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{{Short description|Western section of the Himalayas}}
{{Coord missing|Pakistan}}
[[File:Nanga Parbat The Killer Mountain.jpg|thumb|right|[[Nanga Parbat]] in [[Gilgit-Baltistan]] is the ninth-highest mountain on earth. In the traditional definition of the Himalayas to be lying between the [[Indus river|Indus]] and the [[Brahmaputra River|Tsangpo-Brahmaputra]] rivers, it is the western anchor of the entire range, around which the Indus river skirts.]]
The '''Western Himalayas''' refers to the western half of the [[Himalayas]], in northern [[Pakistan]] and northwestern [[India]]. It is also known as the '''Punjab Himalayas'''. Four of the five tributaries of the [[Indus River]] in [[Punjab]] ([[Beas River|Beas]], [[Chenab River|Chenab]], [[Jhelum River|Jhelum]], and [[Ravi River|Ravi]]) rise in the Western Himalayas; while the fifth, the [[Sutlej]] cuts through the range after rising in Tibet.

Included within the Western Himalayas are the [[Zanskar Range]], the [[Pir Panjal Range]], and the [[Dhauladhar|Dhauladhar Range]], and western parts of the [[Sivalik Range]] and the [[Great Himalayas]]. The highest point is [[Nanga Parbat]] (26,660 feet or 8,126 metres), at the northwestern end of the region.

==Rivers==
[[File:Kinnaur 344 (9527158279).jpg|thumb|The [[Baspa River|Baspa river]], a major glacier-fed Himalayan tributary of the Sutlej, flowing through [[Kinnaur district|Kinnaur]].]]
The Jhelum river rises in the Pir Panjal Range in Indian-administered [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], and flows northwestward through the [[Kashmir Valley|Vale of Kashmir]] before entering Pakistani-administered [[Azad Kashmir]] and eventually entering the plains near [[Mirpur, Azad Kashmir|Mirpur]]. The Chenab river originates in [[Himachal Pradesh]] near [[Chandra Taal]] and forms the [[Lahaul and Spiti district|Lahaul Valley]] in the state and the [[Chenab Valley]] in neighbouring [[Jammu division|Jammu]] before entering the plains near [[Akhnoor]]. The Ravi river which flows through the [[Chamba, Himachal Pradesh|Chamba Valley]] and the Beas river which flows through the [[Kullu Valley|Kullu]] and the [[Kangra Valley|Kangra]] valleys both originate in Himachal Pradesh state as well. The Sutlej river rises in Tibet, enters Himachal Pradesh near [[Shipki La]] pass, flows through [[Kinnaur district|Kinnaur]] where it is joined by its tributaries [[Spiti river|Spiti]] and [[Baspa Valley|Baspa]], before entering the plains near [[Ropar]] in Punjab.

==Ecology==
===Flora===
* [[Northwestern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows]]
* [[Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows]]
* [[Western Himalayan broadleaf forests]]
* [[Western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests]]

==Economic activities==
[[File:Apple Tree in Manali Himachal India.JPG|thumb|An Apple orchard near Manali, Himachal Pradesh.]]
Agriculture is the main economic activity in the area. The main crops grown in this region are [[Paddy (unmilled rice)|paddy]] and [[wheat]]. The region is a major hub of horticulture in the Indian subcontinent. [[Apple]]s are grown in the Kashmir, Kinnaur, Kishtwar, and Kullu valleys, as well as the Hills of [[Shimla district|Shimla]]. These regions, particularly Kashmir and the Shimla Hills produce almost all the apples grown in India and South Asia. [[Saffron]] is also grown in Kashmir and Kishtwar, while dry fruits are grown in several areas of the western Himalayan region. [[Kangra Tea|Tea]] is grown in the Kangra valley. A large number of people from nomadic pastoral communities such as [[Gurjar]]s, [[Bakarwal]]s and [[Gaddis]] living in the alpine and subalpine areas of these mountains engage in cattle rearing.

Tourism is another major industry. The city of [[Srinagar]] in the Kashmir Valley is famous for its [[houseboat]]s and [[shikara]]s on the [[Dal lake|Dal]] and [[Nigeen Lake|Nigeen lake]]s. [[Murree]], [[Pahalgam]], [[Sonmarg]], [[Gulmarg]], [[Dalhousie, India|Dalhousie]], [[Mcleodganj]], [[Dharamshala]], [[Manali, Himachal Pradesh|Manali]] and [[Shimla]] are famous [[hill station]]s. [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath]] and [[Vaishno Devi]] are important pilgrimage centres attracting several hundred thousands of pilgrims each year. Gulmarg and Manali are popular winter-sports destinations where activities such as skiing, snowboarding, sledding etc. are done, while adventure sports like paragliding are done at [[Bir, Himachal Pradesh|Bir and Billing]].

Several perennial rivers flow through these mountains which makes them ideal for hydroelectricity generation, and thus several hydroelectric projects are complete or underway in Pakistan and India.

==Cultural significance==
{{unreferenced section|date=July 2020}}

Many sites revered by people belonging to various faith and religions.

===Pilgrimage sites===
* [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath Cave Temple]]
* [[Gurudwara Shri Hemkund Sahib]]
* [[Jwala Ji]]
* Vaishno Devi, Katra

== See also ==
* [[Aksai Chin]]
* [[Eastern Himalayas]]
* [[Himalayas]]
* [[Kashmir]]
* [[Punjab]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Himalayas|.]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of the Himalayas|.]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of India]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Nepal]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Tibet]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Tajikistan]]
[[Category:Regions of China]]
[[Category:Regions of India]]
[[Category:Regions of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Regions of Nepal]]
[[Category:Physiographic divisions]]

Western Himalayas - Revision history

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