Basic Facts
Population
Estimated population of Jammu & Kashmir across all three areas is over 18 million
Language
Urdu (Official), Kashmiri, other regional languages, English also widely spoken
Religion
80% Muslim, 16% Hindu, 3% Sikh, 1% Buddhist, Christian, other
Capitals
Srinagar (Indian-occupied Kashmir), Muzaffarabad (Azad Kashmir)
Presence Of Indian Army
Around 800,000 armed forces, including regular army and paramilitary
Controversial Laws / Draconian Measures
- Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) – providing the armed forces complete impunity for crimes that they commit;
- Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA) – empowering the law enforcement agencies to detain and imprison anyone without charge or trial;
- National Security Act;
- Prevention and Suppression of Sabotages Act
Geography
Located between the borders of Pakistan, India and China. With an area of 87,000 sq. miles, Kashmir is three times the size of Belgium, Netherlands and Luxemburg combined, and larger than 103 sovereign states. The population is estimated at approximately 18 million across all the divisions of Kashmir (based on the most recent census of India in 2011, and of Azad Kashmir in 2017)
The total area of Jammu & Kashmir is currently under three different controls
- 51% Indian-occupied
- 38% Pakistani-administered self-governing, aka Azad Kashmir
- 11% Chinese-administered Aksai Chin
The Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir is divided in three divisions namely, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Where as Azad Kashmir has always remained as single region with many districts.
INDIAN OCCUPIED JAMMU DIVISION | INDIAN OCCUPIED KASHMIR DIVISION | INDIAN OCCUPIED LADAKH REGION | AZAD (INDEPENDENT) KASHMIR | |||||||
Name of District | Estimated Area (km²) | Name of District | Estimated Area (km²) | Name of District | Estimated Area (km²) | Name of District | Estimated Area (km²) | |||
| Doda District | 2,306 | Anantnag District | 3,984 | Kargil District | 14,036 | Muzaffarabad | 2,496 | |||
| Jammu District | 3,097 | Bandipora District | 398 | Leh District | 45,110 | Hattian Bala | 854 | |||
| Kathua District | 2,651 | Baramulla district | 4,588 | Total | 59,146 | Neelam Valley | 3,621 | |||
| Kishtwar District | 7,737 | Budgam District | 1,371 | Mirpur | 1,010 | |||||
| Poonch District | 1,674 | Ganderbal District | 259 | Bhimber | 1,516 | |||||
| Rajouri District | 2,630 | Kulgam District | 1,067 | Kotli | 1,862 | |||||
| Ramban District | 1,329 | Kupwara District | 2,379 | Poonch | 855 | |||||
| Reasi District | 1,719 | Pulwama District | 1,398 | Bagh | 770 | |||||
| Samba District | 904 | Shopian District | 612.87 | Haveli | 598 | |||||
| Udhampur District | 4,550 | Srinagar District | 294 | Sudhnati | 569 | |||||