 12s and 22).</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Srinagar district]]
|| [[Srinagar]]
| {{convert|1978.95|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1684.42|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|294.53|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0110_PART_A_DCHB_SRINAGAR.pdf |pages=11, 48 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Srinagar, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part A page 48 says the district area was 2228.0 km2 in 2001 and 1978.95 km2 in 2011.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Ganderbal district]]
|| [[Ganderbal]]
| {{convert|259|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|233.60|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|25.40|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0111_PART_B_DCHB_GANDERBAL.pdf |pages=11, 12 and 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Ganderbal, Part B |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 11 says the district area is 393.04 km2, but pages 12 and 22 say 259.00 km2.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Bandipora district]]
|| [[Bandipore|Bandipora]]
| {{convert|345|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|295.37|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.63|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0109_PART_A_DCHB_BANDIPORE.pdf |pages=10, 47 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Bandipora, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0109_PART_B_DCHB_BANDIPORE.pdf |pages=11, 20 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Bandipora, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Baramulla district]]
|| [[Baramulla]]
| {{convert|4243|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|4179.44|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|63.56|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0108_PART_A_DCHB_BARAMULA.pdf |page=11 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Baramulla, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0108_PART_B_DCHB_BARAMULA.pdf|page=22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Baramulla, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kupwara district]]
|| [[Kupwara]]
| {{convert|2379|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2331.66|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|47.34|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0101_PART_A_DCHB_KUPWARA.pdf |page=7 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kupwara, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0101_PART_B_DCHB_KUPWARA.pdf|pages=11, 12 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kupwara, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|- style="background:lightblue; vertical-align:top;"
||Total for division
|| [[Kashmir Division|Kashmir]]
| {{convert|15,948.00|km2|sqmi|disp=tablecen|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|15226.41|2}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|721.54|2}}
||

|}

==Demographics==
===Religion===
{{Pie chart|label1=[[Islam]]|value1=68.8|color1=Green|label2=[[Hinduism]]|value2=28.8|color2=orange|label3=[[Sikhism]]|value3=1.9|color3=yellow|label4=[[Christianity]]|value4=0.28|color4=blue|label5=[[Buddhism]]|value5=0.03|color5=Gold|label6=[[Jainism]]|value6=0.01|color6=Maroon|label7=Others|value7=0.01|color7=Grey|label8=Not Stated|value8=0.15|color8=Black|caption=Religions in Jammu and Kashmir (2011)<ref name="2011 Census">{{cite web|title=Population by religion community – 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|website=Census of India, 2011|publisher=The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825155850/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|archive-date=25 August 2015}}</ref>}}

Muslims constitutes the majority of the population of Jammu and Kashmir with a significant Hindu minority.<ref name="2011 Census"/>

The [[Kashmir Division]] is largely Muslim (96.41%) with a small Hindu (2.45%) and Sikh (0.81%) population. The [[Jammu Division]] is predominantly Hindu (66%) with a significant Muslim population (30%). The Muslims form a majority in the Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts of Jammu, while the Hindus form a majority in Kathua, Samba, Jammu and Udhampur districts. Reasi district has an almost equal number of Hindus and Muslims.<ref name="2011 Census"/>

==Government and politics==
{{main|Government of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir|Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly}}

The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir is administered under the provisions of [[:s:Constitution of India/Part VIII#Article 239|Article 239]] of the [[Constitution of India]]. The Article 239A, originally formulated for the union territory of [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puduchery]], will also be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir.<ref name="Indian Express">
[https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jammu-kashmir-bifurcation-ladakh-union-territory-key-takeaways-from-reorganisation-bill-article-370-amit-shah-5880177/ Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Bill passed by Rajya Sabha: Key takeaways], The Indian Express, 5 August 2019.
</ref>

===Executive branch===
The [[President of India]] appoints a [[List of Governors of Jammu and Kashmir|Lieutenant Governor]] for the union territory.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

A Council of Ministers led by a [[Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]] is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor from the membership of the legislative assembly. Their role is to advise the Lieutenant Governor in the exercise of functions in matters under the jurisdiction of the legislative assembly. In other matters, the Lieutenant Governor is empowered to act in his own capacity.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

===Legislative branch===
The legislative branch is of government is a unicameral [[Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir|legislative assembly]], whose tenure is five years. The legislative assembly may make laws for any of the matters in the [[State List]] of the Constitution of India except "public order" and "police", which will remain the preserve of the central [[Government of India]]. The Lieutenant Governor also has the power to promulgate ordinances which have the same force as the acts of the legislative assembly.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

Elections for the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly are to be held following the implementation of new constituency boundaries which is expected to be completed in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zeenews.india.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir-assembly-election-in-2021-after-delimitation-ec-sources-2230726.html|title=Jammu and Kashmir assembly election in 2021 after delimitation: EC sources|date=29 August 2019|website=Zee News}}</ref>

===Judicial branch===
[[FILE:Stamp of India - 2006 - Colnect 158978 - High Court of Jammu - Kashmir.jpeg|thumb|The [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]] on postal stamps of India]]
The union territory is under the jurisdiction of the [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]], which also serves as high court for [[Ladakh]].<ref name="Indian Express"/> Police services are provided by the [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]].<ref name="trnscpt">{{cite web|url=https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/salient-features-of-jammu-kashmir-reorganization-bill-146998|title=Salient Features Of Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization Bill [Read Bill]|first1=Devesh|first2=Iti|last1=Ratan|last2=Johri|date=7 August 2019|website=LiveLaw.in: All about law|access-date=7 August 2019}}</ref>

===Parties===
The main political parties active in the region are the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (State President: [[Ravinder Raina]]), the [[Indian National Congress]] (State President: [[Ghulam Ahmad Mir]]), the [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference]] (President: [[Farooq Abdullah]]) and the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party]] (President: [[Mehbooba Mufti]]). Other parties with a presence in the region parties include the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party]] (President: [[Altaf Bukhari]]), the [[Jammu and Kashmir Workers Party]] (President: Mir Junaid) and [[Ikkjutt Jammu]] (President: Ankur Sharma).

===Jammu and Kashmir in the Parliament of India===
Jammu and Kashmir sends five members (MPs) to the lower house of the [[Indian parliament]] (the [[Lok Sabha]]) and four members to the upper house (the [[Rajya Sabha]]).

;Lok Sabha constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Constituency No. !! style="width:180px;" |Constituency !! Reserved for (SC/ST/None)
|-
| align="centre" |1||[[Baramulla (Lok Sabha constituency)|Baramulla]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |2 ||[[Srinagar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Srinagar]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |3 ||[[Anantnag (Lok Sabha constituency)|Anantnag]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |4 ||[[Udhampur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Udhampur]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |5 ||[[Jammu (Lok Sabha constituency)|Jammu]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
|}

== Tourism ==
{{Main|Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir}}
Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, [[Chenab Valley]], [[Sind Valley|Sindh Valley]] and [[Lidder Valley]]. Some major tourist attractions in Jammu and Kashmir are [[Srinagar]], the [[Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar|Mughal Gardens]], [[Gulmarg]], [[Pahalgam]], [[Patnitop]] and [[Jammu]]. Every year, thousands of Hindu [[pilgrim]]s visit holy shrines of [[Vaishno Devi]] and [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath]] which has had significant impact on the state's economy.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200709130350.htm | work=Online edition of The Hindu|title=Amarnath Board to study yatra impact on Kashmir economy | access-date=6 June 2009|location=Chennai, India|date=13 September 2007}}</ref>

The Kashmir valley is one of the top tourist destinations of India.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200903181221.htm|work=Online edition of The Hindu|title=Foreign tourists flock Kashmir|access-date=18 March 2009|location=Chennai, India|date=18 March 2009}}</ref> [[Gulmarg]], one of the most popular [[ski resort]] destinations in India, is also home to the world's highest green [[golf course]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB119332713217271534?mod=googlenews_wsj|title=Fairway to Heaven|author=Cris Prystay|date=26 October 2007|work=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref> The decrease in violence in the state has boosted the state's economy, specifically tourism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sify.com/news/Tourists-arrival-gives-boost-to-J-K-economy-news-jm3v4cihjai.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716071016/http://www.sify.com/news/Tourists-arrival-gives-boost-to-J-K-economy-news-jm3v4cihjai.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-07-16|title=Tourists arrival gives boost to J-K economy|work=Sify}}</ref>

Jammu and Kashmir is also famous for its scenic beauty, flower gardens, apple farms and more. It attracts tourists for its unique handicrafts and the world-famous [[Kashmir shawl|Kashmiri Shawls]].

<gallery mode="packed" heights="134">
File:River Chenab Ramban.jpg|River Chenab in [[Chenab Valley]]
File:Gund village.jpg|[[Sind Valley|Sindh Valley]]
File:Pahalgam Valley.jpg|[[Lidder Valley]]
File:Shalimar Mughal Garden Srinagar 2.jpg|the [[Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar|Mughal Gardens]]
File:Pahalgam views 13.JPG|[[Pahalgam]] views
File:Gulmarg in 1969.jpg|[[Gulmarg]]
File:Sanasar Lake.jpeg|Sanasar Lake which is around 11 km from [[Patnitop]]
File:Amarnath 4.jpg|View of [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath]] Valley.
</gallery>

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Geography|Asia|India}}
* [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)]], for the entity that existed till 1952
* [[Kashmiriyat]]
* [[Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[Kashmiri cinema]]
* [[Literature of Kashmir]]
* [[Music of Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[Kus Bani Koshur Karorpaet]]
* [[DD Kashir]]
* [[AIR Srinagar]]
* [[University of Kashmir]]
* [[University of Jammu]]
* [[Central University of Kashmir]]
* [[Central University of Jammu]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir cricket team]]
* [[Real Kashmir F.C.]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir football team]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Rifles]]
{{-}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://jk.gov.in/ Government of Jammu and Kashmir]
* [https://jkgad.nic.in/ General Administration Department]
* [http://jkrajbhawan.nic.in/ Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir]
* [https://jammukashmir.s3waas.gov.in/ Jammu and Kashmir district portal]

{{Jammu and Kashmir topics}}
{{Kashmir Valley}}
{{States and Union Territories of India}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jammu And Kashmir}}
[[Category:Jammu and Kashmir| ]]
[[Category:North India|*]]
[[Category:History of the Republic of India]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 2019]]
[[Category:2019 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Urdu-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Kashmiri-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Disputed territories in Asia]]
[[Category:Union territories of India]]
[[Category:States and union territories of India]]

Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)

2021-12-02T17:32:55Z

Knowledge: Added information

{{Short description|Union territory in India}}
{{About|the governance of the region administered by India as a union territory|all other aspects of Jammu and Kashmir|Kashmir|the former princely state|Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)}}
{{pp-30-500|small=yes}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Jammu and Kashmir
| settlement_type = [[States and union territories of India|UNION TERRITORY]]
| image_skyline = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Pahalgam Valley.jpg
| photo2a = Akhnoor Fort - Jammu - Jammu and Kashmir - DSC 0001 JPEG.jpg
| photo3a =
| photo4a =
| spacing = 2
| position = centre
| size = 220
| border = 0
| color = #000000
| foot_montage = [[Lidder Valley]], [[Akhnoor Fort]]
}}
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| image_flag =
| flag_size =
| flag_type =
| image_blank_emblem =
| blank_emblem_size =
| blank_emblem_type =
| image_map = Kashmir Region November 2019.jpg
| map_alt = Jammu and Kashmir
| map_caption = A map of the disputed [[Kashmir]] region showing the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir
| image_map1 =
| map_caption1 =
| coordinates = {{coord|33.5|75.0|region:IN-JK_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{Flag|India}}
| established_title = [[States and union territories of India|Union territory]]
| established_date = 31 October 2019
| seat_type = Capital
| seat = [[Srinagar]] (May–October) [[Jammu]] (Nov-April)<ref name="Darbar Move">{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-darbar-move-in-j-k-all-about/article18409452.ece |title=What is the Darbar Move in J&K all about? |last=Desk |first=The Hindu Net |date=8 May 2017 |newspaper=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110135648/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-darbar-move-in-j-k-all-about/article18409452.ece |archive-date=10 November 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| parts_type = [[List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir|Districts]]
| parts_style = para
| p1 = [[List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir|20]]
| government_footnotes =
| governing_body = [[Government of Jammu and Kashmir]]
| leader_title = [[List of lieutenant governors of Jammu and Kashmir|Lieutenant Governor]]
| leader_name = [[Manoj Sinha]]
| leader_title1 = [[Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]]
| leader_name1 = ''Vacant''
| leader_title2 = [[Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly|Legislature]]
| leader_name2 = [[Unicameralism|Unicameral]] (114 seats)<ref>{{cite news |url =https://www.livemint.com/news/india/new-dawn-for-j-k-begins-two-new-federal-units-take-shape-11572493040564.html|title =Jammu and Kashmir transitions from a state into 2 federal units|author =Shaswati Das|publisher =Live Mint|website =livemint.com|quote =Jammu and Kashmir will also have its own legislative assembly, under which, according to the Act, the number of seats will go up to 114 from 87 currently, following a delimitation exercise.|access-date =30 June 2020}}</ref>
| leader_title3 = [[17th Lok Sabha|Parliamentary constituency]]
| leader_name3 = [[Rajya Sabha]] (4) [[Lok Sabha]] (5)
| leader_title4 = [[High Courts of India|High Court]]
| leader_name4 = [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]]
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes = {{efn|Jammu and Kashmir is a [[disputed territory]] between [[India]] and [[Pakistan]]. Jammu and Kashmir has 42,241 km2 of area administered by India and 13,297 km2 of area controlled by Pakistan under Azad Kashmir which is claimed by India as part of Jammu and Kashmir.}}
| area_total_km2 = 42,241
| area_rank =
| elevation_max_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197506500/Saser-Kangri|title=Saser Kangri |journal= The American Alpine Journal (AAJ)|date=1975 |first1=Jogindar |last1=Singh |access-date=14 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214115923/http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197506500/Saser-Kangri|archive-date=14 February 2019|url-status=live |pages=67–67}} [https://aac-publications.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/aaj/1975/PDF/AAJ_1975_20_1_065.pdf pdf of original pages]</ref>
| elevation_max_m = 7135
| elevation_max_ft =
| elevation_max_point = [[Nun Kun|Nun Peak]]
| elevation_max_rank =
| elevation_min_footnotes =
| elevation_min_m = 247
| elevation_min_ft =
| elevation_min_point =  [[Chenab River]]
| elevation_min_rank =
| population_total = 12,267,013
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Vijaita |title=Only J&K will use 2011 Census for delimitation |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/only-jk-will-use-2011-census-for-delimitation/article30952006.ece |access-date=6 November 2020 |work=The Hindu |date=29 February 2020 |language=en-IN}}</ref>
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_rank =
| population_note =
| registration_plate = JK
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +05:30
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|IN-JK]]
| unemployment_rate =
| blank_info_sec1 = {{Increase}} 0.688 (Medium)
| blank_name_sec1 = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] {{nobold|(2018)}}
| blank1_info_sec1 =
| blank_name_sec2 = [[Literacy in India|Literacy]]
| blank_info_sec2 =
| blank2_name_sec2 =
| blank2_info_sec2 =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]], [[Dogri language|Dogri]], [[Urdu]], [[Hindi]], [[English language|English]].<ref name="OfficialLang">{{cite web |url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2020/222037.pdf |title=The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020 |publisher=The Gazette of India|date=27 September 2020 |access-date=27 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020 | work=Rising Kashmir | date=23 September 2020| url=http://risingkashmir.com/news/parliament-passes-jk-official-languages-bill-2020 | access-date=23 September 2020}}</ref>
| demographics1_title2 = Spoken
| demographics1_info2 = [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], [[Pahari-Pothwari|Pahari]], [[Gujari language|Gojri]], Dadri<ref name="Languages">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RRbIAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA184 |title=The Parchment of Kashmir: History, Society, and Polity |last=Khan |first=N. |date=6 August 2012 |publisher=Springer |isbn=9781137029584 |page=184 |language=en |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190223184947/https://books.google.com/books?id=RRbIAAAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&pg=PA184#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=23 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Dadri">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XNqOjvaAb9cC&pg=PA6 |title=Modern History of Jammu and Kashmir: Ancient times to Shimla Agreement |last1=Aggarwal |first1=J. C. |last2=Agrawal |first2=S. P. |date=1995 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |isbn=9788170225577 |language=en |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224001711/https://books.google.com/books?id=XNqOjvaAb9cC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA6#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=24 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Bhadarwahi]],<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Bhadrawahi |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/bhd |language=en|website=Ethnologue.com|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> [[Bateri language|Bateri]],<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Bateri |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/btv |language=en}}</ref> [[Shina language|Shina]],<ref name="Crane1956">{{cite book|last=Crane|first=Robert I.|title=Area Handbook on Jammu and Kashmir State|year=1956|publisher=University of Chicago for the Human Relations Area Files|language=en|page=179|quote=Shina is the most eastern of these languages and in some of its dialects such as the Brokpa of Dah and Hanu and the dialect of Dras, it impinges upon the area of the Sino-Tibetan language family and has been affected by Tibetan with an overlay of words and idioms.}}</ref> [[Burushaski]]<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Pakistan's "Burushaski" Language Finds New Relatives |url=https://www.npr.org/2012/06/20/155454736/pakistans-burushaski-language-finds-new-relatives |language=en|website=Npr.org|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> and [[Khowar language|Khowar]]<ref name="SimonsFenning2017">{{cite book|last1=Simons|first1= Gary F. |last2=Fennig|first2=Charles D. |title=Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Twentieth Edition|year=2017|publisher=[[SIL International]]|location= Dallas|language=en}}</ref>
| website = https://www.jk.gov.in
| footnotes =
| official_name =
| module =
| leader_name5 = (280 seats)
| leader_title5 = [[District Development Council|DDC]]
}}

'''Jammu and Kashmir'''{{efn|Pronounced variably as {{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|æ|m|uː}} or {{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|ʌ|m|uː}}, {{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|æ|ʃ|m|ɪər}} or {{IPAc-en|k|æ|ʃ|ˈ|m|ɪər}}.<ref>{{Citation |last=Jones |first=Daniel |author-link= Daniel Jones (phonetician) |title= English Pronouncing Dictionary |editor=Peter Roach |editor2=James Hartmann |editor3=Jane Setter |place=Cambridge |publisher= Cambridge University Press |orig-year=1917 |year=2003 |isbn=978-3-12-539683-8 }}</ref>}} is a region administered by India as a [[union territory]] and consists of the southern portion of the larger [[Kashmir]] region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947, and between India and China since 1962.<ref name=britannica-jammu-kashmir>(a) {{citation|last1=Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannia|title=Kashmir, region Indian subcontinent|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Kashmir-region-Indian-subcontinent |access-date=15 August 2019}} (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcontinent ... has been the subject of dispute between India and Pakistan since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. The northern and western portions are administered by Pakistan and comprise three areas: Azad Kashmir, Gilgit, and Baltistan, the last two being part of a territory called the Northern Areas. Administered by India are the southern and southeastern portions, which constitute the state of Jammu and Kashmir but are slated to be split into two union territories. China became active in the eastern area of Kashmir in the 1950s and has controlled the northeastern part of Ladakh (the easternmost portion of the region) since 1962."; (b) {{citation|chapter=Kashmir|title=Encyclopedia Americana|publisher=Scholastic Library Publishing|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l_cWAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA328|year=2006|isbn=978-0-7172-0139-6|page=328}} C. E Bosworth, University of Manchester Quote: "KASHMIR, kash'mer, the northernmost region of the Indian subcontinent, administered partlv by India, partly by Pakistan, and partly by China. The region has been the subject of a bitter dispute between India and Pakistan since they became independent in 1947";</ref><ref name="Osmanczyk2003">{{citation|last1=Osmańczyk|first1=Edmund Jan|title=Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: G to M|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fSIMXHMdfkkC&pg=PA1191|year=2003|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-415-93922-5|pages=1191–}} Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir: Territory in northwestern India, subject to a dispute between India and Pakistan. It has borders with Pakistan and China."</ref> The region of Jammu and Kashmir is separated by the [[Line of Control]] from the [[Kashmir#Current status and political divisions|Pakistani-administered]] territories of [[Azad Kashmir]] and [[Gilgit-Baltistan]] in the west and north, respectively. It lies to the north of the Indian states of [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] and to the west of [[Ladakh]], which is also subject to the dispute as a part of Kashmir, and administered by India as a union territory.

Provisions for the formation of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir were contained within the [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019]], which was passed by both houses of the [[Parliament of India]] in August 2019. The act re-constituted the former [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|state of Jammu and Kashmir]] into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, with effect from 31 October 2019.<ref name="Gazette2" />

== Terminology ==
Jammu and Kashmir is named after the two regions it encompasses {{ndash}} the [[Jammu region]] and the [[Kashmir Valley]].

The Government of Pakistan and Pakistani sources refer to Jammu and Kashmir as a part of "Indian-occupied Kashmir" ("IOK") or "Indian-held Kashmir" (IHK).<ref>{{cite web |first= Ali | last=Zain |url= http://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pakistani-flag-hoisted-pro-freedom-slogans-chanted-in-indian-occupied-kashmir-567/ |title= Pakistani flag hoisted, pro-freedom slogans chanted in Indian Occupied Kashmir – Daily Pakistan Global |publisher= En.dailypakistan.com.pk |date= 13 September 2015 |access-date= 17 November 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151118114311/http://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pakistani-flag-hoisted-pro-freedom-slogans-chanted-in-indian-occupied-kashmir-567/ |archive-date= 18 November 2015 |url-status=live |df= dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://dunyanews.tv/index.php/en/World/298421-Pakistani-flag-hoisted-once-again-in-Indian-Occupi |title= Pakistani flag hoisted once again in Indian Occupied Kashmir |website=Dunya News |date= 11 September 2015 |access-date=17 November 2015}}</ref> The Government of India and Indian sources in turn, call the [[Pakistan-administered Kashmir|territory under Pakistan control]] "Pakistan-occupied Kashmir" ("POK") or "Pakistan-held Kashmir" ("PHK").<ref name="Snedden 2013 p.2-3">{{cite book |first=Christopher |last=Snedden |author-link=Christopher Snedden |title=Kashmir: The Unwritten History |publisher=HarperCollins India |year=2013 |isbn=978-9350298985 |pages=2–3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-enigma-of-terminology/article5621801.ece|title=The enigma of terminology|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016082903/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-enigma-of-terminology/article5621801.ece|archive-date=16 October 2015|newspaper=The Hindu|date=27 January 2014}}</ref>
"Indian-administered Kashmir" and "Indian-controlled Kashmir" are often used by neutral sources.<ref>South Asia: fourth report of session 2006–07 by By Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Foreign Affairs Committee page 37</ref>

== History ==
{{For|the 1954–2019 history|Jammu and Kashmir (state)#History}}
{{For|the pre-1954 history|Kashmir#History}}

The state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] was accorded special status by [[Article 370 of the Constitution of India]]. In contrast to other [[states of India]], Jammu and Kashmir had its own [[Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir|constitution]], [[Flag of Jammu and Kashmir|flag]] and administrative autonomy.<ref>{{citation |author=K. Venkataramanan |title=How the status of Jammu and Kashmir is being changed |newspaper=The Hindu |date=5 August 2019 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/explained-how-the-status-of-jammu-and-kashmir-is-being-changed/article28822866.ece?homepage=true}}</ref> Indian citizens from other states were not allowed to purchase land or property in Jammu and Kashmir.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/article-370-and-35a-revoked-how-it-would-change-the-face-of-kashmir/articleshow/70531959.cms|title=Article 370 and 35(A) revoked: How it would change the face of Kashmir|newspaper=The Economic Times|date=5 August 2019}}</ref>

Jammu and Kashmir had three distinct areas: Hindu-majority [[Jammu region]], Muslim-majority [[Kashmir Valley]] and Buddhist-dominated [[Ladakh]].<ref name=BBC6Aug>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-49234708 Article 370: What happened with Kashmir and why it matters]. BBC (6 August 2019). Retrieved 7 August 2019.</ref> Unrest and violence persisted in the Kashmiri Valley and, following a disputed state election in 1987, an [[insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir|insurgency persisted]] in protest over autonomy and rights.<ref name="BBC6Aug" /><ref>{{cite web|last1=Jeelani|first1=Mushtaq A.|title=Kashmir: A History Littered With Rigged Elections|url=http://www.mediamonitors.net/jeelani4.html|website=Media Monitors Network|access-date=24 February 2017|date=25 June 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304051443/http://www.mediamonitors.net/jeelani4.html|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref>

The [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) came to power in the [[2014 Indian general election]] and five years later included in their [[2019 Indian general election|2019 election manifesto]] the revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India, in order to bring Jammu and Kashmir to equal status with other states.<ref name=BBC6Aug/>

A resolution to [[Revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir|repeal Article 370]] was passed by both the houses of the [[Parliament of India]] in August 2019. At the same time, a [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019|reorganisation act]] was also passed, which would reconstitute the state into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/parliament-live-govt-to-move-jammu-and-kashmir-reorganisation-bill-for-passage-in-lok-sabha/article28831274.ece|title=Parliament Live | Lok Sabha passes Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, Ayes: 370, Noes 70|date=6 August 2019|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> The reorganisation took effect from 31 October 2019.<ref name="Gazette2">{{citation|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2019/210412.pdf|title=In exercise of the powers conferred by clause a of section 2 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act.|date=9 August 2019|access-date=9 August 2019|author=Ministry of Home Affairs|work=[[The Gazette of India]]}}</ref>

Thousands of Kashmiris, including two former Chief Ministers and hundreds of other politicians, were detained in prisons all across India,<ref name="reuters">{{cite news |title=Thousands detained in Indian Kashmir crackdown, official data reveals |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-kashmir-detentions/thousands-detained-in-indian-kashmir-crackdown-official-data-reveals-idUSKCN1VX142 |work=Reuters |date=September 12, 2019}}</ref> the state was put under a [[2019–2021 Jammu and Kashmir lockdown|lockdown]] and communication and internet services were suspended.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kashmir in lockdown after autonomy scrapped |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-49246434 |access-date=6 June 2021 |work=BBC News |date=6 August 2019}}</ref>

==Geography==


===Topography===
[[File:Kashmir top.jpg|thumb|[[Topographic map]] of Jammu and Kashmir, with visible altitude for the Kashmir valley and Jammu region.]]

Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, Tawi Valley, [[Chenab Valley]], [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]] Valley, [[Sind Valley]] and [[Lidder Valley]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Vij|first=Shivam|date=5 May 2017|title=Kashmir Is A Prison With Three Walls|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/05/04/kashmir-is-a-prison-with-three-walls_a_22070340/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505073150/http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/05/04/kashmir-is-a-prison-with-three-walls_a_22070340/|archive-date=5 May 2017|access-date=9 August 2019|work=[[HuffPost]]}} [https://shivamvij.in/2017/05/05/755/ Alt URL]</ref> The Kashmir valley is {{convert|100|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|15520.3|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} in area.<ref name="AA1">{{cite web|url=https://www.asianage.com/columnists/indus-water-flow-can-t-be-stopped-721|title=Indus: The water flow can't be stopped|first=Mohan|last=Guruswamy|work=[[The Asian Age]]|date=28 September 2016|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Himalayas]] divide the Kashmir valley from the [[Tibetan plateau]] while the [[Pir Panjal]] range, which encloses the valley from the west and the south, separates it from the [[Punjab Plain]] of the [[Indo-Gangetic Plain]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/opinion/a-tryst-of-the-heart-and-history-along-the-karakoram-highway/|title=A Tryst of the Heart and History along the Karakoram Highway|first=Asma|last=Khan|work=[[Greater Kashmir]]|date=26 April 2018|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> Along the northeastern flank of the Valley runs the main range of the Himalayas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zmescience.com/other/feature-post/india-pakistan-conflict-07032019/|title=Why India and Pakistan keep fighting over Kashmir – the history of the Kashmir conflict|first=Mihai|last=Andrei|work=GME Science|date=11 March 2019|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> This valley has an average height of {{convert|1850|m|ft}} above sea-level,<ref name="AA1"/> but the surrounding Pir Panjal range has an average elevation of {{convert|10000|ft|m}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/in-the-past-the-mountain-passes-were-entry-exit-points-for-travellers-and-invaders/article22136536.ece|title=Doorway of the gods: Himalaya crosses five countries|author1=Vrinda|author2=J. Ramanan|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=21 December 2017|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Jhelum River]] is the major Himalayan river which flows through the Kashmir valley.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Jhelum-River|title=Jhelum River|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|date=15 December 2015|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Tawi River|Tawi]], [[Ravi River|Ravi]] and [[Chenab River|Chenab]] are the other important rivers flowing through the region.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nation.com.pk/29-Jul-2019/flooding-alert-issued-as-india-releases-water|title=Flooding alert issued as India releases water|work=[[The Nation (Pakistan)|The Nation]]|author=Agencies|date=29 July 2019|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref>

==Administrative divisions==
[[File:J,K and L - Indian Union Territories.jpg|thumb|'''''Jammu and Kashmir union territory''''' (J and K) is bordered in carmine colour. '''''Ladakh union territory''''' (L) is bordered in blue colour.]]
{{Main|List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir}}

The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir consists of two [[Divisions of India|divisions]]: [[Jammu Division]] and [[Kashmir Division]], and is further divided into 20 [[Districts of India|districts]].<ref name=MHA>{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |title=Ministry of Home Affairs:: Department of Jammu & Kashmir Affairs |access-date=28 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208212815/http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |archive-date=8 December 2008 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-bottom: 0;"
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
!| Division
!| Name
!| Headquarters
!| Area (km2)
!| Area (sq miles)
!| Rural Area (km2)
!| Urban Area (km2)
!|

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
|rowspan=11|[[Jammu Division|Jammu]]
||[[Kathua district]]
|| [[Kathua]]
| {{convert|2502|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2458.84|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|43.16|2}}
|| <ref>{{cite report
|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0107_PART_A_DCHB_KATHUA.pdf |page=8 |work=Census of India 2011, Part A |title=District Census Handbook Kathua |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Jammu district]]
|| [[Jammu (city)|Jammu]]
| {{convert|2342|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2089.87|2}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|252.13|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0121_PART_A_DCHB_JAMMU.pdf |pages=13, 51, 116 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Jammu, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0121_PART_B_DCHB_JAMMU.pdf |pages=13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Jammu, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Samba district]]
|| [[Samba, Jammu|Samba]]
| {{convert|904|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|865.24|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|38.76|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0122_PART_A_DCHB_SAMBA.pdf |pages=9, 34, 36, 100 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Samba, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0122_PART_B_DCHB_SAMBA.pdf |pages=10, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Samba, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Udhampur district]]
|| [[Udhampur]]
| {{convert|2637.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2593.28|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|43.72|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0119_PART_B_DCHB_UDHAMPUR.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Udhampur |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Reasi district]]
|| [[Reasi]]
| {{convert|1719|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1679.99|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|39.01|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0120_PART_A_DCHB_REASI.pdf |pages=9, 37, 88 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Reasi, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0120_PART_B_DCHB_REASI.pdf |pages=9, 13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Reasi, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Rajouri district]]
|| [[Rajouri]]
| {{convert|2630|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2608.11|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|21.89|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0106_PART_A_DCHB_RAJOURI.pdf |pages=11, 107 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Rajouri, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0106_PART_B_DCHB_RAJOURI.pdf |pages=9, 10, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Rajouri, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir|Poonch district]]
|| [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]]
| {{convert|1674|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1649.92|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|24.08|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0105_PART_A_DCHB_PUNCH.pdf |pages=9, 99 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Punch, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0105_PART_B_DCHB_PUNCH.pdf |pages=11, 13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Punch, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Doda district]]
|| [[Doda, Jammu and Kashmir|Doda]]
| {{convert|8912.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|8892.25|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|19.75|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0116_PART_B_DCHB_DODA.pdf |pages=9, 12, 99 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Doda, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Ramban district]]
|| [[Ramban (Jammu and Kashmir)|Ramban]]
| {{convert|1329.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1313.92|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|15.08|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0117_PART_B_DCHB_RAMBAN.pdf |pages=10, 12 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Ramban, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kishtwar district]]
|| [[Kishtwar]]
| {{convert|1644.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1643.37|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|0.63|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0118_PART_B_DCHB_KISHTWAR.pdf |pages=9, 10, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kishtwar, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 9 says the rural area is 1643.65 km2, whilst pages 10 and 22 says 1643.37 km2.</ref>

|- style="background:lightblue; vertical-align:top;"
||Total for division
|| [[Jammu Division|Jammu]]
| {{convert|26293|km2|sqmi|disp=tablecen|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|25794.95|2}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|498.05|2}}
||

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
|rowspan=11 |[[Kashmir Division|Kashmir]]
||[[Anantnag district]]
|| [[Anantnag]]
| {{convert|3574|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|3475.76|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|98.24|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0114_PART_A_DCHB_ANANTNAG.pdf |page=9 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Anantnag, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0114_PART_B_DCHB_ANANTNAG.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Anantnag, Part B |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kulgam district]]
|| [[Kulgam]]
| {{convert|410|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|360.20|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.80|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0115_PART_A_DCHB_KULGAM.pdf |page=10 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kulgam, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0115_PART_B_DCHB_KULGAM.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kulgam, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 12 says the are of the district is 404 km2, but page 22 says 410 km2.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Pulwama district]]
|| [[Pulwama]]
| {{convert|1086.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1047.45|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|38.55|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0112_PART_B_DCHB_PULWAMA.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Pulwama, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Shopian district]]
|| [[Shopian]]
| {{convert|312.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|306.56|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|5.44|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0113_PART_A_DCHB_SHUPIYAN.pdf |page=10 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Shupiyan, Part A |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0113_PART_B_DCHB_SUPHIYAN.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Shupiyan, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B pages 12 and 22 say the district area is 312.00 km2, but Part A page 10 says 307.42 km2.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Budgam district]]
|| [[Budgam]]
| {{convert|1361|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1311.95|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.05|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0102_PART_A_DCHB_BADGAM.pdf |pages=10, 46 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Badgam, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0102_PART_B_DCHB_BADGAM.pdf |pages=11, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Badgam, Part B |date=16 June 2014|access-date=21 November 2020}} Part A says the district area is 1371 km2, Part B says 1371 km2 (page 11) and 1361 km2 (page 12s and 22).</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Srinagar district]]
|| [[Srinagar]]
| {{convert|1978.95|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1684.42|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|294.53|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0110_PART_A_DCHB_SRINAGAR.pdf |pages=11, 48 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Srinagar, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part A page 48 says the district area was 2228.0 km2 in 2001 and 1978.95 km2 in 2011.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Ganderbal district]]
|| [[Ganderbal]]
| {{convert|259|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|233.60|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|25.40|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0111_PART_B_DCHB_GANDERBAL.pdf |pages=11, 12 and 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Ganderbal, Part B |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 11 says the district area is 393.04 km2, but pages 12 and 22 say 259.00 km2.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Bandipora district]]
|| [[Bandipore|Bandipora]]
| {{convert|345|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|295.37|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.63|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0109_PART_A_DCHB_BANDIPORE.pdf |pages=10, 47 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Bandipora, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0109_PART_B_DCHB_BANDIPORE.pdf |pages=11, 20 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Bandipora, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Baramulla district]]
|| [[Baramulla]]
| {{convert|4243|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|4179.44|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|63.56|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0108_PART_A_DCHB_BARAMULA.pdf |page=11 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Baramulla, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0108_PART_B_DCHB_BARAMULA.pdf|page=22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Baramulla, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kupwara district]]
|| [[Kupwara]]
| {{convert|2379|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2331.66|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|47.34|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0101_PART_A_DCHB_KUPWARA.pdf |page=7 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kupwara, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0101_PART_B_DCHB_KUPWARA.pdf|pages=11, 12 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kupwara, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|- style="background:lightblue; vertical-align:top;"
||Total for division
|| [[Kashmir Division|Kashmir]]
| {{convert|15,948.00|km2|sqmi|disp=tablecen|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|15226.41|2}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|721.54|2}}
||

|}

==Demographics==
===Religion===
{{Pie chart|label1=[[Islam]]|value1=68.8|color1=Green|label2=[[Hinduism]]|value2=28.8|color2=orange|label3=[[Sikhism]]|value3=1.9|color3=yellow|label4=[[Christianity]]|value4=0.28|color4=blue|label5=[[Buddhism]]|value5=0.03|color5=Gold|label6=[[Jainism]]|value6=0.01|color6=Maroon|label7=Others|value7=0.01|color7=Grey|label8=Not Stated|value8=0.15|color8=Black|caption=Religions in Jammu and Kashmir (2011)<ref name="2011 Census">{{cite web|title=Population by religion community – 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|website=Census of India, 2011|publisher=The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825155850/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|archive-date=25 August 2015}}</ref>}}

Muslims constitutes the majority of the population of Jammu and Kashmir with a significant Hindu minority.<ref name="2011 Census"/>

The [[Kashmir Division]] is largely Muslim (96.41%) with a small Hindu (2.45%) and Sikh (0.81%) population. The [[Jammu Division]] is predominantly Hindu (66%) with a significant Muslim population (30%). The Muslims form a majority in the Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts of Jammu, while the Hindus form a majority in Kathua, Samba, Jammu and Udhampur districts. Reasi district has an almost equal number of Hindus and Muslims.<ref name="2011 Census"/>

==Government and politics==
{{main|Government of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir|Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly}}

The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir is administered under the provisions of [[:s:Constitution of India/Part VIII#Article 239|Article 239]] of the [[Constitution of India]]. The Article 239A, originally formulated for the union territory of [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puduchery]], will also be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir.<ref name="Indian Express">
[https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jammu-kashmir-bifurcation-ladakh-union-territory-key-takeaways-from-reorganisation-bill-article-370-amit-shah-5880177/ Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Bill passed by Rajya Sabha: Key takeaways], The Indian Express, 5 August 2019.
</ref>

===Executive branch===
The [[President of India]] appoints a [[List of Governors of Jammu and Kashmir|Lieutenant Governor]] for the union territory.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

A Council of Ministers led by a [[Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]] is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor from the membership of the legislative assembly. Their role is to advise the Lieutenant Governor in the exercise of functions in matters under the jurisdiction of the legislative assembly. In other matters, the Lieutenant Governor is empowered to act in his own capacity.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

===Legislative branch===
The legislative branch is of government is a unicameral [[Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir|legislative assembly]], whose tenure is five years. The legislative assembly may make laws for any of the matters in the [[State List]] of the Constitution of India except "public order" and "police", which will remain the preserve of the central [[Government of India]]. The Lieutenant Governor also has the power to promulgate ordinances which have the same force as the acts of the legislative assembly.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

Elections for the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly are to be held following the implementation of new constituency boundaries which is expected to be completed in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zeenews.india.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir-assembly-election-in-2021-after-delimitation-ec-sources-2230726.html|title=Jammu and Kashmir assembly election in 2021 after delimitation: EC sources|date=29 August 2019|website=Zee News}}</ref>

===Judicial branch===
[[FILE:Stamp of India - 2006 - Colnect 158978 - High Court of Jammu - Kashmir.jpeg|thumb|The [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]] on postal stamps of India]]
The union territory is under the jurisdiction of the [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]], which also serves as high court for [[Ladakh]].<ref name="Indian Express"/> Police services are provided by the [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]].<ref name="trnscpt">{{cite web|url=https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/salient-features-of-jammu-kashmir-reorganization-bill-146998|title=Salient Features Of Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization Bill [Read Bill]|first1=Devesh|first2=Iti|last1=Ratan|last2=Johri|date=7 August 2019|website=LiveLaw.in: All about law|access-date=7 August 2019}}</ref>

===Parties===
The main political parties active in the region are the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (State President: [[Ravinder Raina]]), the [[Indian National Congress]] (State President: [[Ghulam Ahmad Mir]]), the [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference]] (President: [[Farooq Abdullah]]) and the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party]] (President: [[Mehbooba Mufti]]). Other parties with a presence in the region parties include the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party]] (President: [[Altaf Bukhari]]), the [[Jammu and Kashmir Workers Party]] (President: Mir Junaid) and [[Ikkjutt Jammu]] (President: Ankur Sharma).

===Jammu and Kashmir in the Parliament of India===
Jammu and Kashmir sends five members (MPs) to the lower house of the [[Indian parliament]] (the [[Lok Sabha]]) and four members to the upper house (the [[Rajya Sabha]]).

;Lok Sabha constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Constituency No. !! style="width:180px;" |Constituency !! Reserved for (SC/ST/None)
|-
| align="centre" |1||[[Baramulla (Lok Sabha constituency)|Baramulla]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |2 ||[[Srinagar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Srinagar]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |3 ||[[Anantnag (Lok Sabha constituency)|Anantnag]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |4 ||[[Udhampur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Udhampur]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |5 ||[[Jammu (Lok Sabha constituency)|Jammu]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
|}

== Tourism ==
{{Main|Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir}}
Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, [[Chenab Valley]], [[Sind Valley|Sindh Valley]] and [[Lidder Valley]]. Some major tourist attractions in Jammu and Kashmir are [[Srinagar]], the [[Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar|Mughal Gardens]], [[Gulmarg]], [[Pahalgam]], [[Patnitop]] and [[Jammu]]. Every year, thousands of Hindu [[pilgrim]]s visit holy shrines of [[Vaishno Devi]] and [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath]] which has had significant impact on the state's economy.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200709130350.htm | work=Online edition of The Hindu|title=Amarnath Board to study yatra impact on Kashmir economy | access-date=6 June 2009|location=Chennai, India|date=13 September 2007}}</ref>

The Kashmir valley is one of the top tourist destinations of India.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200903181221.htm|work=Online edition of The Hindu|title=Foreign tourists flock Kashmir|access-date=18 March 2009|location=Chennai, India|date=18 March 2009}}</ref> [[Gulmarg]], one of the most popular [[ski resort]] destinations in India, is also home to the world's highest green [[golf course]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB119332713217271534?mod=googlenews_wsj|title=Fairway to Heaven|author=Cris Prystay|date=26 October 2007|work=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref> The decrease in violence in the state has boosted the state's economy, specifically tourism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sify.com/news/Tourists-arrival-gives-boost-to-J-K-economy-news-jm3v4cihjai.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716071016/http://www.sify.com/news/Tourists-arrival-gives-boost-to-J-K-economy-news-jm3v4cihjai.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-07-16|title=Tourists arrival gives boost to J-K economy|work=Sify}}</ref>

Jammu and Kashmir is also famous for its scenic beauty, flower gardens, apple farms and more. It attracts tourists for its unique handicrafts and the world-famous [[Kashmir shawl|Kashmiri Shawls]].

<gallery mode="packed" heights="134">
File:River Chenab Ramban.jpg|River Chenab in [[Chenab Valley]]
File:Gund village.jpg|[[Sind Valley|Sindh Valley]]
File:Pahalgam Valley.jpg|[[Lidder Valley]]
File:Shalimar Mughal Garden Srinagar 2.jpg|the [[Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar|Mughal Gardens]]
File:Pahalgam views 13.JPG|[[Pahalgam]] views
File:Gulmarg in 1969.jpg|[[Gulmarg]]
File:Sanasar Lake.jpeg|Sanasar Lake which is around 11 km from [[Patnitop]]
File:Amarnath 4.jpg|View of [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath]] Valley.
</gallery>

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Geography|Asia|India}}
* [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)]], for the entity that existed till 1952
* [[Kashmiriyat]]
* [[Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[Kashmiri cinema]]
* [[Literature of Kashmir]]
* [[Music of Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[Kus Bani Koshur Karorpaet]]
* [[DD Kashir]]
* [[AIR Srinagar]]
* [[University of Kashmir]]
* [[University of Jammu]]
* [[Central University of Kashmir]]
* [[Central University of Jammu]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir cricket team]]
* [[Real Kashmir F.C.]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir football team]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Rifles]]
{{-}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://jk.gov.in/ Government of Jammu and Kashmir]
* [https://jkgad.nic.in/ General Administration Department]
* [http://jkrajbhawan.nic.in/ Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir]
* [https://jammukashmir.s3waas.gov.in/ Jammu and Kashmir district portal]

{{Jammu and Kashmir topics}}
{{Kashmir Valley}}
{{States and Union Territories of India}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jammu And Kashmir}}
[[Category:Jammu and Kashmir| ]]
[[Category:North India|*]]
[[Category:History of the Republic of India]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 2019]]
[[Category:2019 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Urdu-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Kashmiri-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Disputed territories in Asia]]
[[Category:Union territories of India]]
[[Category:States and union territories of India]]

Jammu and Kashmir (state)

2021-12-02T17:11:55Z

Knowledge: Fixed typo

{{About|the former state|union territory|Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|the former princely state|Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)}}
{{Infobox former subdivision
| common_name = Jammu and Kashmir
| conventional_long_name = Jammu and Kashmir
| nation = India
| status_text = [[States and union territories of India#Former states|Former state]]
| capital = [[Srinagar]] (May–October) [[Jammu]] (November–April)<ref name="Darbar Move">{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-darbar-move-in-j-k-all-about/article18409452.ece |title=What is the Darbar Move in J&K all about? |last=Desk |first=The Hindu Net |date=8 May 2017 |newspaper=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110135648/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-darbar-move-in-j-k-all-about/article18409452.ece |archive-date=10 November 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| year_start = 1954
| date_start = 14 May
| event_start = [[Article 370#Presidential order of 1954|Presidential order of 1954]] comes into force, established as state of India
| year_end = 2019
| date_end = 31 October
|event_end = [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019|Reorganized]] into [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]] and [[Ladakh]]
| p1 = Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)
| flag_p1 = Flag of Jammu and Kashmir (1936-1953).gif
| s1 = Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)
| s2 = Ladakh (union Territory)
| flag_s1 = Flag of India.svg
| flag_s2 = Flag of India.svg
| image_flag = Flag of Jammu and Kashmir (1952-2019).svg
| symbol_type = Emblem
| image_coat = Seal of Jammu and Kashmir color.png
| image_map = Kashmir_region_2004.jpg
| image_map_caption = Map of Jammu and Kashmir
| coordinates = {{coord|33.45|76.24|region:IN-JK_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| legislature = [[Jammu and Kashmir Legislature]]
| house1 = [[Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council]] (36 seats)
| house2 = [[Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly]] (89 seats)
| political_subdiv = [[Districts of Jammu and Kashmir|22 districts]]
| title_leader = [[List of governors of Jammu and Kashmir|Governor]]
| leader1 = [[Karan Singh]] (''first'')
| year_leader1 = 1954–1965 as ''Sadr-e-Riyasat''; 1965–1967
| leader2 = [[Satya Pal Malik]] (''last'')
| year_leader2 = 2018–2019<ref>{{cite news |title=Satya Pal Malik sworn in as Jammu and Kashmir governor |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/satya-pal-malik-sworn-in-as-jammu-and-kashmir-governor/articleshow/65512757.cms |work=The Economic Times |agency=Press Trust of India |date=23 August 2018 |access-date=31 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823110106/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/satya-pal-malik-sworn-in-as-jammu-and-kashmir-governor/articleshow/65512757.cms |archive-date=23 August 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| title_deputy = [[List of chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]]
| deputy1 = [[Mehr Chand Mahajan]] (''first'')
| year_deputy1 = 1947–1948 as ''Prime Minister''
| deputy2 = [[Mehbooba Mufti]] (''last'')
| year_deputy2 = 2016–2018<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/politics/bjp-pdp-alliance-ends-in-jammu-and-kashmir-live-updates-modi-govt-did-everything-to-normalise-situation-says-ram-madhav-4542011.html|title=BJP-PDP alliance ends in Jammu and Kashmir LIVE updates: Mehbooba Mufti resigns as chief minister; Governor's Rule in state|work=[[Firstpost]]|accessdate=19 June 2018|date=19 June 2018}}</ref>
| footnotes =
|native_name=|demonym=|today=}}
'''Jammu and Kashmir''' was the northmost state of India. The state covered {{convert|138200|sqmi|km2|1|lk=on}} and is mostly in the [[Himalaya]]n mountains. Jammu and Kashmir used to be a British protectorate in 1860. Jammu and Kashmir borderd the states of [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[East Punjab|Punjab]] to the south-east and south respectively. The other parts of state are administered by [[Pakistan]] as [[Azad Jammu and Kashmir]] and Gilgit-[[Baltistan]].

Jammu and Kashmir has been a subject of dispute between [[India]] and [[Pakistan]] since 1947, and [[China]] since 1962.

==Demographics==
[[File:Kashmir map.svg|thumb|300px|right|Indian-controlled part is shown in blue; Pakistan-controlled part is shown in green; China controlled part is Yellow.]]
Jammu and Kashmir has a Muslim majority population. Though [[Islam]] is practiced by about 67% of the population of the state and by 97% of the population of the [[Kashmir valley]],<ref>Calculated from the [http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/Basic_Data_Sheet.aspx 2001 Census India District Profiles]</ref> the state has large communities of Buddhists, Hindus (inclusive of Meghwal and [[Sikh]]s).<ref name="censusindia.gov.in">[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_data_finder/C_Series/Population_by_religious_communities.htm 2001 Census India: Data by Religious Communities]</ref>

{{bar box
|title=Religion in the Indian part of Kashmir
|titlebar=#Fcd11
|right1=Percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Islam]]|green|67.10}}
{{bar percent|[[Hinduism]]|orange|29.07}}
{{bar percent|[[Sikhism]]|red|2.08}}
{{bar percent|[[Buddhism]]|blue|1.07}}
{{bar percent|Others†|black|0.68}}
|caption=Distribution of religions 
† Includes [[Christians]] and [[Jainism|Jains]].
}}

Jammu and Kashmir consisted of three divisions: [[Jammu region]], [[Kashmir Valley]], and the [[Ladakh region]]. [[Srinagar]] is the summer capital, and [[Jammu]] its winter capital. The Kashmir valley, often called ''paradise on Earth'',<ref>[http://www.nysun.com/article/63944 Paradise on Earth - October 4, 2007 - The New York Sun]</ref> is famous for its beautiful mountainous landscape. Jammu's numerous holy shrines attracts millions of [[Hindu]] [[pilgrim]]s every year from all over the India. Ladakh, also known as "Little [[Tibet]]", is renowned for its remote mountain beauty and [[Buddhist]] culture.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==

* {{dmoz|Regional/Asia/India/Jammu_and_Kashmir/}}
* [http://jammukashmir.nic.in/ Government of Jammu and Kashmir, India] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915154945/http://jammukashmir.nic.in/ |date=2017-09-15 }}

{{commons|Jammu and Kashmir}}

{{geo-stub}}

[[Category:Jammu and Kashmir| ]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of India| ]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of Pakistan| ]]

{{simple-Wikipedia}}

Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)

2021-12-02T17:02:19Z

Knowledge: Removed wrong info

{{Short description|Union territory in India}}
{{About|the governance of the region administered by India as a union territory|all other aspects of Jammu and Kashmir|Kashmir|the former princely state|Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)}}
{{pp-30-500|small=yes}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Jammu and Kashmir
| settlement_type = Region administered by India as a [[States and union territories of India|union territory]]
| image_skyline = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Pahalgam Valley.jpg
| photo2a = Akhnoor Fort - Jammu - Jammu and Kashmir - DSC 0001 JPEG.jpg
| photo3a =
| photo4a =
| spacing = 2
| position = centre
| size = 220
| border = 0
| color = #000000
| foot_montage = [[Lidder Valley]], [[Akhnoor Fort]]
}}
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| image_flag =
| flag_size =
| flag_type =
| image_blank_emblem =
| blank_emblem_size =
| blank_emblem_type =
| image_map = Kashmir Region November 2019.jpg
| map_alt = Jammu and Kashmir
| map_caption = A map of the disputed [[Kashmir]] region showing the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir
| image_map1 =
| map_caption1 =
| coordinates = {{coord|33.5|75.0|region:IN-JK_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Administered by
| subdivision_name = [[India]]
| established_title = [[States and union territories of India|Union territory]]
| established_date = 31 October 2019
| seat_type = Capital
| seat = [[Srinagar]] (May–October) [[Jammu]] (Nov-April)<ref name="Darbar Move">{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-darbar-move-in-j-k-all-about/article18409452.ece |title=What is the Darbar Move in J&K all about? |last=Desk |first=The Hindu Net |date=8 May 2017 |newspaper=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110135648/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-darbar-move-in-j-k-all-about/article18409452.ece |archive-date=10 November 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| parts_type = [[List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir|Districts]]
| parts_style = para
| p1 = [[List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir|20]]
| government_footnotes =
| governing_body = [[Government of Jammu and Kashmir]]
| leader_title = [[List of lieutenant governors of Jammu and Kashmir|Lieutenant Governor]]
| leader_name = [[Manoj Sinha]]
| leader_title1 = [[Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]]
| leader_name1 = ''Vacant''
| leader_title2 = [[Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly|Legislature]]
| leader_name2 = [[Unicameralism|Unicameral]] (114 seats)<ref>{{cite news |url =https://www.livemint.com/news/india/new-dawn-for-j-k-begins-two-new-federal-units-take-shape-11572493040564.html|title =Jammu and Kashmir transitions from a state into 2 federal units|author =Shaswati Das|publisher =Live Mint|website =livemint.com|quote =Jammu and Kashmir will also have its own legislative assembly, under which, according to the Act, the number of seats will go up to 114 from 87 currently, following a delimitation exercise.|access-date =30 June 2020}}</ref>
| leader_title3 = [[17th Lok Sabha|Parliamentary constituency]]
| leader_name3 = [[Rajya Sabha]] (4) [[Lok Sabha]] (5)
| leader_title4 = [[High Courts of India|High Court]]
| leader_name4 = [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]]
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes = {{efn|Jammu and Kashmir is a [[disputed territory]] between [[India]] and [[Pakistan]]. Jammu and Kashmir has 42,241 km2 of area administered by India and 13,297 km2 of area controlled by Pakistan under Azad Kashmir which is claimed by India as part of Jammu and Kashmir.}}
| area_total_km2 = 42,241
| area_rank =
| elevation_max_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197506500/Saser-Kangri|title=Saser Kangri |journal= The American Alpine Journal (AAJ)|date=1975 |first1=Jogindar |last1=Singh |access-date=14 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214115923/http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197506500/Saser-Kangri|archive-date=14 February 2019|url-status=live |pages=67–67}} [https://aac-publications.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/aaj/1975/PDF/AAJ_1975_20_1_065.pdf pdf of original pages]</ref>
| elevation_max_m = 7135
| elevation_max_ft =
| elevation_max_point = [[Nun Kun|Nun Peak]]
| elevation_max_rank =
| elevation_min_footnotes =
| elevation_min_m = 247
| elevation_min_ft =
| elevation_min_point =  [[Chenab River]]
| elevation_min_rank =
| population_total = 12,267,013
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Vijaita |title=Only J&K will use 2011 Census for delimitation |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/only-jk-will-use-2011-census-for-delimitation/article30952006.ece |access-date=6 November 2020 |work=The Hindu |date=29 February 2020 |language=en-IN}}</ref>
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_rank =
| population_note =
| registration_plate = JK
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +05:30
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|IN-JK]]
| unemployment_rate =
| blank_info_sec1 = {{Increase}} 0.688 (Medium)
| blank_name_sec1 = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] {{nobold|(2018)}}
| blank1_info_sec1 =
| blank_name_sec2 = [[Literacy in India|Literacy]]
| blank_info_sec2 =
| blank2_name_sec2 =
| blank2_info_sec2 =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]], [[Dogri language|Dogri]], [[Urdu]], [[Hindi]], [[English language|English]].<ref name="OfficialLang">{{cite web |url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2020/222037.pdf |title=The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020 |publisher=The Gazette of India|date=27 September 2020 |access-date=27 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020 | work=Rising Kashmir | date=23 September 2020| url=http://risingkashmir.com/news/parliament-passes-jk-official-languages-bill-2020 | access-date=23 September 2020}}</ref>
| demographics1_title2 = Spoken
| demographics1_info2 = [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], [[Pahari-Pothwari|Pahari]], [[Gujari language|Gojri]], Dadri<ref name="Languages">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RRbIAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA184 |title=The Parchment of Kashmir: History, Society, and Polity |last=Khan |first=N. |date=6 August 2012 |publisher=Springer |isbn=9781137029584 |page=184 |language=en |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190223184947/https://books.google.com/books?id=RRbIAAAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&pg=PA184#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=23 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Dadri">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XNqOjvaAb9cC&pg=PA6 |title=Modern History of Jammu and Kashmir: Ancient times to Shimla Agreement |last1=Aggarwal |first1=J. C. |last2=Agrawal |first2=S. P. |date=1995 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |isbn=9788170225577 |language=en |access-date=23 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224001711/https://books.google.com/books?id=XNqOjvaAb9cC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA6#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=24 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Bhadarwahi]],<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Bhadrawahi |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/bhd |language=en|website=Ethnologue.com|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> [[Bateri language|Bateri]],<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Bateri |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/btv |language=en}}</ref> [[Shina language|Shina]],<ref name="Crane1956">{{cite book|last=Crane|first=Robert I.|title=Area Handbook on Jammu and Kashmir State|year=1956|publisher=University of Chicago for the Human Relations Area Files|language=en|page=179|quote=Shina is the most eastern of these languages and in some of its dialects such as the Brokpa of Dah and Hanu and the dialect of Dras, it impinges upon the area of the Sino-Tibetan language family and has been affected by Tibetan with an overlay of words and idioms.}}</ref> [[Burushaski]]<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Pakistan's "Burushaski" Language Finds New Relatives |url=https://www.npr.org/2012/06/20/155454736/pakistans-burushaski-language-finds-new-relatives |language=en|website=Npr.org|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> and [[Khowar language|Khowar]]<ref name="SimonsFenning2017">{{cite book|last1=Simons|first1= Gary F. |last2=Fennig|first2=Charles D. |title=Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Twentieth Edition|year=2017|publisher=[[SIL International]]|location= Dallas|language=en}}</ref>
| website = https://www.jk.gov.in
| footnotes =
| official_name =
| module =
| leader_name5 = (280 seats)
| leader_title5 = [[District Development Council|DDC]]
}}

'''Jammu and Kashmir'''{{efn|Pronounced variably as {{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|æ|m|uː}} or {{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|ʌ|m|uː}}, {{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|æ|ʃ|m|ɪər}} or {{IPAc-en|k|æ|ʃ|ˈ|m|ɪər}}.<ref>{{Citation |last=Jones |first=Daniel |author-link= Daniel Jones (phonetician) |title= English Pronouncing Dictionary |editor=Peter Roach |editor2=James Hartmann |editor3=Jane Setter |place=Cambridge |publisher= Cambridge University Press |orig-year=1917 |year=2003 |isbn=978-3-12-539683-8 }}</ref>}} is a region administered by India as a [[union territory]] and consists of the southern portion of the larger [[Kashmir]] region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947, and between India and China since 1962.<ref name=britannica-jammu-kashmir>(a) {{citation|last1=Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannia|title=Kashmir, region Indian subcontinent|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Kashmir-region-Indian-subcontinent |access-date=15 August 2019}} (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcontinent ... has been the subject of dispute between India and Pakistan since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. The northern and western portions are administered by Pakistan and comprise three areas: Azad Kashmir, Gilgit, and Baltistan, the last two being part of a territory called the Northern Areas. Administered by India are the southern and southeastern portions, which constitute the state of Jammu and Kashmir but are slated to be split into two union territories. China became active in the eastern area of Kashmir in the 1950s and has controlled the northeastern part of Ladakh (the easternmost portion of the region) since 1962."; (b) {{citation|chapter=Kashmir|title=Encyclopedia Americana|publisher=Scholastic Library Publishing|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l_cWAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA328|year=2006|isbn=978-0-7172-0139-6|page=328}} C. E Bosworth, University of Manchester Quote: "KASHMIR, kash'mer, the northernmost region of the Indian subcontinent, administered partlv by India, partly by Pakistan, and partly by China. The region has been the subject of a bitter dispute between India and Pakistan since they became independent in 1947";</ref><ref name="Osmanczyk2003">{{citation|last1=Osmańczyk|first1=Edmund Jan|title=Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: G to M|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fSIMXHMdfkkC&pg=PA1191|year=2003|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-415-93922-5|pages=1191–}} Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir: Territory in northwestern India, subject to a dispute between India and Pakistan. It has borders with Pakistan and China."</ref> The region of Jammu and Kashmir is separated by the [[Line of Control]] from the [[Kashmir#Current status and political divisions|Pakistani-administered]] territories of [[Azad Kashmir]] and [[Gilgit-Baltistan]] in the west and north, respectively. It lies to the north of the Indian states of [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] and to the west of [[Ladakh]], which is also subject to the dispute as a part of Kashmir, and administered by India as a union territory.

Provisions for the formation of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir were contained within the [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019]], which was passed by both houses of the [[Parliament of India]] in August 2019. The act re-constituted the former [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|state of Jammu and Kashmir]] into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, with effect from 31 October 2019.<ref name="Gazette2" />

== Terminology ==
Jammu and Kashmir is named after the two regions it encompasses {{ndash}} the [[Jammu region]] and the [[Kashmir Valley]].

The Government of Pakistan and Pakistani sources refer to Jammu and Kashmir as a part of "Indian-occupied Kashmir" ("IOK") or "Indian-held Kashmir" (IHK).<ref>{{cite web |first= Ali | last=Zain |url= http://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pakistani-flag-hoisted-pro-freedom-slogans-chanted-in-indian-occupied-kashmir-567/ |title= Pakistani flag hoisted, pro-freedom slogans chanted in Indian Occupied Kashmir – Daily Pakistan Global |publisher= En.dailypakistan.com.pk |date= 13 September 2015 |access-date= 17 November 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151118114311/http://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pakistani-flag-hoisted-pro-freedom-slogans-chanted-in-indian-occupied-kashmir-567/ |archive-date= 18 November 2015 |url-status=live |df= dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://dunyanews.tv/index.php/en/World/298421-Pakistani-flag-hoisted-once-again-in-Indian-Occupi |title= Pakistani flag hoisted once again in Indian Occupied Kashmir |website=Dunya News |date= 11 September 2015 |access-date=17 November 2015}}</ref> The Government of India and Indian sources in turn, call the [[Pakistan-administered Kashmir|territory under Pakistan control]] "Pakistan-occupied Kashmir" ("POK") or "Pakistan-held Kashmir" ("PHK").<ref name="Snedden 2013 p.2-3">{{cite book |first=Christopher |last=Snedden |author-link=Christopher Snedden |title=Kashmir: The Unwritten History |publisher=HarperCollins India |year=2013 |isbn=978-9350298985 |pages=2–3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-enigma-of-terminology/article5621801.ece|title=The enigma of terminology|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016082903/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-enigma-of-terminology/article5621801.ece|archive-date=16 October 2015|newspaper=The Hindu|date=27 January 2014}}</ref>
"Indian-administered Kashmir" and "Indian-controlled Kashmir" are often used by neutral sources.<ref>South Asia: fourth report of session 2006–07 by By Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Foreign Affairs Committee page 37</ref>

== History ==
{{For|the 1954–2019 history|Jammu and Kashmir (state)#History}}
{{For|the pre-1954 history|Kashmir#History}}

The state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] was accorded special status by [[Article 370 of the Constitution of India]]. In contrast to other [[states of India]], Jammu and Kashmir had its own [[Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir|constitution]], [[Flag of Jammu and Kashmir|flag]] and administrative autonomy.<ref>{{citation |author=K. Venkataramanan |title=How the status of Jammu and Kashmir is being changed |newspaper=The Hindu |date=5 August 2019 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/explained-how-the-status-of-jammu-and-kashmir-is-being-changed/article28822866.ece?homepage=true}}</ref> Indian citizens from other states were not allowed to purchase land or property in Jammu and Kashmir.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/article-370-and-35a-revoked-how-it-would-change-the-face-of-kashmir/articleshow/70531959.cms|title=Article 370 and 35(A) revoked: How it would change the face of Kashmir|newspaper=The Economic Times|date=5 August 2019}}</ref>

Jammu and Kashmir had three distinct areas: Hindu-majority [[Jammu region]], Muslim-majority [[Kashmir Valley]] and Buddhist-dominated [[Ladakh]].<ref name=BBC6Aug>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-49234708 Article 370: What happened with Kashmir and why it matters]. BBC (6 August 2019). Retrieved 7 August 2019.</ref> Unrest and violence persisted in the Kashmiri Valley and, following a disputed state election in 1987, an [[insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir|insurgency persisted]] in protest over autonomy and rights.<ref name="BBC6Aug" /><ref>{{cite web|last1=Jeelani|first1=Mushtaq A.|title=Kashmir: A History Littered With Rigged Elections|url=http://www.mediamonitors.net/jeelani4.html|website=Media Monitors Network|access-date=24 February 2017|date=25 June 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304051443/http://www.mediamonitors.net/jeelani4.html|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref>

The [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) came to power in the [[2014 Indian general election]] and five years later included in their [[2019 Indian general election|2019 election manifesto]] the revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India, in order to bring Jammu and Kashmir to equal status with other states.<ref name=BBC6Aug/>

A resolution to [[Revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir|repeal Article 370]] was passed by both the houses of the [[Parliament of India]] in August 2019. At the same time, a [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019|reorganisation act]] was also passed, which would reconstitute the state into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/parliament-live-govt-to-move-jammu-and-kashmir-reorganisation-bill-for-passage-in-lok-sabha/article28831274.ece|title=Parliament Live | Lok Sabha passes Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, Ayes: 370, Noes 70|date=6 August 2019|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> The reorganisation took effect from 31 October 2019.<ref name="Gazette2">{{citation|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2019/210412.pdf|title=In exercise of the powers conferred by clause a of section 2 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act.|date=9 August 2019|access-date=9 August 2019|author=Ministry of Home Affairs|work=[[The Gazette of India]]}}</ref>

Thousands of Kashmiris, including two former Chief Ministers and hundreds of other politicians, were detained in prisons all across India,<ref name="reuters">{{cite news |title=Thousands detained in Indian Kashmir crackdown, official data reveals |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-kashmir-detentions/thousands-detained-in-indian-kashmir-crackdown-official-data-reveals-idUSKCN1VX142 |work=Reuters |date=September 12, 2019}}</ref> the state was put under a [[2019–2021 Jammu and Kashmir lockdown|lockdown]] and communication and internet services were suspended.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kashmir in lockdown after autonomy scrapped |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-49246434 |access-date=6 June 2021 |work=BBC News |date=6 August 2019}}</ref>

==Geography==


===Topography===
[[File:Kashmir top.jpg|thumb|[[Topographic map]] of Jammu and Kashmir, with visible altitude for the Kashmir valley and Jammu region.]]

Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, Tawi Valley, [[Chenab Valley]], [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]] Valley, [[Sind Valley]] and [[Lidder Valley]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Vij|first=Shivam|date=5 May 2017|title=Kashmir Is A Prison With Three Walls|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/05/04/kashmir-is-a-prison-with-three-walls_a_22070340/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505073150/http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/05/04/kashmir-is-a-prison-with-three-walls_a_22070340/|archive-date=5 May 2017|access-date=9 August 2019|work=[[HuffPost]]}} [https://shivamvij.in/2017/05/05/755/ Alt URL]</ref> The Kashmir valley is {{convert|100|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|15520.3|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} in area.<ref name="AA1">{{cite web|url=https://www.asianage.com/columnists/indus-water-flow-can-t-be-stopped-721|title=Indus: The water flow can't be stopped|first=Mohan|last=Guruswamy|work=[[The Asian Age]]|date=28 September 2016|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Himalayas]] divide the Kashmir valley from the [[Tibetan plateau]] while the [[Pir Panjal]] range, which encloses the valley from the west and the south, separates it from the [[Punjab Plain]] of the [[Indo-Gangetic Plain]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/opinion/a-tryst-of-the-heart-and-history-along-the-karakoram-highway/|title=A Tryst of the Heart and History along the Karakoram Highway|first=Asma|last=Khan|work=[[Greater Kashmir]]|date=26 April 2018|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> Along the northeastern flank of the Valley runs the main range of the Himalayas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zmescience.com/other/feature-post/india-pakistan-conflict-07032019/|title=Why India and Pakistan keep fighting over Kashmir – the history of the Kashmir conflict|first=Mihai|last=Andrei|work=GME Science|date=11 March 2019|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> This valley has an average height of {{convert|1850|m|ft}} above sea-level,<ref name="AA1"/> but the surrounding Pir Panjal range has an average elevation of {{convert|10000|ft|m}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/in-the-past-the-mountain-passes-were-entry-exit-points-for-travellers-and-invaders/article22136536.ece|title=Doorway of the gods: Himalaya crosses five countries|author1=Vrinda|author2=J. Ramanan|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=21 December 2017|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Jhelum River]] is the major Himalayan river which flows through the Kashmir valley.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Jhelum-River|title=Jhelum River|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|date=15 December 2015|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref> The [[Tawi River|Tawi]], [[Ravi River|Ravi]] and [[Chenab River|Chenab]] are the other important rivers flowing through the region.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nation.com.pk/29-Jul-2019/flooding-alert-issued-as-india-releases-water|title=Flooding alert issued as India releases water|work=[[The Nation (Pakistan)|The Nation]]|author=Agencies|date=29 July 2019|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref>

==Administrative divisions==
[[File:J,K and L - Indian Union Territories.jpg|thumb|'''''Jammu and Kashmir union territory''''' (J and K) is bordered in carmine colour. '''''Ladakh union territory''''' (L) is bordered in blue colour.]]
{{Main|List of districts in Jammu and Kashmir}}

The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir consists of two [[Divisions of India|divisions]]: [[Jammu Division]] and [[Kashmir Division]], and is further divided into 20 [[Districts of India|districts]].<ref name=MHA>{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |title=Ministry of Home Affairs:: Department of Jammu & Kashmir Affairs |access-date=28 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208212815/http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |archive-date=8 December 2008 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-bottom: 0;"
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
!| Division
!| Name
!| Headquarters
!| Area (km2)
!| Area (sq miles)
!| Rural Area (km2)
!| Urban Area (km2)
!|

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
|rowspan=11|[[Jammu Division|Jammu]]
||[[Kathua district]]
|| [[Kathua]]
| {{convert|2502|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2458.84|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|43.16|2}}
|| <ref>{{cite report
|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0107_PART_A_DCHB_KATHUA.pdf |page=8 |work=Census of India 2011, Part A |title=District Census Handbook Kathua |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Jammu district]]
|| [[Jammu (city)|Jammu]]
| {{convert|2342|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2089.87|2}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|252.13|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0121_PART_A_DCHB_JAMMU.pdf |pages=13, 51, 116 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Jammu, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0121_PART_B_DCHB_JAMMU.pdf |pages=13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Jammu, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Samba district]]
|| [[Samba, Jammu|Samba]]
| {{convert|904|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|865.24|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|38.76|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0122_PART_A_DCHB_SAMBA.pdf |pages=9, 34, 36, 100 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Samba, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0122_PART_B_DCHB_SAMBA.pdf |pages=10, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Samba, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Udhampur district]]
|| [[Udhampur]]
| {{convert|2637.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2593.28|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|43.72|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0119_PART_B_DCHB_UDHAMPUR.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Udhampur |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Reasi district]]
|| [[Reasi]]
| {{convert|1719|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1679.99|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|39.01|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0120_PART_A_DCHB_REASI.pdf |pages=9, 37, 88 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Reasi, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0120_PART_B_DCHB_REASI.pdf |pages=9, 13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Reasi, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Rajouri district]]
|| [[Rajouri]]
| {{convert|2630|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2608.11|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|21.89|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0106_PART_A_DCHB_RAJOURI.pdf |pages=11, 107 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Rajouri, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0106_PART_B_DCHB_RAJOURI.pdf |pages=9, 10, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Rajouri, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir|Poonch district]]
|| [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]]
| {{convert|1674|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1649.92|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|24.08|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0105_PART_A_DCHB_PUNCH.pdf |pages=9, 99 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Punch, Part A |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0105_PART_B_DCHB_PUNCH.pdf |pages=11, 13, 24 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Punch, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Doda district]]
|| [[Doda, Jammu and Kashmir|Doda]]
| {{convert|8912.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|8892.25|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|19.75|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0116_PART_B_DCHB_DODA.pdf |pages=9, 12, 99 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Doda, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Ramban district]]
|| [[Ramban (Jammu and Kashmir)|Ramban]]
| {{convert|1329.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1313.92|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|15.08|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0117_PART_B_DCHB_RAMBAN.pdf |pages=10, 12 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Ramban, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kishtwar district]]
|| [[Kishtwar]]
| {{convert|1644.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1643.37|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|0.63|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0118_PART_B_DCHB_KISHTWAR.pdf |pages=9, 10, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kishtwar, Part B |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 9 says the rural area is 1643.65 km2, whilst pages 10 and 22 says 1643.37 km2.</ref>

|- style="background:lightblue; vertical-align:top;"
||Total for division
|| [[Jammu Division|Jammu]]
| {{convert|26293|km2|sqmi|disp=tablecen|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|25794.95|2}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|498.05|2}}
||

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
|rowspan=11 |[[Kashmir Division|Kashmir]]
||[[Anantnag district]]
|| [[Anantnag]]
| {{convert|3574|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|3475.76|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|98.24|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0114_PART_A_DCHB_ANANTNAG.pdf |page=9 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Anantnag, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0114_PART_B_DCHB_ANANTNAG.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Anantnag, Part B |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kulgam district]]
|| [[Kulgam]]
| {{convert|410|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|360.20|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.80|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0115_PART_A_DCHB_KULGAM.pdf |page=10 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kulgam, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0115_PART_B_DCHB_KULGAM.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kulgam, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 12 says the are of the district is 404 km2, but page 22 says 410 km2.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Pulwama district]]
|| [[Pulwama]]
| {{convert|1086.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1047.45|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|38.55|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0112_PART_B_DCHB_PULWAMA.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Pulwama, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Shopian district]]
|| [[Shopian]]
| {{convert|312.00|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|306.56|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|5.44|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0113_PART_A_DCHB_SHUPIYAN.pdf |page=10 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Shupiyan, Part A |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0113_PART_B_DCHB_SUPHIYAN.pdf |pages=12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Shupiyan, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B pages 12 and 22 say the district area is 312.00 km2, but Part A page 10 says 307.42 km2.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Budgam district]]
|| [[Budgam]]
| {{convert|1361|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1311.95|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.05|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0102_PART_A_DCHB_BADGAM.pdf |pages=10, 46 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Badgam, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0102_PART_B_DCHB_BADGAM.pdf |pages=11, 12, 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Badgam, Part B |date=16 June 2014|access-date=21 November 2020}} Part A says the district area is 1371 km2, Part B says 1371 km2 (page 11) and 1361 km2 (page 12s and 22).</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Srinagar district]]
|| [[Srinagar]]
| {{convert|1978.95|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|1684.42|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|294.53|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0110_PART_A_DCHB_SRINAGAR.pdf |pages=11, 48 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Srinagar, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part A page 48 says the district area was 2228.0 km2 in 2001 and 1978.95 km2 in 2011.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Ganderbal district]]
|| [[Ganderbal]]
| {{convert|259|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}} 
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|233.60|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|25.40|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0111_PART_B_DCHB_GANDERBAL.pdf |pages=11, 12 and 22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Ganderbal, Part B |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} Part B page 11 says the district area is 393.04 km2, but pages 12 and 22 say 259.00 km2.</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Bandipora district]]
|| [[Bandipore|Bandipora]]
| {{convert|345|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|295.37|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|49.63|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0109_PART_A_DCHB_BANDIPORE.pdf |pages=10, 47 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Bandipora, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0109_PART_B_DCHB_BANDIPORE.pdf |pages=11, 20 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Bandipora, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Baramulla district]]
|| [[Baramulla]]
| {{convert|4243|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|4179.44|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|63.56|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0108_PART_A_DCHB_BARAMULA.pdf |page=11 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Baramulla, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0108_PART_B_DCHB_BARAMULA.pdf|page=22 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Baramulla, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|-style="vertical-align:top;"
||[[Kupwara district]]
|| [[Kupwara]]
| {{convert|2379|km2|sqmi|disp=table|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|2331.66|2}}
|style="text-align:right;"| {{round|47.34|2}}
||<ref>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0101_PART_A_DCHB_KUPWARA.pdf |page=7 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kupwara, Part A |date=July 2016 |access-date=21 November 2020}} {{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0101_PART_B_DCHB_KUPWARA.pdf|pages=11, 12 |work=Census of India 2011 |title=District Census Handbook Kupwara, Part B |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

|- style="background:lightblue; vertical-align:top;"
||Total for division
|| [[Kashmir Division|Kashmir]]
| {{convert|15,948.00|km2|sqmi|disp=tablecen|0|adj=ri0}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|15226.41|2}}
|style="text-align:center;"| {{round|721.54|2}}
||

|}

==Demographics==
===Religion===
{{Pie chart|label1=[[Islam]]|value1=68.8|color1=Green|label2=[[Hinduism]]|value2=28.8|color2=orange|label3=[[Sikhism]]|value3=1.9|color3=yellow|label4=[[Christianity]]|value4=0.28|color4=blue|label5=[[Buddhism]]|value5=0.03|color5=Gold|label6=[[Jainism]]|value6=0.01|color6=Maroon|label7=Others|value7=0.01|color7=Grey|label8=Not Stated|value8=0.15|color8=Black|caption=Religions in Jammu and Kashmir (2011)<ref name="2011 Census">{{cite web|title=Population by religion community – 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|website=Census of India, 2011|publisher=The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825155850/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|archive-date=25 August 2015}}</ref>}}

Muslims constitutes the majority of the population of Jammu and Kashmir with a significant Hindu minority.<ref name="2011 Census"/>

The [[Kashmir Division]] is largely Muslim (96.41%) with a small Hindu (2.45%) and Sikh (0.81%) population. The [[Jammu Division]] is predominantly Hindu (66%) with a significant Muslim population (30%). The Muslims form a majority in the Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts of Jammu, while the Hindus form a majority in Kathua, Samba, Jammu and Udhampur districts. Reasi district has an almost equal number of Hindus and Muslims.<ref name="2011 Census"/>

==Government and politics==
{{main|Government of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir|Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly}}

The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir is administered under the provisions of [[:s:Constitution of India/Part VIII#Article 239|Article 239]] of the [[Constitution of India]]. The Article 239A, originally formulated for the union territory of [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puduchery]], will also be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir.<ref name="Indian Express">
[https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jammu-kashmir-bifurcation-ladakh-union-territory-key-takeaways-from-reorganisation-bill-article-370-amit-shah-5880177/ Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Bill passed by Rajya Sabha: Key takeaways], The Indian Express, 5 August 2019.
</ref>

===Executive branch===
The [[President of India]] appoints a [[List of Governors of Jammu and Kashmir|Lieutenant Governor]] for the union territory.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

A Council of Ministers led by a [[Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]] is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor from the membership of the legislative assembly. Their role is to advise the Lieutenant Governor in the exercise of functions in matters under the jurisdiction of the legislative assembly. In other matters, the Lieutenant Governor is empowered to act in his own capacity.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

===Legislative branch===
The legislative branch is of government is a unicameral [[Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir|legislative assembly]], whose tenure is five years. The legislative assembly may make laws for any of the matters in the [[State List]] of the Constitution of India except "public order" and "police", which will remain the preserve of the central [[Government of India]]. The Lieutenant Governor also has the power to promulgate ordinances which have the same force as the acts of the legislative assembly.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

Elections for the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly are to be held following the implementation of new constituency boundaries which is expected to be completed in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zeenews.india.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir-assembly-election-in-2021-after-delimitation-ec-sources-2230726.html|title=Jammu and Kashmir assembly election in 2021 after delimitation: EC sources|date=29 August 2019|website=Zee News}}</ref>

===Judicial branch===
[[FILE:Stamp of India - 2006 - Colnect 158978 - High Court of Jammu - Kashmir.jpeg|thumb|The [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]] on postal stamps of India]]
The union territory is under the jurisdiction of the [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]], which also serves as high court for [[Ladakh]].<ref name="Indian Express"/> Police services are provided by the [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]].<ref name="trnscpt">{{cite web|url=https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/salient-features-of-jammu-kashmir-reorganization-bill-146998|title=Salient Features Of Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization Bill [Read Bill]|first1=Devesh|first2=Iti|last1=Ratan|last2=Johri|date=7 August 2019|website=LiveLaw.in: All about law|access-date=7 August 2019}}</ref>

===Parties===
The main political parties active in the region are the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (State President: [[Ravinder Raina]]), the [[Indian National Congress]] (State President: [[Ghulam Ahmad Mir]]), the [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference]] (President: [[Farooq Abdullah]]) and the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party]] (President: [[Mehbooba Mufti]]). Other parties with a presence in the region parties include the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference]], the [[Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party]] (President: [[Altaf Bukhari]]), the [[Jammu and Kashmir Workers Party]] (President: Mir Junaid) and [[Ikkjutt Jammu]] (President: Ankur Sharma).

===Jammu and Kashmir in the Parliament of India===
Jammu and Kashmir sends five members (MPs) to the lower house of the [[Indian parliament]] (the [[Lok Sabha]]) and four members to the upper house (the [[Rajya Sabha]]).

;Lok Sabha constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Constituency No. !! style="width:180px;" |Constituency !! Reserved for (SC/ST/None)
|-
| align="centre" |1||[[Baramulla (Lok Sabha constituency)|Baramulla]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |2 ||[[Srinagar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Srinagar]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |3 ||[[Anantnag (Lok Sabha constituency)|Anantnag]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |4 ||[[Udhampur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Udhampur]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
| align="centre" |5 ||[[Jammu (Lok Sabha constituency)|Jammu]]|| align="centre" |None
|-
|}

== Tourism ==
{{Main|Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir}}
Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, [[Chenab Valley]], [[Sind Valley|Sindh Valley]] and [[Lidder Valley]]. Some major tourist attractions in Jammu and Kashmir are [[Srinagar]], the [[Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar|Mughal Gardens]], [[Gulmarg]], [[Pahalgam]], [[Patnitop]] and [[Jammu]]. Every year, thousands of Hindu [[pilgrim]]s visit holy shrines of [[Vaishno Devi]] and [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath]] which has had significant impact on the state's economy.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200709130350.htm | work=Online edition of The Hindu|title=Amarnath Board to study yatra impact on Kashmir economy | access-date=6 June 2009|location=Chennai, India|date=13 September 2007}}</ref>

The Kashmir valley is one of the top tourist destinations of India.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200903181221.htm|work=Online edition of The Hindu|title=Foreign tourists flock Kashmir|access-date=18 March 2009|location=Chennai, India|date=18 March 2009}}</ref> [[Gulmarg]], one of the most popular [[ski resort]] destinations in India, is also home to the world's highest green [[golf course]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB119332713217271534?mod=googlenews_wsj|title=Fairway to Heaven|author=Cris Prystay|date=26 October 2007|work=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref> The decrease in violence in the state has boosted the state's economy, specifically tourism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sify.com/news/Tourists-arrival-gives-boost-to-J-K-economy-news-jm3v4cihjai.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716071016/http://www.sify.com/news/Tourists-arrival-gives-boost-to-J-K-economy-news-jm3v4cihjai.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-07-16|title=Tourists arrival gives boost to J-K economy|work=Sify}}</ref>

Jammu and Kashmir is also famous for its scenic beauty, flower gardens, apple farms and more. It attracts tourists for its unique handicrafts and the world-famous [[Kashmir shawl|Kashmiri Shawls]].

<gallery mode="packed" heights="134">
File:River Chenab Ramban.jpg|River Chenab in [[Chenab Valley]]
File:Gund village.jpg|[[Sind Valley|Sindh Valley]]
File:Pahalgam Valley.jpg|[[Lidder Valley]]
File:Shalimar Mughal Garden Srinagar 2.jpg|the [[Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar|Mughal Gardens]]
File:Pahalgam views 13.JPG|[[Pahalgam]] views
File:Gulmarg in 1969.jpg|[[Gulmarg]]
File:Sanasar Lake.jpeg|Sanasar Lake which is around 11 km from [[Patnitop]]
File:Amarnath 4.jpg|View of [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath]] Valley.
</gallery>

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Geography|Asia|India}}
* [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)]], for the entity that existed till 1952
* [[Kashmiriyat]]
* [[Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[Kashmiri cinema]]
* [[Literature of Kashmir]]
* [[Music of Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[Kus Bani Koshur Karorpaet]]
* [[DD Kashir]]
* [[AIR Srinagar]]
* [[University of Kashmir]]
* [[University of Jammu]]
* [[Central University of Kashmir]]
* [[Central University of Jammu]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir cricket team]]
* [[Real Kashmir F.C.]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir football team]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Rifles]]
{{-}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://jk.gov.in/ Government of Jammu and Kashmir]
* [https://jkgad.nic.in/ General Administration Department]
* [http://jkrajbhawan.nic.in/ Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir]
* [https://jammukashmir.s3waas.gov.in/ Jammu and Kashmir district portal]

{{Jammu and Kashmir topics}}
{{Kashmir Valley}}
{{States and Union Territories of India}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jammu And Kashmir}}
[[Category:Jammu and Kashmir| ]]
[[Category:North India|*]]
[[Category:History of the Republic of India]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 2019]]
[[Category:2019 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Urdu-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Kashmiri-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Disputed territories in Asia]]
[[Category:Union territories of India]]
[[Category:States and union territories of India]]

Ladakh

2021-11-30T14:09:46Z

Knowledge: Fixed typo

{{Short description|Union territory of India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Ladakh
| settlement_type = Region administered by India as a [[union territory]]
| image_skyline = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Rangdum village grazing fields.jpg
| photo2a = Shyok river Ladakh.jpg
| photo3a =
| photo4a =
| spacing =
| position = centre
| size = 250
| border = 0
| color =
| foot_montage = Sheep grazing near [[Rangdum]] village; [[Shyok River]] in northern Ladakh
}}
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| image_flag =
| flag_size
=
| flag_type
=
| image_blank_emblem =
| blank_emblem_size =
| blank_emblem_type =
| map = Kashmir Region November 2019.jpg
| map_alt = Jammu and Kashmir
| map_caption = A map of the disputed [[Kashmir]] region showing the Indian-administered union territory of Ladakh
| image_map1 =
| map_caption1 =
| coordinates = {{coord|34.0|N|77.5|E|region:IN-LA_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Administering country
| subdivision_name = [[India]]
| subdivision_type1 =
| subdivision_type2 =
| subdivision_name1 =
| subdivision_name2 =
| established_title = [[Union territory]]
| established_date = 31 October 2019<ref name="egazette.nic.in">{{cite web |title=The Gazette of India |url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2019/210412.pdf |website=egazette.nic.in |access-date=3 January 2021}}</ref>
| seat_type = Capital
| seat = [[Leh]],<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://kashmirobserver.net/2019/10/17/ladakh-gets-civil-secretariat/ | title=Ladakh Gets Civil Secretariat| date=17 October 2019}}</ref> [[Kargil]]<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/lg-ut-hqrs-head-of-police-to-have-sectts-at-both-leh-kargil-mathur/ |title=LG, UT Hqrs, Head of Police to have Sectts at both Leh, Kargil: Mathur |work=[[Daily Excelsior]] |date=12 November 2019 |access-date=17 December 2019}}</ref>
| parts_type = [[List of Indian districts|Districts]]
| parts_style = para
| p1 = [[List of Districts of Ladakh|2]]
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body = [[Administration of Ladakh]]
| leader_title = [[List of lieutenant governors of Ladakh|Lieutenant Governor]]
| leader_name = [[R. K. Mathur|Radha Krishna Mathur]]
| leader_title1 = [[Ladakh (Lok Sabha constituency)|Member of Parliament]]
| leader_name1 = [[Jamyang Tsering Namgyal]] ([[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]])
| leader_title2 = [[High Courts of India|High Court]]
| leader_name2 = [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]]
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |title=MHA.nic.in |publisher=MHA.nic.in |access-date=21 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208212815/http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |archive-date=8 December 2008 }}</ref>{{efn|Ladakh has {{cvt|59146|km2}} of area controlled by [[India]] and {{cvt|72971|km2}} of area controlled by Pakistan under Gilgit-Baltistan, which is claimed by India as part of Ladakh. Additionally, it has {{cvt|5180|km2}} of area controlled by the People's Republic of China under Trans-Karakoram Tract and {{cvt|37555|km2}} of area controlled by the People's Republic of China under Aksai Chin, which is claimed by India as part of Ladakh.}}
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 = 59146
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| elevation_max_footnotes =
| elevation_max_m = 7,742
| elevation_max_ft =
| elevation_max_point = [[Saltoro Kangri]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=10533|title=Saltoro Kangri, India/Pakistan|website=peakbagger.com|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref>
| elevation_max_rank =
| elevation_min_footnotes =
| elevation_min_m = 2550
| elevation_min_ft =
| elevation_min_point = [[Indus River]]
| elevation_min_rank =
| population_total = 274289
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym = [[Ladakhi people|Ladakhi]]
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Hindi]] and [[English language|English]]
| demographics1_title2 = Spoken
| demographics1_info2 = [[Ladakhi language|Ladakhi]] and [[Purgi language|Purgi]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +05:30
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|IN-LA]]
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code = [[Leh]]: 194101; [[Kargil]]: 194103
| registration_plate = [[Vehicle registration plates of India|LA]]<ref name="vehicleregistrationinladakh">{{citation |url= http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2019/214357.pdf |title=Part II—Section 3—Sub-section (ii) |work=Gazette of India, Extraordinary |date=25 November 2019 |page=2 |publisher=Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054}}</ref>
| website = {{URL|https://ladakh.nic.in/}}
| footnotes =
}}
[[File:Entering the Indus Valley, Ladakh coming from Lahaul.jpg|thumb|300px|Entering the [[Indus Valley]], Ladakh coming from [[Lahaul]].]]
'''Ladakh''' {{IPAc-en|l|ə||ˈ|d|ɑː|k}}<ref name=OED-Ladakhi>{{citation|title=Ladakhi, n.|last=OED Online|publisher=Oxford University Press|date=December 2020|access-date=6 March 2021|url=https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/104974|quote=/ləˈdɑːki/ A native or inhabitant of Ladakh, a district of eastern Kashmir. Attested use: 1911 ''Encycl. Brit. XVI.'' 59/1 It [sc. Ladakh] was, however, conquered and annexed in 1834–1841 by Gulab Singh of Jammu—the unwarlike Ladakhis, even with nature fighting on their side, and against indifferent generalship, being no match for the Dogra troops.}}</ref> is a region administered by [[India]] as a [[union territory]]. The region constitutes a part of the larger [[Kashmir]] region, which has been the subject of dispute between India, [[Pakistan]], and [[China]] since 1947.<ref name=britannica-jammu-kashmir>{{citation |last1=Akhtar |first1=Rais |last2=Kirk |first2=William |title=Jammu and Kashmir, State, India |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Jammu-and-Kashmir |access-date=7 August 2019}} (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir, state of India, located in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent in the vicinity of the Karakoram and westernmost Himalayan mountain ranges. From 1947 to 2019, Ladakh was part of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since the partition of the subcontinent in 1947."</ref><ref name="Jan·Osma鈔czykOsmańczyk2003">{{citation |last1=Jan·Osma鈔czyk |first1=Edmund |last2=Osmańczyk |first2=Edmund Jan |title=Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: G to M |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fSIMXHMdfkkC&pg=PA1191 |year=2003 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-0-415-93922-5 |pages=1191–}} Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir: Territory in northwestern India, subject to a dispute between India and Pakistan. It has borders with Pakistan and China."</ref> It is bordered by the [[Tibet Autonomous Region]] to the east, the Indian state of [[Himachal Pradesh]] to the south, both the Indian-administered union territory of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]] and the Pakistan-administered [[Gilgit-Baltistan]] to the west, and the southwest corner of [[Xinjiang]] across the [[Karakoram Pass]] in the far north. It extends from the [[Siachen Glacier]] in the [[Karakoram]] range to the north to the main Great [[Himalaya]]s to the south.<ref>{{harvp|Jina, Ladakh|1996}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/south_asia/2002/kashmir_flashpoint/default.stm|title=In Depth – Kashmir Flashpoint
|chapter-url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/south_asia/03/kashmir_future/html/default.stm |chapter=Kashmir options. Maps showing the options and pitfalls of possible solutions. The Future of Kashmir? |work=[[BBC News]] |date=19 May 2011 |access-date=16 April 2013}}</ref> The eastern end, consisting of the uninhabited [[Aksai Chin]] plains, is claimed by the Indian Government as part of Ladakh, and has been under Chinese control since [[Sino-Indian War|1962]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Fantasy frontiers |url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/05/indian_pakistani_and_chinese_border_disputes |access-date=24 September 2014 |newspaper=The Economist |date=8 February 2012}}</ref><ref name="GlobalSecurity">{{cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/india-china_conflicts.htm |title=India-China Border Dispute |publisher=GlobalSecurity.org}}</ref> Until 2019, Ladakh was a region of the Indian-administered state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]]. In August 2019, the [[Parliament of India]] passed an [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019|act]] by which Ladakh became a union territory on 31 October 2019.<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/jammu-and-kashmir-crisis-live-updates-governor-reviews-security-situation-in-state/story/370856.html |title=Article 370 revoked Updates: Jammu & Kashmir is now a Union Territory, Lok Sabha passes bifurcation bill |work=[[Business Today (India)]] |date=6 August 2019 |access-date=27 July 2020}}</ref>

In the past Ladakh gained importance from its strategic location at the crossroads of important trade routes,<ref name="TransHimalayan">{{cite book |last=Rizvi |first=Janet |year=2001 |title=Trans-Himalayan Caravans – Merchant Princes and Peasant Traders in Ladakh |publisher=Oxford India Paperbacks }}</ref> but as the Chinese authorities closed the borders between Tibet Autonomous Region and Ladakh in the 1960s, international trade dwindled. Since 1974, the [[Government of India]] has successfully encouraged [[tourism in Ladakh]]. As Ladakh is a part of the strategically important Kashmir region, the [[Indian military]] maintains a strong presence in the region.

The largest town in Ladakh is [[Leh]], followed by [[Kargil]], each of which headquarters a district.<ref>Osada et al. (2000), p. 298.</ref> The [[Leh district]] contains the [[Indus River|Indus]], [[Shyok River|Shyok]] and [[Nubra River|Nubra]] river valleys. The [[Kargil district]] contains the [[Suru River (Indus)|Suru]], [[Dras River|Dras]] and [[Zanskar River|Zanskar]] river valleys. The main populated regions are the river valleys, but the mountain slopes also support the pastoral [[Changpa]] nomads. The main religious groups in the region are [[Islam|Muslims]] (mainly [[Shia Islam|Shia]]) (46%), [[Tibetan Buddhism|Tibetan Buddhists]] (40%), [[Hinduism|Hindus]] (12%) and others (2%).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/government-toys-with-delimitation-commission-in-j-k-1542446-2019-06-04|title=Government planning to redraw Jammu and Kashmir assembly constituency borders: Sources|first1=Kamaljit Kaur|last1=S|first2=hu New|last2=DelhiJune 4|first3=2019UPDATED|last3=June 4|first4=2019 20:00|last4=Ist|website=India Today}}</ref><ref name="Crossroads">{{cite book |last=Rizvi |first=Janet |year=1996 |title=Ladakh – Crossroads of High Asia |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] }}</ref> Ladakh is one of the most sparsely populated regions in India. As its culture and history are closely related to that of [[Tibet]], it is known as the "Little Tibet".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pile |first1=Tim |title=Ladakh: the good, bad and ugly sides to India's 'Little Tibet', high in the Himalayas |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3020805/ladakh-good-bad-and-ugly-sides-indias-little-tibet |website=scmp.com |access-date=17 June 2020 |date=1 August 2019}}</ref>

Ladakh is the [[List of states and union territories of India by area|largest]] and the [[List of states and union territories of India by population|second least populous]] union territory of India.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}

== Names ==
The [[Classical Tibetan|Tibetan]] and [[Ladakhi language|Ladakhi]] name ''La-dwags'' {{Bo-textonly|ལ་དྭགས}} (historically transliterated as ''La-dvags'') means "land of high passes". ''Ladak'' is its pronunciation in several Tibetan districts. The English spelling ''Ladakh'' is derived from {{lang-fa|script=latn|ladāx}}.<ref name="Francke1992">
{{citation|last=Francke|first=August Hermann|title=Antiquities of Indian Tibet, Volume II|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.96793/page/n353/mode/2up|year=1926|publisher=Superintendent Government Printing Press|location=Calcutta|isbn=978-81-206-0769-9|pages=93–}}
Quote: Ladakh, the Persian transliteration of the Tibetan La-dvags, is warranted by the pronunciation of the word in several Tibetan districts. The terminal ''gs'' has the sound of the guttural ''gh'' or even ''kh'' in various Tibetan dialects. (Volume II, page 93)
</ref><ref>
{{citation|title=Art and Architecture in Ladakh: Cross-cultural Transmissions in the Himalayas and Karakoram|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CJCfAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA3|year=2014|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-27180-7|pages=3–}} Quote: The single most important source is the ''La dvags rgyal rabs'', the royal chronicle of Ladakh, which dates back to the 17th century. At the same time literary sources need to be supplemented by evidence from inscriptions on rocks and wall paintings as well as the buildings themselves. Many of the early researchers on these topics in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were either missionaries or colonial officials. The two-volume study Antiquities of Indian Tibet by the Moravian missionary August Hermann Francke marks an important early 20th century landmark. In 1909 Francke embarked on an extended research expedition under the auspices of the Archaeological Survey of India (As1), travelling from Simla to Kinnaur and then via Spiti to Ladakh. The first volume of the Antiquities, which was published in 1914, includes a description and a preliminary analysis of the paintings in Alchi in Ladakh. The second volume (1926) contains a critical edition of the ''La dvags rgyal rabs''.
</ref>

The region was previously known as [[Maryul]].

Medieval Islamic scholars called Ladakh the '''Great Tibet''' (derived from Turko-Arabic ''Ti-bat'', meaning "highland"); [[Baltistan]] and other trans-Himalayan states in Kashmir's vicinity were referred to as "Little Tibets".<ref>{{citation |last=Petech |first=Luciano |author-link=Luciano Petech |title=The Kingdom of Ladakh, c. 950–1842 A.D. |publisher=Instituto Italiano Per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente |year=1977 |url=https://www.academia.edu/download/48901732/1977_Kingdom_of_Ladakh_c_950-1842_AD_by_Petech_s.pdf |via=academia.edu |page=22}}</ref><ref>{{citation |first1=H. S. |last1=Pirumshoev |first2=Ahmad Hasan |last2=Dani |author-link2=Ahmad Hasan Dani |chapter=The Pamirs, Badakhshan and the Trans-Pamir States |editor1=Chahryar Adle |editor2=Irfan Habib |title=History of Civilizations of Central Asia, Vol. V — Development in contrast: From the sixteenth to the mid-nineteenth century |chapter-url=http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001302/130205e.pdf |date=2003 |publisher=UNESCO |isbn=978-92-3-103876-1 |pages=238–239}}: "Under Aurangzeb (1659–1707), Mughal suzerainty was also acknowledged by Ladakh ('Great Tibet') in 1665, though it was contested in 1681–3 by the Oirat or Kalmuk (Qalmaq) rulers of Tibet."</ref>{{efn|The extension of the term "Tibet" to the modern day [[Tibet]] is due to the Europeans in India in the 18th century.<ref>{{citation |last1=Bogle |first1=George |last2=Manning |first2=Thomas |title=Narratives of the Mission of George Bogle to Tibet: And of the Journey of Thomas Manning to Lhasa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9Y7slbgVL4AC&pg=PR26 |year=2010 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-108-02255-2 |page=26}}</ref>}}

== History ==
{{Main|History of Ladakh}}

=== Ancient history ===
[[File:Kushanshas-Hepthalites 565ad.jpg|thumb|left|South Asia in 565 CE]]
Rock carvings found in many parts of Ladakh indicate that the area has been inhabited from [[Neolithic]] times.<ref name="LoramCharlie" /> Ladakh's earliest inhabitants consisted of a mixed [[Indo-Aryans|Indo-Aryan]] population of ''Mons'' and ''[[Dard people|Dards]]'',<ref name="Ray">{{cite book |last=Ray |first=John |year=2005 |title=Ladakhi Histories – Local and Regional Perspectives |publisher=Koninklijke Brill NV |location=[[Leiden]], [[Netherlands]]}}</ref> who find mention in the works of [[Herodotus]],{{efn|He mentions twice a people called ''Dadikai'', first along with the ''Gandarioi'', and again in the catalogue of king [[Xerxes I of Persia|Xerxes]]'s army invading Greece. Herodotus also mentions the gold-digging ants of Central Asia.}} and classical writers as well as the Indian [[Purana]]s.<ref name="Luciano">{{harvp|Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh|1977}}</ref> Around the 1st century, Ladakh was a part of the [[Kushan Empire]]. [[Buddhism]] spread into western Ladakh from Kashmir in the 2nd century. The 7th-century Buddhist traveller [[Xuanzang]] describes the region in his accounts.<ref>{{harvp|Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh|1977|p=7}}: [[Xuanzang]] describes a journey from ''Ch'u-lu-to'' (Kuluta, [[Kullu]]) to ''Lo-hu-lo'' ([[Lahul]]), then goes on saying that "from there to the north, for over 2000 ''[[Li (unit)|li]]'', the road is very difficult, with cold wind and flying snow; thus one arrives in the kingdom of ''Mo-lo-so''". Petech states, "geographically speaking, the region thus indicated is unmistakably
Ladakh."</ref> Xuanzang's term of Ladakh is ''Mo-lo-so'', which has been reconstructed by academics as ''*Malasa'', ''*Marāsa'', or ''*Mrāsa'', which is believed to have been the original name of the region.{{sfnp|Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh|1977|pp=7–8}}{{sfnp|Howard & Howard, Historic Ruins in the Gya Valley|2014|p=86}}

For much of the first millennium, the western Tibet comprised [[Zhangzhung]] kingdom(s), which practised the [[Bon religion]]. Sandwiched between Kashmir and Zhangzhung, Ladakh is believed to have been alternatively under the control of one or other of these powers. Academics find strong influences of Zhangzhung language and culture in "upper Ladakh" (from the middle section of the Indus valley to the southeast).<ref>{{citation |first=Bettina |last=Zeisler |chapter=Kenhat, The Dialects of Upper Ladakh and Zanskari |title=Himalayan Languages and Linguistics: Studies in Phonology, Semantics, Morphology and Syntax |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V-R5DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA293 |year=2011 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-21653-2 |pages=293}}:
"While the whole of Ladakh and adjacent regions were originally populated by speakers of Eastern Iranian (Scythian), Lower Ladakh (as well as Baltistan) was also subject to several immigration waves of Indoaryan (Dardic) speakers and other groups from Central Asia. Upper Ladakh and the neighbouring regions to the east, by contrast, seem to have been populated additionally by speakers of a non-Tibetan Tibeto-Burman language, namely West Himalayan (Old Zhangzhung;...)."</ref> The penultimate king of Zhangzhung is said to have been from Ladakh.<ref>{{citation |last=Bellezza |first=John Vincent |title=The Dawn of Tibet: The Ancient Civilization on the Roof of the World |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bZFuBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA101 |year=2014 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers |isbn=978-1-4422-3462-8 |page=101}}</ref>

From around 660 CE, Central Tibet and China started contesting the "four garrisons" of the [[Tarim Basin]] (present day [[Xinjiang]]), a struggle that lasted three centuries. Zhangzhung fell victim to Tibet's ambitions in {{circa|634}} and disappeared for ever. Kashmir's [[Karkota Empire]] and the [[Umayyad Caliphate]] too joined the contest for Xinjiang soon afterwards. Baltistan and Ladakh were at the centre of these struggles.<ref>{{harvp|Fisher, Rose & Huttenback, Himalayan Battleground|1963|pp=12–15}}: "Ladakh's geographical position leaves no room for doubt that its ancient caravan routes must have often served as a path first for conquest and then for retreat of the opposing armies as they alternated between victory and defeat."</ref> Academics infer from the slant of Ladakhi chronicles that Ladakh may have owed its primary allegiance to Tibet during this time, but that it was more political than cultural. Ladakh remained Buddhist and its culture was not yet Tibetan.{{sfnp|Fisher, Rose & Huttenback, Himalayan Battleground|1963|pp=15–16}}

=== Early medieval history ===
{{Further|Maryul}}
[[File:The Empire of King Nyimagon with three divisions about 975 A. D.- 1000 A.D..jpg|thumb|left|The empire of Kyide Nyimagon divided among his three sons, {{circa|930 CE}}. The border between Ladakh/Maryul and Guge-Purang is shown in a thin dotted line, north of [[Gartok]]]]
[[File:Guge in Maryul.png|thumb|right|Maryul in the 11-12th centuries, ''Historical and Commercial Atlas of China''<ref>Albert Hermann, ''Historical and Commercial Atlas of China'', Harvard University Press, 1935</ref>]]
In the 9th century, Tibet's ruler [[Langdarma]] was assassinated and Tibet [[Era of Fragmentation|fragmented]]. Kyide Nyimagon, Langdarma's great grandson, fled to West Tibet {{circa|900 CE}}, and founded a new West Tibetan kingdom at the heart of the old Zhangzhung, now called [[Ngari Prefecture|Ngari]] in the Tibetan language.

Nyimagon's eldest son, [[Lhachen Palgyigon]], is believed to have conquered the regions to the north, including Ladakh and [[Rutog County|Rutog]]. After the death of Nyimagon, his kingdom was divided among his three sons, Palgyigon receiving Ladakh, Rutog, [[Thok Jalung]] and an area referred to as [[Demchok Karpo]] (a holy mountain near the present day [[Demchok, Ladakh|Demchok]] village). The second son received [[Guge-Purang Kingdom|Guge–Purang]] (called "Ngari Korsum") and the third son received [[Zanskar]] and [[Spiti]] (to the southwest of Ladakh). This three-way division of Nyimagon's empire was recognised as historic and remembered in the chronicles of all the three regions as a founding narrative.
<blockquote>He gave to each of his sons a separate kingdom, viz., to the eldest ''Dpal-gyi-gon'', ''Maryul'' of ''Mngah-ris'', the inhabitants using black bows; ''ru-thogs'' [Rutog] of the east and the Gold-mine of ''Hgog'' [possibly Thok Jalung]; nearer this way ''Lde-mchog-dkar-po'' [Demchok Karpo]; ...</blockquote>

The first West Tibetan dynasty of [[Maryul]] founded by Palgyigon lasted five centuries, being weakened towards its end by the conquests of the Mongol/Mughal noble [[Mirza Haidar Dughlat]]. Throughout this period the region was called "Maryul", possibly from the original proper name ''*Mrasa'' (Xuangzhang's, ''Mo-lo-so''), but in the Tibetan language it was interpreted to mean "lowland" (the lowland of Ngari). Maryul remained staunchly Buddhist during this period, having participated in the second diffusion of Buddhism from India to Tibet via Kashmir and Zanskar.

<gallery mode="packed" style="font-size:88%; line-height:130%; border-bottom:1px #aaa solid;" heights="120">
File:The 9 Stupas.jpg|The nine stupas at [[Thiksey Monastery]]
File:Likir Buddha.jpg|Statue of [[Maitreya]] at [[Likir Monastery]], [[Leh district]]
</gallery>

=== Medieval history ===
{{Main|Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh}}
[[File:Leh Palace and Jama Masjid minarets.jpg|thumb|right|Jama Masjid of Leh next to the Leh Palace]]

Between the 1380s and early 1510s, many Islamic missionaries propagated Islam and proselytised the Ladakhi people. [[Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani|Sayyid Ali Hamadani]], [[Shah Syed Muhammad Nurbakhsh Qahistani|Sayyid Muhammad Nur Baksh]] and [[Mir Shamsuddin Iraqi]] were three important Sufi missionaries who propagated Islam to the locals. Mir Sayyid Ali was the first one to make Muslim converts in Ladakh and is often described as the founder of Islam in Ladakh. Several mosques were built in Ladakh during this period, including in Mulbhe, [[Padum]] and [[Shey]], the capital of Ladakh.<ref name="Howard">{{citation |first=Neil |last=Howard |chapter=History of Ladakh |title=Recent Research on Ladakh 6 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |page=122 |isbn=9788120814325 |year=1997 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4jX552GiSmYC&pg=PA122}}</ref><ref name="Sheikh">{{citation |first=Abdul Ghani |last=Sheikh |chapter=A Brief History of Muslims in Ladakh |title=Recent Research on Ladakh 4 & 5|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|page=189|isbn=9788120814042|year=1995 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mCy2mBVNqSoC&pg=PA189}}</ref> His principal disciple, Sayyid Muhammad Nur Baksh also propagated Islam to Ladakhis and the [[Balti people]] rapidly converted to Islam. [[Noorbakshia Islam]] is named after him and his followers are only found in Baltistan and Ladakh. During his youth, [[Sultan]] [[Zain-ul-Abidin]] expelled the mystic [[Nund Rishi|Sheikh Zain Shahwalli]] for showing disrespect to him. The sheikh then went to Ladakh and proselytised many people to Islam. In 1505, Shamsuddin Iraqi, a noted Shia scholar, visited Kashmir and Baltistan. He helped in spreading Shia Islam in Kashmir and converted the overwhelming majority of Muslims in Baltistan to his school of thought.<ref name="Sheikh" />

[[File:Ladakh Monastery.jpg|thumb|left|[[Thikse Monastery]], Ladakh]]

It is unclear what happened to Islam after this period and it seems to have received a setback. [[Mirza Muhammad Haidar Dughlat]] who invaded and briefly conquered Ladakh in 1532, 1545 and 1548, does not record any presence of Islam in Leh during his invasion although Shia Islam and Noorbakshia Islam continued to flourish in other regions of Ladakh.<ref name="Howard" /><ref name="Sheikh" />

King [[Bhagan]] reunited and strengthened Ladakh and founded the [[Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh|Namgyal dynasty]] (''Namgyal'' means "victorious" in several Tibetan languages). The Namgyals repelled most Central Asian raiders and temporarily extended the kingdom as far as Nepal.<ref name="LoramCharlie" /> During the Balti invasion led by [[Raja]] [[Ali Sher Khan Anchan]], many Buddhist temples and artefacts were damaged. Ali Sher Khan took the king and his soldiers as captives. Jamyang Namgyal was later restored to the throne by Ali Sher Khan and given the hand of a Muslim princess in marriage. Her name was Gyal Khatun or Argyal Khatoom. She was to be the first queen and her son was to become the next ruler. Historical accounts differ upon who her father was. Some identify Ali's ally and Raja of [[Khaplu]] Yabgo Shey Gilazi as her father, while others identify Ali himself as the father.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R4VuovXa5YUC&q=ali%20sher%20khan%20daughter&pg=PA140 |title=Buddhist Western Himalaya: A politico-religious history |date=1 January 2001 |publisher=Indus Publishing |access-date=19 December 2016 |via=Google Books |isbn=9788173871245}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8J3YdskW00sC&q=ali+sher+khan+daughter&pg=PA49 |title=Ladakh Through the Ages, Towards a New Identity |isbn=9788185182759 |last1=Kaul |first1=Shridhar |last2=Kaul |first2=H. N. |year=1992}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kjhcZgDy-WMC&q=gyal+khatun&pg=PA149 |title=Ladakh |isbn=9788173870576 |last1=Jina |first1=Prem Singh |year=1996}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mCy2mBVNqSoC&q=gyal+khatun&pg=PA190 |title=Recent Research on Ladakh 4 & 5 |isbn=9788120814042 |last1=Osmaston |first1=Henry |last2=Denwood |first2=Philip |year=1995}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8eReFv7cVZ0C&q=gyal+khatun&pg=PA46 |title=Ladakh |isbn=9788179750124 |last1=Bora |first1=Nirmala |year=2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mg8My6WaWRcC&pg=PA60 |title=Rediscovery of Ladakh |isbn=9788173870866 |last1=Kaul |first1=H. N. |year=1998}}</ref> In the early 17th century efforts were made to restore the destroyed artefacts and ''gonpas'' by [[Sengge Namgyal]], the son of Jamyang and Gyal. He expanded the kingdom into [[Zanskar|Zangskar]] and [[Spiti]]. Despite a defeat of Ladakh by the [[Mughals]], who had already annexed Kashmir and Baltistan, Ladakh retained its independence.
[[File:The empire of King Tsewang Rnam Rgyal 1., and that of King Jamyang Rnam Rgyal., about 1560 and 1600 A.D.jpg|thumb|right|The empire of kings Tsewang Namgyal and Jamyang Namgyal, about 1560–1600 CE]]

[[File:Cham dance during Dosmoche festival in Leh Palace DSCN5692 1.jpg|thumb|left|[[Cham dance]] during [[Dosmoche]] festival in [[Leh Palace]]]]
[[Islam]] begins to take root in the Leh area in the beginning of the 17th century after the Balti invasion and the marriage of Gyal to Jamyang. A large group of Muslim servants and musicians were sent along with Gyal to Ladakh and private mosques were built where they could pray. The Muslim musicians later settled in Leh. Several hundred Baltis migrated to the kingdom and according to oral tradition many Muslim traders were granted land to settle. Many other Muslims were invited over the following years for various purposes.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mCy2mBVNqSoC&q=17th+century+islam+leh&pg=PA190 |title=Recent Research on Ladakh 4 & 5 |isbn=9788120814042 |last1=Osmaston |first1=Henry |last2=Denwood |first2=Philip |year=1995}}</ref>

In the late 17th century, Ladakh sided with [[Bhutan]] in its dispute with Tibet which, among other reasons, resulted in its invasion by the [[Ganden Phodrang|Tibetan Central Government]]. This event is known as the [[Tibet–Ladakh–Mughal war]] of 1679–1684.<ref>See the following studies (1) Halkias, T. Georgios(2009) "Until the Feathers of the Winged Black Raven Turn White: Sources for the Tibet-Bashahr Treaty of 1679–1684," in ''Mountains, Monasteries and Mosques'', ed. John Bray. Supplement to Rivista Orientali, pp. 59–79; (2) Emmer, Gerhard(2007) "Dga' ldan tshe dbang dpal bzang po and the Tibet-Ladakh-Mughal War of 1679–84," in ''The Mongolia-Tibet Interface. Opening new Research Terrains in Inner Asia'', eds. Uradyn Bulag, Hildegard Diemberger, Leiden, Brill, pp. 81–107; (3) Ahmad, Zahiruddin (1968) "New Light on the Tibet-Ladakh-Mughal War of 1679–84." ''East and West'', XVIII, 3, pp. 340–361; (4) Petech, Luciano(1947) "The Tibet-Ladakhi Moghul War of 1681–83." ''The Indian Historical Quarterly'', XXIII, 3, pp. 169–199.</ref> Kashmiri historians assert that the king converted to Islam in return for the assistance by Mughal Empire after this however Ladakhi chronicles do not mention such a thing. The king agreed to pay tribute to the Mughals in return for defending the kingdom.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z6y2E9gw5oIC&q=deldan+namgyal&pg=PA34 |title=India-China Border Dispute |isbn=9788170249641 |last1=Sali |first1=M. L. |year=1998}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mg8My6WaWRcC&q=delek+namgyal&pg=PA63 |title=Rediscovery of Ladakh |isbn=9788173870866 |last1=Kaul |first1=H. N. |year=1998}}</ref> The Mughals however withdrew after being paid off by the [[5th Dalai Lama]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Johan Elverskog |title=Buddhism and Islam on the Silk Road |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N7_4Gr9Q438C&pg=PA223 |date=6 June 2011 |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |isbn=978-0-8122-0531-2 |pages=223–}}</ref> With the help of reinforcements from [[Galdan Boshugtu Khan]], [[Khan (title)|Khan]] of the [[Zunghar Khanate|Zungar Empire]], the Tibetans attacked again in 1684. The Tibetans were victorious and concluded a treaty with Ladakh then they retreated back to [[Lhasa]] in December 1684. The Treaty of Tingmosgang in 1684 settled the dispute between Tibet and Ladakh but severely restricted Ladakh's independence.

<gallery mode="packed" style="font-size:88%; line-height:130%; border-bottom:1px #aaa solid;" heights="120">
File:View of the Lakir Monastery.JPG|[[Likir Monastery]], Ladakh
File:Phyang Monastery 01.jpg|[[Phyang Monastery|Phyang Gompa]], Ladakh
File:Hemis Monastery Ladakh 1876.jpg|[[Hemis Monastery]] in the 1870s
</gallery>

=== Princely state of Jammu and Kashmir ===
{{Main|Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)}}
[[File:Kashmir map.svg|thumb|The disputed territory of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir: divided between [[Pakistan-administered Kashmir|Pakistan]] (green), [[India-administered Kashmir|India]] (blue) and [[China administered Kashmir|China]] (yellow)]]
In 1834, the [[Sikh]] [[General Zorawar Singh|Zorawar Singh]], a general of [[Gulab Singh|Raja Gulab Singh of Jammu]], invaded and annexed Ladakh to Jammu under the suzerainty of the [[Sikh Empire]]. After the defeat of the Sikhs in the [[First Anglo-Sikh War]], the state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] was established as a separate [[princely state]] under British [[British Empire|suzerainty]]. The Namgyal family was given the ''[[jagir]]'' of [[Stok]], which it nominally retains to this day. European influence began in Ladakh in the 1850s and increased. Geologists, sportsmen, and tourists began exploring Ladakh. In 1885, [[Leh]] became the headquarters of a mission of the [[Moravian Church]].
[[File:"BRITISH JOINT COMMISSIONER LADAKH" ink stamp in 1902 detail, from- A Tibetan-English Dictionary with Sanskrit Synonyms (page 9 crop).jpg|left|thumb|Ink stamp in English and Urdu: "British Joint Commissioner Ladakh" (1902)]]
Ladakh was administered as a ''wazarat'' during the Dogra rule, with a governor termed ''wazir-e-wazarat''. It had three tehsils, based at [[Leh]], [[Skardu]] and [[Kargil]]. The headquarters of the ''wazarat'' was at [[Leh]] for six months of the year and at [[Skardu]] for six months. When the legislative assembly called ''Praja Sabha'' was established in 1934, Ladakh was given two nominated seats in the assembly.

Ladakh was claimed as part of Tibet by [[Phuntsok Wangyal]], a Tibetan Communist leader.<ref name="TuttleSchaeffer2013">{{cite book |author1=Gray Tuttle |author2=Kurtis R. Schaeffer |title=The Tibetan History Reader |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J7urAgAAQBAJ&q=ladakh+pan+tibetan&pg=PA603 |date=12 March 2013 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=978-0-231-14468-1 |pages=603–}}</ref>

=== Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir ===
{{Main|Jammu and Kashmir (state)}}
At the time of the [[partition of India]] in 1947, the Dogra ruler [[Maharaja]] [[Hari Singh]] signed the [[Instrument of Accession (Jammu and Kashmir)|Instrument of Accession]] to India. Pakistani raiders from [[Gilgit Agency|Gilgit]] had reached Ladakh and military operations were initiated to evict them. The wartime conversion of the pony trail from [[Sonamarg]] to [[Zoji La]] by army engineers permitted tanks to move up and successfully capture the pass. The advance continued. [[Dras]], Kargil and Leh were liberated and Ladakh cleared of the infiltrators.<ref name="Madras_Sappers">Menon, P.M & Proudfoot, C.L., ''The [[Madras Sappers]], 1947–1980'', 1989, Thomson Press, Faridabad, India.</ref>

In 1949, China closed the border between [[Nubra Valley|Nubra]] and [[Xinjiang]], blocking old trade routes. In 1955 China began to build roads connecting Xinjiang and Tibet through the [[Aksai Chin]] area. The Indian effort to retain control of Aksai Chin led to the [[Sino-Indian War]] of 1962, which India lost. China also built the [[Karakoram highway]] jointly with Pakistan. India built the [[Srinagar-Leh Highway]] during this period, cutting the journey time between Srinagar and Leh from 16 days to two. The route, however, remains closed during the winter months due to heavy snowfall. Construction of a {{cvt|6.5|km|adj=on}} tunnel across Zoji La pass is under consideration to make the route functional throughout the year.<ref name="LoramCharlie" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Government-may-clear-all-weather-tunnel-to-Leh-today/articleshow/14971889.cms |title=Government may clear all weather tunnel to Leh today |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |date=16 July 2012 |first1=Dipak K. |last1=Dash |access-date=27 July 2020}}</ref>
[[File:Srinagar Leh National Highway No 1.jpg|thumb|left|National Highway No 1]]
The [[Kargil War]] of 1999, codenamed "Operation Vijay" by the [[Indian Army]], saw infiltration by Pakistani troops into parts of Western Ladakh, namely Kargil, Dras, [[Mushkoh Valley|Mushkoh]], Batalik and Chorbatla, overlooking key locations on the [[National Highway 1 (India)|Srinagar-Leh highway]]. Extensive operations were launched in high altitudes by the Indian Army with considerable artillery and air force support. Pakistani troops were evicted from the Indian side of the [[Line of Control]] which the Indian government ordered was to be respected and which was not crossed by Indian troops. The Indian government was criticised by the Indian public because India respected geographical co-ordinates more than India's opponents: Pakistan and China.<ref name="Bammi">Bammi, Y.M., ''Kargil 1999 – the impregnable conquered.'' (2002) Natraj Publishers, Dehradun.</ref>{{page needed|date=March 2018}}

The Ladakh region was divided into the Kargil and Leh districts in 1979. In 1989, there were violent riots between Buddhists and Muslims. Following demands for autonomy from the [[Kashmiri people|Kashmiri]] dominated state government, the [[Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil|Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council]] was created in the 1990s. [[Leh district|Leh]] and [[Kargil district|Kargil]] districts now each have their own locally elected Hill Councils with some control over local policy and development funds. In 1991, a [[Peace Pagoda]] was erected in Leh by [[Nipponzan Myohoji]].

There was a heavy presence of [[Indian Army]] and [[Indo-Tibetan Border Police]] forces in Ladakh. These forces and [[People's Liberation Army]] forces from China have, since the 1962 [[Sino-Indian War]], had frequent stand-offs along the Lakakh portion of the [[Line of Actual Control]]. Out of the {{convert|857|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} border in Ladakh, only {{cvt|368|km}} is the International Border, and the remaining {{cvt|489|km}} is [[Line of Actual Control]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-ladakh-warning-india-china-border-dispute-6427131/ |title=As China intrudes across LAC, India must be alert to a larger strategic shift |work=[[The Indian Express]] |date=26 May 2020 |first1=Phunchok |last1=Stobdan |author-link=Phunchok Stobdan |access-date=26 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/ladakh-concern-overrides-lac-dispute-90880 |title=Ladakh concern overrides LAC dispute |work=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)]] |date=28 May 2020 |first1=Phunchok |last1=Stobdan |author-link=Phunchok Stobdan |access-date=26 July 2020}}</ref> The stand-off involving the most troops was in September 2014 in the disputed [[Chumar]] region when 800 to 1,000 Indian troops and 1,500 Chinese troops came into close proximity to each other.<ref>{{cite news |first=Pranav |last=Kulkarni |title=Ground report: Half of Chinese troops leave, rest to follow |newspaper=[[The Indian Express]] |date=26 September 2014 |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/chinese-troops-start-withdrawing-from-chumar/ |access-date=12 December 2014}}</ref>

==== Ladakh Division ====

In February 2019, Ladakh became a separate [[Divisions of India|Revenue and Administrative Division]] within Jammu and Kashmir, having previously been part of the [[Kashmir Division]]. As a division, Ladakh was granted its own [[Divisional Commissioner]] and [[Inspector General of Police]].<ref>[https://jkgad.nic.in/common/showOrder.aspx?actCode=S28568 Notification, Jammu, 8 February 2019], Government of Jammu and Kashmir</ref>

Leh was initially chosen to be the headquarters of the new division however, following protests, it was announced that Leh and Kargil will jointly serve as the divisional headquarters, each hosting an Additional Divisional Commissioner to assist the Divisional Commissioner and Inspector General of Police who will spend half their time in each town.<ref name="kln">{{Cite web | url=https://kashmirlife.net/ladakh-division-headquarters-to-shuttle-between-leh-and-kargil-governor-malik-201719/ |title = Ladakh division headquarters to shuttle between Leh and Kargil: Governor Malik|date = 15 February 2019}}</ref>

=== Union territory of Ladakh ===
[[File:J,K and L - Indian Union Territories.jpg|thumb|J&K and Ladakh - Indian Union Territories]]
Some activists from Leh in recent times called for Ladakh to be constituted as a [[union territory]] because of perceived unfair treatment by Kashmir and Ladakh's cultural differences with predominantly Muslim [[Kashmir valley]], while some people in Kargil opposed union territory status for Ladakh.<ref name="LoramCharlie">{{cite book |last=Loram |first=Charlie |orig-year=2000 |year=2004 |title=Trekking in Ladakh |edition=2nd |publisher=Trailblazer Publications }}</ref><ref name="Statesman">{{cite web |year=2003 |url=http://www.jammu-kashmir.com/archives/archives2003/kashmir20030809c.html | title=Kargil Council For Greater Ladakh |publisher=The Statesman, 9 August 2003 |access-date=22 August 2006}}</ref>

In August 2019, a [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019|reorganisation act]] was passed by the [[Parliament of India]] which contained provisions to reconstitute Ladakh as a [[union territory]], separate from the rest of Jammu and Kashmir on 31 October 2019.<ref name="egazette.nic.in" /><ref name="auto" /><ref>[https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bill-to-bifurcate-jammu-and-kashmir-into-2-union-territories-passed-by-rajya-sabha-2080688 Already, Rajya Sabha Clears J&K As Union Territory Instead Of State], NDTV, 5 August 2019.</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.prsindia.org/sites/default/files/bill_files/Jammu%20and%20Kashmir%20Reorganisation%20Bill%2C%202019.pdf |title=The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 |issue=Bill No. XXIX of 2019 |work=Ministry of Home Affairs |date=2019}}</ref> Under the terms of the act, the union territory is administered by a [[Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh|Lieutenant Governor]] acting on behalf of the Central Government of India and does not have an elected legislative assembly or chief minister. Each district within the union territory continues to elect an [[autonomous district council]] as done previously.<ref name="dailyexcelsior.com">{{Cite news |work=[[Daily Excelsior]] | url=https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/lahdc-act-would-continue-and-the-amendments-of-2018-to-be-protected-governor/ | title=LAHDC Act would continue and the Amendments of 2018 to be protected: Governor| date=30 August 2019 |access-date=27 July 2020}}</ref>

The demand for Ladakh as separate Union Territory (UT) was first raised by the parliamentarian [[Kushok Bakula Rinpoche]] around 1955, which was later carried forward by another parliamentarian [[Thupstan Chhewang]].<ref name=happy1>[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/one-year-of-union-territory-status-ladakh-brims-with-hope/articleshow/77326052.cms One year of union territory status: Ladakh brims with hope], Times of India, 3 usgust 2020.</ref> The former [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir state]] use to obtain large allocation of annual funds from the union government based on the fact that the large geographical area of the Ladakh (comprising 65% of total area), but Ladakh was allocated only 2% of the state budget based on its relative population.<ref name=happy1/> Within the first year of the formation of Ladakh as separate union territory, its annual budget allocation has increased 4 times from {{INR}}57 [[crore]] to {{INR}}232 crore.<ref name=happy1/>

== Geography ==
{{Main|Geography of Ladakh}}
[[File:Ladakh2.svg|thumb|upright=1.75|Map of the central Ladakh region]]

Ladakh is the highest plateau in India with much of it being over {{cvt|3000|m|ft}}.<ref name="Crossroads" /> It extends from the [[Himalayas|Himalayan]] to the [[Kunlun Mountains|Kunlun]]<ref>The [[Gazetteer]] of Kashmir and Ladák published in 1890 Compiled under the direction of the Quarter Master General in India in the Intelligence Branch in fact unequivocally states inter alia in pages 520 and 364 that Khotán is "a province in the Chinese Empire lying to the north of the Eastern Kuenlun (Kun Lun) range, which here forms the ''boundary'' of Ladák" and "The eastern range forms the southern boundary of Khotán, and is crossed by two passes, the Yangi or Elchi Díwan, crossed in 1865 by Johnson and the Hindútak Díwan, crossed by Robert Schlagentweit in 1857".</ref> Ranges and includes the upper [[Indus River]] valley.
[[File:Indus Zanskar confluence.jpg|thumb|upright|The confluence of the Indus (green water to the left) and Zanskar (brown water to the right) rivers.]]
[[File:Kashmir top.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|The Ladakh region has high altitude]]
[[File:Viewofleh.jpg|thumb|View of Leh Town Along with [[Stok Kangri]]]]

Historically, the region included the [[Baltistan]] ([[Baltiyul]]) valleys (now mostly in Pakistani administered part of [[Kashmir]]), the entire upper [[Indus Valley]], the remote [[Zanskar]], [[Lahaul and Spiti]] to the south, much of [[Ngari]] including the [[Rudok]] region and [[Guge]] in the east, [[Aksai Chin]] in the northeast, and the [[Nubra Valley]] to the north over [[Khardung La|Khardong La]] in the Ladakh Range. Contemporary Ladakh borders [[Tibet]] to the east, the [[Lahul and Spiti|Lahaul and Spiti]] regions to the south, the Vale of [[Kashmir]], [[Jammu]] and [[Baltiyul]] regions to the west, and the southwest corner of [[Xinjiang]] across the [[Karakoram Pass]] in the far north. The historic but imprecise divide between Ladakh and the Tibetan Plateau commences in the north in the intricate maze of ridges east of [[Rudok]] including Aling Kangri and Mavang Kangri, and continues southeastward toward northwestern [[Nepal]]. Before partition, [[Baltistan]], now under Pakistani control, was a district in Ladakh. [[Skardu|Skardo]] was the winter capital of Ladakh while Leh was the summer capital.

The mountain ranges in this region were formed over 45 million years by the folding of the [[Indian Plate]] into the more stationary [[Eurasian Plate]]. The drift continues, causing frequent earthquakes in the Himalayan region.{{efn|All of Indian Ladakh is placed in high risk Zone VIII, while areas from Kargil and Zanskar southwestward are in lower risk zones on the [[Earthquake hazard zoning of India|earthquake hazard scale]].}}<ref>{{cite web|year=2007 |url=http://www.drrgateway.net/sites/default/files/india_disaster_response_plan_2007.pdf |title=Multi-hazard Map of India |publisher=[[United Nations Development Program]] |access-date=31 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031170144/http://www.drrgateway.net/sites/default/files/india_disaster_response_plan_2007.pdf |archive-date=31 October 2014 }}</ref> The peaks in the Ladakh Range are at a medium altitude close to the [[Zoji-la]] ({{cvt|5000|-|5500|m|disp=or}}) and increase toward southeast, culminating in the twin summits of [[Nun-Kun]] ({{cvt|7000|m|disp=or}}).

The Suru and Zanskar valleys form a great trough enclosed by the Himalayas and the [[Zanskar Range]]. [[Rangdum]] is the highest inhabited region in the Suru valley, after which the valley rises to {{cvt|4400|m|ft}} at [[Pensi-la]], the gateway to Zanskar. Kargil, the only town in the Suru valley, is the second most important town in Ladakh. It was an important staging post on the routes of the trade [[Caravan (travellers)|caravans]] before 1947, being more or less equidistant, at about 230 kilometres from [[Srinagar]], [[Leh]], [[Skardu]] and [[Padum]]. The Zangskar valley lies in the troughs of the Stod and the Lungnak rivers. The region experiences heavy snowfall; the Pensi-la is open only between June and mid-October. [[Dras]] and the [[Mushkoh Valley]] form the western extremity of Ladakh.

The Indus River is the backbone of Ladakh. Most major historical and current towns – [[Shey]], [[Leh]], [[Basgo]] and [[Tingmosgang]] (but not Kargil), are close to the Indus River. After the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, the stretch of the Indus flowing through Ladakh became the only part of this river, which is greatly venerated in the Hindu religion and culture, that still flows through India.

The [[Siachen Glacier]] is in the eastern Karakoram Range in the Himalaya Mountains along the disputed India-Pakistan border. The Karakoram Range forms a great watershed that separates China from the Indian subcontinent and is sometimes called the "Third Pole." The glacier lies between the Saltoro Ridge immediately to the west and the main Karakoram Range to the east. At {{cvt|76|km}} long, it is the longest glacier in the Karakoram and second-longest in the world's non-polar areas. It falls from an altitude of {{cvt|5753|m|ft}} above sea level at its source at [[Indira Col]] on the China border down to {{cvt|3620|m|ft}} at its snout. [[Saser Kangri]] is the highest peak in the Saser Muztagh, the easternmost subrange of the Karakoram Range in India, Saser Kangri I having an altitude of {{cvt|7672|m|ft}}.

The [[Ladakh Range]] has no major peaks; its average height is a little less than {{cvt|6000|m|ft}}, and few of its passes are less than {{cvt|5000|m|ft}}. The [[Pangong range]] runs parallel to the Ladakh Range for about {{cvt|100|km}} northwest from [[Chushul]] along the southern shore of the [[Pangong Tso|Pangong Lake]]. Its highest point is about {{cvt|6700|m|ft}} and the northern slopes are heavily glaciated. The region comprising the valley of the Shayok and Nubra rivers is known as Nubra. The Karakoram Range in Ladakh is not as mighty as in Baltistan. The massifs to the north and east of the Nubra–Siachen line include the [[Apsarasas Kangri|Apsarasas Group]] (highest point at {{cvt|7245|m|ft|disp=or}}) the [[Rimo Muztagh]] (highest point at {{cvt|7385|m|ft|disp=or}}) and the [[Teram Kangri]] Group (highest point at {{cvt|7464|m|ft|disp=or}}) together with [[Mamostong Kangri]] ({{cvt|7526|m|ft|disp=or}}) and [[Singhi Kangri]] ({{cvt|7202|m|ft|disp=or}}). North of the Karakoram lies the Kunlun. Thus, between Leh and eastern Central Asia there is a triple barrier – the Ladakh Range, Karakoram Range, and Kunlun. Nevertheless, a major trade route was established between Leh and [[Yarkent County|Yarkand]].
[[File:Ladakhtemp2.svg|thumb|Monthly average temperature in Leh]]

Ladakh is a high altitude desert as the Himalayas create a [[rain shadow]], generally denying entry to monsoon clouds. The main source of water is the winter snowfall on the mountains. Recent flooding in the region (e.g., the [[2010 Leh floods|2010 floods]]) has been attributed to abnormal rain patterns and retreating glaciers, both of which have been found to be linked to global climate change.<ref>{{cite book |title=As Climate Changes: International Impacts and Implications |last=Strzepek |first=Kenneth M. |author2=Joel B. Smith |year=1995 |publisher= Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-46796-4 }}</ref> The Leh Nutrition Project, headed by [[Chewang Norphel]], also known as the "Glacier Man", creates artificial glaciers as one solution for retreating glaciers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/136661/1/?PrintableVersion=enabled|title=OneWorld South Asia – Glacier man Chewang Norphel brings water to Ladakh|date=2 July 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070702182937/http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/136661/1/?PrintableVersion=enabled|archive-date=2 July 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://edugreen.teri.res.in/misc/path/path.htm#norphel |title=Edugreen.teri.res.in |publisher=Edugreen.teri.res.in |access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref>

The regions on the north flank of the Himalayas – Dras, the Suru valley and Zangskar – experience heavy snowfall and remain cut off from the rest of the region for several months in the year, as the whole region remains cut off by road from the rest of the country. Summers are short, though they are long enough to grow crops. The summer weather is dry and pleasant. Temperature ranges are from {{cvt|3|to|35|°C|lk=in}} in summer and minimums range from {{cvt|-20|to|-35|°C}} in winter.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.lehladakhindia.com/climate-in-ladakh.html |title=Climate in Ladakh |access-date=3 March 2008
|publisher=LehLadakhIndia.com}}</ref>

Zanskar is the main river of the region along with its tributaries. The Zanskar gets frozen during winter and the famous [[Chadar trek]] takes place on this magnificent frozen river.

== Flora and fauna ==
{{Main|Wildlife of Ladakh}}
[[File:Ladakh Travel.jpg|thumb|left|Lake in Ladakh]]

[[File:Black-necked Crane Tso Kar Ladakh Jammu and Kashmir India Asia 12.08.2013.png|thumb|225px|The [[black-necked crane]] comes to India every year for breeding. Photograph has been taken at [[Tso Kar]], Ladakh.]]

Vegetation is extremely sparse in Ladakh except along streambeds and wetlands, on high slopes, and irrigated places. About 1250 plant species, including crops, were reported from Ladakh.<ref>{{Cite book|title=A field guide to the flora of Ladakh|last=Dvorský|first=Miroslav|publisher=Academia|year=2018|isbn=978-80-200-2826-6|location=Prague}}</ref> The plant ''[[Ladakiella klimesii]]'', growing up to {{Convert|6150|m|ft}} above sea level, was first described here and named after this region.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=German |first1=Dmitry A. |last2=Al-Shehbaz |first2=Ihsan A. |title=Nomenclatural novelties in miscellaneous Asian Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) |journal=Nordic Journal of Botany |date=1 December 2010 |volume=28 |issue=6 |pages=646–651 |doi=10.1111/j.1756-1051.2010.00983.x |issn=1756-1051}}</ref> The first European to study the wildlife of this region was [[William Moorcroft (explorer)|William Moorcroft]] in 1820, followed by [[Ferdinand Stoliczka]], an [[Austrian people|Austrian]]-[[Czech people|Czech]] [[palaeontologist]], who carried out a massive expedition there in the 1870s.

The [[bharal]] or blue sheep is the most abundant mountain ungulate in the Ladakh region, although it is not found in some parts of Zangskar and Sham areas.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Namgail |first1=T. |last2=Fox |first2=J.L. |last3=Bhatnagar |first3=Y.V. |year=2004 |title=Habitat segregation between sympatric Tibetan argali Ovis ammon hodgsoni and blue sheep Pseudois nayaur in the Indian Trans-Himalaya |work=Journal of Zoology |location=London |chapter= 262 |pages=57–63 |chapter-url=http://www.reg.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CF6DD450-51CA-46E7-950A-5655E5E00336/69530/NamgailetalJZool.pdf |publisher=reg.wur.nl}}</ref> The [[Asiatic ibex]] is a very elegant mountain goat that is distributed in the western part of Ladakh. It is the second most abundant mountain ungulate in the region with a population of about 6000 individuals. It is adapted to rugged areas where it easily climbs when threatened.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Namgail |first1=T |year=2006 |title=Winter Habitat Partitioning between Asiatic Ibex and Blue Sheep in Ladakh, Northern India |url=http://www.reg.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CF6DD450-51CA-46E7-950A-5655E5E00336/69532/NamgailIbexBlusSheep.pdf |journal=Journal of Mountain Ecology |volume=8 |pages=7–13 }}</ref> The Ladakhi Urial is another unique mountain sheep that inhabits the mountains of Ladakh. The population is declining, however, and there are not more than 3000 individuals left in Ladakh.<ref>Namgail, T. (2006). Trans-Himalayan large herbivores: status, conservation, and niche relationships. Report submitted to the Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx Zoo, New York.</ref> The urial is endemic to Ladakh, where it is distributed only along two major river valleys: the Indus and Shayok. The animal is often persecuted by farmers whose crops are allegedly damaged by it. Its population declined precipitously in the last century due to indiscriminate shooting by hunters along the Leh-Srinagar highway. The [[argali|Tibetan argali or Nyan]] is the largest wild sheep in the world, standing {{convert|3.5|to|4|ft|order=flip}} at the shoulder with the horn measuring {{cvt|900|-|1000|mm}}. It is distributed on the Tibetan plateau and its marginal mountains encompassing a total area of {{convert|2.5|e6km2|abbr=unit}}. There is only a small population of about 400 animals in Ladakh. The animal prefers open and rolling terrain as it runs, unlike wild goats that climb into steep cliffs, to escape from predators.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Namgail |first1=T. |last2=Fox |first2=J.L. |last3=Bhatnagar |first3=Y.V. |s2cid=12451184 |year=2007 |title=Habitat shift and time budget of the Tibetan argali: the influence of livestock grazing |url=http://www.reg.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CF6DD450-51CA-46E7-950A-5655E5E00336/69531/NamgailetalHabitatShift.pdf |journal=Ecological Research |volume=22 |pages=25–31 |doi=10.1007/s11284-006-0015-y}}</ref> The endangered [[Tibetan antelope]], known as ''chiru'' in Indian English, or Ladakhi ''tsos'', has traditionally been hunted for its wool (''[[shahtoosh]]'') which is a natural fibre of the finest quality and thus valued for its light weight and warmth and as a [[status symbol]]. The wool of chiru must be pulled out by hand, a process done after the animal is killed. The fibre is smuggled into Kashmir and woven into exquisite shawls by Kashmiri workers. Ladakh is also home to the [[Tibetan gazelle]], which inhabits the vast rangelands in eastern Ladakh bordering Tibet.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Namgail |first1=T. |last2=Bagchi |first2=S. |last3=Mishra |first3=C. |last4=Bhatnagar |first4=Y.V. |year=2008 |title=Distributional correlates of the Tibetan gazelle in northern India: Towards a recovery programme |url=http://www.reg.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CF6DD450-51CA-46E7-950A-5655E5E00336/69527/NamgailetalOryx2008Gazelle.pdf |journal=Oryx |volume=42 |pages=107–112 |doi=10.1017/s0030605308000768}}</ref>
[[File:Ibex m f.jpg|thumb|Wild animals of Ladakh]]
[[File:Yaks in ladakh.JPG|thumb|left|[[Yak]]s in Ladakh]]
The [[kiang]], or Tibetan wild ass, is common in the grasslands of Changthang, numbering about 2,500 individuals. These animals are in conflict with the nomadic people of Changthang who hold the Kiang responsible for pasture degradation.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bhatnagar |first1=Y. V. |last2=Wangchuk |first2=R. |last3=Prins |first3=H. H. |last4=van Wieren |first4=S. E. |last5=Mishra |first5=C. |year=2006 |title=Perceived conflicts between pastoralism and conservation of the Kiang Equus kiang in the Ladakh Trans- Himalaya |journal=Environmental Management |volume=38 |issue=6|pages=934–941 |doi=10.1007/s00267-005-0356-2|pmid=16955231 |pmc=1705511 }}</ref> There are about 200 [[snow leopard]]s in Ladakh of an estimated 7,000 worldwide. The [[Hemis High Altitude National Park]] in central Ladakh is an especially good habitat for this predator as it has abundant prey populations. The [[Eurasian lynx]], is another rare cat that preys on smaller herbivores in Ladakh. It is mostly found in Nubra, Changthang and Zangskar.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Namgail |first1=T |year=2004 |title=Eurasian lynx in Ladakh |journal=Cat News |volume=40 |pages=21–22 }}</ref> The [[Pallas's cat]], which looks somewhat like a house cat, is very rare in Ladakh and not much is known about the species. The [[Tibetan wolf]], which sometimes preys on the livestock of the Ladakhis, is the most persecuted amongst the predators.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Namgail |first1=T. |last2=Fox |first2=J.L. |last3=Bhatnagar |first3=Y.V. |s2cid=30967502 |year=2007 |title=Carnivore-caused livestock mortality in Trans-Himalaya |url=http://www.reg.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CF6DD450-51CA-46E7-950A-5655E5E00336/69528/NamgailetalLivestockMortality.pdf |journal=Environmental Management |volume=39 |issue=4|pages=490–496 |doi=10.1007/s00267-005-0178-2|pmid=17318699 }}</ref> There are also a few [[brown bear]]s in the [[Suru Valley]] and the area around Dras. The [[Vulpes ferrilata|Tibetan sand fox]] has been discovered in this region.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Namgail |first1=T. |last2=Bagchi |first2=S. |last3=Bhatnagar |first3=Y.V. |last4=Wangchuk |first4=R. |year=2005 |title=Occurrence of the Tibetan sand fox Vulpes ferrilata Hodgson in Ladakh: A new record for the Indian sub-Continent |journal=Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society |volume=102 |pages=217–219 }}</ref> Among smaller animals, [[marmot]]s, [[hare]]s, and several types of [[pika]] and [[vole]] are common.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bagchi |first1=S. |last2=Namgail |first2=T. |last3=Ritchie |first3=M.E. |year=2006 |title=Small mammalian herbivores as mediators of plant community dynamics in the high-altitude arid rangelands of Trans-Himalayas |url=http://www.reg.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CF6DD450-51CA-46E7-950A-5655E5E00336/69524/BagchietalPika.pdfreg.wur.nl |journal=Biological Conservation |volume=127 |issue=4|pages=438–442 |doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2005.09.003}}</ref>

=== Flora ===
Scant precipitation makes Ladakh a high-altitude desert with extremely scarce vegetation over most of its area. Natural vegetation mainly occurs along water courses and on high altitude areas that receive more snow and cooler summer temperatures. Human settlements, however, are richly vegetated due to irrigation.<ref>{{cite book |author=Vishwas S. Kale |title=Landscapes and Landforms of India |publisher=Springer |isbn=9789401780292 |date=23 May 2014 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t_MsBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA114}}</ref>
Natural vegetation commonly seen along watercourses includes [[seabuckthorn]] (''Hippophae'' spp.), wild roses of pink or yellow varieties, tamarisk (''Myricaria'' spp.), [[caraway]], [[Urtica dioica|stinging nettles]], mint, ''[[Physochlaina]] praealta'', and various grasses.<ref>{{cite book |author=Satish K. Sharma |title=Temperate Horticulture: Current Scenario |publisher=New India Publisher |year=2006 |isbn=9788189422363 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k_Sjt-7O_eAC&q=Hippophae+spp&pg=PA64 }}</ref>

== Administration ==
[[Image:Indian Union territory flag of Ladakh (proposed).png|thumb|upright=0.85||[[Flag of Ladakh|Union Territory flag of Ladakh]].]]
[[File:Ladakh Government Banner.png|thumb|upright=0.85|[[Emblem of Ladakh|Emblem of the Administration of Ladakh]]]]
{{Main|Administration of Ladakh|Politics of Ladakh}}
Under the terms of the [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019|Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act]], Ladakh is administered as a [[union territory]] without a [[State Legislative Assembly (India)|legislative assembly]] or elected government. The head of government is a [[List of lieutenant governors of Ladakh|Lieutenant Governor]] appointed by the [[President of India]] who is assisted by civil servants of the [[Indian Administrative Service]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/new-jk-to-be-like-puducherry-here-is-how-indias-new-union-territory-jk-will-function/articleshow/70532687.cms|title=New J&K to be like Puducherry: Here is how India's new Union territory J&K will function|date=5 August 2019|newspaper=The Economic Times|access-date=16 April 2019}}</ref>

=== Districts ===
{{Main|List of districts of Ladakh}}

Ladakh is divided into two [[Districts of India|districts]]:

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-bottom: 0;"
! Name of District!! Headquarters !! Area (km2) !! Population 2001 Census !! Population 2011 Census
|-
| [[Kargil District]] || [[Kargil town|Kargil]] || {{formatnum: 14036}} || {{formatnum: 119307}} || {{formatnum: 143388}}
|-
| [[Leh District]] || [[Leh]] || {{formatnum: 45110}} || {{formatnum: 117232}} || {{formatnum: 147104}}
|-
|Total ||2 ||{{formatnum: 59146}}||{{formatnum: 236539}} ||{{formatnum: 290492}}
|-
|}

==== Autonomous District Councils ====
Each district of Ladakh is administered by an [[autonomous district council]], they are:

*[[Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil]]
*[[Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh]]

The two autonomous district councils work with village [[panchayat]]s to take decisions on economic development, healthcare, education, land use, taxation, and local governance which are further reviewed at the block headquarters in the presence of the chief executive councillor and executive councillors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://reference.allrefer.com/country-guide-study/india/india78.html|title=India|publisher=Allrefer country study guide|access-date=21 August 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521234810/http://reference.allrefer.com/country-guide-study/india/india78.html|archive-date=21 May 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> The government of Jammu and Kashmir looks after law and order, the judicial system, communications and the higher education in the region.

The two autonomous district councils continue to exist following the formation of the union territory of Ladakh on 31 October 2019.<ref name="dailyexcelsior.com" />

=== Law enforcement and justice ===
Ladakh is under the jurisdiction of the [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Kashmir updates: Rajya Sabha passes bill that divides J&K, Ladakh with 125 votes in favour, 61 against |url=https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/kashmir-turmoil-live-updates-schools-colleges-closed-mobile-service-suspended-section-144-imposed-in-jk/story/370544.html |access-date=16 April 2021 |work=Business Today |date=5 October 2019}}</ref> The union territory of Ladakh has its own [[Ladakh Police|police force]] headed by a [[Director general of police]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dixit |first1=Pranjal |title=लद्दाख की अपनी होगी खाकी, जम्मू-कश्मीर पुलिस भी दिल्ली की तरह उप राज्यपाल को करेगी रिपोर्ट |url=https://www.amarujala.com/jammu/ladakh-will-have-its-own-state-police-jammu-kashmir-police-will-report-to-lieutenant-governor |access-date=16 April 2021 |work=Amar Ujala |date=6 August 2019 |language=hi}}</ref>

=== Ladakh in the Parliament of India ===
Ladakh sends one member (MP) to the lower house of the [[Indian parliament]] the [[Lok Sabha]]. The MP for the [[Ladakh (Lok Sabha constituency)|Ladakh constituency]] in the current Lok Sabha is [[Jamyang Tsering Namgyal]] a candidate from the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP).<ref>{{cite web |title=Khan, Shri Hassan: Member's Bioprofile |publisher=Lok Sabha |url=http://results.eci.gov.in/pc/en/constituencywise/ConstituencywiseS094.htm|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513025423/http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/Members/Biography.aspx?mpsno=191 |archive-date=13 May 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/member-of-parliament.html|title=Members of Parliament, MPs of India 2014, Sixteenth Lok Sabha Members|website=elections.in|access-date=28 September 2016}}</ref>

== Economy ==
[[File:LK130030.jpg|thumb|upright|Street market in [[Leh]]]]
[[File:Preparing apricots. Alchi Monastery, Ladakh.jpg|thumb|left|Preparing aricots. Alchi Monastery]]
The land is irrigated by a system of channels which funnel water from the ice and snow of the mountains. The principal crops are [[barley]] and wheat. Rice was previously a luxury in the Ladakhi diet, but, subsidised by the government, has now become a cheap staple.<ref name="Crossroads" />

Naked barley (Ladakhi: ''nas'', Urdu: ''grim'') was traditionally a staple crop all over Ladakh. Growing times vary considerably with altitude. The extreme limit of cultivation is at [[Korzok]], on the [[Tso-moriri]] lake, at {{cvt|4600|m|ft}}, which has what are widely considered to be the highest fields in the world.<ref name="Crossroads" />

A minority of Ladakhi people were also employed as merchants and caravan traders, facilitating trade in textiles, carpets, [[dye]]stuffs and [[narcotics]] between Punjab and [[Xinjiang]]. However, since the Chinese Government closed the borders between Tibet Autonomous Region and Ladakh, this international trade has completely dried up.<ref name="LoramCharlie" /><ref name="LP">{{cite book |last=Weare |first=Garry |year=2002 |title=Trekking in the Indian Himalaya |edition=4th |publisher=[[Lonely Planet]] }}</ref>

[[Indus river]] flowing in the Ladakh region is endowed with vast hydropower potential. Solar and wind power potentials are also substantial. Though the region is a remote hilly area without all-weather roads, the area is also rich in limestone deposits to manufacture cement from the locally available cheap electricity for various construction needs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ikashmir.net/geography/chapter3.2.html |title= Distribution of Rocks and Minerals in J&K state |access-date=30 November 2017 }}</ref>

Since 1974, the Indian Government has encouraged a shift in trekking and other tourist activities from the troubled [[Kashmir]] region to the relatively unaffected areas of Ladakh. Although tourism employs only 4% of Ladakh's working population, it now accounts for 50% of the region's [[Gross National Product|GNP]].<ref name="LoramCharlie" />

This era is recorded in Arthur Neves ''The Tourist's Guide to Kashmir, Ladakh, and Skardo'', first published in 1911.<ref name="LP" />

== Transportation ==
[[File:Ladakh Highway.jpg|left|thumb|A vehicle on the Himalaya Highway 3]]
There are about {{cvt|1800|km|mi}} of roads in Ladakh of which {{cvt|800|km|mi}} are surfaced.<ref name="PlanningCommision2">{{cite web |year=2001 |url=http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/stateplan/sdr_jandk/sdr_jkch3a.pdf |title=State Development Report—Jammu and Kashmir, Chapter 3A |publisher=Planning Commission of India |access-date=21 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130192441/http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/stateplan/sdr_jandk/sdr_jkch3a.pdf |archive-date=30 November 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The majority of roads in Ladakh are looked after by the [[Border Roads Organisation]]. The third road to Ladakh is the [[Nimmu–Padam–Darcha road]], which is under construction.<ref>{{Cite web|date=5 September 2020|others=ANI|title=LAC stand-off: BRO's new highway untraceable by enemy, saves hours and gives 365-day connectivity|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/lac-stand-off-bros-new-highway-untraceable-by-enemy-saves-hours-and-gives-365-day-connectivity/articleshow/77952231.cms|access-date=7 September 2020|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

[[File:IXL Front 2010.jpg|thumb|[[Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport]]]]

There is an airport in Leh, [[Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport]], from which there are daily flights to [[Delhi]] and weekly flights to Srinagar and Jammu. There are two airstrips at [[Daulat Beg Oldie]] and [[Fukche]] for military transport.<ref>{{cite web |author=IAF craft makes successful landing near China border |url=http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080071230 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905091342/http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080071230 |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 September 2012 |title=NDTV.com |publisher=NDTV.com |date=4 November 2008 |access-date=21 June 2012 }}</ref> The airport at Kargil, [[Kargil Airport]], was intended for civilian flights but is currently is used by the Indian Army. The airport is a political issue for the locals who argue that the airport should serve its original purpose, i.e., should open up for civilian flights. Since past few years the [[Indian Air Force]] has been operating AN-32 air courier service to transport the locals during the winter seasons to [[Jammu]], [[Srinagar]] and [[Chandigarh]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=783401 |title=Air Courier Service From Kargil Begins Operation |publisher=news.outlookindia.com |access-date=6 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517161012/http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=783401 |archive-date=17 May 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/iaf-to-start-air-services-to-kargil-during-winter-from-December%206-70300 |title=IAF to start air services to Kargil during winter from December 6 |publisher=NDTV.com |date=3 December 2010 |access-date=6 June 2013}}</ref> A private aeroplane company [[Air Mantra]] landed a 17-seater aircraft at the airport, in presence of dignitaries like the Chief Minister [[Omar Abdullah]], marking the first ever landing by a civilian airline company at Kargil Airport.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Ahmed Ali |last1=Fayyaz |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/kargil-gets-first-civil-air-connectivity/article4283179.ece |title=Kargil gets first civil air connectivity |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |date=7 January 2013 |access-date=6 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=GK News Network |url=http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2013/Jan/2/-air-mantra-to-operate-flights-to-kargil--69.asp |title=Air Mantra to operate flights to Kargil |work=[[Greater Kashmir]] |date=2 January 2013 |access-date=6 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130604034510/http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2013/Jan/2/-air-mantra-to-operate-flights-to-kargil--69.asp |archive-date= 4 June 2013 }}</ref>

== Demographics ==
{{Pie chart|label1=[[Islam in India|Islam]]|value7=0.02|color8=Black|color7=chartreuse|color6=brown|color4=darkkhaki|color5=dodgerblue|color3=darkorange|color2=Gold|color1=Green|value8=0.47|label8=Religion not stated|label7=Other|value1=46.41|value6=0.05|label6=[[Jainism]]|value5=0.46|label5=[[Christianity]]|value4=0.83|label4=[[Sikhism]]|value3=12.11|label3=[[Hinduism]]|value2=39.65|label2=[[Buddhism]]|caption=Religions in Ladakh (2011)<ref>{{cite web|title=Population by religion community – 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|website=Census of India, 2011|publisher=The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825155850/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|archive-date=25 August 2015}}</ref>}}
{{Pie chart
|thumb = left
| caption=Ladakh (Kargil and Leh Districts) : mother-tongue of population, according to the 2011 Census.<ref name="census2011-C16"/>
|label1 = Bauti |value1 = 35.72 |color1 = DarkGreen
|label2 = Purkhi |value2 = 33.61 |color2 = DarkBlue
|label3 = Hindi |value3 = 8.94 |color3 = Yellow
|label4 = Others |value4 = 6.42 |color4 = Black
|label5 = Shina |value5 = 4.30 |color5 = ForestGreen
|label6 = Balti |value6 = 3.58 |color6 = DarkSlateBlue
|label7 = Tibetan |value7 = 2.33 |color7 = Lime
|label8 = Ladakhi |value8 = 2.06 |color8 = DarkOliveGreen
|label9 = Punjabi |value9 = 1.00 |color9 = SandyBrown
|label10 = Dardi |value10 = 0.76 |color10 = Indigo
|label11 = Marathi |value11 = 0.73 |color11 = Purple
|label12 = Nepali |value12 = 0.55 |color12 = Cyan
}}

People of Dard descent predominate in Dras and Dha-Hanu areas. The residents of the [[Dha-Hanu]] area, known as [[Brokpa]], are predominately followers of Islam while small minorities follow Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism<ref>{{Cite web|title=Religion Data of Census 2011: XXXIII JK-HP-ST|url=https://blog.cpsindia.org/2016/12/religion-data-of-census-2011-xxxiii-jk.html|language=en-GB|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> and most Brokpa have preserved much of their original Dardic traditions and customs. The Dards of Dras, however, have converted to [[Islam]] and have been strongly influenced by their Kashmiri neighbours. The Mons are believed to be descendants of earlier Indian settlers in Ladakh, and traditionally worked as musicians, blacksmiths, and carpenters.
The region's population is split roughly in half between the districts of [[Leh district|Leh]] and [[Kargil district|Kargil]]. 76.87% population of Kargil is Muslim (mostly [[Shia]]),<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tarun-vijay/the-right-view/Endangered-Ladakh/articleshow/2742608.cms |title=Endangered Ladakh |work=[[The Times of India]] |first1=Tarun |last1=Vijay |date=30 January 2008 |access-date=27 July 2020}}</ref><ref name="census2011-C01"/> with a total population of 140,802, while that of Leh is 66.40% Buddhist, with a total population of 133,487, as per the 2011 census.<ref name="census2011-C01">{{cite report |title=C-1 Population By Religious Community – Jammu & Kashmir |url = https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW01C-01%20MDDS.XLS |publisher = Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |access-date=28 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.census2011.co.in/census/district/622-kargil.html|title=Kargil District Population Census 2011-2020, Jammu and Kashmir literacy sex ratio and density|website=www.census2011.co.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.census2011.co.in/census/district/621-leh.html|title=Leh District Population Census 2011-2020, Jammu and Kashmir literacy sex ratio and density|website=www.census2011.co.in}}</ref>

The predominant mother-tongue in Leh district is [[Bauti language|Bauti]], a [[Tibetan languages|Tibetan language]].<ref name="census2011-C16"/>  However, the [[Purgi language|Purkhi]] is the predominant mother-tongue of Kargil district.<ref name="census2011-C16"/><ref>{{citation|last=Rather |first=Ali Mohammad |title=Kargil: The Post-War Scenario |journal=Journal of Peace Studies |publisher=International Center for Peace Studies |volume=6 |number=5–6 |date=September 1999 |url=http://www.icpsnet.org/description.php?ID=138 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141201063036/http://www.icpsnet.org/description.php?ID=138 |archive-date= 1 December 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Educated Ladakhis usually know Hindi, Urdu and often English. Within Ladakh, there is a range of dialects, so that the language of the [[Changpa|Chang-pa]] people may differ markedly from that of the [[Purigpa|Purig-pa]] in Kargil, or the Zangskaris, but they are all mutually comprehensible.

{|class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
! colspan=4| Ladakh (Kargil and Leh Districts) : mother-tongue of population, according to the 2011 Census.<ref name="census2011-C16">{{cite report |title=C-16 Population By Mother Tongue – Jammu & Kashmir |url = https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-16/DDW-C16-STMT-MDDS-0100.XLSX |publisher = Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |access-date=18 July 2020}}</ref>
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
! Mother tongue code
! Mother tongue
! People
! Percentage
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 001002 || [[Assamese language|Assamese]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 571
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.21%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 002007 || [[Bengali language|Bengali]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,146
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.42%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 004001 || [[Dogri language|Dogri]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,031
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.38%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 005018 || [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 438
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.16%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006102 || [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 182
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.07%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006195 || [[Garhwali language|Garhwali]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 267
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.10%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006207 || [[Gojri language|Gojri/Gujjari/Gujar]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 123
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.04%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006235 || [[Haryanvi language|Haryanvi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 86
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.03%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006240 || [[Hindi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 24,511
| style="text-align:right;" | 8.94%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006340 || [[Kumauni language|Kumauni]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 66
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.02%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006439 || [[Pahari language|Pahari]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 168
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.06%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006489 || [[Rajasthani language|Rajasthani]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 139
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.05%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006503 || [[Sadan language|Sadan/Sadri]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 16
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 007016 || [[Kannada language|Kannada]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 472
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.17%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 008005 || [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,020
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.37%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 008010 || [[Kishtwari language|Kishtwari]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 17
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 008019 || Dardi
| style="text-align:right;" | 2,072
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.76%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 010008 || [[Maithili language|Maithili]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 25
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 010011 || Purbi Maithili
| style="text-align:right;" | 53
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.02%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 011016 || [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 797
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.29%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 012003 || [[Meitei language|Meitei]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 151
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.06%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 013071 || [[Marathi language|Marathi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 2,001
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.73%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 014011 || [[Nepali language|Nepali]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,516
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.55%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 015043 || [[Odia language|Odia]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 594
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.22%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 016002 || [[Bagri language|Bagri]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 14
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 016038 || [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 2,747
| style="text-align:right;" | 1.00%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 020027 || [[Tamil language|Tamil]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,009
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.37%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 021046 || [[Telugu language|Telugu]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,011
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.37%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 022015 || [[Urdu language|Urdu]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 226
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.08%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 024001 || [[Pashto language|Afghani/Kabuli/Pashto]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 18
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 029002 || [[Balti language|Balti]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 9,825
| style="text-align:right;" | 3.58%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 031001 || [[Bhotia language|Bhotia]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 320
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.12%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 031011 || [[Bauti language|Bauti]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 97,979
| style="text-align:right;" | 35.72%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 040001 || [[English language|English]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 29
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 053005 || [[Gujari language|Gujari]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 31
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 055007 || [[Khasi language|Khasi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 14
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 071008 || [[Kuki language|Kuki]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 69
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.03%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 073003 || [[Ladakhi language|Ladakhi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 5,640
| style="text-align:right;" | 2.06%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 082005 || [[Lushai language|Lushai/Mizo]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 127
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.05%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 108001 || [[Sherpa language|Sherpa]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 21
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 109005 || [[Shina language|Shina]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 11,798
| style="text-align:right;" | 4.30%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 111001 || [[Tamang language|Tamang]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 18
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 115008 || [[Standard Tibetan|Tibetan]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 6,393
| style="text-align:right;" | 2.33%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 115011 || [[Purgi language|Purkhi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 92,176
| style="text-align:right;" | 33.61%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 116014 || [[Tripuri language|Tripuri]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 18
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| style="text-align:center;" | –
|| [[Languages of India|Others]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 7,344
| style="text-align:right;" | 2.68%
|- style="vertical-align:top;" class=sortbottom
| colspan=2 | Total
| style="text-align:right;" | 274,289
| style="text-align:right;" | 100.00%
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Population of Leh and Kargil districts
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year{{efn|Census was not carried out in Jammu and Kashmir in 1991 due to militancy}} || colspan="3"| [[Leh District]] || colspan="3"| [[Kargil District]]
|-
!| Population||Percentage change ||Females per 1000 males ||Population||Percentage change ||Females per 1000 males
|- style="text-align:right;"
| 1951 || 40,484 ||— ||1011|| 41,856 ||— || 970
|- style="text-align:right;"
| 1961 || 43,587 ||0.74||1010|| 45,064 ||0.74 || 935
|- style="text-align:right;"
| 1971 || 51,891 ||1.76 ||1002|| 53,400 ||1.71 || 949
|- style="text-align:right;"
| 1981 || 68,380 ||2.80 ||886|| 65,992 ||2.14 || 853
|- style="text-align:right;"
| 2001 || 117,637 ||2.75 ||805|| 115,287 ||2.83 || 901
|- style="text-align:right;"
| 2011 || 133,487 || || 690|| 140,802 || || 810
|}

The sex ratio for Leh district declined from 1011 females per 1000 males in 1951 to 805 in 2001, while for Kargil district it declined from 970 to 901.<ref name=PlanningCommision1>{{cite web |title=State Development Report—Jammu and Kashmir, Chapter 2 – Demographics |publisher=Planning Commission of India |year=1999 |url=http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/stateplan/sdr_jandk/sdr_jkch2.pdf |access-date=21 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111213160104/http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/stateplan/sdr_jandk/sdr_jkch2.pdf |archive-date=13 December 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The urban sex ratio in both the districts is about 640. The adult sex ratio reflects large numbers of mostly male seasonal and migrant labourers and merchants. About 84% of Ladakh's population lives in villages.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rural population |publisher=Education for all in India |year=1999 |url=http://www.educationforallinindia.com/rudpop2001.html |access-date=21 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710171729/http://www.educationforallinindia.com/rudpop2001.html |archive-date=10 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The average annual population growth rate from 1981 to 2001 was 2.75% in Leh District and 2.83% in Kargil district.<ref name=PlanningCommision1 />

== Culture ==

Ladakhi culture is similar to [[Tibetan culture]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Ladakh Festival – a Cultural Spectacle |publisher=EF News International |access-date=28 August 2006 |url-status=dead |url=http://www.efi-news.com/2011/09/ladakh-festival-cultural-spectacle.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502152610/http://www.efi-news.com/2011/09/ladakh-festival-cultural-spectacle.html |archive-date= 2 May 2012 }}</ref>

=== Cuisine ===
[[File:Thukpa, Manali, Himachal Pradesh.JPG|thumb|[[Thukpa]]]]
Ladakhi food has much in common with [[Tibetan food]], the most prominent foods being ''[[thukpa]]'' (noodle soup) and ''[[tsampa]]'', known in Ladakhi as ''ngampe'' (roasted barley flour). Edible without cooking, ''tsampa'' makes useful trekking food. Strictly Ladakhi dishes include ''skyu'' and ''chutagi'', both heavy and rich soup pasta dishes, ''skyu'' being made with root vegetables and meat, and ''chutagi'' with leafy greens and vegetables.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Motup|first=Sonam|date=|title=Food & Cuisine: 10 Best Dishes to Eat in Leh-Ladakh 🥄🥣|url=https://www.leh-ladakh-taxi-booking.com/practical-info/food-and-cuisine-10-best-dishes-to-eat-in-ladakh|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref> As Ladakh moves toward a cash-based economy, foods from the plains of India are becoming more common.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Namgail, T., Jensen, A., Padmanabhan, S., Desor, S. & Dolma, R. |title=Dhontang: Food in Ladakh |date=2019 |publisher=Central Institute of Buddhist Studies, Local Futures |isbn=978-93-83802-15-9 |pages=1–44}}</ref> As in other parts of Central Asia, tea in Ladakh is traditionally made with strong green tea, butter, and salt. It is mixed in a large churn and known as ''[[Butter tea|gurgur cha]]'', after the sound it makes when mixed. Sweet tea (''cha ngarmo'') is common now, made in the Indian style with milk and sugar. Most of the surplus barley that is produced is fermented into ''chang'', an alcoholic beverage drunk especially on festive occasions.<ref name="WomensAlliance">{{cite book |last=Norberg-Hodge |first=Helena |year=2000 |title=Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh |publisher=Oxford India Paperbacks }}</ref>

=== Music and dance ===
{{main|Music of Ladakh}}
[[File:Buddhist deity.jpg|thumb|Dancer in masked dance festival]]
[[File:Jabro Dance Ladakh.jpg|thumb|Jabro Dance]]
The music of Ladakhi Buddhist monastic festivals, like [[Music of Tibet|Tibetan music]], often involves religious [[chanting]] in [[Classical Tibetan|Tibetan]] as an integral part of the religion. These chants are complex, often recitations of sacred texts or in celebration of various festivals. ''Yang'' chanting, performed without metrical timing, is accompanied by resonant drums and low, sustained syllables. Religious mask dances are an important part of Ladakh's cultural life. [[Hemis monastery]], a leading centre of the [[Drukpa Lineage|Drukpa]] tradition of Buddhism, holds an annual masked dance festival, as do all major Ladakhi monasteries. The dances typically narrate a story of the fight between good and evil, ending with the eventual victory of the former.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dollsofindia.com/library/article0010/2/ |title=Masks: Reflections of Culture and Religion |publisher=Dolls of India |access-date=21 August 2006 |date=12 January 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710143621/http://www.dollsofindia.com/library/article0010/2/ |archive-date=10 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Weaving is an important part of traditional life in eastern Ladakh. Both women and men weave, on different looms.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=62-0834805219-0 |title=Living Fabric: Weaving Among the Nomads of Ladakh Himalaya |access-date=21 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629123453/http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=62-0834805219-0 |archive-date=29 June 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Sport ===
[[File:Sul-ma, woman’s woollen dress (detail), Ladakh, late 19th-early 20th century.JPG|thumb|Sul-ma, woman's woollen dress (detail), Ladakh, late 19th-early 20th century]]
The most popular sport in Ladakh is [[Ice hockey in India|ice hockey]], which is played only on natural ice generally mid-December through mid-February.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sherlip |first=Adam |title=Hockey Foundation |url=http://www.hockeyfoundation.org}}</ref> Cricket is also very popular.

Archery is a traditional sport in Ladakh, and many villages hold archery festivals, which are as much about traditional dancing, drinking and gambling, as they are about the sport. The sport is conducted with strict etiquette, to the accompaniment of the music of ''surna'' and ''daman'' ([[shehnai]] and drum). Polo, the other traditional sport of Ladakh, is indigenous to Baltistan and [[Gilgit]], and was probably introduced into Ladakh in the mid-17th century by King Singge Namgyal, whose mother was a Balti princess.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jktourism.org/cities/ladakh/culture/index.htm |title=Ladakh culture |publisher=Jammu and Kashmir Tourism |access-date=21 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060712004749/http://www.jktourism.org/cities/ladakh/culture/index.htm  |archive-date=12 July 2006}}</ref>

Polo, popular among the Baltis, is an annual affair in Drass region of Kargil district.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2011/Jul/10/lalit-group-organises-polo-tourney-in-drass-19.asp |title=Lalit Group Organises Polo Tourney in Drass, Celebrating 100 Years, Sports Events Imperative To Showcase Talent: Omar |work=[[Greater Kashmir]] |date=10 July 2011 |access-date=6 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730165436/http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2011/Jul/10/lalit-group-organises-polo-tourney-in-drass-19.asp |archive-date=30 July 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://khagta.photoshelter.com/gallery/-/G0000A0sXWCwJqug/ |title=Traditonal [sic] Polo in Drass, Ladakh | Himanshu Khagta – Travel Photographer in India |last=Khagta |first=Himanshu |author-link=Himanshu Khagta |date=18 July 2011 |website=PhotoShelter: Himanshu Khagta |access-date=6 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.statetimes.in/news/manipur-lifts-lalit-suri-polo-cup/ |title=Manipur lifts Lalit Suri Polo Cup |work=[[State Times]] |date=12 June 2012 |access-date=6 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517115507/http://www.statetimes.in/news/manipur-lifts-lalit-suri-polo-cup/ |archive-date=17 May 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thelalit.com/the-lalit-events/the-lalit-suri-exhibition-polo-2009 |title=Business Hotels in India – Event Planning in India – The Lalit Hotels |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130314203252/http://www.thelalit.com/the-lalit-events/the-lalit-suri-exhibition-polo-2009 |archive-date=14 March 2013}}</ref>

The [[Ladakh Marathon]] is a high-altitude [[marathon]] held in [[Leh]] every year since 2012. Held at a height of {{convert|11500|to|17,618|ft}}, it is one of the world's highest marathons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/lahdc-organises-3rd-ladakh-marathon-at-leh-114091501153_1.html |title=LAHDC organises 3rd Ladakh Marathon at Leh | Business Standard News |publisher=Business-standard.com |access-date=14 September 2015}}</ref>

[[File:First ever Khelo India Winter Games.jpg|thumb|250px| First ever [[Khelo India Youth Games|Khelo India]] Winter Games in Ladakh]]

=== Social status of women ===
[[File:Woman wearing traditional Ladakhi hat (2014).jpg|thumb|Woman wearing traditional Ladakhi hat]]
A feature of Ladakhi society that distinguishes it from the rest of the state is the high status and relative emancipation enjoyed by women compared to other rural parts of India. Fraternal [[polyandry]] and inheritance by [[primogeniture]] were common in Ladakh until the early 1940s when these were made illegal by the government of Jammu and Kashmir. However, the practice remained in existence into the 1990s especially among the elderly and the more isolated rural populations.<ref name="Gielen, U. P. 1993">{{cite journal |last=Gielen |first=Uwe |title=Gender roles in traditional Tibetan cultures |year=1998 |journal= In L.L Adler (Ed.), International Handbook on Gender Roles. Westport, CT: Greenwood.|pages=413–437}}</ref> Another custom is known as ''khang-bu'', or 'little house', in which the elders of a family, as soon as the eldest son has sufficiently matured, retire from participation in affairs, yielding the headship of the family to him and taking only enough of the property for their own sustenance.<ref name =Crossroads />

=== Traditional medicine ===
{{main|Traditional Tibetan medicine}}
[[Tibetan medicine]] has been the traditional health system of Ladakh for over a thousand years. This school of traditional healing contains elements of [[Ayurveda]] and [[Chinese medicine]], combined with the philosophy and [[cosmology]] of Tibetan Buddhism. For centuries, the only medical system accessible to the people have been the ''[[Sowa Rigpa|amchi]]'', traditional doctors following the Tibetan medical tradition. ''[[Sowa Rigpa|Amchi]]'' medicine remains a component of public health, especially in remote areas.<ref name="Plantlife">{{cite web |url=http://www.plantlife.org.uk/international/plantlife-med-plants-projects-allachy-India-Ladakh.htm |title=Plantlife.org project on medicinal plants of importance to amchi medicine |publisher=Plantlife.org.uk |access-date=21 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617115651/http://www.plantlife.org.uk/international/plantlife-med-plants-projects-allachy-India-Ladakh.htm |archive-date=17 June 2009 }}</ref>

Programmes by the government, local and international organisations are working to develop and rejuvenate this traditional system of healing.<ref name="Plantlife" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://cbhi-hsprod.nic.in/listdetails.asp?roid=127 |title=A government of India project in support of Sowa Rigpa-'amchi' medicine |publisher=Cbhi-hsprod.nic.in |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222103818/http://cbhi-hsprod.nic.in/listdetails.asp?roid=127 |archive-date=22 February 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Efforts are underway to preserve the intellectual property rights of [[Sowa Rigpa|''amchi'' medicine]] for the people of Ladakh. The government has also been trying to promote the [[Hippophae|sea buckthorn]] in the form of juice and jam, as some claim it possess medicinal properties.

The [[National Research Institute for Sowa-Rigpa]] in Leh is an institute for research into traditional medicine and a hospital providing traditional treatments.<ref>{{cite web | title=Modi govt to promote Tibetan healing system with AIIMS-like Sowa-Rigpa hospital in Leh | website=ThePrint | date=28 November 2019 | url=https://theprint.in/health/modi-govt-to-promote-tibetan-healing-system-with-aiims-like-sowa-rigpa-hospital-in-leh/326946/ | access-date=3 August 2020}}</ref>

== Education ==
According to the 2001 census, the overall literacy rate in Leh District is 62% (72% for males and 50% for females), and in Kargil District 58% (74% for males and 41% for females).<ref>{{cite web |year =2001 |url=http://www.educationforallinindia.com/page157.html |title=District-specific Literates and Literacy Rates |publisher=Education for all website |access-date=21 August 2006}}</ref> Traditionally there was little or nothing by way of formal education except in the monasteries. Usually, one son from every family was obliged to master the Tibetan script in order to read the holy books.<ref name="Crossroads" />

The [[Moravian Church|Moravian Mission]] opened a school in Leh in October 1889, and the ''Wazir-i Wazarat'' (''ex officio'' Joint Commissioner with a British officer) of Baltistan and Ladakh ordered that every family with more than one child should send one of them to school. This order met with great resistance from the local people who feared that the children would be forced to convert to Christianity. The school taught Tibetan, Urdu, English, Geography, Sciences, Nature study, Arithmetic, Geometry and Bible study.<ref name =Ray /> It is still in existence today. The first local school to provide western education was opened by a local Society called "Lamdon Social Welfare Society" in 1973. Later, with support from [[Dalai Lama]] and some international organisations, the school, now known as Lamdon Model Senior Secondary School, has grown to accommodate approximately two thousand pupils in several branches. It prides itself on preserving Ladakhi tradition and culture.<ref name="Lamdon">{{Cite web |url=https://www.internationaledventures.com/ |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20090326084955/http://www.internationaledventures.com/Files/Who%20we%20support/Lamdon%20.pdf |url-status=dead |title=Leh, Ladakh. A History of Lamdon School |publisher=The Lamdon Social Welfare Society |archive-date=26 March 2009 |website=internationaledventures.com}}</ref>

Schools are well distributed throughout Ladakh but 75% of them provide only primary education. 65% of children attend school, but absenteeism of both students and teachers remains high. In both districts the failure rate at school-leaving level ([[Education in India|class X]]) had for many years been around 85%–95%, while of those managing to scrape through, barely half succeeded in qualifying for college entrance (class XII). Before 1993, students were taught in Urdu until they were 14, after which the medium of instruction shifted to English.

In 1994 the [[Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh]] (SECMOL) launched Operation New Hope (ONH), a campaign to provide "culturally appropriate and locally relevant education" and make government schools more functional and effective.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.himalmag.com/component/content/article/1285-Education-reform,-interrupted.html |title=Education reform, interrupted |access-date=17 February 2008 |year=2009 |orig-year=2007 |author=Justin Shilad |work=Himal Southasian |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111014438/http://www.himalmag.com/component/content/article/1285-Education-reform%2C-interrupted.html |archive-date=11 November 2013 }}</ref>

[[File:Hanle observatory.jpg|thumb|[[Indian Astronomical Observatory]] near Leh]]
[[University of Ladakh]] and [[Eliezer Joldan Memorial College Leh, Ladakh|Eliezer Joldan Memorial College]], a government degree college, enables students to pursue higher education without having to leave Ladakh.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.visit-ladakh.com/ladakh-education.html |title=Education in Ladakh |publisher=Visit Ladakh Travel |access-date=22 August 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928003704/http://www.visit-ladakh.com/ladakh-education.html |archive-date=28 September 2007 }}</ref> The [[Indian Astronomical Observatory]] is located in [[Hanle (village)|Hanle]] and is operated by the [[Indian Institute of Astrophysics]].<ref>{{cite web | title=New gamma ray telescope coming up in Ladakh to observe exploding stars, black holes | website=Firstpost | date=21 September 2018 | url=https://www.firstpost.com/tech/science/new-gamma-ray-telescope-coming-up-in-ladakh-to-observe-exploding-stars-black-holes-5230301.html | access-date=5 October 2020}}</ref>

In December 2019, the union minister of state for home affairs Mr [[G. Kishan Reddy|G Kishan Reddy]], in a written response has stated in Parliament that the Government of India has approved to establish a Medical College and [[National Research Institute for Sowa-Rigpa]] in the district of Leh.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/education/two-aiims-like-institutions-8-medical-colleges-in-jammu-kashmir-ladakh-govt-6159847/|title=Two AIIMS-like institutions, 8 medical colleges in Jammu-Kashmir, Ladakh: Govt|date=10 December 2019|website=The Indian Express|access-date=11 December 2019}}</ref>

== Media ==
{{See also|Ladakh International Film Festival}}
The government radio broadcaster [[All India Radio]] (AIR)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Station/LEH/Pages/default.aspx |title=AIR Leh |publisher=[[Prasar Bharati]] |access-date=2 August 2013}}</ref> and government television station [[Doordarshan]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ddindia.gov.in/About+DD/Doordarshan+Studios |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120031304/http://www.ddindia.gov.in/About+DD/Doordarshan+Studios |url-status=dead |title=List of Doordarshan studios |archive-date=20 January 2011}}</ref> have stations in Leh that broadcast local content for a few hours a day. Beyond that, Ladakhis produce feature films that are screened in auditoriums and community halls. They are often made on fairly modest budgets.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/entertainment/ladakhi-films-overshadow-bollywood-in-the-himalayas_100258767.html |title=Thaindia News |publisher=Thaindian.com |date=10 October 2009 |access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref>

There are a handful of private news outlets.
* ''Reach Ladakh Bulletin'',<ref>{{cite web |last=Deptt |first=Information |url=http://www.reachladakh.com |title=ReachLadakh.com |publisher=ReachLadakh.com |access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref> a biweekly newspaper in English, is the only print media published by and for Ladakhis.
* ''Rangyul'' or ''Kargil Number'' is a newspaper published from Kashmir covering Ladakh in English and Urdu.
* ''Ladags Melong'', an initiative of SECMOL, was published from 1992 to 2005 in English and Ladakhi.
* ''Sintic Magazine'', a lifestyle and tourist magazine of Ladakh, was started in 2018 in English.

Some publications that cover Jammu and Kashmir as a whole provide some coverage of Ladakh.
* ''[[The Daily Excelsior]]'' claims to be "The largest circulated daily of Jammu and Kashmir".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailyexcelsior.com |title=The Daily Excelsior |access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref>
*''Epilogue'', a monthly magazine covering Jammu and Kashmir.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.epilogue.in |title=Epilogue's website |publisher=Epilogue.in |access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref>
*''Kashmir Times'', a daily newspaper covering Jammu and Kashmir.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kashmirtimes.com |title=The Kashmir Times |access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="134">
File:Pensi La-Stod.JPG|Pensi La
File:Lake-on-shingo-la.jpg|Shingo La
File:Shanti Stupa, Leh, 20180814.jpg|Shanti Stupa, Leh
File:Front of the Thiksey Monastery.jpg|Front of the Thiksey Monastery
File:Likir (224).jpg|Likir Monastery
File:Himalayan Backdrop near Leh.jpg|Trees nestled in front of the Himalayas near Leh
File:Nubra Valley view with Reflection.jpg|Nubra Valley view with reflection
File:Mune wall col.jpg|Carved stone tablets, each with the inscription "[[Om Mani Padme Hum]]" along the paths of Zanskar
</gallery>

== See also ==

{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Balti language]]
* [[Ladakh Buddhist Association]]
* [[Ladakh (Lok Sabha constituency)]]
* [[Ladakh Scouts]]
* [[Ladakh Police]]
* [[Ladakh Union Territory Front]]
* [[Polyandry in Tibet]]
{{div col end}}

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==

=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
* {{citation |first=Gerhard |last=Emmer |chapter=Dga' Ldan Tshe Dbang Dpal Bzang Po and the Tibet-Ladakh-Mugha1 War of 1679–84 |title=Proceedings of the Tenth Seminar of the IATS, 2003. Volume 9: The Mongolia-Tibet Interface: Opening New Research Terrains in Inner Asia |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GPKvCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA95 |year= 2007 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-474-2171-9 |pages=81–108 |ref={{sfnref|Emmer, the Tibet-Ladakh-Mughal War|2007}}}}
* {{citation |last1=Fisher |first1=Margaret W. |last2=Rose |first2=Leo E. |last3=Huttenback |first3=Robert A. |title=Himalayan Battleground: Sino-Indian Rivalry in Ladakh |year=1963 |publisher=Praeger |url=http://www.questia.com/read/10466588 |url-access=subscription |via=[[Questia]] |ref={{sfnref|Fisher, Rose & Huttenback, Himalayan Battleground|1963}}}}
* {{citation |last=Francke |first=August Hermann |author-link=August Hermann Francke (Tibetologist) |title=A History of Western Tibet |publisher=S. W. Partridge & Co |year=1907 |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofwestern00ahfr/page/n6 |via=archive.org |ref={{sfnref|Francke, A History of Western Tibet|1907}}}}
* {{cite book |last=Francke |first=August Hermann |title=Antiquities of Indian Tibet |work=Volume 38; Volume 50 of New imperial series |publisher=[[Asian Educational Services]] |page=94 |year=1992 |orig-year=first published 1926 |isbn=81-206-0769-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WG4J4IKd014C |ref={{sfnref|Francke, Antiquities of Indian Tibet|1992}}}}
* {{citation |last1=Handa |first1=O. C. |title=Buddhist Western Himalaya: A politico-religious history |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R4VuovXa5YUC&pg=PA130 |year=2001 |publisher=Indus Publishing |isbn=978-81-7387-124-5 |ref={{sfnref|Handa, Buddhist Western Himalaya|2001}}}}
* {{citation |first=Prem Singh |last=Jina |title=Ladakh: The Land and the People |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kjhcZgDy-WMC |year=1996 |publisher=Indus Publishing |isbn=978-81-7387-057-6 |ref={{sfnref|Jina, Ladakh|1996}}}}
* {{citation |editor1-first=Erberto |editor1-last=Lo Bue |editor2-first=John |editor2-last=Bray |chapter=Introduction |title=Art and Architecture in Ladakh: Cross-cultural Transmissions in the Himalayas and Karakoram |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CJCfAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA5 |year=2014 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-27180-7 |ref={{sfnref|Lo Bue & Bray, Art and Architecture in Ladakh|2014}}}}
** {{citation |first=Phuntsog |last=Dorjay |chapter=Embedded in Stone—Early Buddhist Rock Art of Ladakh |title=Ibid |year=2014 |isbn=9789004271807 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CJCfAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA35 |pages=35–67 |ref={{sfnref|Dorjay, Embedded in Stone|2014}}}}
** {{citation |last1=Howard |first1=Neil |last2=Howard |first2=Kath |chapter=Historic Ruins in the Gya Valley, Eastern Ladakh, and a Consideration of Their Relationship to the History of Ladakh and Maryul |title=Ibid |year=2014 |isbn=9789004271807 |pages=68–99 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CJCfAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA68 |ref={{sfnref|Howard & Howard, Historic Ruins in the Gya Valley|2014}}}}
* {{citation |last=Petech |first=Luciano |author-link=Luciano Petech |title=The Kingdom of Ladakh, c. 950–1842 A.D. |publisher=Instituto Italiano Per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente |year=1977 |url=https://www.academia.edu/download/48901732/1977_Kingdom_of_Ladakh_c_950-1842_AD_by_Petech_s.pdf |via=academia.edu |ref={{sfnref|Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh|1977}}}}
* {{cite book |first=Prem Singh |last=Jina |title=Famous Western Expolorers to Ladakh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9QTJbvggV6EC&q=turki+woman+married+to&pg=PA123 |date=1 January 1995 |publisher=Indus Publishing |isbn =978-81-7387-031-6 |pages=123–}}

== Further reading ==
{{refbegin|30em}}
* Allan, Nigel J. R. 1995 ''Karakorum Himalaya: Sourcebook for a Protected Area''. [https://web.archive.org/web/20061110121202/http://www.iucn.org/places/pakistan/pdf/Karakoram-sourcebook.pdf IUCN]. {{ISBN|969-8141-13-8}}
* [[Alexander Cunningham|Cunningham, Alexander]]. 1854. ''Ladak: Physical, Statistical, and Historical; with notices of the surrounding countries''. Reprint: Sagar Publications, New Delhi. 1977.
* [[Ippolito Desideri|Desideri, Ippolito]] (1932). ''An Account of Tibet: The Travels of Ippolito Desideri 1712–1727''. Ippolito Desideri. Edited by [[Filippo De Filippi (explorer)|Filippo De Filippi]]. Introduction by C. Wessels. Reproduced by Rupa & Co, New Delhi. 2005
* Drew, Federic. 1877. ''The Northern Barrier of India: a popular account of the Jammoo and Kashmir Territories with Illustrations.'' 1st edition: Edward Stanford, London. Reprint: Light & Life Publishers, Jammu. 1971.
* Francke, A. H. (1914), 1920, 1926. ''Antiquities of Indian Tibet. Vol. 1: Personal Narrative; Vol. 2: The Chronicles of Ladak and Minor Chronicles, texts and translations, with Notes and Maps''. Reprint: 1972. S. Chand & Co., New Delhi. ([https://books.google.com/books?id=WG4J4IKd014C&dq=Antiquities+of+indian+Tibet&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=BiuhhHjBgj&sig=qXScEP1IS27HYdwHmZR_IRea1dE&hl=de&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result Google Books])
* Gielen, U. P. 1998. "Gender roles in traditional Tibetan cultures". In L. L. Adler (Ed.), ''International handbook on gender roles'' (pp. 413–437). Westport, CT: Greenwood.
* Gillespie, A. (2007). [https://lse.academia.edu/AlexGillespie/Papers/1347720/Time_self_and_the_other_the_striving_tourist Time, Self and the Other: The striving tourist in Ladakh, north India]. In Livia Simao and Jaan Valsiner (eds) ''Otherness in question: Development of the self''. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing, Inc.
* Gillespie, A. (2007). [https://lse.academia.edu/AlexGillespie/Papers/97290/In_the_other_we_trust_Buying_souvenirs_in_Ladakh_North_India In the other we trust: Buying souvenirs in Ladakh, north India]. In [[Ivana Marková]] and Alex Gillespie (Eds.), ''Trust and distrust: Sociocultural perspectives''. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing, Inc.
* ''The Road to Lamaland'' by [[Louis Gompertz|Martin Louis Alan Gompertz]]
* ''Magic Ladakh'' by [[Louis Gompertz|Martin Louis Alan Gompertz]]
* Gordon, T. E. 1876. ''The Roof of the World: Being the Narrative of a Journey over the high plateau of Tibet to the Russian Frontier and the Oxus sources on Pamir.'' Edinburgh. Edmonston and Douglas. Reprint: Ch'eng Wen Publishing Company. Tapei. 1971.
* Ham, Peter Van. 2015. '' Indian Tibet Tibetan India: The Cultural Legacy of the Western Himalayas''. Niyogi Books. {{ISBN|9789383098934}}.
* Halkias, Georgios (2009) "Until the Feathers of the Winged Black Raven Turn White: Sources for the Tibet-Bashahr Treaty of 1679–1684", in ''Mountains, Monasteries and Mosques'', ed. John Bray. Supplement to Rivista Orientali, pp. 59–79.[https://www.academia.edu/601756/Until_the_Feathers_of_the_Winged_Black_Raven_Turn_White_Sources_for_the_Tibet-Bashahr_Treaty_of_1679-1684 Until the Feathers of the Winged Black Raven Turn White: Sources for the Tibet-Bashahr Treaty of 1679–1684]
* Halkias, Georgios (2010). ''The Muslim Queens of the Himalayas: Princess Exchange in Ladakh and Baltistan.'' In Islam-Tibet: Interactions along the Musk Routes, eds. Anna Akasoy et al. Ashgate Publications, 231–252. [https://www.academia.edu/601746/The_Muslim_Queens_of_the_Himalayas_Princess_Exchanges_in_Baltistan_and_Ladakh The Muslim Queens of the Himalayas: Princess Exchanges in Baltistan and Ladakh]
* [[Andrew Harvey (religious writer)|Harvey, Andrew]]. 1983. ''A Journey in Ladakh''. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York.
*[[K. N. Pandit|Pandit, K. N.]] (1986). ''Ladakh, life & culture.'' Srinagar, Kashmir, India: Centre of Central Asian Studies, Kashmir University.
*Knight, E. F. 1893. ''Where Three Empires Meet: A Narrative of Recent Travel in: Kashmir, Western Tibet, Gilgit, and the adjoining countries''. Longmans, Green, and Co., London. Reprint: Ch'eng Wen Publishing Company, Taipei. 1971.
* Knight, William, Henry. 1863. ''Diary of a Pedestrian in Cashmere and Thibet''. Richard Bentley, London. Reprint 1998: Asian Educational Services, New Delhi.
* [[William Moorcroft (explorer)|Moorcroft, William]] and [[Trebeck, George]]. 1841. ''Travels in the Himalayan Provinces of Hindustan and the Panjab; in Ladakh and Kashmir, in Peshawar, Kabul, Kunduz, and Bokhara ... from 1819 to 1825'', Vol. II. Reprint: New Delhi, Sagar Publications, 1971.
* [[Norberg-Hodge, Helena]]. 2000. ''[[Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh]]''. Rider Books, London.
* [[Peissel, Michel]]. 1984. ''The Ants' Gold: The Discovery of the Greek El Dorado in the Himalayas''. Harvill Press, London.
* Rizvi, Janet. 1998. ''Ladakh, Crossroads of High Asia''. Oxford University Press. 1st edition 1963. 2nd revised edition 1996. 3rd impression 2001. {{ISBN|0-19-564546-4}}.
* Sen, Sohini. 2015. ''Ladakh: A Photo Travelogue''. Niyogi Books. {{ISBN|9789385285028}}.
* ''Trekking in Zanskar & Ladakh: Nubra Valley, Tso Moriri & Pangong Lake, Step By step Details of Every Trek: a Most Authentic & Colourful Trekkers' guide with maps 2001–2002''
* Zeisler, Bettina. (2010). "East of the Moon and West of the Sun? Approaches to a Land with Many Names, North of Ancient India and South of Khotan." In: ''The Tibet Journal'', Special issue. Autumn 2009 vol XXXIV n. 3-Summer 2010 vol XXXV n. 2. "The Earth Ox Papers", edited by Roberto Vitali, pp. 371–463.
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Ladakh}}
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Wikivoyage|Ladakh}}
*{{Britannica|327440}}
*[http://ladakh.nic.in/ Government of Ladakh]
*[http://jkladakhaffairs.nic.in/ Department of Ladakh Affairs]

{{Ladakh}}
{{States and territories of India}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ladakh| ]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 2019]]
[[Category:Union Territories of India]]
[[Category:North India|*]]
[[Category:History of the Republic of India]]
[[Category:2019 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of China]]
[[Category:Disputed territories in Asia]]
[[Category:States and union territories of India]]

Ladakh

2021-11-30T13:58:18Z

Knowledge: Fixed typo

{{Short description|Union territory of India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Ladakh
| settlement_type = Region administered by India as a [[union territory]]
| image_skyline = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Rangdum village grazing fields.jpg
| photo2a = Shyok river Ladakh.jpg
| photo3a =
| photo4a =
| spacing =
| position = centre
| size = 250
| border = 0
| color =
| foot_montage = Sheep grazing near [[Rangdum]] village; [[Shyok River]] in northern Ladakh
}}
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| image_flag = Indian Union territory flag of Ladakh (proposed).png
| flag_size
| flag_type
| image_blank_emblem =
| blank_emblem_size =
| blank_emblem_type =
| image_map = Kashmir Region November 2019.jpg
| map_alt = Jammu and Kashmir
| map_caption = A map of the disputed [[Kashmir]] region showing the Indian-administered union territory of Ladakh
| image_map1 =
| map_caption1 =
| coordinates = {{coord|34.0|N|77.5|E|region:IN-LA_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Administering country
| subdivision_name = [[India]]
| subdivision_type1 =
| subdivision_type2 =
| subdivision_name1 =
| subdivision_name2 =
| established_title = [[Union territory]]
| established_date = 31 October 2019<ref name="egazette.nic.in">{{cite web |title=The Gazette of India |url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2019/210412.pdf |website=egazette.nic.in |access-date=3 January 2021}}</ref>
| seat_type = Capital
| seat = [[Leh]],<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://kashmirobserver.net/2019/10/17/ladakh-gets-civil-secretariat/ | title=Ladakh Gets Civil Secretariat| date=17 October 2019}}</ref> [[Kargil]]<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/lg-ut-hqrs-head-of-police-to-have-sectts-at-both-leh-kargil-mathur/ |title=LG, UT Hqrs, Head of Police to have Sectts at both Leh, Kargil: Mathur |work=[[Daily Excelsior]] |date=12 November 2019 |access-date=17 December 2019}}</ref>
| parts_type = [[List of Indian districts|Districts]]
| parts_style = para
| p1 = [[List of Districts of Ladakh|2]]
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body = [[Administration of Ladakh]]
| leader_title = [[List of lieutenant governors of Ladakh|Lieutenant Governor]]
| leader_name = [[R. K. Mathur|Radha Krishna Mathur]]
| leader_title1 = [[Ladakh (Lok Sabha constituency)|Member of Parliament]]
| leader_name1 = [[Jamyang Tsering Namgyal]] ([[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]])
| leader_title2 = [[High Courts of India|High Court]]
| leader_name2 = [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]]
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |title=MHA.nic.in |publisher=MHA.nic.in |access-date=21 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208212815/http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=306 |archive-date=8 December 2008 }}</ref>{{efn|Ladakh has {{cvt|59146|km2}} of area controlled by [[India]] and {{cvt|72971|km2}} of area controlled by Pakistan under Gilgit-Baltistan, which is claimed by India as part of Ladakh. Additionally, it has {{cvt|5180|km2}} of area controlled by the People's Republic of China under Trans-Karakoram Tract and {{cvt|37555|km2}} of area controlled by the People's Republic of China under Aksai Chin, which is claimed by India as part of Ladakh.}}
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 = 59146
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| elevation_max_footnotes =
| elevation_max_m = 7,742
| elevation_max_ft =
| elevation_max_point = [[Saltoro Kangri]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=10533|title=Saltoro Kangri, India/Pakistan|website=peakbagger.com|access-date=9 August 2019}}</ref>
| elevation_max_rank =
| elevation_min_footnotes =
| elevation_min_m = 2550
| elevation_min_ft =
| elevation_min_point = [[Indus River]]
| elevation_min_rank =
| population_total = 274289
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym = [[Ladakhi people|Ladakhi]]
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Hindi]] and [[English language|English]]
| demographics1_title2 = Spoken
| demographics1_info2 = [[Ladakhi language|Ladakhi]] and [[Purgi language|Purgi]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +05:30
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|IN-LA]]
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code = [[Leh]]: 194101; [[Kargil]]: 194103
| registration_plate = [[Vehicle registration plates of India|LA]]<ref name="vehicleregistrationinladakh">{{citation |url= http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2019/214357.pdf |title=Part II—Section 3—Sub-section (ii) |work=Gazette of India, Extraordinary |date=25 November 2019 |page=2 |publisher=Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054}}</ref>
| website = {{URL|https://ladakh.nic.in/}}
| footnotes =
}}
[[File:Entering the Indus Valley, Ladakh coming from Lahaul.jpg|thumb|300px|Entering the [[Indus Valley]], Ladakh coming from [[Lahaul]].]]
'''Ladakh''' {{IPAc-en|l|ə||ˈ|d|ɑː|k}}<ref name=OED-Ladakhi>{{citation|title=Ladakhi, n.|last=OED Online|publisher=Oxford University Press|date=December 2020|access-date=6 March 2021|url=https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/104974|quote=/ləˈdɑːki/ A native or inhabitant of Ladakh, a district of eastern Kashmir. Attested use: 1911 ''Encycl. Brit. XVI.'' 59/1 It [sc. Ladakh] was, however, conquered and annexed in 1834–1841 by Gulab Singh of Jammu—the unwarlike Ladakhis, even with nature fighting on their side, and against indifferent generalship, being no match for the Dogra troops.}}</ref> is a region administered by [[India]] as a [[union territory]]. The region constitutes a part of the larger [[Kashmir]] region, which has been the subject of dispute between India, [[Pakistan]], and [[China]] since 1947.<ref name=britannica-jammu-kashmir>{{citation |last1=Akhtar |first1=Rais |last2=Kirk |first2=William |title=Jammu and Kashmir, State, India |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Jammu-and-Kashmir |access-date=7 August 2019}} (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir, state of India, located in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent in the vicinity of the Karakoram and westernmost Himalayan mountain ranges. From 1947 to 2019, Ladakh was part of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since the partition of the subcontinent in 1947."</ref><ref name="Jan·Osma鈔czykOsmańczyk2003">{{citation |last1=Jan·Osma鈔czyk |first1=Edmund |last2=Osmańczyk |first2=Edmund Jan |title=Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: G to M |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fSIMXHMdfkkC&pg=PA1191 |year=2003 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-0-415-93922-5 |pages=1191–}} Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir: Territory in northwestern India, subject to a dispute between India and Pakistan. It has borders with Pakistan and China."</ref> It is bordered by the [[Tibet Autonomous Region]] to the east, the Indian state of [[Himachal Pradesh]] to the south, both the Indian-administered union territory of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]] and the Pakistan-administered [[Gilgit-Baltistan]] to the west, and the southwest corner of [[Xinjiang]] across the [[Karakoram Pass]] in the far north. It extends from the [[Siachen Glacier]] in the [[Karakoram]] range to the north to the main Great [[Himalaya]]s to the south.<ref>{{harvp|Jina, Ladakh|1996}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/south_asia/2002/kashmir_flashpoint/default.stm|title=In Depth – Kashmir Flashpoint
|chapter-url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/south_asia/03/kashmir_future/html/default.stm |chapter=Kashmir options. Maps showing the options and pitfalls of possible solutions. The Future of Kashmir? |work=[[BBC News]] |date=19 May 2011 |access-date=16 April 2013}}</ref> The eastern end, consisting of the uninhabited [[Aksai Chin]] plains, is claimed by the Indian Government as part of Ladakh, and has been under Chinese control since [[Sino-Indian War|1962]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Fantasy frontiers |url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/05/indian_pakistani_and_chinese_border_disputes |access-date=24 September 2014 |newspaper=The Economist |date=8 February 2012}}</ref><ref name="GlobalSecurity">{{cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/india-china_conflicts.htm |title=India-China Border Dispute |publisher=GlobalSecurity.org}}</ref> Until 2019, Ladakh was a region of the Indian-administered state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]]. In August 2019, the [[Parliament of India]] passed an [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019|act]] by which Ladakh became a union territory on 31 October 2019.<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/jammu-and-kashmir-crisis-live-updates-governor-reviews-security-situation-in-state/story/370856.html |title=Article 370 revoked Updates: Jammu & Kashmir is now a Union Territory, Lok Sabha passes bifurcation bill |work=[[Business Today (India)]] |date=6 August 2019 |access-date=27 July 2020}}</ref>

In the past Ladakh gained importance from its strategic location at the crossroads of important trade routes,<ref name="TransHimalayan">{{cite book |last=Rizvi |first=Janet |year=2001 |title=Trans-Himalayan Caravans – Merchant Princes and Peasant Traders in Ladakh |publisher=Oxford India Paperbacks }}</ref> but as the Chinese authorities closed the borders between Tibet Autonomous Region and Ladakh in the 1960s, international trade dwindled. Since 1974, the [[Government of India]] has successfully encouraged [[tourism in Ladakh]]. As Ladakh is a part of the strategically important Kashmir region, the [[Indian military]] maintains a strong presence in the region.

The largest town in Ladakh is [[Leh]], followed by [[Kargil]], each of which headquarters a district.<ref>Osada et al. (2000), p. 298.</ref> The [[Leh district]] contains the [[Indus River|Indus]], [[Shyok River|Shyok]] and [[Nubra River|Nubra]] river valleys. The [[Kargil district]] contains the [[Suru River (Indus)|Suru]], [[Dras River|Dras]] and [[Zanskar River|Zanskar]] river valleys. The main populated regions are the river valleys, but the mountain slopes also support the pastoral [[Changpa]] nomads. The main religious groups in the region are [[Islam|Muslims]] (mainly [[Shia Islam|Shia]]) (46%), [[Tibetan Buddhism|Tibetan Buddhists]] (40%), [[Hinduism|Hindus]] (12%) and others (2%).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/government-toys-with-delimitation-commission-in-j-k-1542446-2019-06-04|title=Government planning to redraw Jammu and Kashmir assembly constituency borders: Sources|first1=Kamaljit Kaur|last1=S|first2=hu New|last2=DelhiJune 4|first3=2019UPDATED|last3=June 4|first4=2019 20:00|last4=Ist|website=India Today}}</ref><ref name="Crossroads">{{cite book |last=Rizvi |first=Janet |year=1996 |title=Ladakh – Crossroads of High Asia |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] }}</ref> Ladakh is one of the most sparsely populated regions in India. As its culture and history are closely related to that of [[Tibet]], it is known as the "Little Tibet".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pile |first1=Tim |title=Ladakh: the good, bad and ugly sides to India's 'Little Tibet', high in the Himalayas |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3020805/ladakh-good-bad-and-ugly-sides-indias-little-tibet |website=scmp.com |access-date=17 June 2020 |date=1 August 2019}}</ref>

Ladakh is the [[List of states and union territories of India by area|largest]] and the [[List of states and union territories of India by population|second least populous]] union territory of India.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}

== Names ==
The [[Classical Tibetan|Tibetan]] and [[Ladakhi language|Ladakhi]] name ''La-dwags'' {{Bo-textonly|ལ་དྭགས}} (historically transliterated as ''La-dvags'') means "land of high passes". ''Ladak'' is its pronunciation in several Tibetan districts. The English spelling ''Ladakh'' is derived from {{lang-fa|script=latn|ladāx}}.<ref name="Francke1992">
{{citation|last=Francke|first=August Hermann|title=Antiquities of Indian Tibet, Volume II|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.96793/page/n353/mode/2up|year=1926|publisher=Superintendent Government Printing Press|location=Calcutta|isbn=978-81-206-0769-9|pages=93–}}
Quote: Ladakh, the Persian transliteration of the Tibetan La-dvags, is warranted by the pronunciation of the word in several Tibetan districts. The terminal ''gs'' has the sound of the guttural ''gh'' or even ''kh'' in various Tibetan dialects. (Volume II, page 93)
</ref><ref>
{{citation|title=Art and Architecture in Ladakh: Cross-cultural Transmissions in the Himalayas and Karakoram|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CJCfAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA3|year=2014|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-27180-7|pages=3–}} Quote: The single most important source is the ''La dvags rgyal rabs'', the royal chronicle of Ladakh, which dates back to the 17th century. At the same time literary sources need to be supplemented by evidence from inscriptions on rocks and wall paintings as well as the buildings themselves. Many of the early researchers on these topics in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were either missionaries or colonial officials. The two-volume study Antiquities of Indian Tibet by the Moravian missionary August Hermann Francke marks an important early 20th century landmark. In 1909 Francke embarked on an extended research expedition under the auspices of the Archaeological Survey of India (As1), travelling from Simla to Kinnaur and then via Spiti to Ladakh. The first volume of the Antiquities, which was published in 1914, includes a description and a preliminary analysis of the paintings in Alchi in Ladakh. The second volume (1926) contains a critical edition of the ''La dvags rgyal rabs''.
</ref>

The region was previously known as [[Maryul]].

Medieval Islamic scholars called Ladakh the '''Great Tibet''' (derived from Turko-Arabic ''Ti-bat'', meaning "highland"); [[Baltistan]] and other trans-Himalayan states in Kashmir's vicinity were referred to as "Little Tibets".<ref>{{citation |last=Petech |first=Luciano |author-link=Luciano Petech |title=The Kingdom of Ladakh, c. 950–1842 A.D. |publisher=Instituto Italiano Per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente |year=1977 |url=https://www.academia.edu/download/48901732/1977_Kingdom_of_Ladakh_c_950-1842_AD_by_Petech_s.pdf |via=academia.edu |page=22}}</ref><ref>{{citation |first1=H. S. |last1=Pirumshoev |first2=Ahmad Hasan |last2=Dani |author-link2=Ahmad Hasan Dani |chapter=The Pamirs, Badakhshan and the Trans-Pamir States |editor1=Chahryar Adle |editor2=Irfan Habib |title=History of Civilizations of Central Asia, Vol. V — Development in contrast: From the sixteenth to the mid-nineteenth century |chapter-url=http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001302/130205e.pdf |date=2003 |publisher=UNESCO |isbn=978-92-3-103876-1 |pages=238–239}}: "Under Aurangzeb (1659–1707), Mughal suzerainty was also acknowledged by Ladakh ('Great Tibet') in 1665, though it was contested in 1681–3 by the Oirat or Kalmuk (Qalmaq) rulers of Tibet."</ref>{{efn|The extension of the term "Tibet" to the modern day [[Tibet]] is due to the Europeans in India in the 18th century.<ref>{{citation |last1=Bogle |first1=George |last2=Manning |first2=Thomas |title=Narratives of the Mission of George Bogle to Tibet: And of the Journey of Thomas Manning to Lhasa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9Y7slbgVL4AC&pg=PR26 |year=2010 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-108-02255-2 |page=26}}</ref>}}

== History ==
{{Main|History of Ladakh}}

=== Ancient history ===
[[File:Kushanshas-Hepthalites 565ad.jpg|thumb|left|South Asia in 565 CE]]
Rock carvings found in many parts of Ladakh indicate that the area has been inhabited from [[Neolithic]] times.<ref name="LoramCharlie" /> Ladakh's earliest inhabitants consisted of a mixed [[Indo-Aryans|Indo-Aryan]] population of ''Mons'' and ''[[Dard people|Dards]]'',<ref name="Ray">{{cite book |last=Ray |first=John |year=2005 |title=Ladakhi Histories – Local and Regional Perspectives |publisher=Koninklijke Brill NV |location=[[Leiden]], [[Netherlands]]}}</ref> who find mention in the works of [[Herodotus]],{{efn|He mentions twice a people called ''Dadikai'', first along with the ''Gandarioi'', and again in the catalogue of king [[Xerxes I of Persia|Xerxes]]'s army invading Greece. Herodotus also mentions the gold-digging ants of Central Asia.}} and classical writers as well as the Indian [[Purana]]s.<ref name="Luciano">{{harvp|Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh|1977}}</ref> Around the 1st century, Ladakh was a part of the [[Kushan Empire]]. [[Buddhism]] spread into western Ladakh from Kashmir in the 2nd century. The 7th-century Buddhist traveller [[Xuanzang]] describes the region in his accounts.<ref>{{harvp|Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh|1977|p=7}}: [[Xuanzang]] describes a journey from ''Ch'u-lu-to'' (Kuluta, [[Kullu]]) to ''Lo-hu-lo'' ([[Lahul]]), then goes on saying that "from there to the north, for over 2000 ''[[Li (unit)|li]]'', the road is very difficult, with cold wind and flying snow; thus one arrives in the kingdom of ''Mo-lo-so''". Petech states, "geographically speaking, the region thus indicated is unmistakably
Ladakh."</ref> Xuanzang's term of Ladakh is ''Mo-lo-so'', which has been reconstructed by academics as ''*Malasa'', ''*Marāsa'', or ''*Mrāsa'', which is believed to have been the original name of the region.{{sfnp|Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh|1977|pp=7–8}}{{sfnp|Howard & Howard, Historic Ruins in the Gya Valley|2014|p=86}}

For much of the first millennium, the western Tibet comprised [[Zhangzhung]] kingdom(s), which practised the [[Bon religion]]. Sandwiched between Kashmir and Zhangzhung, Ladakh is believed to have been alternatively under the control of one or other of these powers. Academics find strong influences of Zhangzhung language and culture in "upper Ladakh" (from the middle section of the Indus valley to the southeast).<ref>{{citation |first=Bettina |last=Zeisler |chapter=Kenhat, The Dialects of Upper Ladakh and Zanskari |title=Himalayan Languages and Linguistics: Studies in Phonology, Semantics, Morphology and Syntax |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V-R5DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA293 |year=2011 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-21653-2 |pages=293}}:
"While the whole of Ladakh and adjacent regions were originally populated by speakers of Eastern Iranian (Scythian), Lower Ladakh (as well as Baltistan) was also subject to several immigration waves of Indoaryan (Dardic) speakers and other groups from Central Asia. Upper Ladakh and the neighbouring regions to the east, by contrast, seem to have been populated additionally by speakers of a non-Tibetan Tibeto-Burman language, namely West Himalayan (Old Zhangzhung;...)."</ref> The penultimate king of Zhangzhung is said to have been from Ladakh.<ref>{{citation |last=Bellezza |first=John Vincent |title=The Dawn of Tibet: The Ancient Civilization on the Roof of the World |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bZFuBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA101 |year=2014 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers |isbn=978-1-4422-3462-8 |page=101}}</ref>

From around 660 CE, Central Tibet and China started contesting the "four garrisons" of the [[Tarim Basin]] (present day [[Xinjiang]]), a struggle that lasted three centuries. Zhangzhung fell victim to Tibet's ambitions in {{circa|634}} and disappeared for ever. Kashmir's [[Karkota Empire]] and the [[Umayyad Caliphate]] too joined the contest for Xinjiang soon afterwards. Baltistan and Ladakh were at the centre of these struggles.<ref>{{harvp|Fisher, Rose & Huttenback, Himalayan Battleground|1963|pp=12–15}}: "Ladakh's geographical position leaves no room for doubt that its ancient caravan routes must have often served as a path first for conquest and then for retreat of the opposing armies as they alternated between victory and defeat."</ref> Academics infer from the slant of Ladakhi chronicles that Ladakh may have owed its primary allegiance to Tibet during this time, but that it was more political than cultural. Ladakh remained Buddhist and its culture was not yet Tibetan.{{sfnp|Fisher, Rose & Huttenback, Himalayan Battleground|1963|pp=15–16}}

=== Early medieval history ===
{{Further|Maryul}}
[[File:The Empire of King Nyimagon with three divisions about 975 A. D.- 1000 A.D..jpg|thumb|left|The empire of Kyide Nyimagon divided among his three sons, {{circa|930 CE}}. The border between Ladakh/Maryul and Guge-Purang is shown in a thin dotted line, north of [[Gartok]]]]
[[File:Guge in Maryul.png|thumb|right|Maryul in the 11-12th centuries, ''Historical and Commercial Atlas of China''<ref>Albert Hermann, ''Historical and Commercial Atlas of China'', Harvard University Press, 1935</ref>]]
In the 9th century, Tibet's ruler [[Langdarma]] was assassinated and Tibet [[Era of Fragmentation|fragmented]]. Kyide Nyimagon, Langdarma's great grandson, fled to West Tibet {{circa|900 CE}}, and founded a new West Tibetan kingdom at the heart of the old Zhangzhung, now called [[Ngari Prefecture|Ngari]] in the Tibetan language.

Nyimagon's eldest son, [[Lhachen Palgyigon]], is believed to have conquered the regions to the north, including Ladakh and [[Rutog County|Rutog]]. After the death of Nyimagon, his kingdom was divided among his three sons, Palgyigon receiving Ladakh, Rutog, [[Thok Jalung]] and an area referred to as [[Demchok Karpo]] (a holy mountain near the present day [[Demchok, Ladakh|Demchok]] village). The second son received [[Guge-Purang Kingdom|Guge–Purang]] (called "Ngari Korsum") and the third son received [[Zanskar]] and [[Spiti]] (to the southwest of Ladakh). This three-way division of Nyimagon's empire was recognised as historic and remembered in the chronicles of all the three regions as a founding narrative.
<blockquote>He gave to each of his sons a separate kingdom, viz., to the eldest ''Dpal-gyi-gon'', ''Maryul'' of ''Mngah-ris'', the inhabitants using black bows; ''ru-thogs'' [Rutog] of the east and the Gold-mine of ''Hgog'' [possibly Thok Jalung]; nearer this way ''Lde-mchog-dkar-po'' [Demchok Karpo]; ...</blockquote>

The first West Tibetan dynasty of [[Maryul]] founded by Palgyigon lasted five centuries, being weakened towards its end by the conquests of the Mongol/Mughal noble [[Mirza Haidar Dughlat]]. Throughout this period the region was called "Maryul", possibly from the original proper name ''*Mrasa'' (Xuangzhang's, ''Mo-lo-so''), but in the Tibetan language it was interpreted to mean "lowland" (the lowland of Ngari). Maryul remained staunchly Buddhist during this period, having participated in the second diffusion of Buddhism from India to Tibet via Kashmir and Zanskar.

<gallery mode="packed" style="font-size:88%; line-height:130%; border-bottom:1px #aaa solid;" heights="120">
File:The 9 Stupas.jpg|The nine stupas at [[Thiksey Monastery]]
File:Likir Buddha.jpg|Statue of [[Maitreya]] at [[Likir Monastery]], [[Leh district]]
</gallery>

=== Medieval history ===
{{Main|Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh}}
[[File:Leh Palace and Jama Masjid minarets.jpg|thumb|right|Jama Masjid of Leh next to the Leh Palace]]

Between the 1380s and early 1510s, many Islamic missionaries propagated Islam and proselytised the Ladakhi people. [[Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani|Sayyid Ali Hamadani]], [[Shah Syed Muhammad Nurbakhsh Qahistani|Sayyid Muhammad Nur Baksh]] and [[Mir Shamsuddin Iraqi]] were three important Sufi missionaries who propagated Islam to the locals. Mir Sayyid Ali was the first one to make Muslim converts in Ladakh and is often described as the founder of Islam in Ladakh. Several mosques were built in Ladakh during this period, including in Mulbhe, [[Padum]] and [[Shey]], the capital of Ladakh.<ref name="Howard">{{citation |first=Neil |last=Howard |chapter=History of Ladakh |title=Recent Research on Ladakh 6 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |page=122 |isbn=9788120814325 |year=1997 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4jX552GiSmYC&pg=PA122}}</ref><ref name="Sheikh">{{citation |first=Abdul Ghani |last=Sheikh |chapter=A Brief History of Muslims in Ladakh |title=Recent Research on Ladakh 4 & 5|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|page=189|isbn=9788120814042|year=1995 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mCy2mBVNqSoC&pg=PA189}}</ref> His principal disciple, Sayyid Muhammad Nur Baksh also propagated Islam to Ladakhis and the [[Balti people]] rapidly converted to Islam. [[Noorbakshia Islam]] is named after him and his followers are only found in Baltistan and Ladakh. During his youth, [[Sultan]] [[Zain-ul-Abidin]] expelled the mystic [[Nund Rishi|Sheikh Zain Shahwalli]] for showing disrespect to him. The sheikh then went to Ladakh and proselytised many people to Islam. In 1505, Shamsuddin Iraqi, a noted Shia scholar, visited Kashmir and Baltistan. He helped in spreading Shia Islam in Kashmir and converted the overwhelming majority of Muslims in Baltistan to his school of thought.<ref name="Sheikh" />

[[File:Ladakh Monastery.jpg|thumb|left|[[Thikse Monastery]], Ladakh]]

It is unclear what happened to Islam after this period and it seems to have received a setback. [[Mirza Muhammad Haidar Dughlat]] who invaded and briefly conquered Ladakh in 1532, 1545 and 1548, does not record any presence of Islam in Leh during his invasion although Shia Islam and Noorbakshia Islam continued to flourish in other regions of Ladakh.<ref name="Howard" /><ref name="Sheikh" />

King [[Bhagan]] reunited and strengthened Ladakh and founded the [[Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh|Namgyal dynasty]] (''Namgyal'' means "victorious" in several Tibetan languages). The Namgyals repelled most Central Asian raiders and temporarily extended the kingdom as far as Nepal.<ref name="LoramCharlie" /> During the Balti invasion led by [[Raja]] [[Ali Sher Khan Anchan]], many Buddhist temples and artefacts were damaged. Ali Sher Khan took the king and his soldiers as captives. Jamyang Namgyal was later restored to the throne by Ali Sher Khan and given the hand of a Muslim princess in marriage. Her name was Gyal Khatun or Argyal Khatoom. She was to be the first queen and her son was to become the next ruler. Historical accounts differ upon who her father was. Some identify Ali's ally and Raja of [[Khaplu]] Yabgo Shey Gilazi as her father, while others identify Ali himself as the father.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R4VuovXa5YUC&q=ali%20sher%20khan%20daughter&pg=PA140 |title=Buddhist Western Himalaya: A politico-religious history |date=1 January 2001 |publisher=Indus Publishing |access-date=19 December 2016 |via=Google Books |isbn=9788173871245}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8J3YdskW00sC&q=ali+sher+khan+daughter&pg=PA49 |title=Ladakh Through the Ages, Towards a New Identity |isbn=9788185182759 |last1=Kaul |first1=Shridhar |last2=Kaul |first2=H. N. |year=1992}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kjhcZgDy-WMC&q=gyal+khatun&pg=PA149 |title=Ladakh |isbn=9788173870576 |last1=Jina |first1=Prem Singh |year=1996}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mCy2mBVNqSoC&q=gyal+khatun&pg=PA190 |title=Recent Research on Ladakh 4 & 5 |isbn=9788120814042 |last1=Osmaston |first1=Henry |last2=Denwood |first2=Philip |year=1995}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8eReFv7cVZ0C&q=gyal+khatun&pg=PA46 |title=Ladakh |isbn=9788179750124 |last1=Bora |first1=Nirmala |year=2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mg8My6WaWRcC&pg=PA60 |title=Rediscovery of Ladakh |isbn=9788173870866 |last1=Kaul |first1=H. N. |year=1998}}</ref> In the early 17th century efforts were made to restore the destroyed artefacts and ''gonpas'' by [[Sengge Namgyal]], the son of Jamyang and Gyal. He expanded the kingdom into [[Zanskar|Zangskar]] and [[Spiti]]. Despite a defeat of Ladakh by the [[Mughals]], who had already annexed Kashmir and Baltistan, Ladakh retained its independence.
[[File:The empire of King Tsewang Rnam Rgyal 1., and that of King Jamyang Rnam Rgyal., about 1560 and 1600 A.D.jpg|thumb|right|The empire of kings Tsewang Namgyal and Jamyang Namgyal, about 1560–1600 CE]]

[[File:Cham dance during Dosmoche festival in Leh Palace DSCN5692 1.jpg|thumb|left|[[Cham dance]] during [[Dosmoche]] festival in [[Leh Palace]]]]
[[Islam]] begins to take root in the Leh area in the beginning of the 17th century after the Balti invasion and the marriage of Gyal to Jamyang. A large group of Muslim servants and musicians were sent along with Gyal to Ladakh and private mosques were built where they could pray. The Muslim musicians later settled in Leh. Several hundred Baltis migrated to the kingdom and according to oral tradition many Muslim traders were granted land to settle. Many other Muslims were invited over the following years for various purposes.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mCy2mBVNqSoC&q=17th+century+islam+leh&pg=PA190 |title=Recent Research on Ladakh 4 & 5 |isbn=9788120814042 |last1=Osmaston |first1=Henry |last2=Denwood |first2=Philip |year=1995}}</ref>

In the late 17th century, Ladakh sided with [[Bhutan]] in its dispute with Tibet which, among other reasons, resulted in its invasion by the [[Ganden Phodrang|Tibetan Central Government]]. This event is known as the [[Tibet–Ladakh–Mughal war]] of 1679–1684.<ref>See the following studies (1) Halkias, T. Georgios(2009) "Until the Feathers of the Winged Black Raven Turn White: Sources for the Tibet-Bashahr Treaty of 1679–1684," in ''Mountains, Monasteries and Mosques'', ed. John Bray. Supplement to Rivista Orientali, pp. 59–79; (2) Emmer, Gerhard(2007) "Dga' ldan tshe dbang dpal bzang po and the Tibet-Ladakh-Mughal War of 1679–84," in ''The Mongolia-Tibet Interface. Opening new Research Terrains in Inner Asia'', eds. Uradyn Bulag, Hildegard Diemberger, Leiden, Brill, pp. 81–107; (3) Ahmad, Zahiruddin (1968) "New Light on the Tibet-Ladakh-Mughal War of 1679–84." ''East and West'', XVIII, 3, pp. 340–361; (4) Petech, Luciano(1947) "The Tibet-Ladakhi Moghul War of 1681–83." ''The Indian Historical Quarterly'', XXIII, 3, pp. 169–199.</ref> Kashmiri historians assert that the king converted to Islam in return for the assistance by Mughal Empire after this however Ladakhi chronicles do not mention such a thing. The king agreed to pay tribute to the Mughals in return for defending the kingdom.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z6y2E9gw5oIC&q=deldan+namgyal&pg=PA34 |title=India-China Border Dispute |isbn=9788170249641 |last1=Sali |first1=M. L. |year=1998}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mg8My6WaWRcC&q=delek+namgyal&pg=PA63 |title=Rediscovery of Ladakh |isbn=9788173870866 |last1=Kaul |first1=H. N. |year=1998}}</ref> The Mughals however withdrew after being paid off by the [[5th Dalai Lama]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Johan Elverskog |title=Buddhism and Islam on the Silk Road |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N7_4Gr9Q438C&pg=PA223 |date=6 June 2011 |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |isbn=978-0-8122-0531-2 |pages=223–}}</ref> With the help of reinforcements from [[Galdan Boshugtu Khan]], [[Khan (title)|Khan]] of the [[Zunghar Khanate|Zungar Empire]], the Tibetans attacked again in 1684. The Tibetans were victorious and concluded a treaty with Ladakh then they retreated back to [[Lhasa]] in December 1684. The Treaty of Tingmosgang in 1684 settled the dispute between Tibet and Ladakh but severely restricted Ladakh's independence.

<gallery mode="packed" style="font-size:88%; line-height:130%; border-bottom:1px #aaa solid;" heights="120">
File:View of the Lakir Monastery.JPG|[[Likir Monastery]], Ladakh
File:Phyang Monastery 01.jpg|[[Phyang Monastery|Phyang Gompa]], Ladakh
File:Hemis Monastery Ladakh 1876.jpg|[[Hemis Monastery]] in the 1870s
</gallery>

=== Princely state of Jammu and Kashmir ===
{{Main|Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)}}
[[File:Kashmir map.svg|thumb|The disputed territory of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir: divided between [[Pakistan-administered Kashmir|Pakistan]] (green), [[India-administered Kashmir|India]] (blue) and [[China administered Kashmir|China]] (yellow)]]
In 1834, the [[Sikh]] [[General Zorawar Singh|Zorawar Singh]], a general of [[Gulab Singh|Raja Gulab Singh of Jammu]], invaded and annexed Ladakh to Jammu under the suzerainty of the [[Sikh Empire]]. After the defeat of the Sikhs in the [[First Anglo-Sikh War]], the state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] was established as a separate [[princely state]] under British [[British Empire|suzerainty]]. The Namgyal family was given the ''[[jagir]]'' of [[Stok]], which it nominally retains to this day. European influence began in Ladakh in the 1850s and increased. Geologists, sportsmen, and tourists began exploring Ladakh. In 1885, [[Leh]] became the headquarters of a mission of the [[Moravian Church]].
[[File:"BRITISH JOINT COMMISSIONER LADAKH" ink stamp in 1902 detail, from- A Tibetan-English Dictionary with Sanskrit Synonyms (page 9 crop).jpg|left|thumb|Ink stamp in English and Urdu: "British Joint Commissioner Ladakh" (1902)]]
Ladakh was administered as a ''wazarat'' during the Dogra rule, with a governor termed ''wazir-e-wazarat''. It had three tehsils, based at [[Leh]], [[Skardu]] and [[Kargil]]. The headquarters of the ''wazarat'' was at [[Leh]] for six months of the year and at [[Skardu]] for six months. When the legislative assembly called ''Praja Sabha'' was established in 1934, Ladakh was given two nominated seats in the assembly.

Ladakh was claimed as part of Tibet by [[Phuntsok Wangyal]], a Tibetan Communist leader.<ref name="TuttleSchaeffer2013">{{cite book |author1=Gray Tuttle |author2=Kurtis R. Schaeffer |title=The Tibetan History Reader |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J7urAgAAQBAJ&q=ladakh+pan+tibetan&pg=PA603 |date=12 March 2013 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=978-0-231-14468-1 |pages=603–}}</ref>

=== Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir ===
{{Main|Jammu and Kashmir (state)}}
At the time of the [[partition of India]] in 1947, the Dogra ruler [[Maharaja]] [[Hari Singh]] signed the [[Instrument of Accession (Jammu and Kashmir)|Instrument of Accession]] to India. Pakistani raiders from [[Gilgit Agency|Gilgit]] had reached Ladakh and military operations were initiated to evict them. The wartime conversion of the pony trail from [[Sonamarg]] to [[Zoji La]] by army engineers permitted tanks to move up and successfully capture the pass. The advance continued. [[Dras]], Kargil and Leh were liberated and Ladakh cleared of the infiltrators.<ref name="Madras_Sappers">Menon, P.M & Proudfoot, C.L., ''The [[Madras Sappers]], 1947–1980'', 1989, Thomson Press, Faridabad, India.</ref>

In 1949, China closed the border between [[Nubra Valley|Nubra]] and [[Xinjiang]], blocking old trade routes. In 1955 China began to build roads connecting Xinjiang and Tibet through the [[Aksai Chin]] area. The Indian effort to retain control of Aksai Chin led to the [[Sino-Indian War]] of 1962, which India lost. China also built the [[Karakoram highway]] jointly with Pakistan. India built the [[Srinagar-Leh Highway]] during this period, cutting the journey time between Srinagar and Leh from 16 days to two. The route, however, remains closed during the winter months due to heavy snowfall. Construction of a {{cvt|6.5|km|adj=on}} tunnel across Zoji La pass is under consideration to make the route functional throughout the year.<ref name="LoramCharlie" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Government-may-clear-all-weather-tunnel-to-Leh-today/articleshow/14971889.cms |title=Government may clear all weather tunnel to Leh today |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |date=16 July 2012 |first1=Dipak K. |last1=Dash |access-date=27 July 2020}}</ref>
[[File:Srinagar Leh National Highway No 1.jpg|thumb|left|National Highway No 1]]
The [[Kargil War]] of 1999, codenamed "Operation Vijay" by the [[Indian Army]], saw infiltration by Pakistani troops into parts of Western Ladakh, namely Kargil, Dras, [[Mushkoh Valley|Mushkoh]], Batalik and Chorbatla, overlooking key locations on the [[National Highway 1 (India)|Srinagar-Leh highway]]. Extensive operations were launched in high altitudes by the Indian Army with considerable artillery and air force support. Pakistani troops were evicted from the Indian side of the [[Line of Control]] which the Indian government ordered was to be respected and which was not crossed by Indian troops. The Indian government was criticised by the Indian public because India respected geographical co-ordinates more than India's opponents: Pakistan and China.<ref name="Bammi">Bammi, Y.M., ''Kargil 1999 – the impregnable conquered.'' (2002) Natraj Publishers, Dehradun.</ref>{{page needed|date=March 2018}}

The Ladakh region was divided into the Kargil and Leh districts in 1979. In 1989, there were violent riots between Buddhists and Muslims. Following demands for autonomy from the [[Kashmiri people|Kashmiri]] dominated state government, the [[Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil|Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council]] was created in the 1990s. [[Leh district|Leh]] and [[Kargil district|Kargil]] districts now each have their own locally elected Hill Councils with some control over local policy and development funds. In 1991, a [[Peace Pagoda]] was erected in Leh by [[Nipponzan Myohoji]].

There was a heavy presence of [[Indian Army]] and [[Indo-Tibetan Border Police]] forces in Ladakh. These forces and [[People's Liberation Army]] forces from China have, since the 1962 [[Sino-Indian War]], had frequent stand-offs along the Lakakh portion of the [[Line of Actual Control]]. Out of the {{convert|857|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} border in Ladakh, only {{cvt|368|km}} is the International Border, and the remaining {{cvt|489|km}} is [[Line of Actual Control]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-ladakh-warning-india-china-border-dispute-6427131/ |title=As China intrudes across LAC, India must be alert to a larger strategic shift |work=[[The Indian Express]] |date=26 May 2020 |first1=Phunchok |last1=Stobdan |author-link=Phunchok Stobdan |access-date=26 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/ladakh-concern-overrides-lac-dispute-90880 |title=Ladakh concern overrides LAC dispute |work=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)]] |date=28 May 2020 |first1=Phunchok |last1=Stobdan |author-link=Phunchok Stobdan |access-date=26 July 2020}}</ref> The stand-off involving the most troops was in September 2014 in the disputed [[Chumar]] region when 800 to 1,000 Indian troops and 1,500 Chinese troops came into close proximity to each other.<ref>{{cite news |first=Pranav |last=Kulkarni |title=Ground report: Half of Chinese troops leave, rest to follow |newspaper=[[The Indian Express]] |date=26 September 2014 |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/chinese-troops-start-withdrawing-from-chumar/ |access-date=12 December 2014}}</ref>

==== Ladakh Division ====

In February 2019, Ladakh became a separate [[Divisions of India|Revenue and Administrative Division]] within Jammu and Kashmir, having previously been part of the [[Kashmir Division]]. As a division, Ladakh was granted its own [[Divisional Commissioner]] and [[Inspector General of Police]].<ref>[https://jkgad.nic.in/common/showOrder.aspx?actCode=S28568 Notification, Jammu, 8 February 2019], Government of Jammu and Kashmir</ref>

Leh was initially chosen to be the headquarters of the new division however, following protests, it was announced that Leh and Kargil will jointly serve as the divisional headquarters, each hosting an Additional Divisional Commissioner to assist the Divisional Commissioner and Inspector General of Police who will spend half their time in each town.<ref name="kln">{{Cite web | url=https://kashmirlife.net/ladakh-division-headquarters-to-shuttle-between-leh-and-kargil-governor-malik-201719/ |title = Ladakh division headquarters to shuttle between Leh and Kargil: Governor Malik|date = 15 February 2019}}</ref>

=== Union territory of Ladakh ===
[[File:J,K and L - Indian Union Territories.jpg|thumb|J&K and Ladakh - Indian Union Territories]]
Some activists from Leh in recent times called for Ladakh to be constituted as a [[union territory]] because of perceived unfair treatment by Kashmir and Ladakh's cultural differences with predominantly Muslim [[Kashmir valley]], while some people in Kargil opposed union territory status for Ladakh.<ref name="LoramCharlie">{{cite book |last=Loram |first=Charlie |orig-year=2000 |year=2004 |title=Trekking in Ladakh |edition=2nd |publisher=Trailblazer Publications }}</ref><ref name="Statesman">{{cite web |year=2003 |url=http://www.jammu-kashmir.com/archives/archives2003/kashmir20030809c.html | title=Kargil Council For Greater Ladakh |publisher=The Statesman, 9 August 2003 |access-date=22 August 2006}}</ref>

In August 2019, a [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019|reorganisation act]] was passed by the [[Parliament of India]] which contained provisions to reconstitute Ladakh as a [[union territory]], separate from the rest of Jammu and Kashmir on 31 October 2019.<ref name="egazette.nic.in" /><ref name="auto" /><ref>[https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bill-to-bifurcate-jammu-and-kashmir-into-2-union-territories-passed-by-rajya-sabha-2080688 Already, Rajya Sabha Clears J&K As Union Territory Instead Of State], NDTV, 5 August 2019.</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.prsindia.org/sites/default/files/bill_files/Jammu%20and%20Kashmir%20Reorganisation%20Bill%2C%202019.pdf |title=The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 |issue=Bill No. XXIX of 2019 |work=Ministry of Home Affairs |date=2019}}</ref> Under the terms of the act, the union territory is administered by a [[Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh|Lieutenant Governor]] acting on behalf of the Central Government of India and does not have an elected legislative assembly or chief minister. Each district within the union territory continues to elect an [[autonomous district council]] as done previously.<ref name="dailyexcelsior.com">{{Cite news |work=[[Daily Excelsior]] | url=https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/lahdc-act-would-continue-and-the-amendments-of-2018-to-be-protected-governor/ | title=LAHDC Act would continue and the Amendments of 2018 to be protected: Governor| date=30 August 2019 |access-date=27 July 2020}}</ref>

The demand for Ladakh as separate Union Territory (UT) was first raised by the parliamentarian [[Kushok Bakula Rinpoche]] around 1955, which was later carried forward by another parliamentarian [[Thupstan Chhewang]].<ref name=happy1>[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/one-year-of-union-territory-status-ladakh-brims-with-hope/articleshow/77326052.cms One year of union territory status: Ladakh brims with hope], Times of India, 3 usgust 2020.</ref> The former [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir state]] use to obtain large allocation of annual funds from the union government based on the fact that the large geographical area of the Ladakh (comprising 65% of total area), but Ladakh was allocated only 2% of the state budget based on its relative population.<ref name=happy1/> Within the first year of the formation of Ladakh as separate union territory, its annual budget allocation has increased 4 times from {{INR}}57 [[crore]] to {{INR}}232 crore.<ref name=happy1/>

== Geography ==
{{Main|Geography of Ladakh}}
[[File:Ladakh2.svg|thumb|upright=1.75|Map of the central Ladakh region]]

Ladakh is the highest plateau in India with much of it being over {{cvt|3000|m|ft}}.<ref name="Crossroads" /> It extends from the [[Himalayas|Himalayan]] to the [[Kunlun Mountains|Kunlun]]<ref>The [[Gazetteer]] of Kashmir and Ladák published in 1890 Compiled under the direction of the Quarter Master General in India in the Intelligence Branch in fact unequivocally states inter alia in pages 520 and 364 that Khotán is "a province in the Chinese Empire lying to the north of the Eastern Kuenlun (Kun Lun) range, which here forms the ''boundary'' of Ladák" and "The eastern range forms the southern boundary of Khotán, and is crossed by two passes, the Yangi or Elchi Díwan, crossed in 1865 by Johnson and the Hindútak Díwan, crossed by Robert Schlagentweit in 1857".</ref> Ranges and includes the upper [[Indus River]] valley.
[[File:Indus Zanskar confluence.jpg|thumb|upright|The confluence of the Indus (green water to the left) and Zanskar (brown water to the right) rivers.]]
[[File:Kashmir top.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|The Ladakh region has high altitude]]
[[File:Viewofleh.jpg|thumb|View of Leh Town Along with [[Stok Kangri]]]]

Historically, the region included the [[Baltistan]] ([[Baltiyul]]) valleys (now mostly in Pakistani administered part of [[Kashmir]]), the entire upper [[Indus Valley]], the remote [[Zanskar]], [[Lahaul and Spiti]] to the south, much of [[Ngari]] including the [[Rudok]] region and [[Guge]] in the east, [[Aksai Chin]] in the northeast, and the [[Nubra Valley]] to the north over [[Khardung La|Khardong La]] in the Ladakh Range. Contemporary Ladakh borders [[Tibet]] to the east, the [[Lahul and Spiti|Lahaul and Spiti]] regions to the south, the Vale of [[Kashmir]], [[Jammu]] and [[Baltiyul]] regions to the west, and the southwest corner of [[Xinjiang]] across the [[Karakoram Pass]] in the far north. The historic but imprecise divide between Ladakh and the Tibetan Plateau commences in the north in the intricate maze of ridges east of [[Rudok]] including Aling Kangri and Mavang Kangri, and continues southeastward toward northwestern [[Nepal]]. Before partition, [[Baltistan]], now under Pakistani control, was a district in Ladakh. [[Skardu|Skardo]] was the winter capital of Ladakh while Leh was the summer capital.

The mountain ranges in this region were formed over 45 million years by the folding of the [[Indian Plate]] into the more stationary [[Eurasian Plate]]. The drift continues, causing frequent earthquakes in the Himalayan region.{{efn|All of Indian Ladakh is placed in high risk Zone VIII, while areas from Kargil and Zanskar southwestward are in lower risk zones on the [[Earthquake hazard zoning of India|earthquake hazard scale]].}}<ref>{{cite web|year=2007 |url=http://www.drrgateway.net/sites/default/files/india_disaster_response_plan_2007.pdf |title=Multi-hazard Map of India |publisher=[[United Nations Development Program]] |access-date=31 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031170144/http://www.drrgateway.net/sites/default/files/india_disaster_response_plan_2007.pdf |archive-date=31 October 2014 }}</ref> The peaks in the Ladakh Range are at a medium altitude close to the [[Zoji-la]] ({{cvt|5000|-|5500|m|disp=or}}) and increase toward southeast, culminating in the twin summits of [[Nun-Kun]] ({{cvt|7000|m|disp=or}}).

The Suru and Zanskar valleys form a great trough enclosed by the Himalayas and the [[Zanskar Range]]. [[Rangdum]] is the highest inhabited region in the Suru valley, after which the valley rises to {{cvt|4400|m|ft}} at [[Pensi-la]], the gateway to Zanskar. Kargil, the only town in the Suru valley, is the second most important town in Ladakh. It was an important staging post on the routes of the trade [[Caravan (travellers)|caravans]] before 1947, being more or less equidistant, at about 230 kilometres from [[Srinagar]], [[Leh]], [[Skardu]] and [[Padum]]. The Zangskar valley lies in the troughs of the Stod and the Lungnak rivers. The region experiences heavy snowfall; the Pensi-la is open only between June and mid-October. [[Dras]] and the [[Mushkoh Valley]] form the western extremity of Ladakh.

The Indus River is the backbone of Ladakh. Most major historical and current towns – [[Shey]], [[Leh]], [[Basgo]] and [[Tingmosgang]] (but not Kargil), are close to the Indus River. After the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, the stretch of the Indus flowing through Ladakh became the only part of this river, which is greatly venerated in the Hindu religion and culture, that still flows through India.

The [[Siachen Glacier]] is in the eastern Karakoram Range in the Himalaya Mountains along the disputed India-Pakistan border. The Karakoram Range forms a great watershed that separates China from the Indian subcontinent and is sometimes called the "Third Pole." The glacier lies between the Saltoro Ridge immediately to the west and the main Karakoram Range to the east. At {{cvt|76|km}} long, it is the longest glacier in the Karakoram and second-longest in the world's non-polar areas. It falls from an altitude of {{cvt|5753|m|ft}} above sea level at its source at [[Indira Col]] on the China border down to {{cvt|3620|m|ft}} at its snout. [[Saser Kangri]] is the highest peak in the Saser Muztagh, the easternmost subrange of the Karakoram Range in India, Saser Kangri I having an altitude of {{cvt|7672|m|ft}}.

The [[Ladakh Range]] has no major peaks; its average height is a little less than {{cvt|6000|m|ft}}, and few of its passes are less than {{cvt|5000|m|ft}}. The [[Pangong range]] runs parallel to the Ladakh Range for about {{cvt|100|km}} northwest from [[Chushul]] along the southern shore of the [[Pangong Tso|Pangong Lake]]. Its highest point is about {{cvt|6700|m|ft}} and the northern slopes are heavily glaciated. The region comprising the valley of the Shayok and Nubra rivers is known as Nubra. The Karakoram Range in Ladakh is not as mighty as in Baltistan. The massifs to the north and east of the Nubra–Siachen line include the [[Apsarasas Kangri|Apsarasas Group]] (highest point at {{cvt|7245|m|ft|disp=or}}) the [[Rimo Muztagh]] (highest point at {{cvt|7385|m|ft|disp=or}}) and the [[Teram Kangri]] Group (highest point at {{cvt|7464|m|ft|disp=or}}) together with [[Mamostong Kangri]] ({{cvt|7526|m|ft|disp=or}}) and [[Singhi Kangri]] ({{cvt|7202|m|ft|disp=or}}). North of the Karakoram lies the Kunlun. Thus, between Leh and eastern Central Asia there is a triple barrier – the Ladakh Range, Karakoram Range, and Kunlun. Nevertheless, a major trade route was established between Leh and [[Yarkent County|Yarkand]].
[[File:Ladakhtemp2.svg|thumb|Monthly average temperature in Leh]]

Ladakh is a high altitude desert as the Himalayas create a [[rain shadow]], generally denying entry to monsoon clouds. The main source of water is the winter snowfall on the mountains. Recent flooding in the region (e.g., the [[2010 Leh floods|2010 floods]]) has been attributed to abnormal rain patterns and retreating glaciers, both of which have been found to be linked to global climate change.<ref>{{cite book |title=As Climate Changes: International Impacts and Implications |last=Strzepek |first=Kenneth M. |author2=Joel B. Smith |year=1995 |publisher= Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-46796-4 }}</ref> The Leh Nutrition Project, headed by [[Chewang Norphel]], also known as the "Glacier Man", creates artificial glaciers as one solution for retreating glaciers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/136661/1/?PrintableVersion=enabled|title=OneWorld South Asia – Glacier man Chewang Norphel brings water to Ladakh|date=2 July 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070702182937/http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/136661/1/?PrintableVersion=enabled|archive-date=2 July 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://edugreen.teri.res.in/misc/path/path.htm#norphel |title=Edugreen.teri.res.in |publisher=Edugreen.teri.res.in |access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref>

The regions on the north flank of the Himalayas – Dras, the Suru valley and Zangskar – experience heavy snowfall and remain cut off from the rest of the region for several months in the year, as the whole region remains cut off by road from the rest of the country. Summers are short, though they are long enough to grow crops. The summer weather is dry and pleasant. Temperature ranges are from {{cvt|3|to|35|°C|lk=in}} in summer and minimums range from {{cvt|-20|to|-35|°C}} in winter.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.lehladakhindia.com/climate-in-ladakh.html |title=Climate in Ladakh |access-date=3 March 2008
|publisher=LehLadakhIndia.com}}</ref>

Zanskar is the main river of the region along with its tributaries. The Zanskar gets frozen during winter and the famous [[Chadar trek]] takes place on this magnificent frozen river.

== Flora and fauna ==
{{Main|Wildlife of Ladakh}}
[[File:Ladakh Travel.jpg|thumb|left|Lake in Ladakh]]

[[File:Black-necked Crane Tso Kar Ladakh Jammu and Kashmir India Asia 12.08.2013.png|thumb|225px|The [[black-necked crane]] comes to India every year for breeding. Photograph has been taken at [[Tso Kar]], Ladakh.]]

Vegetation is extremely sparse in Ladakh except along streambeds and wetlands, on high slopes, and irrigated places. About 1250 plant species, including crops, were reported from Ladakh.<ref>{{Cite book|title=A field guide to the flora of Ladakh|last=Dvorský|first=Miroslav|publisher=Academia|year=2018|isbn=978-80-200-2826-6|location=Prague}}</ref> The plant ''[[Ladakiella klimesii]]'', growing up to {{Convert|6150|m|ft}} above sea level, was first described here and named after this region.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=German |first1=Dmitry A. |last2=Al-Shehbaz |first2=Ihsan A. |title=Nomenclatural novelties in miscellaneous Asian Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) |journal=Nordic Journal of Botany |date=1 December 2010 |volume=28 |issue=6 |pages=646–651 |doi=10.1111/j.1756-1051.2010.00983.x |issn=1756-1051}}</ref> The first European to study the wildlife of this region was [[William Moorcroft (explorer)|William Moorcroft]] in 1820, followed by [[Ferdinand Stoliczka]], an [[Austrian people|Austrian]]-[[Czech people|Czech]] [[palaeontologist]], who carried out a massive expedition there in the 1870s.

The [[bharal]] or blue sheep is the most abundant mountain ungulate in the Ladakh region, although it is not found in some parts of Zangskar and Sham areas.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Namgail |first1=T. |last2=Fox |first2=J.L. |last3=Bhatnagar |first3=Y.V. |year=2004 |title=Habitat segregation between sympatric Tibetan argali Ovis ammon hodgsoni and blue sheep Pseudois nayaur in the Indian Trans-Himalaya |work=Journal of Zoology |location=London |chapter= 262 |pages=57–63 |chapter-url=http://www.reg.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CF6DD450-51CA-46E7-950A-5655E5E00336/69530/NamgailetalJZool.pdf |publisher=reg.wur.nl}}</ref> The [[Asiatic ibex]] is a very elegant mountain goat that is distributed in the western part of Ladakh. It is the second most abundant mountain ungulate in the region with a population of about 6000 individuals. It is adapted to rugged areas where it easily climbs when threatened.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Namgail |first1=T |year=2006 |title=Winter Habitat Partitioning between Asiatic Ibex and Blue Sheep in Ladakh, Northern India |url=http://www.reg.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CF6DD450-51CA-46E7-950A-5655E5E00336/69532/NamgailIbexBlusSheep.pdf |journal=Journal of Mountain Ecology |volume=8 |pages=7–13 }}</ref> The Ladakhi Urial is another unique mountain sheep that inhabits the mountains of Ladakh. The population is declining, however, and there are not more than 3000 individuals left in Ladakh.<ref>Namgail, T. (2006). Trans-Himalayan large herbivores: status, conservation, and niche relationships. Report submitted to the Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx Zoo, New York.</ref> The urial is endemic to Ladakh, where it is distributed only along two major river valleys: the Indus and Shayok. The animal is often persecuted by farmers whose crops are allegedly damaged by it. Its population declined precipitously in the last century due to indiscriminate shooting by hunters along the Leh-Srinagar highway. The [[argali|Tibetan argali or Nyan]] is the largest wild sheep in the world, standing {{convert|3.5|to|4|ft|order=flip}} at the shoulder with the horn measuring {{cvt|900|-|1000|mm}}. It is distributed on the Tibetan plateau and its marginal mountains encompassing a total area of {{convert|2.5|e6km2|abbr=unit}}. There is only a small population of about 400 animals in Ladakh. The animal prefers open and rolling terrain as it runs, unlike wild goats that climb into steep cliffs, to escape from predators.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Namgail |first1=T. |last2=Fox |first2=J.L. |last3=Bhatnagar |first3=Y.V. |s2cid=12451184 |year=2007 |title=Habitat shift and time budget of the Tibetan argali: the influence of livestock grazing |url=http://www.reg.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CF6DD450-51CA-46E7-950A-5655E5E00336/69531/NamgailetalHabitatShift.pdf |journal=Ecological Research |volume=22 |pages=25–31 |doi=10.1007/s11284-006-0015-y}}</ref> The endangered [[Tibetan antelope]], known as ''chiru'' in Indian English, or Ladakhi ''tsos'', has traditionally been hunted for its wool (''[[shahtoosh]]'') which is a natural fibre of the finest quality and thus valued for its light weight and warmth and as a [[status symbol]]. The wool of chiru must be pulled out by hand, a process done after the animal is killed. The fibre is smuggled into Kashmir and woven into exquisite shawls by Kashmiri workers. Ladakh is also home to the [[Tibetan gazelle]], which inhabits the vast rangelands in eastern Ladakh bordering Tibet.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Namgail |first1=T. |last2=Bagchi |first2=S. |last3=Mishra |first3=C. |last4=Bhatnagar |first4=Y.V. |year=2008 |title=Distributional correlates of the Tibetan gazelle in northern India: Towards a recovery programme |url=http://www.reg.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CF6DD450-51CA-46E7-950A-5655E5E00336/69527/NamgailetalOryx2008Gazelle.pdf |journal=Oryx |volume=42 |pages=107–112 |doi=10.1017/s0030605308000768}}</ref>
[[File:Ibex m f.jpg|thumb|Wild animals of Ladakh]]
[[File:Yaks in ladakh.JPG|thumb|left|[[Yak]]s in Ladakh]]
The [[kiang]], or Tibetan wild ass, is common in the grasslands of Changthang, numbering about 2,500 individuals. These animals are in conflict with the nomadic people of Changthang who hold the Kiang responsible for pasture degradation.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bhatnagar |first1=Y. V. |last2=Wangchuk |first2=R. |last3=Prins |first3=H. H. |last4=van Wieren |first4=S. E. |last5=Mishra |first5=C. |year=2006 |title=Perceived conflicts between pastoralism and conservation of the Kiang Equus kiang in the Ladakh Trans- Himalaya |journal=Environmental Management |volume=38 |issue=6|pages=934–941 |doi=10.1007/s00267-005-0356-2|pmid=16955231 |pmc=1705511 }}</ref> There are about 200 [[snow leopard]]s in Ladakh of an estimated 7,000 worldwide. The [[Hemis High Altitude National Park]] in central Ladakh is an especially good habitat for this predator as it has abundant prey populations. The [[Eurasian lynx]], is another rare cat that preys on smaller herbivores in Ladakh. It is mostly found in Nubra, Changthang and Zangskar.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Namgail |first1=T |year=2004 |title=Eurasian lynx in Ladakh |journal=Cat News |volume=40 |pages=21–22 }}</ref> The [[Pallas's cat]], which looks somewhat like a house cat, is very rare in Ladakh and not much is known about the species. The [[Tibetan wolf]], which sometimes preys on the livestock of the Ladakhis, is the most persecuted amongst the predators.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Namgail |first1=T. |last2=Fox |first2=J.L. |last3=Bhatnagar |first3=Y.V. |s2cid=30967502 |year=2007 |title=Carnivore-caused livestock mortality in Trans-Himalaya |url=http://www.reg.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CF6DD450-51CA-46E7-950A-5655E5E00336/69528/NamgailetalLivestockMortality.pdf |journal=Environmental Management |volume=39 |issue=4|pages=490–496 |doi=10.1007/s00267-005-0178-2|pmid=17318699 }}</ref> There are also a few [[brown bear]]s in the [[Suru Valley]] and the area around Dras. The [[Vulpes ferrilata|Tibetan sand fox]] has been discovered in this region.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Namgail |first1=T. |last2=Bagchi |first2=S. |last3=Bhatnagar |first3=Y.V. |last4=Wangchuk |first4=R. |year=2005 |title=Occurrence of the Tibetan sand fox Vulpes ferrilata Hodgson in Ladakh: A new record for the Indian sub-Continent |journal=Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society |volume=102 |pages=217–219 }}</ref> Among smaller animals, [[marmot]]s, [[hare]]s, and several types of [[pika]] and [[vole]] are common.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bagchi |first1=S. |last2=Namgail |first2=T. |last3=Ritchie |first3=M.E. |year=2006 |title=Small mammalian herbivores as mediators of plant community dynamics in the high-altitude arid rangelands of Trans-Himalayas |url=http://www.reg.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CF6DD450-51CA-46E7-950A-5655E5E00336/69524/BagchietalPika.pdfreg.wur.nl |journal=Biological Conservation |volume=127 |issue=4|pages=438–442 |doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2005.09.003}}</ref>

=== Flora ===
Scant precipitation makes Ladakh a high-altitude desert with extremely scarce vegetation over most of its area. Natural vegetation mainly occurs along water courses and on high altitude areas that receive more snow and cooler summer temperatures. Human settlements, however, are richly vegetated due to irrigation.<ref>{{cite book |author=Vishwas S. Kale |title=Landscapes and Landforms of India |publisher=Springer |isbn=9789401780292 |date=23 May 2014 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t_MsBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA114}}</ref>
Natural vegetation commonly seen along watercourses includes [[seabuckthorn]] (''Hippophae'' spp.), wild roses of pink or yellow varieties, tamarisk (''Myricaria'' spp.), [[caraway]], [[Urtica dioica|stinging nettles]], mint, ''[[Physochlaina]] praealta'', and various grasses.<ref>{{cite book |author=Satish K. Sharma |title=Temperate Horticulture: Current Scenario |publisher=New India Publisher |year=2006 |isbn=9788189422363 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k_Sjt-7O_eAC&q=Hippophae+spp&pg=PA64 }}</ref>

== Administration ==
[[Image:Indian Union territory flag of Ladakh (proposed).png|thumb|upright=0.85||[[Flag of Ladakh|Union Territory flag of Ladakh]].]]
[[File:Ladakh Government Banner.png|thumb|upright=0.85|[[Emblem of Ladakh|Emblem of the Administration of Ladakh]]]]
{{Main|Administration of Ladakh|Politics of Ladakh}}
Under the terms of the [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019|Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act]], Ladakh is administered as a [[union territory]] without a [[State Legislative Assembly (India)|legislative assembly]] or elected government. The head of government is a [[List of lieutenant governors of Ladakh|Lieutenant Governor]] appointed by the [[President of India]] who is assisted by civil servants of the [[Indian Administrative Service]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/new-jk-to-be-like-puducherry-here-is-how-indias-new-union-territory-jk-will-function/articleshow/70532687.cms|title=New J&K to be like Puducherry: Here is how India's new Union territory J&K will function|date=5 August 2019|newspaper=The Economic Times|access-date=16 April 2019}}</ref>

=== Districts ===
{{Main|List of districts of Ladakh}}

Ladakh is divided into two [[Districts of India|districts]]:

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-bottom: 0;"
! Name of District!! Headquarters !! Area (km2) !! Population 2001 Census !! Population 2011 Census
|-
| [[Kargil District]] || [[Kargil town|Kargil]] || {{formatnum: 14036}} || {{formatnum: 119307}} || {{formatnum: 143388}}
|-
| [[Leh District]] || [[Leh]] || {{formatnum: 45110}} || {{formatnum: 117232}} || {{formatnum: 147104}}
|-
|Total ||2 ||{{formatnum: 59146}}||{{formatnum: 236539}} ||{{formatnum: 290492}}
|-
|}

==== Autonomous District Councils ====
Each district of Ladakh is administered by an [[autonomous district council]], they are:

*[[Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil]]
*[[Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh]]

The two autonomous district councils work with village [[panchayat]]s to take decisions on economic development, healthcare, education, land use, taxation, and local governance which are further reviewed at the block headquarters in the presence of the chief executive councillor and executive councillors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://reference.allrefer.com/country-guide-study/india/india78.html|title=India|publisher=Allrefer country study guide|access-date=21 August 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521234810/http://reference.allrefer.com/country-guide-study/india/india78.html|archive-date=21 May 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> The government of Jammu and Kashmir looks after law and order, the judicial system, communications and the higher education in the region.

The two autonomous district councils continue to exist following the formation of the union territory of Ladakh on 31 October 2019.<ref name="dailyexcelsior.com" />

=== Law enforcement and justice ===
Ladakh is under the jurisdiction of the [[Jammu and Kashmir High Court]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Kashmir updates: Rajya Sabha passes bill that divides J&K, Ladakh with 125 votes in favour, 61 against |url=https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/kashmir-turmoil-live-updates-schools-colleges-closed-mobile-service-suspended-section-144-imposed-in-jk/story/370544.html |access-date=16 April 2021 |work=Business Today |date=5 October 2019}}</ref> The union territory of Ladakh has its own [[Ladakh Police|police force]] headed by a [[Director general of police]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dixit |first1=Pranjal |title=लद्दाख की अपनी होगी खाकी, जम्मू-कश्मीर पुलिस भी दिल्ली की तरह उप राज्यपाल को करेगी रिपोर्ट |url=https://www.amarujala.com/jammu/ladakh-will-have-its-own-state-police-jammu-kashmir-police-will-report-to-lieutenant-governor |access-date=16 April 2021 |work=Amar Ujala |date=6 August 2019 |language=hi}}</ref>

=== Ladakh in the Parliament of India ===
Ladakh sends one member (MP) to the lower house of the [[Indian parliament]] the [[Lok Sabha]]. The MP for the [[Ladakh (Lok Sabha constituency)|Ladakh constituency]] in the current Lok Sabha is [[Jamyang Tsering Namgyal]] a candidate from the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP).<ref>{{cite web |title=Khan, Shri Hassan: Member's Bioprofile |publisher=Lok Sabha |url=http://results.eci.gov.in/pc/en/constituencywise/ConstituencywiseS094.htm|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513025423/http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/Members/Biography.aspx?mpsno=191 |archive-date=13 May 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/member-of-parliament.html|title=Members of Parliament, MPs of India 2014, Sixteenth Lok Sabha Members|website=elections.in|access-date=28 September 2016}}</ref>

== Economy ==
[[File:LK130030.jpg|thumb|upright|Street market in [[Leh]]]]
[[File:Preparing apricots. Alchi Monastery, Ladakh.jpg|thumb|left|Preparing aricots. Alchi Monastery]]
The land is irrigated by a system of channels which funnel water from the ice and snow of the mountains. The principal crops are [[barley]] and wheat. Rice was previously a luxury in the Ladakhi diet, but, subsidised by the government, has now become a cheap staple.<ref name="Crossroads" />

Naked barley (Ladakhi: ''nas'', Urdu: ''grim'') was traditionally a staple crop all over Ladakh. Growing times vary considerably with altitude. The extreme limit of cultivation is at [[Korzok]], on the [[Tso-moriri]] lake, at {{cvt|4600|m|ft}}, which has what are widely considered to be the highest fields in the world.<ref name="Crossroads" />

A minority of Ladakhi people were also employed as merchants and caravan traders, facilitating trade in textiles, carpets, [[dye]]stuffs and [[narcotics]] between Punjab and [[Xinjiang]]. However, since the Chinese Government closed the borders between Tibet Autonomous Region and Ladakh, this international trade has completely dried up.<ref name="LoramCharlie" /><ref name="LP">{{cite book |last=Weare |first=Garry |year=2002 |title=Trekking in the Indian Himalaya |edition=4th |publisher=[[Lonely Planet]] }}</ref>

[[Indus river]] flowing in the Ladakh region is endowed with vast hydropower potential. Solar and wind power potentials are also substantial. Though the region is a remote hilly area without all-weather roads, the area is also rich in limestone deposits to manufacture cement from the locally available cheap electricity for various construction needs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ikashmir.net/geography/chapter3.2.html |title= Distribution of Rocks and Minerals in J&K state |access-date=30 November 2017 }}</ref>

Since 1974, the Indian Government has encouraged a shift in trekking and other tourist activities from the troubled [[Kashmir]] region to the relatively unaffected areas of Ladakh. Although tourism employs only 4% of Ladakh's working population, it now accounts for 50% of the region's [[Gross National Product|GNP]].<ref name="LoramCharlie" />

This era is recorded in Arthur Neves ''The Tourist's Guide to Kashmir, Ladakh, and Skardo'', first published in 1911.<ref name="LP" />

== Transportation ==
[[File:Ladakh Highway.jpg|left|thumb|A vehicle on the Himalaya Highway 3]]
There are about {{cvt|1800|km|mi}} of roads in Ladakh of which {{cvt|800|km|mi}} are surfaced.<ref name="PlanningCommision2">{{cite web |year=2001 |url=http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/stateplan/sdr_jandk/sdr_jkch3a.pdf |title=State Development Report—Jammu and Kashmir, Chapter 3A |publisher=Planning Commission of India |access-date=21 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130192441/http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/stateplan/sdr_jandk/sdr_jkch3a.pdf |archive-date=30 November 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The majority of roads in Ladakh are looked after by the [[Border Roads Organisation]]. The third road to Ladakh is the [[Nimmu–Padam–Darcha road]], which is under construction.<ref>{{Cite web|date=5 September 2020|others=ANI|title=LAC stand-off: BRO's new highway untraceable by enemy, saves hours and gives 365-day connectivity|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/lac-stand-off-bros-new-highway-untraceable-by-enemy-saves-hours-and-gives-365-day-connectivity/articleshow/77952231.cms|access-date=7 September 2020|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

[[File:IXL Front 2010.jpg|thumb|[[Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport]]]]

There is an airport in Leh, [[Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport]], from which there are daily flights to [[Delhi]] and weekly flights to Srinagar and Jammu. There are two airstrips at [[Daulat Beg Oldie]] and [[Fukche]] for military transport.<ref>{{cite web |author=IAF craft makes successful landing near China border |url=http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080071230 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905091342/http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080071230 |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 September 2012 |title=NDTV.com |publisher=NDTV.com |date=4 November 2008 |access-date=21 June 2012 }}</ref> The airport at Kargil, [[Kargil Airport]], was intended for civilian flights but is currently is used by the Indian Army. The airport is a political issue for the locals who argue that the airport should serve its original purpose, i.e., should open up for civilian flights. Since past few years the [[Indian Air Force]] has been operating AN-32 air courier service to transport the locals during the winter seasons to [[Jammu]], [[Srinagar]] and [[Chandigarh]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=783401 |title=Air Courier Service From Kargil Begins Operation |publisher=news.outlookindia.com |access-date=6 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517161012/http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=783401 |archive-date=17 May 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/iaf-to-start-air-services-to-kargil-during-winter-from-December%206-70300 |title=IAF to start air services to Kargil during winter from December 6 |publisher=NDTV.com |date=3 December 2010 |access-date=6 June 2013}}</ref> A private aeroplane company [[Air Mantra]] landed a 17-seater aircraft at the airport, in presence of dignitaries like the Chief Minister [[Omar Abdullah]], marking the first ever landing by a civilian airline company at Kargil Airport.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Ahmed Ali |last1=Fayyaz |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/kargil-gets-first-civil-air-connectivity/article4283179.ece |title=Kargil gets first civil air connectivity |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |date=7 January 2013 |access-date=6 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=GK News Network |url=http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2013/Jan/2/-air-mantra-to-operate-flights-to-kargil--69.asp |title=Air Mantra to operate flights to Kargil |work=[[Greater Kashmir]] |date=2 January 2013 |access-date=6 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130604034510/http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2013/Jan/2/-air-mantra-to-operate-flights-to-kargil--69.asp |archive-date= 4 June 2013 }}</ref>

== Demographics ==
{{Pie chart|label1=[[Islam in India|Islam]]|value7=0.02|color8=Black|color7=chartreuse|color6=brown|color4=darkkhaki|color5=dodgerblue|color3=darkorange|color2=Gold|color1=Green|value8=0.47|label8=Religion not stated|label7=Other|value1=46.41|value6=0.05|label6=[[Jainism]]|value5=0.46|label5=[[Christianity]]|value4=0.83|label4=[[Sikhism]]|value3=12.11|label3=[[Hinduism]]|value2=39.65|label2=[[Buddhism]]|caption=Religions in Ladakh (2011)<ref>{{cite web|title=Population by religion community – 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|website=Census of India, 2011|publisher=The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825155850/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS|archive-date=25 August 2015}}</ref>}}
{{Pie chart
|thumb = left
| caption=Ladakh (Kargil and Leh Districts) : mother-tongue of population, according to the 2011 Census.<ref name="census2011-C16"/>
|label1 = Bauti |value1 = 35.72 |color1 = DarkGreen
|label2 = Purkhi |value2 = 33.61 |color2 = DarkBlue
|label3 = Hindi |value3 = 8.94 |color3 = Yellow
|label4 = Others |value4 = 6.42 |color4 = Black
|label5 = Shina |value5 = 4.30 |color5 = ForestGreen
|label6 = Balti |value6 = 3.58 |color6 = DarkSlateBlue
|label7 = Tibetan |value7 = 2.33 |color7 = Lime
|label8 = Ladakhi |value8 = 2.06 |color8 = DarkOliveGreen
|label9 = Punjabi |value9 = 1.00 |color9 = SandyBrown
|label10 = Dardi |value10 = 0.76 |color10 = Indigo
|label11 = Marathi |value11 = 0.73 |color11 = Purple
|label12 = Nepali |value12 = 0.55 |color12 = Cyan
}}

People of Dard descent predominate in Dras and Dha-Hanu areas. The residents of the [[Dha-Hanu]] area, known as [[Brokpa]], are predominately followers of Islam while small minorities follow Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism<ref>{{Cite web|title=Religion Data of Census 2011: XXXIII JK-HP-ST|url=https://blog.cpsindia.org/2016/12/religion-data-of-census-2011-xxxiii-jk.html|language=en-GB|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> and most Brokpa have preserved much of their original Dardic traditions and customs. The Dards of Dras, however, have converted to [[Islam]] and have been strongly influenced by their Kashmiri neighbours. The Mons are believed to be descendants of earlier Indian settlers in Ladakh, and traditionally worked as musicians, blacksmiths, and carpenters.
The region's population is split roughly in half between the districts of [[Leh district|Leh]] and [[Kargil district|Kargil]]. 76.87% population of Kargil is Muslim (mostly [[Shia]]),<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tarun-vijay/the-right-view/Endangered-Ladakh/articleshow/2742608.cms |title=Endangered Ladakh |work=[[The Times of India]] |first1=Tarun |last1=Vijay |date=30 January 2008 |access-date=27 July 2020}}</ref><ref name="census2011-C01"/> with a total population of 140,802, while that of Leh is 66.40% Buddhist, with a total population of 133,487, as per the 2011 census.<ref name="census2011-C01">{{cite report |title=C-1 Population By Religious Community – Jammu & Kashmir |url = https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW01C-01%20MDDS.XLS |publisher = Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |access-date=28 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.census2011.co.in/census/district/622-kargil.html|title=Kargil District Population Census 2011-2020, Jammu and Kashmir literacy sex ratio and density|website=www.census2011.co.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.census2011.co.in/census/district/621-leh.html|title=Leh District Population Census 2011-2020, Jammu and Kashmir literacy sex ratio and density|website=www.census2011.co.in}}</ref>

The predominant mother-tongue in Leh district is [[Bauti language|Bauti]], a [[Tibetan languages|Tibetan language]].<ref name="census2011-C16"/>  However, the [[Purgi language|Purkhi]] is the predominant mother-tongue of Kargil district.<ref name="census2011-C16"/><ref>{{citation|last=Rather |first=Ali Mohammad |title=Kargil: The Post-War Scenario |journal=Journal of Peace Studies |publisher=International Center for Peace Studies |volume=6 |number=5–6 |date=September 1999 |url=http://www.icpsnet.org/description.php?ID=138 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141201063036/http://www.icpsnet.org/description.php?ID=138 |archive-date= 1 December 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Educated Ladakhis usually know Hindi, Urdu and often English. Within Ladakh, there is a range of dialects, so that the language of the [[Changpa|Chang-pa]] people may differ markedly from that of the [[Purigpa|Purig-pa]] in Kargil, or the Zangskaris, but they are all mutually comprehensible.

{|class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
! colspan=4| Ladakh (Kargil and Leh Districts) : mother-tongue of population, according to the 2011 Census.<ref name="census2011-C16">{{cite report |title=C-16 Population By Mother Tongue – Jammu & Kashmir |url = https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-16/DDW-C16-STMT-MDDS-0100.XLSX |publisher = Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |access-date=18 July 2020}}</ref>
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
! Mother tongue code
! Mother tongue
! People
! Percentage
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 001002 || [[Assamese language|Assamese]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 571
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.21%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 002007 || [[Bengali language|Bengali]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,146
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.42%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 004001 || [[Dogri language|Dogri]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,031
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.38%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 005018 || [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 438
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.16%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006102 || [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 182
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.07%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006195 || [[Garhwali language|Garhwali]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 267
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.10%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006207 || [[Gojri language|Gojri/Gujjari/Gujar]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 123
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.04%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006235 || [[Haryanvi language|Haryanvi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 86
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.03%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006240 || [[Hindi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 24,511
| style="text-align:right;" | 8.94%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006340 || [[Kumauni language|Kumauni]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 66
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.02%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006439 || [[Pahari language|Pahari]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 168
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.06%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006489 || [[Rajasthani language|Rajasthani]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 139
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.05%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 006503 || [[Sadan language|Sadan/Sadri]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 16
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 007016 || [[Kannada language|Kannada]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 472
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.17%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 008005 || [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,020
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.37%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 008010 || [[Kishtwari language|Kishtwari]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 17
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 008019 || Dardi
| style="text-align:right;" | 2,072
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.76%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 010008 || [[Maithili language|Maithili]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 25
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 010011 || Purbi Maithili
| style="text-align:right;" | 53
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.02%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 011016 || [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 797
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.29%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 012003 || [[Meitei language|Meitei]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 151
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.06%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 013071 || [[Marathi language|Marathi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 2,001
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.73%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 014011 || [[Nepali language|Nepali]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,516
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.55%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 015043 || [[Odia language|Odia]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 594
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.22%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 016002 || [[Bagri language|Bagri]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 14
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 016038 || [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 2,747
| style="text-align:right;" | 1.00%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 020027 || [[Tamil language|Tamil]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,009
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.37%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 021046 || [[Telugu language|Telugu]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,011
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.37%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 022015 || [[Urdu language|Urdu]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 226
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.08%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 024001 || [[Pashto language|Afghani/Kabuli/Pashto]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 18
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 029002 || [[Balti language|Balti]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 9,825
| style="text-align:right;" | 3.58%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 031001 || [[Bhotia language|Bhotia]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 320
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.12%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 031011 || [[Bauti language|Bauti]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 97,979
| style="text-align:right;" | 35.72%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 040001 || [[English language|English]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 29
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 053005 || [[Gujari language|Gujari]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 31
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 055007 || [[Khasi language|Khasi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 14
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 071008 || [[Kuki language|Kuki]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 69
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.03%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 073003 || [[Ladakhi language|Ladakhi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 5,640
| style="text-align:right;" | 2.06%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 082005 || [[Lushai language|Lushai/Mizo]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 127
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.05%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 108001 || [[Sherpa language|Sherpa]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 21
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 109005 || [[Shina language|Shina]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 11,798
| style="text-align:right;" | 4.30%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 111001 || [[Tamang language|Tamang]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 18
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 115008 || [[Standard Tibetan|Tibetan]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 6,393
| style="text-align:right;" | 2.33%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 115011 || [[Purgi language|Purkhi]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 92,176
| style="text-align:right;" | 33.61%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|| 116014 || [[Tripuri language|Tripuri]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 18
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.01%
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| style="text-align:center;" | –
|| [[Languages of India|Others]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 7,344
| style="text-align:right;" | 2.68%
|- style="vertical-align:top;" class=sortbottom
| colspan=2 | Total
| style="text-align:right;" | 274,289
| style="text-align:right;" | 100.00%
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Population of Leh and Kargil districts
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year{{efn|Census was not carried out in Jammu and Kashmir in 1991 due to militancy}} || colspan="3"| [[Leh District]] || colspan="3"| [[Kargil District]]
|-
!| Population||Percentage change ||Females per 1000 males ||Population||Percentage change ||Females per 1000 males
|- style="text-align:right;"
| 1951 || 40,484 ||— ||1011|| 41,856 ||— || 970
|- style="text-align:right;"
| 1961 || 43,587 ||0.74||1010|| 45,064 ||0.74 || 935
|- style="text-align:right;"
| 1971 || 51,891 ||1.76 ||1002|| 53,400 ||1.71 || 949
|- style="text-align:right;"
| 1981 || 68,380 ||2.80 ||886|| 65,992 ||2.14 || 853
|- style="text-align:right;"
| 2001 || 117,637 ||2.75 ||805|| 115,287 ||2.83 || 901
|- style="text-align:right;"
| 2011 || 133,487 || || 690|| 140,802 || || 810
|}

The sex ratio for Leh district declined from 1011 females per 1000 males in 1951 to 805 in 2001, while for Kargil district it declined from 970 to 901.<ref name=PlanningCommision1>{{cite web |title=State Development Report—Jammu and Kashmir, Chapter 2 – Demographics |publisher=Planning Commission of India |year=1999 |url=http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/stateplan/sdr_jandk/sdr_jkch2.pdf |access-date=21 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111213160104/http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/stateplan/sdr_jandk/sdr_jkch2.pdf |archive-date=13 December 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The urban sex ratio in both the districts is about 640. The adult sex ratio reflects large numbers of mostly male seasonal and migrant labourers and merchants. About 84% of Ladakh's population lives in villages.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rural population |publisher=Education for all in India |year=1999 |url=http://www.educationforallinindia.com/rudpop2001.html |access-date=21 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710171729/http://www.educationforallinindia.com/rudpop2001.html |archive-date=10 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The average annual population growth rate from 1981 to 2001 was 2.75% in Leh District and 2.83% in Kargil district.<ref name=PlanningCommision1 />

== Culture ==

Ladakhi culture is similar to [[Tibetan culture]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Ladakh Festival – a Cultural Spectacle |publisher=EF News International |access-date=28 August 2006 |url-status=dead |url=http://www.efi-news.com/2011/09/ladakh-festival-cultural-spectacle.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502152610/http://www.efi-news.com/2011/09/ladakh-festival-cultural-spectacle.html |archive-date= 2 May 2012 }}</ref>

=== Cuisine ===
[[File:Thukpa, Manali, Himachal Pradesh.JPG|thumb|[[Thukpa]]]]
Ladakhi food has much in common with [[Tibetan food]], the most prominent foods being ''[[thukpa]]'' (noodle soup) and ''[[tsampa]]'', known in Ladakhi as ''ngampe'' (roasted barley flour). Edible without cooking, ''tsampa'' makes useful trekking food. Strictly Ladakhi dishes include ''skyu'' and ''chutagi'', both heavy and rich soup pasta dishes, ''skyu'' being made with root vegetables and meat, and ''chutagi'' with leafy greens and vegetables.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Motup|first=Sonam|date=|title=Food & Cuisine: 10 Best Dishes to Eat in Leh-Ladakh 🥄🥣|url=https://www.leh-ladakh-taxi-booking.com/practical-info/food-and-cuisine-10-best-dishes-to-eat-in-ladakh|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref> As Ladakh moves toward a cash-based economy, foods from the plains of India are becoming more common.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Namgail, T., Jensen, A., Padmanabhan, S., Desor, S. & Dolma, R. |title=Dhontang: Food in Ladakh |date=2019 |publisher=Central Institute of Buddhist Studies, Local Futures |isbn=978-93-83802-15-9 |pages=1–44}}</ref> As in other parts of Central Asia, tea in Ladakh is traditionally made with strong green tea, butter, and salt. It is mixed in a large churn and known as ''[[Butter tea|gurgur cha]]'', after the sound it makes when mixed. Sweet tea (''cha ngarmo'') is common now, made in the Indian style with milk and sugar. Most of the surplus barley that is produced is fermented into ''chang'', an alcoholic beverage drunk especially on festive occasions.<ref name="WomensAlliance">{{cite book |last=Norberg-Hodge |first=Helena |year=2000 |title=Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh |publisher=Oxford India Paperbacks }}</ref>

=== Music and dance ===
{{main|Music of Ladakh}}
[[File:Buddhist deity.jpg|thumb|Dancer in masked dance festival]]
[[File:Jabro Dance Ladakh.jpg|thumb|Jabro Dance]]
The music of Ladakhi Buddhist monastic festivals, like [[Music of Tibet|Tibetan music]], often involves religious [[chanting]] in [[Classical Tibetan|Tibetan]] as an integral part of the religion. These chants are complex, often recitations of sacred texts or in celebration of various festivals. ''Yang'' chanting, performed without metrical timing, is accompanied by resonant drums and low, sustained syllables. Religious mask dances are an important part of Ladakh's cultural life. [[Hemis monastery]], a leading centre of the [[Drukpa Lineage|Drukpa]] tradition of Buddhism, holds an annual masked dance festival, as do all major Ladakhi monasteries. The dances typically narrate a story of the fight between good and evil, ending with the eventual victory of the former.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dollsofindia.com/library/article0010/2/ |title=Masks: Reflections of Culture and Religion |publisher=Dolls of India |access-date=21 August 2006 |date=12 January 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710143621/http://www.dollsofindia.com/library/article0010/2/ |archive-date=10 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Weaving is an important part of traditional life in eastern Ladakh. Both women and men weave, on different looms.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=62-0834805219-0 |title=Living Fabric: Weaving Among the Nomads of Ladakh Himalaya |access-date=21 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629123453/http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=62-0834805219-0 |archive-date=29 June 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Sport ===
[[File:Sul-ma, woman’s woollen dress (detail), Ladakh, late 19th-early 20th century.JPG|thumb|Sul-ma, woman's woollen dress (detail), Ladakh, late 19th-early 20th century]]
The most popular sport in Ladakh is [[Ice hockey in India|ice hockey]], which is played only on natural ice generally mid-December through mid-February.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sherlip |first=Adam |title=Hockey Foundation |url=http://www.hockeyfoundation.org}}</ref> Cricket is also very popular.

Archery is a traditional sport in Ladakh, and many villages hold archery festivals, which are as much about traditional dancing, drinking and gambling, as they are about the sport. The sport is conducted with strict etiquette, to the accompaniment of the music of ''surna'' and ''daman'' ([[shehnai]] and drum). Polo, the other traditional sport of Ladakh, is indigenous to Baltistan and [[Gilgit]], and was probably introduced into Ladakh in the mid-17th century by King Singge Namgyal, whose mother was a Balti princess.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jktourism.org/cities/ladakh/culture/index.htm |title=Ladakh culture |publisher=Jammu and Kashmir Tourism |access-date=21 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060712004749/http://www.jktourism.org/cities/ladakh/culture/index.htm  |archive-date=12 July 2006}}</ref>

Polo, popular among the Baltis, is an annual affair in Drass region of Kargil district.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2011/Jul/10/lalit-group-organises-polo-tourney-in-drass-19.asp |title=Lalit Group Organises Polo Tourney in Drass, Celebrating 100 Years, Sports Events Imperative To Showcase Talent: Omar |work=[[Greater Kashmir]] |date=10 July 2011 |access-date=6 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730165436/http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2011/Jul/10/lalit-group-organises-polo-tourney-in-drass-19.asp |archive-date=30 July 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://khagta.photoshelter.com/gallery/-/G0000A0sXWCwJqug/ |title=Traditonal [sic] Polo in Drass, Ladakh | Himanshu Khagta – Travel Photographer in India |last=Khagta |first=Himanshu |author-link=Himanshu Khagta |date=18 July 2011 |website=PhotoShelter: Himanshu Khagta |access-date=6 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.statetimes.in/news/manipur-lifts-lalit-suri-polo-cup/ |title=Manipur lifts Lalit Suri Polo Cup |work=[[State Times]] |date=12 June 2012 |access-date=6 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517115507/http://www.statetimes.in/news/manipur-lifts-lalit-suri-polo-cup/ |archive-date=17 May 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thelalit.com/the-lalit-events/the-lalit-suri-exhibition-polo-2009 |title=Business Hotels in India – Event Planning in India – The Lalit Hotels |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130314203252/http://www.thelalit.com/the-lalit-events/the-lalit-suri-exhibition-polo-2009 |archive-date=14 March 2013}}</ref>

The [[Ladakh Marathon]] is a high-altitude [[marathon]] held in [[Leh]] every year since 2012. Held at a height of {{convert|11500|to|17,618|ft}}, it is one of the world's highest marathons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/lahdc-organises-3rd-ladakh-marathon-at-leh-114091501153_1.html |title=LAHDC organises 3rd Ladakh Marathon at Leh | Business Standard News |publisher=Business-standard.com |access-date=14 September 2015}}</ref>

[[File:First ever Khelo India Winter Games.jpg|thumb|250px| First ever [[Khelo India Youth Games|Khelo India]] Winter Games in Ladakh]]

=== Social status of women ===
[[File:Woman wearing traditional Ladakhi hat (2014).jpg|thumb|Woman wearing traditional Ladakhi hat]]
A feature of Ladakhi society that distinguishes it from the rest of the state is the high status and relative emancipation enjoyed by women compared to other rural parts of India. Fraternal [[polyandry]] and inheritance by [[primogeniture]] were common in Ladakh until the early 1940s when these were made illegal by the government of Jammu and Kashmir. However, the practice remained in existence into the 1990s especially among the elderly and the more isolated rural populations.<ref name="Gielen, U. P. 1993">{{cite journal |last=Gielen |first=Uwe |title=Gender roles in traditional Tibetan cultures |year=1998 |journal= In L.L Adler (Ed.), International Handbook on Gender Roles. Westport, CT: Greenwood.|pages=413–437}}</ref> Another custom is known as ''khang-bu'', or 'little house', in which the elders of a family, as soon as the eldest son has sufficiently matured, retire from participation in affairs, yielding the headship of the family to him and taking only enough of the property for their own sustenance.<ref name =Crossroads />

=== Traditional medicine ===
{{main|Traditional Tibetan medicine}}
[[Tibetan medicine]] has been the traditional health system of Ladakh for over a thousand years. This school of traditional healing contains elements of [[Ayurveda]] and [[Chinese medicine]], combined with the philosophy and [[cosmology]] of Tibetan Buddhism. For centuries, the only medical system accessible to the people have been the ''[[Sowa Rigpa|amchi]]'', traditional doctors following the Tibetan medical tradition. ''[[Sowa Rigpa|Amchi]]'' medicine remains a component of public health, especially in remote areas.<ref name="Plantlife">{{cite web |url=http://www.plantlife.org.uk/international/plantlife-med-plants-projects-allachy-India-Ladakh.htm |title=Plantlife.org project on medicinal plants of importance to amchi medicine |publisher=Plantlife.org.uk |access-date=21 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617115651/http://www.plantlife.org.uk/international/plantlife-med-plants-projects-allachy-India-Ladakh.htm |archive-date=17 June 2009 }}</ref>

Programmes by the government, local and international organisations are working to develop and rejuvenate this traditional system of healing.<ref name="Plantlife" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://cbhi-hsprod.nic.in/listdetails.asp?roid=127 |title=A government of India project in support of Sowa Rigpa-'amchi' medicine |publisher=Cbhi-hsprod.nic.in |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222103818/http://cbhi-hsprod.nic.in/listdetails.asp?roid=127 |archive-date=22 February 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Efforts are underway to preserve the intellectual property rights of [[Sowa Rigpa|''amchi'' medicine]] for the people of Ladakh. The government has also been trying to promote the [[Hippophae|sea buckthorn]] in the form of juice and jam, as some claim it possess medicinal properties.

The [[National Research Institute for Sowa-Rigpa]] in Leh is an institute for research into traditional medicine and a hospital providing traditional treatments.<ref>{{cite web | title=Modi govt to promote Tibetan healing system with AIIMS-like Sowa-Rigpa hospital in Leh | website=ThePrint | date=28 November 2019 | url=https://theprint.in/health/modi-govt-to-promote-tibetan-healing-system-with-aiims-like-sowa-rigpa-hospital-in-leh/326946/ | access-date=3 August 2020}}</ref>

== Education ==
According to the 2001 census, the overall literacy rate in Leh District is 62% (72% for males and 50% for females), and in Kargil District 58% (74% for males and 41% for females).<ref>{{cite web |year =2001 |url=http://www.educationforallinindia.com/page157.html |title=District-specific Literates and Literacy Rates |publisher=Education for all website |access-date=21 August 2006}}</ref> Traditionally there was little or nothing by way of formal education except in the monasteries. Usually, one son from every family was obliged to master the Tibetan script in order to read the holy books.<ref name="Crossroads" />

The [[Moravian Church|Moravian Mission]] opened a school in Leh in October 1889, and the ''Wazir-i Wazarat'' (''ex officio'' Joint Commissioner with a British officer) of Baltistan and Ladakh ordered that every family with more than one child should send one of them to school. This order met with great resistance from the local people who feared that the children would be forced to convert to Christianity. The school taught Tibetan, Urdu, English, Geography, Sciences, Nature study, Arithmetic, Geometry and Bible study.<ref name =Ray /> It is still in existence today. The first local school to provide western education was opened by a local Society called "Lamdon Social Welfare Society" in 1973. Later, with support from [[Dalai Lama]] and some international organisations, the school, now known as Lamdon Model Senior Secondary School, has grown to accommodate approximately two thousand pupils in several branches. It prides itself on preserving Ladakhi tradition and culture.<ref name="Lamdon">{{Cite web |url=https://www.internationaledventures.com/ |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20090326084955/http://www.internationaledventures.com/Files/Who%20we%20support/Lamdon%20.pdf |url-status=dead |title=Leh, Ladakh. A History of Lamdon School |publisher=The Lamdon Social Welfare Society |archive-date=26 March 2009 |website=internationaledventures.com}}</ref>

Schools are well distributed throughout Ladakh but 75% of them provide only primary education. 65% of children attend school, but absenteeism of both students and teachers remains high. In both districts the failure rate at school-leaving level ([[Education in India|class X]]) had for many years been around 85%–95%, while of those managing to scrape through, barely half succeeded in qualifying for college entrance (class XII). Before 1993, students were taught in Urdu until they were 14, after which the medium of instruction shifted to English.

In 1994 the [[Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh]] (SECMOL) launched Operation New Hope (ONH), a campaign to provide "culturally appropriate and locally relevant education" and make government schools more functional and effective.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.himalmag.com/component/content/article/1285-Education-reform,-interrupted.html |title=Education reform, interrupted |access-date=17 February 2008 |year=2009 |orig-year=2007 |author=Justin Shilad |work=Himal Southasian |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111014438/http://www.himalmag.com/component/content/article/1285-Education-reform%2C-interrupted.html |archive-date=11 November 2013 }}</ref>

[[File:Hanle observatory.jpg|thumb|[[Indian Astronomical Observatory]] near Leh]]
[[University of Ladakh]] and [[Eliezer Joldan Memorial College Leh, Ladakh|Eliezer Joldan Memorial College]], a government degree college, enables students to pursue higher education without having to leave Ladakh.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.visit-ladakh.com/ladakh-education.html |title=Education in Ladakh |publisher=Visit Ladakh Travel |access-date=22 August 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928003704/http://www.visit-ladakh.com/ladakh-education.html |archive-date=28 September 2007 }}</ref> The [[Indian Astronomical Observatory]] is located in [[Hanle (village)|Hanle]] and is operated by the [[Indian Institute of Astrophysics]].<ref>{{cite web | title=New gamma ray telescope coming up in Ladakh to observe exploding stars, black holes | website=Firstpost | date=21 September 2018 | url=https://www.firstpost.com/tech/science/new-gamma-ray-telescope-coming-up-in-ladakh-to-observe-exploding-stars-black-holes-5230301.html | access-date=5 October 2020}}</ref>

In December 2019, the union minister of state for home affairs Mr [[G. Kishan Reddy|G Kishan Reddy]], in a written response has stated in Parliament that the Government of India has approved to establish a Medical College and [[National Research Institute for Sowa-Rigpa]] in the district of Leh.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/education/two-aiims-like-institutions-8-medical-colleges-in-jammu-kashmir-ladakh-govt-6159847/|title=Two AIIMS-like institutions, 8 medical colleges in Jammu-Kashmir, Ladakh: Govt|date=10 December 2019|website=The Indian Express|access-date=11 December 2019}}</ref>

== Media ==
{{See also|Ladakh International Film Festival}}
The government radio broadcaster [[All India Radio]] (AIR)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Station/LEH/Pages/default.aspx |title=AIR Leh |publisher=[[Prasar Bharati]] |access-date=2 August 2013}}</ref> and government television station [[Doordarshan]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ddindia.gov.in/About+DD/Doordarshan+Studios |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120031304/http://www.ddindia.gov.in/About+DD/Doordarshan+Studios |url-status=dead |title=List of Doordarshan studios |archive-date=20 January 2011}}</ref> have stations in Leh that broadcast local content for a few hours a day. Beyond that, Ladakhis produce feature films that are screened in auditoriums and community halls. They are often made on fairly modest budgets.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/entertainment/ladakhi-films-overshadow-bollywood-in-the-himalayas_100258767.html |title=Thaindia News |publisher=Thaindian.com |date=10 October 2009 |access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref>

There are a handful of private news outlets.
* ''Reach Ladakh Bulletin'',<ref>{{cite web |last=Deptt |first=Information |url=http://www.reachladakh.com |title=ReachLadakh.com |publisher=ReachLadakh.com |access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref> a biweekly newspaper in English, is the only print media published by and for Ladakhis.
* ''Rangyul'' or ''Kargil Number'' is a newspaper published from Kashmir covering Ladakh in English and Urdu.
* ''Ladags Melong'', an initiative of SECMOL, was published from 1992 to 2005 in English and Ladakhi.
* ''Sintic Magazine'', a lifestyle and tourist magazine of Ladakh, was started in 2018 in English.

Some publications that cover Jammu and Kashmir as a whole provide some coverage of Ladakh.
* ''[[The Daily Excelsior]]'' claims to be "The largest circulated daily of Jammu and Kashmir".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailyexcelsior.com |title=The Daily Excelsior |access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref>
*''Epilogue'', a monthly magazine covering Jammu and Kashmir.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.epilogue.in |title=Epilogue's website |publisher=Epilogue.in |access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref>
*''Kashmir Times'', a daily newspaper covering Jammu and Kashmir.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kashmirtimes.com |title=The Kashmir Times |access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="134">
File:Pensi La-Stod.JPG|Pensi La
File:Lake-on-shingo-la.jpg|Shingo La
File:Shanti Stupa, Leh, 20180814.jpg|Shanti Stupa, Leh
File:Front of the Thiksey Monastery.jpg|Front of the Thiksey Monastery
File:Likir (224).jpg|Likir Monastery
File:Himalayan Backdrop near Leh.jpg|Trees nestled in front of the Himalayas near Leh
File:Nubra Valley view with Reflection.jpg|Nubra Valley view with reflection
File:Mune wall col.jpg|Carved stone tablets, each with the inscription "[[Om Mani Padme Hum]]" along the paths of Zanskar
</gallery>

== See also ==

{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Balti language]]
* [[Ladakh Buddhist Association]]
* [[Ladakh (Lok Sabha constituency)]]
* [[Ladakh Scouts]]
* [[Ladakh Police]]
* [[Ladakh Union Territory Front]]
* [[Polyandry in Tibet]]
{{div col end}}

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==

=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
* {{citation |first=Gerhard |last=Emmer |chapter=Dga' Ldan Tshe Dbang Dpal Bzang Po and the Tibet-Ladakh-Mugha1 War of 1679–84 |title=Proceedings of the Tenth Seminar of the IATS, 2003. Volume 9: The Mongolia-Tibet Interface: Opening New Research Terrains in Inner Asia |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GPKvCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA95 |year= 2007 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-474-2171-9 |pages=81–108 |ref={{sfnref|Emmer, the Tibet-Ladakh-Mughal War|2007}}}}
* {{citation |last1=Fisher |first1=Margaret W. |last2=Rose |first2=Leo E. |last3=Huttenback |first3=Robert A. |title=Himalayan Battleground: Sino-Indian Rivalry in Ladakh |year=1963 |publisher=Praeger |url=http://www.questia.com/read/10466588 |url-access=subscription |via=[[Questia]] |ref={{sfnref|Fisher, Rose & Huttenback, Himalayan Battleground|1963}}}}
* {{citation |last=Francke |first=August Hermann |author-link=August Hermann Francke (Tibetologist) |title=A History of Western Tibet |publisher=S. W. Partridge & Co |year=1907 |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofwestern00ahfr/page/n6 |via=archive.org |ref={{sfnref|Francke, A History of Western Tibet|1907}}}}
* {{cite book |last=Francke |first=August Hermann |title=Antiquities of Indian Tibet |work=Volume 38; Volume 50 of New imperial series |publisher=[[Asian Educational Services]] |page=94 |year=1992 |orig-year=first published 1926 |isbn=81-206-0769-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WG4J4IKd014C |ref={{sfnref|Francke, Antiquities of Indian Tibet|1992}}}}
* {{citation |last1=Handa |first1=O. C. |title=Buddhist Western Himalaya: A politico-religious history |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R4VuovXa5YUC&pg=PA130 |year=2001 |publisher=Indus Publishing |isbn=978-81-7387-124-5 |ref={{sfnref|Handa, Buddhist Western Himalaya|2001}}}}
* {{citation |first=Prem Singh |last=Jina |title=Ladakh: The Land and the People |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kjhcZgDy-WMC |year=1996 |publisher=Indus Publishing |isbn=978-81-7387-057-6 |ref={{sfnref|Jina, Ladakh|1996}}}}
* {{citation |editor1-first=Erberto |editor1-last=Lo Bue |editor2-first=John |editor2-last=Bray |chapter=Introduction |title=Art and Architecture in Ladakh: Cross-cultural Transmissions in the Himalayas and Karakoram |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CJCfAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA5 |year=2014 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-27180-7 |ref={{sfnref|Lo Bue & Bray, Art and Architecture in Ladakh|2014}}}}
** {{citation |first=Phuntsog |last=Dorjay |chapter=Embedded in Stone—Early Buddhist Rock Art of Ladakh |title=Ibid |year=2014 |isbn=9789004271807 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CJCfAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA35 |pages=35–67 |ref={{sfnref|Dorjay, Embedded in Stone|2014}}}}
** {{citation |last1=Howard |first1=Neil |last2=Howard |first2=Kath |chapter=Historic Ruins in the Gya Valley, Eastern Ladakh, and a Consideration of Their Relationship to the History of Ladakh and Maryul |title=Ibid |year=2014 |isbn=9789004271807 |pages=68–99 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CJCfAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA68 |ref={{sfnref|Howard & Howard, Historic Ruins in the Gya Valley|2014}}}}
* {{citation |last=Petech |first=Luciano |author-link=Luciano Petech |title=The Kingdom of Ladakh, c. 950–1842 A.D. |publisher=Instituto Italiano Per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente |year=1977 |url=https://www.academia.edu/download/48901732/1977_Kingdom_of_Ladakh_c_950-1842_AD_by_Petech_s.pdf |via=academia.edu |ref={{sfnref|Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh|1977}}}}
* {{cite book |first=Prem Singh |last=Jina |title=Famous Western Expolorers to Ladakh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9QTJbvggV6EC&q=turki+woman+married+to&pg=PA123 |date=1 January 1995 |publisher=Indus Publishing |isbn =978-81-7387-031-6 |pages=123–}}

== Further reading ==
{{refbegin|30em}}
* Allan, Nigel J. R. 1995 ''Karakorum Himalaya: Sourcebook for a Protected Area''. [https://web.archive.org/web/20061110121202/http://www.iucn.org/places/pakistan/pdf/Karakoram-sourcebook.pdf IUCN]. {{ISBN|969-8141-13-8}}
* [[Alexander Cunningham|Cunningham, Alexander]]. 1854. ''Ladak: Physical, Statistical, and Historical; with notices of the surrounding countries''. Reprint: Sagar Publications, New Delhi. 1977.
* [[Ippolito Desideri|Desideri, Ippolito]] (1932). ''An Account of Tibet: The Travels of Ippolito Desideri 1712–1727''. Ippolito Desideri. Edited by [[Filippo De Filippi (explorer)|Filippo De Filippi]]. Introduction by C. Wessels. Reproduced by Rupa & Co, New Delhi. 2005
* Drew, Federic. 1877. ''The Northern Barrier of India: a popular account of the Jammoo and Kashmir Territories with Illustrations.'' 1st edition: Edward Stanford, London. Reprint: Light & Life Publishers, Jammu. 1971.
* Francke, A. H. (1914), 1920, 1926. ''Antiquities of Indian Tibet. Vol. 1: Personal Narrative; Vol. 2: The Chronicles of Ladak and Minor Chronicles, texts and translations, with Notes and Maps''. Reprint: 1972. S. Chand & Co., New Delhi. ([https://books.google.com/books?id=WG4J4IKd014C&dq=Antiquities+of+indian+Tibet&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=BiuhhHjBgj&sig=qXScEP1IS27HYdwHmZR_IRea1dE&hl=de&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result Google Books])
* Gielen, U. P. 1998. "Gender roles in traditional Tibetan cultures". In L. L. Adler (Ed.), ''International handbook on gender roles'' (pp. 413–437). Westport, CT: Greenwood.
* Gillespie, A. (2007). [https://lse.academia.edu/AlexGillespie/Papers/1347720/Time_self_and_the_other_the_striving_tourist Time, Self and the Other: The striving tourist in Ladakh, north India]. In Livia Simao and Jaan Valsiner (eds) ''Otherness in question: Development of the self''. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing, Inc.
* Gillespie, A. (2007). [https://lse.academia.edu/AlexGillespie/Papers/97290/In_the_other_we_trust_Buying_souvenirs_in_Ladakh_North_India In the other we trust: Buying souvenirs in Ladakh, north India]. In [[Ivana Marková]] and Alex Gillespie (Eds.), ''Trust and distrust: Sociocultural perspectives''. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing, Inc.
* ''The Road to Lamaland'' by [[Louis Gompertz|Martin Louis Alan Gompertz]]
* ''Magic Ladakh'' by [[Louis Gompertz|Martin Louis Alan Gompertz]]
* Gordon, T. E. 1876. ''The Roof of the World: Being the Narrative of a Journey over the high plateau of Tibet to the Russian Frontier and the Oxus sources on Pamir.'' Edinburgh. Edmonston and Douglas. Reprint: Ch'eng Wen Publishing Company. Tapei. 1971.
* Ham, Peter Van. 2015. '' Indian Tibet Tibetan India: The Cultural Legacy of the Western Himalayas''. Niyogi Books. {{ISBN|9789383098934}}.
* Halkias, Georgios (2009) "Until the Feathers of the Winged Black Raven Turn White: Sources for the Tibet-Bashahr Treaty of 1679–1684", in ''Mountains, Monasteries and Mosques'', ed. John Bray. Supplement to Rivista Orientali, pp. 59–79.[https://www.academia.edu/601756/Until_the_Feathers_of_the_Winged_Black_Raven_Turn_White_Sources_for_the_Tibet-Bashahr_Treaty_of_1679-1684 Until the Feathers of the Winged Black Raven Turn White: Sources for the Tibet-Bashahr Treaty of 1679–1684]
* Halkias, Georgios (2010). ''The Muslim Queens of the Himalayas: Princess Exchange in Ladakh and Baltistan.'' In Islam-Tibet: Interactions along the Musk Routes, eds. Anna Akasoy et al. Ashgate Publications, 231–252. [https://www.academia.edu/601746/The_Muslim_Queens_of_the_Himalayas_Princess_Exchanges_in_Baltistan_and_Ladakh The Muslim Queens of the Himalayas: Princess Exchanges in Baltistan and Ladakh]
* [[Andrew Harvey (religious writer)|Harvey, Andrew]]. 1983. ''A Journey in Ladakh''. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York.
*[[K. N. Pandit|Pandit, K. N.]] (1986). ''Ladakh, life & culture.'' Srinagar, Kashmir, India: Centre of Central Asian Studies, Kashmir University.
*Knight, E. F. 1893. ''Where Three Empires Meet: A Narrative of Recent Travel in: Kashmir, Western Tibet, Gilgit, and the adjoining countries''. Longmans, Green, and Co., London. Reprint: Ch'eng Wen Publishing Company, Taipei. 1971.
* Knight, William, Henry. 1863. ''Diary of a Pedestrian in Cashmere and Thibet''. Richard Bentley, London. Reprint 1998: Asian Educational Services, New Delhi.
* [[William Moorcroft (explorer)|Moorcroft, William]] and [[Trebeck, George]]. 1841. ''Travels in the Himalayan Provinces of Hindustan and the Panjab; in Ladakh and Kashmir, in Peshawar, Kabul, Kunduz, and Bokhara ... from 1819 to 1825'', Vol. II. Reprint: New Delhi, Sagar Publications, 1971.
* [[Norberg-Hodge, Helena]]. 2000. ''[[Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh]]''. Rider Books, London.
* [[Peissel, Michel]]. 1984. ''The Ants' Gold: The Discovery of the Greek El Dorado in the Himalayas''. Harvill Press, London.
* Rizvi, Janet. 1998. ''Ladakh, Crossroads of High Asia''. Oxford University Press. 1st edition 1963. 2nd revised edition 1996. 3rd impression 2001. {{ISBN|0-19-564546-4}}.
* Sen, Sohini. 2015. ''Ladakh: A Photo Travelogue''. Niyogi Books. {{ISBN|9789385285028}}.
* ''Trekking in Zanskar & Ladakh: Nubra Valley, Tso Moriri & Pangong Lake, Step By step Details of Every Trek: a Most Authentic & Colourful Trekkers' guide with maps 2001–2002''
* Zeisler, Bettina. (2010). "East of the Moon and West of the Sun? Approaches to a Land with Many Names, North of Ancient India and South of Khotan." In: ''The Tibet Journal'', Special issue. Autumn 2009 vol XXXIV n. 3-Summer 2010 vol XXXV n. 2. "The Earth Ox Papers", edited by Roberto Vitali, pp. 371–463.
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Ladakh}}
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Wikivoyage|Ladakh}}
*{{Britannica|327440}}
*[http://ladakh.nic.in/ Government of Ladakh]
*[http://jkladakhaffairs.nic.in/ Department of Ladakh Affairs]

{{Ladakh}}
{{States and territories of India}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ladakh| ]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 2019]]
[[Category:Union Territories of India]]
[[Category:North India|*]]
[[Category:History of the Republic of India]]
[[Category:2019 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of China]]
[[Category:Disputed territories in Asia]]
[[Category:States and union territories of India]]

Tigalari script

2021-11-25T17:31:27Z

Knowledge:

#REDIRECT[[Tulu script]]

==Geographical distribution==
The script is used all over [[Kanara|Canara]] and [[Malenadu|Western Hilly]] regions of Karnataka. Many manuscripts are also found [[North Canara]], [[Udupi]], [[South Canara]], [[Shimoga district|Shimoga]], [[Chikkamagaluru]] and [[Kasaragod district]] of Kerala. There are innumerable manuscripts found in this region. The major language of manuscripts is [[Sanskrit]], mainly the works of [[Vedas|Veda]], [[Hindu astrology|Jyotisha]] and other Sanskrit epics.

==Usage==
===Historical use===
[[File:Tigalari-sanskrit-manuscript.jpg|thumb|300px|A Tigalari manuscript]]
Thousands of manuscripts have been found in this script such as [[Vedas]], [[Upanishads]], [[Jyotisha]], [[Dharmashastra]], [[Purana]] and many more. Most works are in Sanskrit. However, some Kannada manuscripts are also found such as ''Gokarna Mahatmyam'' etc. The popular 16th-century work ''Kaushika Ramayana'' written in Old Kannada language by Battaleshwara of [[Yana, India|Yana]], Uttara Kannada is found in this script. ''[[Mahabharata|Mahabharato]]'' of 15th century written in this script in Tulu language is also found. But earlier to this several 12th-13th century Sanskrit manuscripts of [[Madhvacharya]] are also found. [[Honnavar]] in Uttara Kannada District is known for its [[Samaveda]] manuscripts. Other manuscripts like ''[[Devi Mahatmya]]m'', from the 15th century and two [[epic poem]]s written in the 17th century, namely ''Sri Bhagavato'' and ''Kaveri'' have also been found in [[Tulu language]].

===Modern use===
Today the usage of the script has decreased. It is still used in parts of [[Kanara]] region and traditional ''[[Matha|maṭha]]''s of undivided [[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Uttara Kannada]] Districts.

The [[National Mission for Manuscripts]] has conducted several workshops on Tigalari script. [[Dharmasthala]] and the [[Ashta Mathas of Udupi]] have done significant work in preserving the script. Several studies and research work has been done on Tigalari script. [[Keladi]] houses over 400 manuscripts in Tigalari script.

There is a gaining support and interest by Tuluvas in revival of the script. [[Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy]] is constantly conducting meetings with experts for standardisation of Tulu script.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shenoy|first=Jaideep|date=30 November 2019|title=Karnataka Tulu Sahitya academy to convene meet of experts for standardisation of Tulu script|work=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/karnataka-academy-to-convene-meet-of-experts-for-standardisation-of-tulu-script/articleshow/72303131.cms|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref> There is also huge support from Local MLAs for popularising the Tulu script.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shenoy|first=Jaideep|date=18 November 2019|title=MLA Vedavyas Kamath gives Tulu an online fillip|work=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/mla-vedavyas-kamath-gives-tulu-an-online-fillip/articleshow/72102948.cms|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref>

There are many places in [[Tulu Nadu]] region where sign boards are being installed in Tulu script.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Monteiro|first=Walter|date=21 July 2020|title=Karkala: Nandalike Abbanadka Friends Club inaugurates road signboard in Tulu|work=Daijiworld|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay.aspx?newsID=732646|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=DHNS|first=Harsha|date=21 June 2020|title=Athikaribettu GP's initiative to publicise Tulu gets good response|work=Deccan Herald|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/state/mangaluru/athikaribettu-gp-s-initiative-to-publicise-tulu-gets-good-response-852216.html|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref>

==Preservation==
; Keladi Museum & Historical Research Bureau, [[Shimoga]], Karnataka
: The museum has a library of about a thousand paper and palm leaf manuscripts written in Kannada, Sanskrit, Tamil and Telugu, besides four hundred palm leaf manuscripts in Tigalari script. They relate to literature, art, [[dharmaśāstra]], history, astrology, astronomy, medicine, mathematics and veterinary science. There are several collections in the museum, including art objects, arms coins, stone sculptures and copper plate inscriptions belonging to the [[Vijayanagara Empire|Vijayanagara]] and [[Keladi]] eras. The Institution is affiliated to Gnana Sahyadri, Shankaraghatta, [[Kuvempu University]] of Shimoga.

; Oriental Research Institute Mysore
: The [[Oriental Research Institute Mysore]] houses over 33,000 palm leaf manuscripts. It is a research institute which collects, exhibits, edits and publishes rare manuscripts in both Sanskrit and Kannada. It contains many manuscripts, including ''Sharadatilaka'', in Tigalari script. The ''Sharadatilaka'' is a treatise on theory and practice of [[tantra|Tantric worship]]. While the exact date of the composition is not known, the manuscript itself is thought to be about four hundred years old. The author of the text, Lakshmana Deshikendra, is said to have written the text as an aid to worship for those unable to go through voluminous Tantra texts. The composition contains the gist of major Tantra classics and is in verse form.

; Saraswathi Mahal Library, Thanjavur
: Built up by the [[Thanjavur Nayak kingdom|Nayak]] and [[Thanjavur Maratha kingdom|Maratha]] dynasties of [[Thanjavur]], [[Saraswathi Mahal Library]] contains a very rare and valuable collection of manuscripts, books, maps and painting on all aspects of arts, culture and literature. The scripts include Grantha, Devanagari, Telugu and Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Tigalari and Oriya.

; [[French Institute of Pondicherry]]
: The Institut Français de Pondichéry was established in 1955 with a view to collecting all material relating to ''[[Shaivism|Saiva]] [[Āgama (Hinduism)|Āgama]]s'', scriptures of the Saiva religious tradition called the [[Shaiva Siddhanta]], which has flourished in South India since the eighth century A.D. The manuscript collection of the Institute<ref>The digitized Tigalari manuscripts can be viewed at {{cite web |url=http://www.ifpindia.org/manuscripts/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=24 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.is/20131124120611/http://www.ifpindia.org/manuscripts/ |archive-date=24 November 2013 }}</ref> was compiled under its Founder–Director, Jean Filliozat. The manuscripts, which are in need of urgent preservation, cover a wide variety of topics such as Vedic ritual, Saiva Agama, [[Puranas#Sthala Puranas|Sthalapurana]] and scripts, such as Grantha and Tamil. The collection consists of approximately 8,600 palm-leaf codices, most of which are in the Sanskrit language and written in Grantha script; others are in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Nandinagari and Tigalari scripts.

: The ''Shaiva Agama'' is composed in Sanskrit and written in Tigalari script. Though there may be a few copies of these texts available elsewhere, this particular codex comes from southern Karnataka, providing glimpses into the regional variations and peculiarities in ritual patterns. The manuscript was copied in the 18th century on (sritala) palm leaf manuscripts.

Apart from these they are also found in [[Dharmasthala]], Ramachandrapura Matha of Hosanagar, Shimoga, [[Sodhe|Sonda]] Swarnavalli Matha of [[Sirsi, Karnataka|Sirsi]] and the [[Ashta Mathas of Udupi]].

==Characters==
[[Palm-leaf manuscript]] of Sanskrit written in Tigalari: ''Vidyamadhaviyam-Jyotisha Shastram''
[[File:Tigalari-manuscript-Vidyamadhaviyam.jpg|thumb|none|700px|alt=Image: A folio from Tigalari manuscript in the Sanskrit language-Vidyamadhaviyam-Jyotisha Shastram]]

A chart showing a complete list of consonant and vowel combinations used in the Tigalari script.

[[File:Tulu glyphs.png|600px|This is the alphabet of Tigalari script]]
{{-}}

==Compared with Malayalam==
Tigalari and [[Malayalam script|Malayalam]] are both descended from [[Grantha script]], and resemble each other both in their individual letters and in using consonant conjuncts less than other Indic scripts. It is assumed that a single script around 9th-10th century called Western Grantha, evolved from Grantha script and later divided into two scripts.<ref name="C">Andronov, Mikhail Sergeevich. ''A Grammar of the Malayalam Language in Historical Treatment''. Wiesbaden : Harrassowitz, 1996.</ref>

==Compared with other scripts==
This table compares the consonants ka, kha, ga, gha, ṅa with other Southern Indic scripts such as [[Grantha alphabet|Grantha]], Tigalari, [[Malayalam Alphabet|Malayalam]], [[Kannada alphabet|Kannada]] and [[Sinhala script|Sinhala]].

[[File:Tigalari script comparison chart..jpg|650px]]

==In Unicode==
Proposals of Tigalari (Tulu) have been submitted to [[Unicode]] in 2011 by Michael Everson<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2011/11120r-n4025r-tulu.pdf|title=N4025R: Preliminary proposal for encoding the Tulu script in the SMP of the UCS | first = Michael | last = Everson | publisher=Working Group Document, ISO/IEC JTC1/SC2/WG2 and UTC|date=22 April 2011|access-date=18 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.unicode.org/roadmaps/smp/|title=Roadmap to the SMP|date=17 August 2015|access-date=18 January 2016}}</ref> and in 2017 by Vaishnavi Murthy K. Y. and Vinodh Rajan.<ref name="Tulu Unicode 2017">{{cite web |author1=Vaishnavi Murthy K Y |author2=Vinodh Rajan |title= L2/17-378 Preliminary proposal to encode Tigalari script in Unicode |url=https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2017/17378-tigalari.pdf |website=unicode.org |access-date=28 June 2018}}</ref> Srinidhi A and Sridatta A also made comments on L2/16-241, the previous version of L2/17-378.

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=Note}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Citation
| author = S. Muhammad Hussain Nainar | year=1942
| title= Tuhfat-al-Mujahidin: An Historical Work in The Arabic Language | publisher=University of Madras
| url= https://archive.org/details/Tuhfat-al-MujahidinAnHistoricalWorkInTheArabicLanguage
|isbn= 9789839154801}}
* {{Citation
| author = J. Sturrock | year=1894
| title= Madras District Manuals - South Canara (Volume-I) | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.3200/page/n1/mode/2up
}}
* {{Citation
| author = Harold A. Stuart | year=1895
| title= Madras District Manuals - South Canara (Volume-II) | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.281736/mode/2up
}}
* {{Citation
| author = Government of Madras | year=1905
| title= Madras District Gazetteers: Statistical Appendix for South Canara District | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.177471/page/n1/mode/2up
}}
* {{Citation
| author = Government of Madras | year=1915
| title= Madras District Gazetteers South Canara (Volume-II) | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= https://archive.org/details/dli.ministry.16591/page/n5/mode/2up
}}
* {{Citation
| author = Government of Madras | year=1953
| title= 1951 Census Handbook- South Canara District | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/6023/1/7746_1951.pdf
}}
* {{Citation
| author = J. I. Arputhanathan | year=1955
| title= South Kanara, The Nilgiris, Malabar and Coimbatore Districts (Village-wise Mother-tongue Data for Bilingual or Multilingual Taluks) | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/6447/1/50056_1951_SOU.pdf
}}
* {{Citation |title=Statistical Atlas of the Madras State (1951)|last=Rajabhushanam|first=D. S.|publisher=Director of Statistics, Government of Madras|year=1963|location=Madras (Chennai)|url=http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/6454/1/9111_1951_STA.pdf}}

==See also==
* [[Grantha script]]
* [[Malayalam script]]
* [[Gokak agitation]]

==External links==
{{Commons category|Tulu script}}
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=0J3GCwAAQBAJ Tulu Alphabet - Tulu Lipi: Tulu Akshara Male by GVS Ullal]
* [http://tuluacademy.org/en/tulu-alphabets/ Lessons on Tulu alphabets by Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy]
* [http://www.typoday.in/2012/spk_papers/vaishnavi-murthy-typographyday2012.pdf Tending to the Inheritance of Tulu Script]



{{list of writing systems}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tigalari Script}}

[[Category:Brahmic scripts]]
[[Category:Sanskrit transliteration]]
[[Category:Tulu language]]

Tulu script

2021-11-25T17:07:09Z

Knowledge: /* External links */Fixed typo

{{Short description|Abugida writing system of the Brahmic family}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}{{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox writing system
|name = Tulu Script
|languages = [[Tulu language|Tulu]] and [[Sanskrit]]
|type = [[Abugida]]
|time = 9th century CE – present<ref name="diringer">{{cite book|last1=Diringer|first1=David|title=Alphabet a key to the history of mankind|date=1948|page=385|url=https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.1287}}</ref>
|fam1=[[Brahmi script]]
|fam2=[[Tamil Brahmi]]
|fam3=[[Pallava script]]<ref>Handbook of Literacy in Akshara Orthography, R. Malatesha Joshi, Catherine McBride(2019), p.28</ref>
|fam4=[[Grantha script|Grantha]]
|sisters=[[Malayalam script]] [[Saurashtra script]] [[Dhives Akuru]]
|sample=Tululipi4.svg
|caption=
|imagesize=250px
|unicode =
|iso15924 =
|iso15924 note =
|footnotes =
|note = none
}}
{{Contains special characters|Indic}}
{{Brahmic}}

''Tulu script (Tulu lipi)''' <ref group=Note>The script is also referred to as '''Arya Ezhuttu''', '''Grantha Malayalam''', '''Tulu Grantha''', '''Tulu-Malayalam''' and '''Western Grantha'''.</ref> is a southern [[Brahmic scripts|Brahmic script]] which was used to write Tulu and Sanskrit languages. It evolved from the [[Grantha script]]. It bears high similarity and relationship to its sister script [[Malayalam script|Malayalam]] which also evolved from the Grantha.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mangaloreanrecipes.com/recipes/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1260&Itemid=177|title=Tulu script|website=mangaloreanrecipes.com}}</ref>

The oldest record of the usage of this script found in a stone inscription at the Sri Veeranarayana temple in [[Kulshekar|Kulashekara]] here is in complete Tulu script and Tulu language and belongs to the 1159 A.D.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Spl. Correspondent|first=The Hindu|date=22 February 2019|title=Tulu stone inscription in Veeranarayana temple belongs to 1159 A.D.: Historian|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/tulu-stone-inscription-in-veeranarayana-temple-belongs-to-1159-ad-historian/article26344575.ece#|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref> The various inscriptions of Tulu from the 15th century are in the Tulu script. Two Tulu epics named ''Sri Bhagavato'' and ''Kaveri'' from the 17th century were also written in the same script.<ref name="BhatSteveer">{{cite book|last1=Steever|first1=Sanford B|title=The Dravidian Languages|date=2015|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781136911644|pages=158–163}}</ref> It was also used by [[Tulu language|Tulu]]-speaking Brahmins like [[Shivalli Brahmins]] and Kannada speaking [[Havyaka Brahmin]]s and [[Kota Brahmins]] to write [[Vedas|Vedic]] [[mantra]]s and other [[Sanskrit]] religious texts. However, there has been a renewed interest among Tulu speakers to revive the script as it was formerly used in the [[Tulu Nadu|Tulu-speaking region]]. The [[Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy]], a cultural wing of the [[Government of Karnataka]], has introduced Tuḷu language (written in Kannada script) and Tulu script in schools across the [[Dakshina Kannada|Mangalore]] and [[Udupi district]]s.<ref name="Tulu Unicode 2017" /> The Academy provides instructional manuals to learn this script and conducts workshops to teach it.<ref name="Hindu1">{{cite news|last1=Kamila|first1=Raviprasad|title=Tulu academy's script classes attract natives|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/tulu-academys-script-classes-attract-natives/article5051292.ece|access-date=28 June 2018|work=The Hindu|date=23 August 2013}}</ref>

== Alternate names ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!'''Name of the script'''
!'''Prevalent in'''
!'''References to their roots'''
|-
|Arya Ezhuttu/Grantha Malayalam
|Kerala, Parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
|Malayalam Speakers, Manipravala, Tamil Grantha
|-
|Western Grantha/Tulu-Malayalam
|Few academic publications
|19th Century Western Scholars
|-
|Tulu script
|Tulunadu region
| National Manuscript Mission Catalogues
|-
|Tulu Lipi/Tulu Grantha Lipi
|Tulu people
|Tulu speakers, A C Burnell
|}
The name by which this script is referred to is closely tied with its regional, linguistic or historical roots. It would not be wrong to assign all the names mentioned above to this script.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://www.dsource.in/sites/default/files/resource/typography-day-papers-2012/national-speakers/file/vaishnavi-murthy-typographyday2012.pdf|title=tulu Script history|website=source.in}}</ref>

Arya Ezhuttu or the more recently coined term: Grantha Malayalam is used to refer to this script in Kerala. Arya Ezhuttu covers the spectrum between the older script (that is Tulu script) until it was standardised by the lead types for Malayalam script (old style) in Kerala.<ref name="auto"/>

This script is commonly known as the Tulu script or Tulu Grantha script in the [[Tulunadu]] region of india.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tulu Language - Its Script and Dialects |url=https://www.mangaloretoday.com/opinion/Tulu-Language-Its-Script-and-Dialects.html |website=mangaloretoday.com |access-date=9 November 2021}}</ref> There are several recent publications and instructional books for learning this script. It is also mentioned in—Elements of South Indian Palaeography by Rev. A C Burnell and a couple of other early publications of the Basel Mission press, Mangalore. Tulu Ramayana manuscript found in the [[Dharmasthala]] archives refers to this script as 'Tulu lipi'.

==Geographical distribution==
The script is used all over [[TuluNadu] and [[Malenadu|Western Hilly]] regions of Karnataka. Many manuscripts are also found [[North Canara]], [[Udupi]], [[South Canara]], [[Shimoga district|Shimoga]], [[Chikkamagaluru]] and [[Kasaragod district]] of Kerala. There are innumerable manuscripts found in this region. The major language of manuscripts is [[Sanskrit]], mainly the works of [[Vedas|Veda]], [[Hindu astrology|Jyotisha]] and other Sanskrit epics.

==Usage==
===Historical use===
[[File:Tigalari-sanskrit-manuscript.jpg|thumb|300px|A Tulu lipi manuscript]]
Thousands of manuscripts have been found in this script such as [[Vedas]], [[Upanishads]], [[Jyotisha]], [[Dharmashastra]], [[Purana]] and many more. Most works are in Sanskrit. However, some Kannada manuscripts are also found such as ''Gokarna Mahatmyam'' etc. The popular 16th-century work ''Kaushika Ramayana'' written in Old Kannada language by Battaleshwara of [[Yana, India|Yana]], Uttara Kannada is found in this script. ''[[Mahabharata|Mahabharato]]'' of 15th century written in this script in Tulu language is also found. But earlier to this several 12th-13th century Sanskrit manuscripts of [[Madhvacharya]] are also found. [[Honnavar]] in Uttara Kannada District is known for its [[Samaveda]] manuscripts. Other manuscripts like ''[[Devi Mahatmya]]m'', from the 15th century and two [[epic poem]]s written in the 17th century, namely ''Sri Bhagavato'' and ''Kaveri'' have also been found in [[Tulu language]].

===Modern use===
Today the usage of the script has decreased. It is still used in parts of [[TuluNadu]] region and traditional ''[[Matha|maṭha]]''s of undivided [[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Uttara Kannada]] Districts.

The [[National Mission for Manuscripts]] has conducted several workshops on Tulu script. [[Dharmasthala]] and the [[Ashta Mathas of Udupi]] have done significant work in preserving the script. Several studies and research work has been done on Tulu script. [[Keladi]] houses over 400 manuscripts in Tulu script.

There is a gaining support and interest by Tuluvas in revival of the script. [[Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy]] is constantly conducting meetings with experts for standardisation of Tulu script.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shenoy|first=Jaideep|date=30 November 2019|title=Karnataka Tulu Sahitya academy to convene meet of experts for standardisation of Tulu script|work=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/karnataka-academy-to-convene-meet-of-experts-for-standardisation-of-tulu-script/articleshow/72303131.cms|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref> There is also huge support from Local MLAs for popularising the Tulu script.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shenoy|first=Jaideep|date=18 November 2019|title=MLA Vedavyas Kamath gives Tulu an online fillip|work=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/mla-vedavyas-kamath-gives-tulu-an-online-fillip/articleshow/72102948.cms|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref>

There are many places in [[Tulu Nadu]] region where sign boards are being installed in Tulu script.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Monteiro|first=Walter|date=21 July 2020|title=Karkala: Nandalike Abbanadka Friends Club inaugurates road signboard in Tulu|work=Daijiworld|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay.aspx?newsID=732646|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=DHNS|first=Harsha|date=21 June 2020|title=Athikaribettu GP's initiative to publicise Tulu gets good response|work=Deccan Herald|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/state/mangaluru/athikaribettu-gp-s-initiative-to-publicise-tulu-gets-good-response-852216.html|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref>

==Preservation==
; Keladi Museum & Historical Research Bureau, [[Shimoga]], Karnataka
: The museum has a library of about a thousand paper and palm leaf manuscripts written in Kannada, Sanskrit, Tamil and Telugu, besides four hundred palm leaf manuscripts in Tulu script. They relate to literature, art, [[dharmaśāstra]], history, astrology, astronomy, medicine, mathematics and veterinary science. There are several collections in the museum, including art objects, arms coins, stone sculptures and copper plate inscriptions belonging to the [[Vijayanagara Empire|Vijayanagara]] and [[Keladi]] eras. The Institution is affiliated to Gnana Sahyadri, Shankaraghatta, [[Kuvempu University]] of Shimoga.

; Oriental Research Institute Mysore
: The [[Oriental Research Institute Mysore]] houses over 33,000 palm leaf manuscripts. It is a research institute which collects, exhibits, edits and publishes rare manuscripts in both Sanskrit and Kannada. It contains many manuscripts, including ''Sharadatilaka'', in Tulu script. The ''Sharadatilaka'' is a treatise on theory and practice of [[tantra|Tantric worship]]. While the exact date of the composition is not known, the manuscript itself is thought to be about four hundred years old. The author of the text, Lakshmana Deshikendra, is said to have written the text as an aid to worship for those unable to go through voluminous Tantra texts. The composition contains the gist of major Tantra classics and is in verse form.

; Saraswathi Mahal Library, Thanjavur
: Built up by the [[Thanjavur Nayak kingdom|Nayak]] and [[Thanjavur Maratha kingdom|Maratha]] dynasties of [[Thanjavur]], [[Saraswathi Mahal Library]] contains a very rare and valuable collection of manuscripts, books, maps and painting on all aspects of arts, culture and literature. The scripts include Grantha, Devanagari, Telugu and Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Tulu and Oriya.

; [[French Institute of Pondicherry]]
: The Institut Français de Pondichéry was established in 1955 with a view to collecting all material relating to ''[[Shaivism|Saiva]] [[Āgama (Hinduism)|Āgama]]s'', scriptures of the Saiva religious tradition called the [[Shaiva Siddhanta]], which has flourished in South India since the eighth century A.D. The manuscript collection of the Institute<ref>The digitized Tulu manuscripts can be viewed at {{cite web |url=http://www.ifpindia.org/manuscripts/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=24 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.is/20131124120611/http://www.ifpindia.org/manuscripts/ |archive-date=24 November 2013 }}</ref> was compiled under its Founder–Director, Jean Filliozat. The manuscripts, which are in need of urgent preservation, cover a wide variety of topics such as Vedic ritual, Saiva Agama, [[Puranas#Sthala Puranas|Sthalapurana]] and scripts, such as Grantha and Tamil. The collection consists of approximately 8,600 palm-leaf codices, most of which are in the Sanskrit language and written in Grantha script; others are in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Nandinagari and Tulu scripts.

: The ''Shaiva Agama'' is composed in Sanskrit and written in Tulu script. Though there may be a few copies of these texts available elsewhere, this particular codex comes from southern Karnataka, providing glimpses into the regional variations and peculiarities in ritual patterns. The manuscript was copied in the 18th century on (sritala) palm leaf manuscripts.

Apart from these they are also found in [[Dharmasthala]], Ramachandrapura Matha of Hosanagar, Shimoga, [[Sodhe|Sonda]] Swarnavalli Matha of [[Sirsi, Karnataka|Sirsi]] and the [[Ashta Mathas of Udupi]].

==Characters==
[[Palm-leaf manuscript]] of Sanskrit written in Tulu script: ''Vidyamadhaviyam-Jyotisha Shastram''
[[File:Tigalari-manuscript-Vidyamadhaviyam.jpg|thumb|none|700px|alt=Image: A folio from Tigalari manuscript in the Sanskrit language-Vidyamadhaviyam-Jyotisha Shastram]]

A chart showing a complete list of consonant and vowel combinations used in the Tulu script.

[[File:Tulu glyphs.png|600px|This is the alphabet of Tulu script]]
{{-}}

==Compared with Malayalam==
Tulu Script and [[Malayalam script|Malayalam]] are both descended from [[Grantha script]], and resemble each other both in their individual letters and in using consonant conjuncts less than other Indic scripts. It is assumed that a single script around 9th-10th century called Western Grantha, evolved from Grantha script and later divided into two scripts.<ref name="C">Andronov, Mikhail Sergeevich. ''A Grammar of the Malayalam Language in Historical Treatment''. Wiesbaden : Harrassowitz, 1996.</ref>

==Compared with other scripts==
This table compares the consonants ka, kha, ga, gha, ṅa with other Southern Indic scripts such as [[Grantha alphabet|Grantha]], [[Tulu alphabet|Tulu]], [[Malayalam Alphabet|Malayalam]].
[[File:Grantha Tulu Malayalam1.png]]

==In Unicode==
Proposals of Tulu Script have been submitted to [[Unicode]] in 2011 by Michael Everson<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2011/11120r-n4025r-tulu.pdf|title=N4025R: Preliminary proposal for encoding the Tulu script in the SMP of the UCS | first = Michael | last = Everson | publisher=Working Group Document, ISO/IEC JTC1/SC2/WG2 and UTC|date=22 April 2011|access-date=18 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.unicode.org/roadmaps/smp/|title=Roadmap to the SMP|date=17 August 2015|access-date=18 January 2016}}</ref> and in 2020 Karnataka tulu sahitya academy a government wing of Karnataka state has proposed updated proposal for Tulu script in unicode<ref>{{Cite web|URL=https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2021/21019-tulu.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwij4JKb5bP0AhWszDgGHWgVCE4QFnoECBUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3o7_A6v5r8VTPX6HdzrCoG|title=Tulu Script unicode|website=unicode.org}}</ref>

== Further reading ==
* {{Citation
* | author = S. Muhammad Hussain Nainar | year=1942
* | title= Tuhfat-al-Mujahidin: An Historical Work in The Arabic Language | publisher=University of Madras
* | url= https://archive.org/details/Tuhfat-al-MujahidinAnHistoricalWorkInTheArabicLanguage
* |isbn= 9789839154801}}
* * {{Citation
| author = J. Sturrock | year=1894
| title= Madras District Manuals - South Canara (Volume-I) | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.3200/page/n1/mode/2up
}}
* {{Citation
* | author = Harold A. Stuart | year=1895
* | title= Madras District Manuals - South Canara (Volume-II) | publisher=Madras Government Press
* | url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.281736/mode/2up
* }}
* * {{Citation
| author = Government of Madras | year=1905
| title= Madras District Gazetteers: Statistical Appendix for South Canara District | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.177471/page/n1/mode/2up
}}
* {{Citation
* | author = Government of Madras | year=1915
* | title= Madras District Gazetteers South Canara (Volume-II) | publisher=Madras Government Press
* | url= https://archive.org/details/dli.ministry.16591/page/n5/mode/2up
* }}
* * {{Citation
| author = Government of Madras | year=1953
| title= 1951 Census Handbook- South Canara District | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/6023/1/7746_1951.pdf
}}
* {{Citation
* | author = J. I. Arputhanathan | year=1955
* | title= South Kanara, The Nilgiris, Malabar and Coimbatore Districts (Village-wise Mother-tongue Data for Bilingual or Multilingual Taluks) | publisher=Madras Government Press
* | url= http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/6447/1/50056_1951_SOU.pdf
* }}
* * {{Citation |title=Statistical Atlas of the Madras State (1951)|last=Rajabhushanam|first=D. S.|publisher=Director of Statistics, Government of Madras|year=1963|location=Madras (Chennai)|url=http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/6454/1/9111_1951_STA.pdf}}

==See also==
* [[Grantha script]]
* * [[Malayalam script]]

==External links==
{{Commons category|Tulu script}}
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=0J3GCwAAQBAJ Tulu Alphabet - Tulu Lipi: Tulu Akshara Male by GVS Ullal]
* * [http://tuluacademy.org/en/tulu-alphabets/ Lessons on Tulu alphabets by Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy]
* [http://www.typoday.in/2012/spk_papers/vaishnavi-murthy-typographyday2012.pdf Tending to the Inheritance of Tulu Script]


{{list of writing systems}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tulu Script}}

[[Category:Brahmic scripts]]
[[Category:Sanskrit transliteration]]
[[Category:Tulu language]]

==References==

Tigalari script

2021-11-25T17:02:53Z

Knowledge: Fixed title

#REDIRECT[[Tulu script]]

== Alternate names ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!'''Name of the script'''
!'''Prevalent in'''
!'''References to their roots'''
|-
|Arya Ezhuttu/Grantha Malayalam
|Kerala, Parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
|Malayalam Speakers, Manipravala, Tamil Grantha
|-
|Western Grantha/Tulu-Malayalam
|Few academic publications
|19th Century Western Scholars
|-
|Tigalari
|''Malenadu'' & ''Karavali'' (coastal) regions of Karnataka
|Kannada speakers, Havyaka Brahmins, National Manuscript Mission Catalogues
|-
|Tulu Lipi/Tulu Grantha Lipi
|Coastal Karnataka, [[Tulu Nadu]]
|Tulu speakers, A C Burnell
|}
The name by which this script is referred to is closely tied with its regional, linguistic or historical roots. It would not be wrong to assign all the names mentioned above to this script.<ref name="Tulu Unicode 2017" />

Arya Ezhuttu or the more recently coined term: Grantha Malayalam is used to refer to this script in Kerala. Arya Ezhuttu covers the spectrum between the older script (that is Tigalari) until it was standardised by the lead types for Malayalam script (old style) in Kerala.<ref name="Tulu Unicode 2017" />

‘Tigalari’ is used to this day by the Havyaka brahmins of the Malanadu region. Tigalari is also the term that is commonly used to refer to this script in most manuscript catalogues and in several academic publications today. Prof. Gunda Jois has studied this script closely for over four decades now. According to his findings that were based on evidences found in stone inscriptions, palm leaf manuscripts and early research work done by western scholars like Prof. B L Rice, he finds the only name used for this script historically has been ‘Tigalari’.<ref name="Tulu Unicode 2017" />

This script is commonly known as the Tulu script or Tulu Grantha script in the coastal regions of Karnataka. There are several recent publications and instructional books for learning this script. It is also called the Tigalari script in—Elements of South Indian Palaeography by Rev. A C Burnell and a couple of other early publications of the Basel Mission press, Mangalore. Tulu Ramayana manuscript found in the [[Dharmasthala]] archives refers to this script as 'Tigalari Lipi'.

==Geographical distribution==
The script is used all over [[Kanara|Canara]] and [[Malenadu|Western Hilly]] regions of Karnataka. Many manuscripts are also found [[North Canara]], [[Udupi]], [[South Canara]], [[Shimoga district|Shimoga]], [[Chikkamagaluru]] and [[Kasaragod district]] of Kerala. There are innumerable manuscripts found in this region. The major language of manuscripts is [[Sanskrit]], mainly the works of [[Vedas|Veda]], [[Hindu astrology|Jyotisha]] and other Sanskrit epics.

==Usage==
===Historical use===
[[File:Tigalari-sanskrit-manuscript.jpg|thumb|300px|A Tigalari manuscript]]
Thousands of manuscripts have been found in this script such as [[Vedas]], [[Upanishads]], [[Jyotisha]], [[Dharmashastra]], [[Purana]] and many more. Most works are in Sanskrit. However, some Kannada manuscripts are also found such as ''Gokarna Mahatmyam'' etc. The popular 16th-century work ''Kaushika Ramayana'' written in Old Kannada language by Battaleshwara of [[Yana, India|Yana]], Uttara Kannada is found in this script. ''[[Mahabharata|Mahabharato]]'' of 15th century written in this script in Tulu language is also found. But earlier to this several 12th-13th century Sanskrit manuscripts of [[Madhvacharya]] are also found. [[Honnavar]] in Uttara Kannada District is known for its [[Samaveda]] manuscripts. Other manuscripts like ''[[Devi Mahatmya]]m'', from the 15th century and two [[epic poem]]s written in the 17th century, namely ''Sri Bhagavato'' and ''Kaveri'' have also been found in [[Tulu language]].

===Modern use===
Today the usage of the script has decreased. It is still used in parts of [[Kanara]] region and traditional ''[[Matha|maṭha]]''s of undivided [[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Uttara Kannada]] Districts.

The [[National Mission for Manuscripts]] has conducted several workshops on Tigalari script. [[Dharmasthala]] and the [[Ashta Mathas of Udupi]] have done significant work in preserving the script. Several studies and research work has been done on Tigalari script. [[Keladi]] houses over 400 manuscripts in Tigalari script.

There is a gaining support and interest by Tuluvas in revival of the script. [[Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy]] is constantly conducting meetings with experts for standardisation of Tulu script.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shenoy|first=Jaideep|date=30 November 2019|title=Karnataka Tulu Sahitya academy to convene meet of experts for standardisation of Tulu script|work=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/karnataka-academy-to-convene-meet-of-experts-for-standardisation-of-tulu-script/articleshow/72303131.cms|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref> There is also huge support from Local MLAs for popularising the Tulu script.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shenoy|first=Jaideep|date=18 November 2019|title=MLA Vedavyas Kamath gives Tulu an online fillip|work=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/mla-vedavyas-kamath-gives-tulu-an-online-fillip/articleshow/72102948.cms|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref>

There are many places in [[Tulu Nadu]] region where sign boards are being installed in Tulu script.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Monteiro|first=Walter|date=21 July 2020|title=Karkala: Nandalike Abbanadka Friends Club inaugurates road signboard in Tulu|work=Daijiworld|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay.aspx?newsID=732646|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=DHNS|first=Harsha|date=21 June 2020|title=Athikaribettu GP's initiative to publicise Tulu gets good response|work=Deccan Herald|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/state/mangaluru/athikaribettu-gp-s-initiative-to-publicise-tulu-gets-good-response-852216.html|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref>

==Preservation==
; Keladi Museum & Historical Research Bureau, [[Shimoga]], Karnataka
: The museum has a library of about a thousand paper and palm leaf manuscripts written in Kannada, Sanskrit, Tamil and Telugu, besides four hundred palm leaf manuscripts in Tigalari script. They relate to literature, art, [[dharmaśāstra]], history, astrology, astronomy, medicine, mathematics and veterinary science. There are several collections in the museum, including art objects, arms coins, stone sculptures and copper plate inscriptions belonging to the [[Vijayanagara Empire|Vijayanagara]] and [[Keladi]] eras. The Institution is affiliated to Gnana Sahyadri, Shankaraghatta, [[Kuvempu University]] of Shimoga.

; Oriental Research Institute Mysore
: The [[Oriental Research Institute Mysore]] houses over 33,000 palm leaf manuscripts. It is a research institute which collects, exhibits, edits and publishes rare manuscripts in both Sanskrit and Kannada. It contains many manuscripts, including ''Sharadatilaka'', in Tigalari script. The ''Sharadatilaka'' is a treatise on theory and practice of [[tantra|Tantric worship]]. While the exact date of the composition is not known, the manuscript itself is thought to be about four hundred years old. The author of the text, Lakshmana Deshikendra, is said to have written the text as an aid to worship for those unable to go through voluminous Tantra texts. The composition contains the gist of major Tantra classics and is in verse form.

; Saraswathi Mahal Library, Thanjavur
: Built up by the [[Thanjavur Nayak kingdom|Nayak]] and [[Thanjavur Maratha kingdom|Maratha]] dynasties of [[Thanjavur]], [[Saraswathi Mahal Library]] contains a very rare and valuable collection of manuscripts, books, maps and painting on all aspects of arts, culture and literature. The scripts include Grantha, Devanagari, Telugu and Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Tigalari and Oriya.

; [[French Institute of Pondicherry]]
: The Institut Français de Pondichéry was established in 1955 with a view to collecting all material relating to ''[[Shaivism|Saiva]] [[Āgama (Hinduism)|Āgama]]s'', scriptures of the Saiva religious tradition called the [[Shaiva Siddhanta]], which has flourished in South India since the eighth century A.D. The manuscript collection of the Institute<ref>The digitized Tigalari manuscripts can be viewed at {{cite web |url=http://www.ifpindia.org/manuscripts/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=24 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.is/20131124120611/http://www.ifpindia.org/manuscripts/ |archive-date=24 November 2013 }}</ref> was compiled under its Founder–Director, Jean Filliozat. The manuscripts, which are in need of urgent preservation, cover a wide variety of topics such as Vedic ritual, Saiva Agama, [[Puranas#Sthala Puranas|Sthalapurana]] and scripts, such as Grantha and Tamil. The collection consists of approximately 8,600 palm-leaf codices, most of which are in the Sanskrit language and written in Grantha script; others are in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Nandinagari and Tigalari scripts.

: The ''Shaiva Agama'' is composed in Sanskrit and written in Tigalari script. Though there may be a few copies of these texts available elsewhere, this particular codex comes from southern Karnataka, providing glimpses into the regional variations and peculiarities in ritual patterns. The manuscript was copied in the 18th century on (sritala) palm leaf manuscripts.

Apart from these they are also found in [[Dharmasthala]], Ramachandrapura Matha of Hosanagar, Shimoga, [[Sodhe|Sonda]] Swarnavalli Matha of [[Sirsi, Karnataka|Sirsi]] and the [[Ashta Mathas of Udupi]].

==Characters==
[[Palm-leaf manuscript]] of Sanskrit written in Tigalari: ''Vidyamadhaviyam-Jyotisha Shastram''
[[File:Tigalari-manuscript-Vidyamadhaviyam.jpg|thumb|none|700px|alt=Image: A folio from Tigalari manuscript in the Sanskrit language-Vidyamadhaviyam-Jyotisha Shastram]]

A chart showing a complete list of consonant and vowel combinations used in the Tigalari script.

[[File:Tulu glyphs.png|600px|This is the alphabet of Tigalari script]]
{{-}}

==Compared with Malayalam==
Tigalari and [[Malayalam script|Malayalam]] are both descended from [[Grantha script]], and resemble each other both in their individual letters and in using consonant conjuncts less than other Indic scripts. It is assumed that a single script around 9th-10th century called Western Grantha, evolved from Grantha script and later divided into two scripts.<ref name="C">Andronov, Mikhail Sergeevich. ''A Grammar of the Malayalam Language in Historical Treatment''. Wiesbaden : Harrassowitz, 1996.</ref>

==Compared with other scripts==
This table compares the consonants ka, kha, ga, gha, ṅa with other Southern Indic scripts such as [[Grantha alphabet|Grantha]], Tigalari, [[Malayalam Alphabet|Malayalam]], [[Kannada alphabet|Kannada]] and [[Sinhala script|Sinhala]].

[[File:Tigalari script comparison chart..jpg|650px]]

==In Unicode==
Proposals of Tigalari (Tulu) have been submitted to [[Unicode]] in 2011 by Michael Everson<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2011/11120r-n4025r-tulu.pdf|title=N4025R: Preliminary proposal for encoding the Tulu script in the SMP of the UCS | first = Michael | last = Everson | publisher=Working Group Document, ISO/IEC JTC1/SC2/WG2 and UTC|date=22 April 2011|access-date=18 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.unicode.org/roadmaps/smp/|title=Roadmap to the SMP|date=17 August 2015|access-date=18 January 2016}}</ref> and in 2017 by Vaishnavi Murthy K. Y. and Vinodh Rajan.<ref name="Tulu Unicode 2017">{{cite web |author1=Vaishnavi Murthy K Y |author2=Vinodh Rajan |title= L2/17-378 Preliminary proposal to encode Tigalari script in Unicode |url=https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2017/17378-tigalari.pdf |website=unicode.org |access-date=28 June 2018}}</ref> Srinidhi A and Sridatta A also made comments on L2/16-241, the previous version of L2/17-378.

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=Note}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Citation
| author = S. Muhammad Hussain Nainar | year=1942
| title= Tuhfat-al-Mujahidin: An Historical Work in The Arabic Language | publisher=University of Madras
| url= https://archive.org/details/Tuhfat-al-MujahidinAnHistoricalWorkInTheArabicLanguage
|isbn= 9789839154801}}
* {{Citation
| author = J. Sturrock | year=1894
| title= Madras District Manuals - South Canara (Volume-I) | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.3200/page/n1/mode/2up
}}
* {{Citation
| author = Harold A. Stuart | year=1895
| title= Madras District Manuals - South Canara (Volume-II) | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.281736/mode/2up
}}
* {{Citation
| author = Government of Madras | year=1905
| title= Madras District Gazetteers: Statistical Appendix for South Canara District | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.177471/page/n1/mode/2up
}}
* {{Citation
| author = Government of Madras | year=1915
| title= Madras District Gazetteers South Canara (Volume-II) | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= https://archive.org/details/dli.ministry.16591/page/n5/mode/2up
}}
* {{Citation
| author = Government of Madras | year=1953
| title= 1951 Census Handbook- South Canara District | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/6023/1/7746_1951.pdf
}}
* {{Citation
| author = J. I. Arputhanathan | year=1955
| title= South Kanara, The Nilgiris, Malabar and Coimbatore Districts (Village-wise Mother-tongue Data for Bilingual or Multilingual Taluks) | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/6447/1/50056_1951_SOU.pdf
}}
* {{Citation |title=Statistical Atlas of the Madras State (1951)|last=Rajabhushanam|first=D. S.|publisher=Director of Statistics, Government of Madras|year=1963|location=Madras (Chennai)|url=http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/6454/1/9111_1951_STA.pdf}}

==See also==
* [[Grantha script]]
* [[Malayalam script]]
* [[Gokak agitation]]

==External links==
{{Commons category|Tulu script}}
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=0J3GCwAAQBAJ Tulu Alphabet - Tulu Lipi: Tulu Akshara Male by GVS Ullal]
* [http://tuluacademy.org/en/tulu-alphabets/ Lessons on Tulu alphabets by Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy]
* [http://www.typoday.in/2012/spk_papers/vaishnavi-murthy-typographyday2012.pdf Tending to the Inheritance of Tulu Script]



{{list of writing systems}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tigalari Script}}

[[Category:Brahmic scripts]]
[[Category:Sanskrit transliteration]]
[[Category:Tulu language]]

Tulu script

2021-11-25T16:53:52Z

Knowledge: Added more info

Tigalari script

2021-11-25T16:49:04Z

Knowledge: Changed redirect target from Tulu Script to Tulu script

#REDIRECT[[Tulu script]]
{{Short description|Abugida writing system of the Brahmic family}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}{{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox writing system
|name = Tigalari
|languages = [[Tulu language|Tulu]], [[Kannada]], [[Malayalam]], and [[Sanskrit]]
|type = [[Abugida]]
|time = 9th century CE – present<ref name="diringer">{{cite book|last1=Diringer|first1=David|title=Alphabet a key to the history of mankind|date=1948|page=385|url=https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.1287}}</ref>
|fam1=[[Brahmi script]]
|fam2=[[Tamil Brahmi]]
|fam3=[[Pallava script]]<ref>Handbook of Literacy in Akshara Orthography, R. Malatesha Joshi, Catherine McBride(2019), p.28</ref>
|fam4=[[Grantha script|Grantha]]
|sisters=[[Malayalam script]] [[Saurashtra script]] [[Dhives Akuru]]
|sample=Tululipi4.svg
|caption=
|imagesize=250px
|unicode =
|iso15924 =
|iso15924 note =
|footnotes =
|note = none
}}
{{Contains special characters|Indic}}
{{Brahmic}}

'''Tigalari''' (''Tigaḷāri lipi'', ''tulu lipi'')<ref group=Note>The script is also referred to as '''Arya Ezhuttu''', '''Grantha Malayalam''', '''Tulu Grantha''', '''Tulu-Malayalam''' and '''Western Grantha'''.</ref> is a Southern [[Brahmic scripts|Brahmic script]] which was used to write [[Tulu language|Tulu]], [[Kannada]], and [[Sanskrit]] languages. It was primarily used for writing [[Vedas|Vedic texts]] in Sanskrit.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scriptsource.org/cms/scripts/page.php?item_id=script_detail&key=Qaau|title=ScriptSource - Tigalari|website=scriptsource.org}}</ref> It evolved from the [[Grantha script]]. It is called as Tigalari lipi in [[Kannada]]-speaking regions ([[Malenadu|Malnad region]]) and [[Tulu language|Tulu]] speakers call it as ''Tulu lipi''. It bears high similarity and relationship to its sister script [[Malayalam script|Malayalam]], which also evolved from the [[Grantha script]].

The oldest record of the usage of this script found in a stone inscription at the Sri Veeranarayana temple in [[Kulshekar|Kulashekara]] here is in complete Tigalari/Tulu script and Tulu language and belongs to the 1159 A.D.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Spl. Correspondent|first=The Hindu|date=22 February 2019|title=Tulu stone inscription in Veeranarayana temple belongs to 1159 A.D.: Historian|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/tulu-stone-inscription-in-veeranarayana-temple-belongs-to-1159-ad-historian/article26344575.ece#|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref> The various inscriptions of Tulu from the 15th century are in the Tigalari script. Two Tulu epics named ''Sri Bhagavato'' and ''Kaveri'' from the 17th century were also written in the same script.<ref name="BhatSteveer">{{cite book|last1=Steever|first1=Sanford B|title=The Dravidian Languages|date=2015|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781136911644|pages=158–163}}</ref> It was also used by [[Tulu language|Tulu]]-speaking Brahmins like [[Shivalli Brahmins]] and Kannada speaking [[Havyaka Brahmin]]s and [[Kota Brahmins]] to write [[Vedas|Vedic]] [[mantra]]s and other [[Sanskrit]] religious texts. However, there has been a renewed interest among Tulu speakers to revive the script as it was formerly used in the [[Tulu Nadu|Tulu-speaking region]]. The [[Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy]], a cultural wing of the [[Government of Karnataka]], has introduced Tuḷu language (written in Kannada script) and Tigalari script in schools across the [[Dakshina Kannada|Mangalore]] and [[Udupi district]]s.<ref name="Tulu Unicode 2017" /> The Academy provides instructional manuals to learn this script and conducts workshops to teach it.<ref name="Hindu1">{{cite news|last1=Kamila|first1=Raviprasad|title=Tulu academy's script classes attract natives|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/tulu-academys-script-classes-attract-natives/article5051292.ece|access-date=28 June 2018|work=The Hindu|date=23 August 2013}}</ref>

== Alternate names ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!'''Name of the script'''
!'''Prevalent in'''
!'''References to their roots'''
|-
|Arya Ezhuttu/Grantha Malayalam
|Kerala, Parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
|Malayalam Speakers, Manipravala, Tamil Grantha
|-
|Western Grantha/Tulu-Malayalam
|Few academic publications
|19th Century Western Scholars
|-
|Tigalari
|''Malenadu'' & ''Karavali'' (coastal) regions of Karnataka
|Kannada speakers, Havyaka Brahmins, National Manuscript Mission Catalogues
|-
|Tulu Lipi/Tulu Grantha Lipi
|Coastal Karnataka, [[Tulu Nadu]]
|Tulu speakers, A C Burnell
|}
The name by which this script is referred to is closely tied with its regional, linguistic or historical roots. It would not be wrong to assign all the names mentioned above to this script.<ref name="Tulu Unicode 2017" />

Arya Ezhuttu or the more recently coined term: Grantha Malayalam is used to refer to this script in Kerala. Arya Ezhuttu covers the spectrum between the older script (that is Tigalari) until it was standardised by the lead types for Malayalam script (old style) in Kerala.<ref name="Tulu Unicode 2017" />

‘Tigalari’ is used to this day by the Havyaka brahmins of the Malanadu region. Tigalari is also the term that is commonly used to refer to this script in most manuscript catalogues and in several academic publications today. Prof. Gunda Jois has studied this script closely for over four decades now. According to his findings that were based on evidences found in stone inscriptions, palm leaf manuscripts and early research work done by western scholars like Prof. B L Rice, he finds the only name used for this script historically has been ‘Tigalari’.<ref name="Tulu Unicode 2017" />

This script is commonly known as the Tulu script or Tulu Grantha script in the coastal regions of Karnataka. There are several recent publications and instructional books for learning this script. It is also called the Tigalari script in—Elements of South Indian Palaeography by Rev. A C Burnell and a couple of other early publications of the Basel Mission press, Mangalore. Tulu Ramayana manuscript found in the [[Dharmasthala]] archives refers to this script as 'Tigalari Lipi'.

==Geographical distribution==
The script is used all over [[Kanara|Canara]] and [[Malenadu|Western Hilly]] regions of Karnataka. Many manuscripts are also found [[North Canara]], [[Udupi]], [[South Canara]], [[Shimoga district|Shimoga]], [[Chikkamagaluru]] and [[Kasaragod district]] of Kerala. There are innumerable manuscripts found in this region. The major language of manuscripts is [[Sanskrit]], mainly the works of [[Vedas|Veda]], [[Hindu astrology|Jyotisha]] and other Sanskrit epics.

==Usage==
===Historical use===
[[File:Tigalari-sanskrit-manuscript.jpg|thumb|300px|A Tigalari manuscript]]
Thousands of manuscripts have been found in this script such as [[Vedas]], [[Upanishads]], [[Jyotisha]], [[Dharmashastra]], [[Purana]] and many more. Most works are in Sanskrit. However, some Kannada manuscripts are also found such as ''Gokarna Mahatmyam'' etc. The popular 16th-century work ''Kaushika Ramayana'' written in Old Kannada language by Battaleshwara of [[Yana, India|Yana]], Uttara Kannada is found in this script. ''[[Mahabharata|Mahabharato]]'' of 15th century written in this script in Tulu language is also found. But earlier to this several 12th-13th century Sanskrit manuscripts of [[Madhvacharya]] are also found. [[Honnavar]] in Uttara Kannada District is known for its [[Samaveda]] manuscripts. Other manuscripts like ''[[Devi Mahatmya]]m'', from the 15th century and two [[epic poem]]s written in the 17th century, namely ''Sri Bhagavato'' and ''Kaveri'' have also been found in [[Tulu language]].

===Modern use===
Today the usage of the script has decreased. It is still used in parts of [[Kanara]] region and traditional ''[[Matha|maṭha]]''s of undivided [[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Uttara Kannada]] Districts.

The [[National Mission for Manuscripts]] has conducted several workshops on Tigalari script. [[Dharmasthala]] and the [[Ashta Mathas of Udupi]] have done significant work in preserving the script. Several studies and research work has been done on Tigalari script. [[Keladi]] houses over 400 manuscripts in Tigalari script.

There is a gaining support and interest by Tuluvas in revival of the script. [[Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy]] is constantly conducting meetings with experts for standardisation of Tulu script.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shenoy|first=Jaideep|date=30 November 2019|title=Karnataka Tulu Sahitya academy to convene meet of experts for standardisation of Tulu script|work=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/karnataka-academy-to-convene-meet-of-experts-for-standardisation-of-tulu-script/articleshow/72303131.cms|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref> There is also huge support from Local MLAs for popularising the Tulu script.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shenoy|first=Jaideep|date=18 November 2019|title=MLA Vedavyas Kamath gives Tulu an online fillip|work=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/mla-vedavyas-kamath-gives-tulu-an-online-fillip/articleshow/72102948.cms|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref>

There are many places in [[Tulu Nadu]] region where sign boards are being installed in Tulu script.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Monteiro|first=Walter|date=21 July 2020|title=Karkala: Nandalike Abbanadka Friends Club inaugurates road signboard in Tulu|work=Daijiworld|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay.aspx?newsID=732646|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=DHNS|first=Harsha|date=21 June 2020|title=Athikaribettu GP's initiative to publicise Tulu gets good response|work=Deccan Herald|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/state/mangaluru/athikaribettu-gp-s-initiative-to-publicise-tulu-gets-good-response-852216.html|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref>

==Preservation==
; Keladi Museum & Historical Research Bureau, [[Shimoga]], Karnataka
: The museum has a library of about a thousand paper and palm leaf manuscripts written in Kannada, Sanskrit, Tamil and Telugu, besides four hundred palm leaf manuscripts in Tigalari script. They relate to literature, art, [[dharmaśāstra]], history, astrology, astronomy, medicine, mathematics and veterinary science. There are several collections in the museum, including art objects, arms coins, stone sculptures and copper plate inscriptions belonging to the [[Vijayanagara Empire|Vijayanagara]] and [[Keladi]] eras. The Institution is affiliated to Gnana Sahyadri, Shankaraghatta, [[Kuvempu University]] of Shimoga.

; Oriental Research Institute Mysore
: The [[Oriental Research Institute Mysore]] houses over 33,000 palm leaf manuscripts. It is a research institute which collects, exhibits, edits and publishes rare manuscripts in both Sanskrit and Kannada. It contains many manuscripts, including ''Sharadatilaka'', in Tigalari script. The ''Sharadatilaka'' is a treatise on theory and practice of [[tantra|Tantric worship]]. While the exact date of the composition is not known, the manuscript itself is thought to be about four hundred years old. The author of the text, Lakshmana Deshikendra, is said to have written the text as an aid to worship for those unable to go through voluminous Tantra texts. The composition contains the gist of major Tantra classics and is in verse form.

; Saraswathi Mahal Library, Thanjavur
: Built up by the [[Thanjavur Nayak kingdom|Nayak]] and [[Thanjavur Maratha kingdom|Maratha]] dynasties of [[Thanjavur]], [[Saraswathi Mahal Library]] contains a very rare and valuable collection of manuscripts, books, maps and painting on all aspects of arts, culture and literature. The scripts include Grantha, Devanagari, Telugu and Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Tigalari and Oriya.

; [[French Institute of Pondicherry]]
: The Institut Français de Pondichéry was established in 1955 with a view to collecting all material relating to ''[[Shaivism|Saiva]] [[Āgama (Hinduism)|Āgama]]s'', scriptures of the Saiva religious tradition called the [[Shaiva Siddhanta]], which has flourished in South India since the eighth century A.D. The manuscript collection of the Institute<ref>The digitized Tigalari manuscripts can be viewed at {{cite web |url=http://www.ifpindia.org/manuscripts/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=24 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.is/20131124120611/http://www.ifpindia.org/manuscripts/ |archive-date=24 November 2013 }}</ref> was compiled under its Founder–Director, Jean Filliozat. The manuscripts, which are in need of urgent preservation, cover a wide variety of topics such as Vedic ritual, Saiva Agama, [[Puranas#Sthala Puranas|Sthalapurana]] and scripts, such as Grantha and Tamil. The collection consists of approximately 8,600 palm-leaf codices, most of which are in the Sanskrit language and written in Grantha script; others are in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Nandinagari and Tigalari scripts.

: The ''Shaiva Agama'' is composed in Sanskrit and written in Tigalari script. Though there may be a few copies of these texts available elsewhere, this particular codex comes from southern Karnataka, providing glimpses into the regional variations and peculiarities in ritual patterns. The manuscript was copied in the 18th century on (sritala) palm leaf manuscripts.

Apart from these they are also found in [[Dharmasthala]], Ramachandrapura Matha of Hosanagar, Shimoga, [[Sodhe|Sonda]] Swarnavalli Matha of [[Sirsi, Karnataka|Sirsi]] and the [[Ashta Mathas of Udupi]].

==Characters==
[[Palm-leaf manuscript]] of Sanskrit written in Tigalari: ''Vidyamadhaviyam-Jyotisha Shastram''
[[File:Tigalari-manuscript-Vidyamadhaviyam.jpg|thumb|none|700px|alt=Image: A folio from Tigalari manuscript in the Sanskrit language-Vidyamadhaviyam-Jyotisha Shastram]]

A chart showing a complete list of consonant and vowel combinations used in the Tigalari script.

[[File:Tulu glyphs.png|600px|This is the alphabet of Tigalari script]]
{{-}}

==Compared with Malayalam==
Tigalari and [[Malayalam script|Malayalam]] are both descended from [[Grantha script]], and resemble each other both in their individual letters and in using consonant conjuncts less than other Indic scripts. It is assumed that a single script around 9th-10th century called Western Grantha, evolved from Grantha script and later divided into two scripts.<ref name="C">Andronov, Mikhail Sergeevich. ''A Grammar of the Malayalam Language in Historical Treatment''. Wiesbaden : Harrassowitz, 1996.</ref>

==Compared with other scripts==
This table compares the consonants ka, kha, ga, gha, ṅa with other Southern Indic scripts such as [[Grantha alphabet|Grantha]], Tigalari, [[Malayalam Alphabet|Malayalam]], [[Kannada alphabet|Kannada]] and [[Sinhala script|Sinhala]].

[[File:Tigalari script comparison chart..jpg|650px]]

==In Unicode==
Proposals of Tigalari (Tulu) have been submitted to [[Unicode]] in 2011 by Michael Everson<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2011/11120r-n4025r-tulu.pdf|title=N4025R: Preliminary proposal for encoding the Tulu script in the SMP of the UCS | first = Michael | last = Everson | publisher=Working Group Document, ISO/IEC JTC1/SC2/WG2 and UTC|date=22 April 2011|access-date=18 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.unicode.org/roadmaps/smp/|title=Roadmap to the SMP|date=17 August 2015|access-date=18 January 2016}}</ref> and in 2017 by Vaishnavi Murthy K. Y. and Vinodh Rajan.<ref name="Tulu Unicode 2017">{{cite web |author1=Vaishnavi Murthy K Y |author2=Vinodh Rajan |title= L2/17-378 Preliminary proposal to encode Tigalari script in Unicode |url=https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2017/17378-tigalari.pdf |website=unicode.org |access-date=28 June 2018}}</ref> Srinidhi A and Sridatta A also made comments on L2/16-241, the previous version of L2/17-378.

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=Note}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Citation
| author = S. Muhammad Hussain Nainar | year=1942
| title= Tuhfat-al-Mujahidin: An Historical Work in The Arabic Language | publisher=University of Madras
| url= https://archive.org/details/Tuhfat-al-MujahidinAnHistoricalWorkInTheArabicLanguage
|isbn= 9789839154801}}
* {{Citation
| author = J. Sturrock | year=1894
| title= Madras District Manuals - South Canara (Volume-I) | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.3200/page/n1/mode/2up
}}
* {{Citation
| author = Harold A. Stuart | year=1895
| title= Madras District Manuals - South Canara (Volume-II) | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.281736/mode/2up
}}
* {{Citation
| author = Government of Madras | year=1905
| title= Madras District Gazetteers: Statistical Appendix for South Canara District | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.177471/page/n1/mode/2up
}}
* {{Citation
| author = Government of Madras | year=1915
| title= Madras District Gazetteers South Canara (Volume-II) | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= https://archive.org/details/dli.ministry.16591/page/n5/mode/2up
}}
* {{Citation
| author = Government of Madras | year=1953
| title= 1951 Census Handbook- South Canara District | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/6023/1/7746_1951.pdf
}}
* {{Citation
| author = J. I. Arputhanathan | year=1955
| title= South Kanara, The Nilgiris, Malabar and Coimbatore Districts (Village-wise Mother-tongue Data for Bilingual or Multilingual Taluks) | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/6447/1/50056_1951_SOU.pdf
}}
* {{Citation |title=Statistical Atlas of the Madras State (1951)|last=Rajabhushanam|first=D. S.|publisher=Director of Statistics, Government of Madras|year=1963|location=Madras (Chennai)|url=http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/6454/1/9111_1951_STA.pdf}}

==See also==
* [[Grantha script]]
* [[Malayalam script]]
* [[Gokak agitation]]

==External links==
{{Commons category|Tulu script}}
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=0J3GCwAAQBAJ Tulu Alphabet - Tulu Lipi: Tulu Akshara Male by GVS Ullal]
* [http://tuluacademy.org/en/tulu-alphabets/ Lessons on Tulu alphabets by Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy]
* [http://www.typoday.in/2012/spk_papers/vaishnavi-murthy-typographyday2012.pdf Tending to the Inheritance of Tulu Script]



{{list of writing systems}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tigalari Script}}

[[Category:Brahmic scripts]]
[[Category:Sanskrit transliteration]]
[[Category:Tulu language]]

Tigalari script

2021-11-25T16:45:55Z

Knowledge: Fixed title

#REDIRECT[[Tulu Script]]
{{Short description|Abugida writing system of the Brahmic family}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}{{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox writing system
|name = Tigalari
|languages = [[Tulu language|Tulu]], [[Kannada]], [[Malayalam]], and [[Sanskrit]]
|type = [[Abugida]]
|time = 9th century CE – present<ref name="diringer">{{cite book|last1=Diringer|first1=David|title=Alphabet a key to the history of mankind|date=1948|page=385|url=https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.1287}}</ref>
|fam1=[[Brahmi script]]
|fam2=[[Tamil Brahmi]]
|fam3=[[Pallava script]]<ref>Handbook of Literacy in Akshara Orthography, R. Malatesha Joshi, Catherine McBride(2019), p.28</ref>
|fam4=[[Grantha script|Grantha]]
|sisters=[[Malayalam script]] [[Saurashtra script]] [[Dhives Akuru]]
|sample=Tululipi4.svg
|caption=
|imagesize=250px
|unicode =
|iso15924 =
|iso15924 note =
|footnotes =
|note = none
}}
{{Contains special characters|Indic}}
{{Brahmic}}

'''Tigalari''' (''Tigaḷāri lipi'', ''tulu lipi'')<ref group=Note>The script is also referred to as '''Arya Ezhuttu''', '''Grantha Malayalam''', '''Tulu Grantha''', '''Tulu-Malayalam''' and '''Western Grantha'''.</ref> is a Southern [[Brahmic scripts|Brahmic script]] which was used to write [[Tulu language|Tulu]], [[Kannada]], and [[Sanskrit]] languages. It was primarily used for writing [[Vedas|Vedic texts]] in Sanskrit.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scriptsource.org/cms/scripts/page.php?item_id=script_detail&key=Qaau|title=ScriptSource - Tigalari|website=scriptsource.org}}</ref> It evolved from the [[Grantha script]]. It is called as Tigalari lipi in [[Kannada]]-speaking regions ([[Malenadu|Malnad region]]) and [[Tulu language|Tulu]] speakers call it as ''Tulu lipi''. It bears high similarity and relationship to its sister script [[Malayalam script|Malayalam]], which also evolved from the [[Grantha script]].

The oldest record of the usage of this script found in a stone inscription at the Sri Veeranarayana temple in [[Kulshekar|Kulashekara]] here is in complete Tigalari/Tulu script and Tulu language and belongs to the 1159 A.D.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Spl. Correspondent|first=The Hindu|date=22 February 2019|title=Tulu stone inscription in Veeranarayana temple belongs to 1159 A.D.: Historian|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/tulu-stone-inscription-in-veeranarayana-temple-belongs-to-1159-ad-historian/article26344575.ece#|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref> The various inscriptions of Tulu from the 15th century are in the Tigalari script. Two Tulu epics named ''Sri Bhagavato'' and ''Kaveri'' from the 17th century were also written in the same script.<ref name="BhatSteveer">{{cite book|last1=Steever|first1=Sanford B|title=The Dravidian Languages|date=2015|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781136911644|pages=158–163}}</ref> It was also used by [[Tulu language|Tulu]]-speaking Brahmins like [[Shivalli Brahmins]] and Kannada speaking [[Havyaka Brahmin]]s and [[Kota Brahmins]] to write [[Vedas|Vedic]] [[mantra]]s and other [[Sanskrit]] religious texts. However, there has been a renewed interest among Tulu speakers to revive the script as it was formerly used in the [[Tulu Nadu|Tulu-speaking region]]. The [[Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy]], a cultural wing of the [[Government of Karnataka]], has introduced Tuḷu language (written in Kannada script) and Tigalari script in schools across the [[Dakshina Kannada|Mangalore]] and [[Udupi district]]s.<ref name="Tulu Unicode 2017" /> The Academy provides instructional manuals to learn this script and conducts workshops to teach it.<ref name="Hindu1">{{cite news|last1=Kamila|first1=Raviprasad|title=Tulu academy's script classes attract natives|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/tulu-academys-script-classes-attract-natives/article5051292.ece|access-date=28 June 2018|work=The Hindu|date=23 August 2013}}</ref>

== Alternate names ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!'''Name of the script'''
!'''Prevalent in'''
!'''References to their roots'''
|-
|Arya Ezhuttu/Grantha Malayalam
|Kerala, Parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
|Malayalam Speakers, Manipravala, Tamil Grantha
|-
|Western Grantha/Tulu-Malayalam
|Few academic publications
|19th Century Western Scholars
|-
|Tigalari
|''Malenadu'' & ''Karavali'' (coastal) regions of Karnataka
|Kannada speakers, Havyaka Brahmins, National Manuscript Mission Catalogues
|-
|Tulu Lipi/Tulu Grantha Lipi
|Coastal Karnataka, [[Tulu Nadu]]
|Tulu speakers, A C Burnell
|}
The name by which this script is referred to is closely tied with its regional, linguistic or historical roots. It would not be wrong to assign all the names mentioned above to this script.<ref name="Tulu Unicode 2017" />

Arya Ezhuttu or the more recently coined term: Grantha Malayalam is used to refer to this script in Kerala. Arya Ezhuttu covers the spectrum between the older script (that is Tigalari) until it was standardised by the lead types for Malayalam script (old style) in Kerala.<ref name="Tulu Unicode 2017" />

‘Tigalari’ is used to this day by the Havyaka brahmins of the Malanadu region. Tigalari is also the term that is commonly used to refer to this script in most manuscript catalogues and in several academic publications today. Prof. Gunda Jois has studied this script closely for over four decades now. According to his findings that were based on evidences found in stone inscriptions, palm leaf manuscripts and early research work done by western scholars like Prof. B L Rice, he finds the only name used for this script historically has been ‘Tigalari’.<ref name="Tulu Unicode 2017" />

This script is commonly known as the Tulu script or Tulu Grantha script in the coastal regions of Karnataka. There are several recent publications and instructional books for learning this script. It is also called the Tigalari script in—Elements of South Indian Palaeography by Rev. A C Burnell and a couple of other early publications of the Basel Mission press, Mangalore. Tulu Ramayana manuscript found in the [[Dharmasthala]] archives refers to this script as 'Tigalari Lipi'.

==Geographical distribution==
The script is used all over [[Kanara|Canara]] and [[Malenadu|Western Hilly]] regions of Karnataka. Many manuscripts are also found [[North Canara]], [[Udupi]], [[South Canara]], [[Shimoga district|Shimoga]], [[Chikkamagaluru]] and [[Kasaragod district]] of Kerala. There are innumerable manuscripts found in this region. The major language of manuscripts is [[Sanskrit]], mainly the works of [[Vedas|Veda]], [[Hindu astrology|Jyotisha]] and other Sanskrit epics.

==Usage==
===Historical use===
[[File:Tigalari-sanskrit-manuscript.jpg|thumb|300px|A Tigalari manuscript]]
Thousands of manuscripts have been found in this script such as [[Vedas]], [[Upanishads]], [[Jyotisha]], [[Dharmashastra]], [[Purana]] and many more. Most works are in Sanskrit. However, some Kannada manuscripts are also found such as ''Gokarna Mahatmyam'' etc. The popular 16th-century work ''Kaushika Ramayana'' written in Old Kannada language by Battaleshwara of [[Yana, India|Yana]], Uttara Kannada is found in this script. ''[[Mahabharata|Mahabharato]]'' of 15th century written in this script in Tulu language is also found. But earlier to this several 12th-13th century Sanskrit manuscripts of [[Madhvacharya]] are also found. [[Honnavar]] in Uttara Kannada District is known for its [[Samaveda]] manuscripts. Other manuscripts like ''[[Devi Mahatmya]]m'', from the 15th century and two [[epic poem]]s written in the 17th century, namely ''Sri Bhagavato'' and ''Kaveri'' have also been found in [[Tulu language]].

===Modern use===
Today the usage of the script has decreased. It is still used in parts of [[Kanara]] region and traditional ''[[Matha|maṭha]]''s of undivided [[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Uttara Kannada]] Districts.

The [[National Mission for Manuscripts]] has conducted several workshops on Tigalari script. [[Dharmasthala]] and the [[Ashta Mathas of Udupi]] have done significant work in preserving the script. Several studies and research work has been done on Tigalari script. [[Keladi]] houses over 400 manuscripts in Tigalari script.

There is a gaining support and interest by Tuluvas in revival of the script. [[Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy]] is constantly conducting meetings with experts for standardisation of Tulu script.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shenoy|first=Jaideep|date=30 November 2019|title=Karnataka Tulu Sahitya academy to convene meet of experts for standardisation of Tulu script|work=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/karnataka-academy-to-convene-meet-of-experts-for-standardisation-of-tulu-script/articleshow/72303131.cms|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref> There is also huge support from Local MLAs for popularising the Tulu script.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shenoy|first=Jaideep|date=18 November 2019|title=MLA Vedavyas Kamath gives Tulu an online fillip|work=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/mla-vedavyas-kamath-gives-tulu-an-online-fillip/articleshow/72102948.cms|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref>

There are many places in [[Tulu Nadu]] region where sign boards are being installed in Tulu script.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Monteiro|first=Walter|date=21 July 2020|title=Karkala: Nandalike Abbanadka Friends Club inaugurates road signboard in Tulu|work=Daijiworld|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay.aspx?newsID=732646|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=DHNS|first=Harsha|date=21 June 2020|title=Athikaribettu GP's initiative to publicise Tulu gets good response|work=Deccan Herald|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/state/mangaluru/athikaribettu-gp-s-initiative-to-publicise-tulu-gets-good-response-852216.html|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref>

==Preservation==
; Keladi Museum & Historical Research Bureau, [[Shimoga]], Karnataka
: The museum has a library of about a thousand paper and palm leaf manuscripts written in Kannada, Sanskrit, Tamil and Telugu, besides four hundred palm leaf manuscripts in Tigalari script. They relate to literature, art, [[dharmaśāstra]], history, astrology, astronomy, medicine, mathematics and veterinary science. There are several collections in the museum, including art objects, arms coins, stone sculptures and copper plate inscriptions belonging to the [[Vijayanagara Empire|Vijayanagara]] and [[Keladi]] eras. The Institution is affiliated to Gnana Sahyadri, Shankaraghatta, [[Kuvempu University]] of Shimoga.

; Oriental Research Institute Mysore
: The [[Oriental Research Institute Mysore]] houses over 33,000 palm leaf manuscripts. It is a research institute which collects, exhibits, edits and publishes rare manuscripts in both Sanskrit and Kannada. It contains many manuscripts, including ''Sharadatilaka'', in Tigalari script. The ''Sharadatilaka'' is a treatise on theory and practice of [[tantra|Tantric worship]]. While the exact date of the composition is not known, the manuscript itself is thought to be about four hundred years old. The author of the text, Lakshmana Deshikendra, is said to have written the text as an aid to worship for those unable to go through voluminous Tantra texts. The composition contains the gist of major Tantra classics and is in verse form.

; Saraswathi Mahal Library, Thanjavur
: Built up by the [[Thanjavur Nayak kingdom|Nayak]] and [[Thanjavur Maratha kingdom|Maratha]] dynasties of [[Thanjavur]], [[Saraswathi Mahal Library]] contains a very rare and valuable collection of manuscripts, books, maps and painting on all aspects of arts, culture and literature. The scripts include Grantha, Devanagari, Telugu and Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Tigalari and Oriya.

; [[French Institute of Pondicherry]]
: The Institut Français de Pondichéry was established in 1955 with a view to collecting all material relating to ''[[Shaivism|Saiva]] [[Āgama (Hinduism)|Āgama]]s'', scriptures of the Saiva religious tradition called the [[Shaiva Siddhanta]], which has flourished in South India since the eighth century A.D. The manuscript collection of the Institute<ref>The digitized Tigalari manuscripts can be viewed at {{cite web |url=http://www.ifpindia.org/manuscripts/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=24 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.is/20131124120611/http://www.ifpindia.org/manuscripts/ |archive-date=24 November 2013 }}</ref> was compiled under its Founder–Director, Jean Filliozat. The manuscripts, which are in need of urgent preservation, cover a wide variety of topics such as Vedic ritual, Saiva Agama, [[Puranas#Sthala Puranas|Sthalapurana]] and scripts, such as Grantha and Tamil. The collection consists of approximately 8,600 palm-leaf codices, most of which are in the Sanskrit language and written in Grantha script; others are in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Nandinagari and Tigalari scripts.

: The ''Shaiva Agama'' is composed in Sanskrit and written in Tigalari script. Though there may be a few copies of these texts available elsewhere, this particular codex comes from southern Karnataka, providing glimpses into the regional variations and peculiarities in ritual patterns. The manuscript was copied in the 18th century on (sritala) palm leaf manuscripts.

Apart from these they are also found in [[Dharmasthala]], Ramachandrapura Matha of Hosanagar, Shimoga, [[Sodhe|Sonda]] Swarnavalli Matha of [[Sirsi, Karnataka|Sirsi]] and the [[Ashta Mathas of Udupi]].

==Characters==
[[Palm-leaf manuscript]] of Sanskrit written in Tigalari: ''Vidyamadhaviyam-Jyotisha Shastram''
[[File:Tigalari-manuscript-Vidyamadhaviyam.jpg|thumb|none|700px|alt=Image: A folio from Tigalari manuscript in the Sanskrit language-Vidyamadhaviyam-Jyotisha Shastram]]

A chart showing a complete list of consonant and vowel combinations used in the Tigalari script.

[[File:Tulu glyphs.png|600px|This is the alphabet of Tigalari script]]
{{-}}

==Compared with Malayalam==
Tigalari and [[Malayalam script|Malayalam]] are both descended from [[Grantha script]], and resemble each other both in their individual letters and in using consonant conjuncts less than other Indic scripts. It is assumed that a single script around 9th-10th century called Western Grantha, evolved from Grantha script and later divided into two scripts.<ref name="C">Andronov, Mikhail Sergeevich. ''A Grammar of the Malayalam Language in Historical Treatment''. Wiesbaden : Harrassowitz, 1996.</ref>

==Compared with other scripts==
This table compares the consonants ka, kha, ga, gha, ṅa with other Southern Indic scripts such as [[Grantha alphabet|Grantha]], Tigalari, [[Malayalam Alphabet|Malayalam]], [[Kannada alphabet|Kannada]] and [[Sinhala script|Sinhala]].

[[File:Tigalari script comparison chart..jpg|650px]]

==In Unicode==
Proposals of Tigalari (Tulu) have been submitted to [[Unicode]] in 2011 by Michael Everson<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2011/11120r-n4025r-tulu.pdf|title=N4025R: Preliminary proposal for encoding the Tulu script in the SMP of the UCS | first = Michael | last = Everson | publisher=Working Group Document, ISO/IEC JTC1/SC2/WG2 and UTC|date=22 April 2011|access-date=18 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.unicode.org/roadmaps/smp/|title=Roadmap to the SMP|date=17 August 2015|access-date=18 January 2016}}</ref> and in 2017 by Vaishnavi Murthy K. Y. and Vinodh Rajan.<ref name="Tulu Unicode 2017">{{cite web |author1=Vaishnavi Murthy K Y |author2=Vinodh Rajan |title= L2/17-378 Preliminary proposal to encode Tigalari script in Unicode |url=https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2017/17378-tigalari.pdf |website=unicode.org |access-date=28 June 2018}}</ref> Srinidhi A and Sridatta A also made comments on L2/16-241, the previous version of L2/17-378.

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=Note}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Citation
| author = S. Muhammad Hussain Nainar | year=1942
| title= Tuhfat-al-Mujahidin: An Historical Work in The Arabic Language | publisher=University of Madras
| url= https://archive.org/details/Tuhfat-al-MujahidinAnHistoricalWorkInTheArabicLanguage
|isbn= 9789839154801}}
* {{Citation
| author = J. Sturrock | year=1894
| title= Madras District Manuals - South Canara (Volume-I) | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.3200/page/n1/mode/2up
}}
* {{Citation
| author = Harold A. Stuart | year=1895
| title= Madras District Manuals - South Canara (Volume-II) | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.281736/mode/2up
}}
* {{Citation
| author = Government of Madras | year=1905
| title= Madras District Gazetteers: Statistical Appendix for South Canara District | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.177471/page/n1/mode/2up
}}
* {{Citation
| author = Government of Madras | year=1915
| title= Madras District Gazetteers South Canara (Volume-II) | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= https://archive.org/details/dli.ministry.16591/page/n5/mode/2up
}}
* {{Citation
| author = Government of Madras | year=1953
| title= 1951 Census Handbook- South Canara District | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/6023/1/7746_1951.pdf
}}
* {{Citation
| author = J. I. Arputhanathan | year=1955
| title= South Kanara, The Nilgiris, Malabar and Coimbatore Districts (Village-wise Mother-tongue Data for Bilingual or Multilingual Taluks) | publisher=Madras Government Press
| url= http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/6447/1/50056_1951_SOU.pdf
}}
* {{Citation |title=Statistical Atlas of the Madras State (1951)|last=Rajabhushanam|first=D. S.|publisher=Director of Statistics, Government of Madras|year=1963|location=Madras (Chennai)|url=http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/6454/1/9111_1951_STA.pdf}}

==See also==
* [[Grantha script]]
* [[Malayalam script]]
* [[Gokak agitation]]

==External links==
{{Commons category|Tulu script}}
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=0J3GCwAAQBAJ Tulu Alphabet - Tulu Lipi: Tulu Akshara Male by GVS Ullal]
* [http://tuluacademy.org/en/tulu-alphabets/ Lessons on Tulu alphabets by Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy]
* [http://www.typoday.in/2012/spk_papers/vaishnavi-murthy-typographyday2012.pdf Tending to the Inheritance of Tulu Script]



{{list of writing systems}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tigalari Script}}

[[Category:Brahmic scripts]]
[[Category:Sanskrit transliteration]]
[[Category:Tulu language]]

Tulu script

2021-11-25T15:21:15Z

Knowledge: Fixed typo

Tulu script

Tigalari script

2021-11-23T08:42:09Z

Knowledge:

{{AFC submission/draft}}


'''Tulu script (Tulu lipi)''' is a southern [[Brahmic scripts|Brahmic script]] which was used to write Tulu and Sanskrit languages. It evolved from the [[Grantha script]]. It bears high similarity and relationship to its sister scripts [[Malayalam script|Malayalam]] and [[Tigalari script|Tigalari]] which also evolved from the Grantha.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mangaloreanrecipes.com/recipes/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1260&Itemid=177|title=Tulu script|website=mangaloreanrecipes.com}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |'''Tulu Script'''
|-
| colspan="2" |
|-
!Type
|[[Abugida]]
|-
!Languages
|[[Tulu language|Tulu]] and [[Sanskrit]]
|-
!Time period
|9th century CE - Present<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Tulu-Malayalam-script|title=Tulu-Malayalam script|website=britannica.com}}</ref>
|-
!Parent systems
|[[Brahmi script]]
* [[Tamil Brahmi]]
** [[Pallava script]]
*** [[Grantha script|Grantha]]
**** [[Tulu script|Tulu]]
|-
!Sister systems
|[[Malayalam script]]
[[Tigalari script]]

[[Saurashtra script]]

[[Dhives Akuru]]
|-
!
|
|}
'''Tulu''' ('''തുളു/ತುಳು''') is a [[Dravidian languages|Dravidian language]] of India spoken by an estimated native speakers between 3 to 5 million spread worldwide, known as [[Tulu people|Tuluvas]]. It is one of the oldest language born almost during the same time when [[Tamil language|Tamil]] & Prakrit were born. Most Tuluvas are natives of the districts of [[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Udupi]] in the west of the state of Karnataka and also [[Kasaragod]] district of Kerala which is collectively known as the [[Tulu Nadu]] region.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.keralatourism.org/bekal/tulu-nadu.php|title=TuluNadu|website=keralatourism.com}}</ref> There are a sizeable number of [[Tulu people|Tuluvas]] in the gulf as well as in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra. The original written script of the language Tulu adapted from the Grantha Script, from which the present day Malayalam script is also adapted, is rarely used today. Since the people have taken initiate to revive this script.
== History ==

The script used by the migrating Tulu priests in Kerala to write vedas and mantras around 11-12th century is popularly known as the Tulu Script. As this script form is popular in both Tulunad and Kerala, it’s called TuluMalayalam script. This Tulu-Malayalam script became Malayalam script in Kerala and Tulu script in Tulunad<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://shivallibrahmins.com/tulu-language/tulu-language-and-script/comment-page-3/|title=Tulu language and script|website=shivallibrahmins.com}}</ref>. There is another variant script which is called as Tigalari script. These three scripts share much similarities because they originated from same parent script which grantha.
<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ethnologue.com/subgroups/dravidian|title=Languages of the world|website=ethnologue.com}}</ref>

{{AfC submission|||ts=20211123141209|u=Knowledge|ns=118}}

Tigalari script

2021-11-16T08:40:25Z

Knowledge: /* History */

Tigalari script

2021-11-16T08:38:07Z

Knowledge: Fixed typo

{{AFC submission/draft}}


'''Tulu script (Tulu lipi)''' is a southern [[Brahmic scripts|Brahmic script]] which was used to write Tulu and Sanskrit languages. It evolved from the [[Grantha script]]. It bears high similarity and relationship to its sister scripts [[Malayalam script|Malayalam]] and [[Tigalari script|Tigalari]] which also evolved from the Grantha.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mangaloreanrecipes.com/recipes/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1260&Itemid=177|title=Tulu script|website=mangaloreanrecipes.com}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |'''Tulu Script'''
|-
| colspan="2" |
|-
!Type
|[[Abugida]]
|-
!Languages
|[[Tulu language|Tulu]] and [[Sanskrit]]
|-
!Time period
|9th century CE - Present<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Tulu-Malayalam-script|title=Tulu-Malayalam script|website=britannica.com}}</ref>
|-
!Parent systems
|[[Brahmi script]]
* [[Tamil Brahmi]]
** [[Pallava script]]
*** [[Grantha script|Grantha]]
**** [[Tulu script|Tulu]]
|-
!Sister systems
|[[Malayalam script]]
[[Tigalari script]]

[[Saurashtra script]]

[[Dhives Akuru]]
|-
!
|
|}
'''Tulu''' ('''തുളു/ತುಳು''') is a [[Dravidian languages|Dravidian language]] of India spoken by an estimated native speakers between 3 to 5 million spread worldwide, known as [[Tulu people|Tuluvas]]. It is one of the oldest language born almost during the same time when [[Tamil language|Tamil]] & Prakrit were born. Most Tuluvas are natives of the districts of [[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Udupi]] in the west of the state of Karnataka and also [[Kasaragod]] district of Kerala which is collectively known as the [[Tulu Nadu]] region.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.keralatourism.org/bekal/tulu-nadu.php|title=TuluNadu|website=keralatourism.com}}</ref> There are a sizeable number of [[Tulu people|Tuluvas]] in the gulf as well as in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra. The original written script of the language Tulu adapted from the Grantha Script, from which the present day Malayalam script is also adapted, is rarely used today. Since the people have taken initiate to revive this script.
== History ==

The script used by the migrating Tulu priests in Kerala to write vedas and mantras around 11-12th century is popularly known as the Tulu Script. As this script form is popular in both Tulunad and Kerala, it’s called TuluMalayalam script. This Tulu-Malayalam script became Malayalam script in Kerala and Tulu script in Tulunad<ref>{{Cite web|https:url=http://shivallibrahmins.com/tulu-language/tulu-language-and-script/comment-page-3/|title=Tulu language and script|website=shivallibrahmins.com}}</ref>. There is another variant script which is called as Tigalari script. These three scripts share much similarities because they originated from same parent script which grantha.
<ref>{{Cite web|https://www.ethnologue.com/subgroups/dravidian|title=Languages of the world|website=ethnologue.com}}</ref>

Tigalari script

2021-11-16T08:36:59Z

Knowledge: /* History */ new section

{{AFC submission/draft}}


'''Tulu script (Tulu lipi)''' is a southern [[Brahmic scripts|Brahmic script]] which was used to write Tulu and Sanskrit languages. It evolved from the [[Grantha script]]. It bears high similarity and relationship to its sister scripts [[Malayalam script|Malayalam]] and [[Tigalari script|Tigalari]] which also evolved from the Grantha.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mangaloreanrecipes.com/recipes/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1260&Itemid=177|title=Tulu script|website=mangaloreanrecipes.com}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |'''Tulu Script'''
|-
| colspan="2" |
|-
!Type
|[[Abugida]]
|-
!Languages
|[[Tulu language|Tulu]] and [[Sanskrit]]
|-
!Time period
|9th century CE - Present<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Tulu-Malayalam-script|title=Tulu-Malayalam script|website=britannica.com}}</ref>
|-
!Parent systems
|[[Brahmi script]]
* [[Tamil Brahmi]]
** [[Pallava script]]
*** [[Grantha script|Grantha]]
**** [[Tulu script|Tulu]]
|-
!Sister systems
|[[Malayalam script]]
[[Tigalari script]]

[[Saurashtra script]]

[[Dhives Akuru]]
|-
!
|
|}
'''Tulu''' ('''തുളു/ತುಳು''') is a [[Dravidian languages|Dravidian language]] of India spoken by an estimated native speakers between 3 to 5 million spread worldwide, known as [[Tulu people|Tuluvas]]. It is one of the oldest language born almost during the same time when [[Tamil language|Tamil]] & Prakrit were born. Most Tuluvas are natives of the districts of [[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Udupi]] in the west of the state of Karnataka and also [[Kasaragod]] district of Kerala which is collectively known as the [[Tulu Nadu]] region.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.keralatourism.org/bekal/tulu-nadu.php|title=TuluNadu|website=keralatourism.com}}</ref> There are a sizeable number of [[Tulu people|Tuluvas]] in the gulf as well as in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra. The original written script of the language Tulu adapted from the Grantha Script, from which the present day Malayalam script is also adapted, is rarely used today. Since the people have taken initiate to revive this script.
==References==

== History ==

The script used by the migrating Tulu priests in Kerala to write vedas and mantras around 11-12th century is popularly known as the Tulu Script. As this script form is popular in both Tulunad and Kerala, it’s called TuluMalayalam script. This Tulu-Malayalam script became Malayalam script in Kerala and Tulu script in Tulunad<ref>{{Cite web|https:url=http://shivallibrahmins.com/tulu-language/tulu-language-and-script/comment-page-3/|title=Tulu language and script|website=shivallibrahmins.com}}</ref>. There is another variant script which is called as Tigalari script. These three scripts share much similarities because they originated from same parent script which grantha.
<ref>{{Cite web|https://www.ethnologue.com/subgroups/dravidian|title=Languages of the world|website=ethnologue.com}}</ref>

Tigalari script

2021-11-16T08:34:16Z

Knowledge:

Tigalari script

2021-11-16T08:32:35Z

Knowledge: /* Verify the page */ new section

{{AFC submission/draft}}


'''Tulu script (Tulu lipi)''' is a southern [[Brahmic scripts|Brahmic script]] which was used to write Tulu and Sanskrit languages. It evolved from the [[Grantha script]]. It bears high similarity and relationship to its sister scripts [[Malayalam script|Malayalam]] and [[Tigalari script|Tigalari]] which also evolved from the Grantha.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mangaloreanrecipes.com/recipes/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1260&Itemid=177|title=Tulu script|website=mangaloreanrecipes.com}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |'''Tulu Script'''
|-
| colspan="2" |
|-
!Type
|[[Abugida]]
|-
!Languages
|[[Tulu language|Tulu]] and [[Sanskrit]]
|-
!Time period
|9th century CE - Present<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Tulu-Malayalam-script|title=Tulu-Malayalam script|website=britannica.com}}</ref>
|-
!Parent systems
|[[Brahmi script]]
* [[Tamil Brahmi]]
** [[Pallava script]]
*** [[Grantha script|Grantha]]
**** [[Tulu script|Tulu]]
|-
!Sister systems
|[[Malayalam script]]
[[Tigalari script]]

[[Saurashtra script]]

[[Dhives Akuru]]
|-
!
|
|}
'''Tulu''' ('''തുളു/ತುಳು''') is a [[Dravidian languages|Dravidian language]] of India spoken by an estimated native speakers between 3 to 5 million spread worldwide, known as [[Tulu people|Tuluvas]]. It is one of the oldest language born almost during the same time when [[Tamil language|Tamil]] & Prakrit were born. Most Tuluvas are natives of the districts of [[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Udupi]] in the west of the state of Karnataka and also [[Kasaragod]] district of Kerala which is collectively known as the [[Tulu Nadu]] region.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.keralatourism.org/bekal/tulu-nadu.php|title=TuluNadu|website=keralatourism.com}}</ref> There are a sizeable number of [[Tulu people|Tuluvas]] in the gulf as well as in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra. The original written script of the language Tulu adapted from the Grantha Script, from which the present day Malayalam script is also adapted, is rarely used today. Since the people have taken initiate to revive this script.
==References==

== Verify the page ==

Verify the new page

Tigalari script

2021-11-16T08:30:03Z

Knowledge:

Tigalari script

2021-11-06T13:22:57Z

Knowledge: Created page