Geography

The Kashmir valley forms an important geographical region known, as,’ The lesser Himalyas’ or ‘The Jehlum Valley’ while as other two regions of the state are, ‘The Outer Himalyas’ or ‘The Southern Mountain Region (Jammu Province) and ‘ The Inner Himalyas’ or ‘The Indus Valley’ (Ladakh and Frontier areas).

The valley of Kashmir is distinctly marked by lakes, streams, luscious fruits, magnificient forests and mighty mountains; the features which contribute to the making of the valley a paradise on earth.Situated in the lap of the Himalyas,the green fertile valley of Kashmir is guarded by a long chain of mountains with an average height of about 1828.8 metres above the sea level. The general aspect of the valley is that of a basin. Surrounded on every side, by a range of lofty mountains. With it, is an extensive tract of alluvial soil watered by the Jehlum and its numerous tributaries which flow down from the mountains and are fed by the heavy snow and rain falling in the elevated regions.The valley resembles a gem set in the casket of the everlasting Himalyas.The wild grandeur of its mountain-barries and its own intrinsic loveliness make it an “ emerald set in pearls”.

Location And Boundaries:

The valley of Kashmir is situated in the Western Himalyas at an average height of 6000 feet above the sea level. Its latitude and longitude being between 33⁰ -22’ and 37⁰-06’ North and 72⁰-30’ East,respectively.In the North and the West, it is bounded by the river Kishenganga and mountain ranges extending upto Nanga parbat. In the East, it is contiguous to Ladakh,while in the South , it is bounded by the Pir Panjal range which segregates it from the Jammu division of the state.

Area And Population:

The total area of the Jammu and Kashmir State, as per census of 1981, is 2,22,236 sq. Kms., which include 42,735 sq.kms and 78,114 sq.kms. under the illegal occupitation of China and Pakistan,respectively. Out of this area 15,948 sq.kms constitute the valley of Kashmir with a population of 31,34,904 persons comprising of 16,69,585 males and 14,65,319 females. No decadal census could be conducted in Jammu and Kashmir State in 1991, due to administrative difficulties. However, the Standing Committee of Experts on Population projection, set by government of India, in October, 1989, projected the population of Kashmir to be 40.10 lakh persons for 1991 and 43.63 lakh persons for 1995. The denistry of population in the Kashmir Region was 308 souls per square kilometer as per estimated population for 1995.

The length of the valley, when measured from summit to summit of the mountains which encompass it, while its width varies from 64 to 120 kms.The low and the flat part of the valley , when measured from North-West to South –East comes to 154 kms, in length and the width again varies from 32 to 40 kms.