North India Tourist Destinations
Kashmir - The Heaven on Earth
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Jammu & Kashmir (commonly referred to as "Kashmir")
is situated in one of the most captivating and tumultuous geographical
regions of the world. Jammu & Kashmir is centrally located
between Pakistan, India, Tibet, China, and Afghanistan.
Kashmir is famous for its natural beauty and has often been
referred to as the 'Switzerland of the East'. The heart of the
area is the fertile Vale of Kashmir (known as The Valley), which
lies between the Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range.
Here the climate is mild and the soil well watered.
Kashmir covers an area of 222,237 SqKm (85,800 SqMi). Mount
Godwin Austen/K2 (8,611m/28,250 ft) and mount Nanga Parbat (8,123m/26,650
ft) lie in Northern Kashmir.
The Indus river flows through Kashmir. The river Jhelum flows
through the Vale of Kashmir. The mountains have much precious
forests.
About 12 million people live in Kashmir, of which around 70%
are Muslims. The rest include Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists. Hindus
live mostly in the south and around the city of Jammu. To the
east is the Ladakh region, where the majority of the people
are Buddhists and of Tibetan origin. Most of the Kashmiri people
work on farms. Others are engaged in small industries making
shawls, rugs and carpets. Kashmir is well known for its wool
and, in particular, its shawls and carpets.
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