Ladakh
Ladakh (/ləˈdɑːk/) is a region administered by India as a union territory and constitutes an eastern portion of the larger Kashmir region that has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947 and India and China since 1959. Ladakh 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 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 Himalayas to the south. 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 1962.
Ladakh | |
|---|---|
Region administered by India as a union territory | |
Sheep grazing near Rangdum village; Shyok River in northern Ladakh | |
Interactive map of Ladakh | |
| Coordinates: 34°09′51″N 77°35′05″E | |
| Administering state | India |
| Union territory | 31 October 2019 |
| Capitals | Leh, Kargil |
| Districts | 2 |
| Government | |
| • Body | Administration of Ladakh |
| • Lieutenant Governor | B. D. Mishra |
| • Member of Parliament | Jamyang Tsering Namgyal (BJP) |
| • High Court | High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh |
| • Autonomous Hill Development Councils | LAHDC Leh LAHDC Kargil |
| Area | |
| • Total | 59,146 km2 (22,836 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 7,742 m (25,400 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 2,550 m (8,370 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 274,289 |
| • Density | 4.6/km2 (12/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Ladakhi |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Hindi and English |
| • Spoken | Ladakhi, Urdu, Purgi, Brokskat and Balti |
| Time zone | UTC+05:30 (IST) |
| ISO 3166 code | IN-LA |
| Vehicle registration | LA |
| Website | ladakh |
In the past, Ladakh gained importance from its strategic location at the crossroads of important trade routes, but as 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 strategically important, 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. The Leh district contains the Indus, Shyok and Nubra river valleys. The Kargil district contains the Suru, Dras and Zanskar river valleys. The main populated regions are the river valleys, but the mountain slopes also support pastoral Changpa nomads. The main religious groups in the region are Muslims (mainly Shia) (46%), Buddhists (mainly Tibetan Buddhists) (40%), and Hindus (12%) with the remaining 2% made of other religions. Ladakh is one of the most sparsely populated regions in India. Its culture and history are closely related to those of Tibet.
Ladakh was established as a union territory of India on 31 October 2019, following the passage of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act. Prior to that, it was part of the Jammu and Kashmir state. Ladakh is both the largest and the second least populous union territory of India.