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One of the largest states of the Indian union, Jammu and Kashmir covers an area
of 2,22,236 sq km. This includes 78,114 sq km under illegal occupation of
Pakistan, 5,180 sq km handed over by Pakistan to China, and 37,555 sq km under
occupation of China.
 The state lies between 32o
17' to 36o 58'
North latitude and 73o 26'
to 80o 30' East
longitude. From North to South, it extends over 640 km and from East to West, 480
km. It occupies the North-West niche of India, bounded on the South by
Himachal Pradesh and the Punjab, on the South West and West by Pakistan, on
the North by Chinese Turkistan and a little of Russian Turkistan, and on the
East by Chinese Tibet - thus strategically bordering the territories of
three countries - Russia, China, and Pakistan. The State capital is
Srinagar in summer and Jammu in winter.
Geographically,
the Jammu and Kashmir state is divided into four zones. First, the mountainous
and semi- mountainous plain commonly known as Kandi belt, the second, hills
including Siwalik ranges, the third, mountains of Kashmir valley, and
Pir Panjal range and the fourth is Tibetan tract of Ladakh and Kargil. |
