Introduction

Pakistan Kashmir is the currently Pakistan occupied portion of Jammu & Kashmir, referred to by it as Azad Kashmir or AJK with its capital, Muzaffarabad. Indian Kashmir is the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir, divided into Jammu, the Kashmir valley and Ladakh further subdivided into 22 districts. It is bordered on the west by Pakistan and in the North and East by China.

Geography

Pakistan Kashmir has a total area of 13,297 sq.km/ 5,134 sq.ml. It is bordered in the South by the Pakistan Punjab province, in the West by the province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and in the East by Indian Kashmir. It is made of fertile, green , mountainous valleys and towered by two peaks-the Jamgarh Peak915,531 ft/4,734 mt) and the Sarwali peak.

Indian Kashmir is 2, 22, 236 sq.km. in area . It’s famous valleys are the Kashmir valley, the Tawi valley, the Chenab valley, the Punch valley, the Sind Valley and the Lidder valley. Its northern most region of Ladakh is more than 3,000 metres (9,750 ft) above sea level. The Indus, Tawi, Ravi and the Chenab are the major rivers flowing through Indian Kashmir.

Climate

In Summer the northern and central parts of Pakistan Kashmir are moderately hot while the southern part is extremely hot. In winter the northern and central parts are very cold and chilly with some snow fall in December and January.The southern part is moderately cold. Rainfall occurs both in summers and winters. Almost the whole region receives an average rainfall of 1400mm with the highest of around 1800 mm falling around Muzaffarabad. In summer high monsoon rain and melting snow combine to form floods in the Jhelum and Leepa rivers.

The three regions of Indian Kashmir have varied climate. In the extreme North, in Ladakh, the winters are extremely cold, averaging -200C or -40F in January and sometimes dropping to extremely low as -400C or -400F. The summer is warm, around, 20 °C (68 °F), with low humidity, with the nights being generally cold. Annual rainfall is around 100mm or 4 inches. In winter all the rivers are frozen while in summer their water levels are very high due to melting of snow.In the Kashmir Valley the wettest months are between March and May, around 85 mm or 3.3 inches per month.In Jammu, the average rainfall is around 40 to 50 mm or 1.6 to 2 inches per month, between January and March. Summer temperatures in Jammu can go up to 40 °C (104 °F) .

Population

Pakistan Kashmir has a total populatin is around 4.6 million with majority concentrated in low lying areas. The main language spoken are Urdu(official language), Pahari,Hindko, Gojri, Punjabi, and Pashto. The rate of literacy is around 64%.

Indian Kashmir has a total population of 12,548,926 . Of this 6,665,561 are Males while 5,883,365 are Females. The density is 124 per Sq.Km and has a sex ratio of 883 per 1000 males.

Political

The President of Pakistan Kashmir is the head of State while the Prime Minister supported by a Council of Ministers is the Chief Executive. It has a unicameral Legislative Assembly that elects both the PM and the President. It has its own Supreme Court and Hight Court.

Indian Kashmir has a multi-party democratic system of governance. It has a bicameral legislature of  87-members . The lower house has 87 seats of which 46 are reserved for the Kashmir valley, 37 for Jammu and four for ladakh. The Assembly is convened and administered by the Speaker. The Chief Minister is from the party having a majority in the Assembly. He is the leader of the party and house. The leader of the party having the second largest number of seats is the leader of the opposition.

Economy

Pakistan Kashmir’s economy largely depends on agriculture, services, tourism, and remittances from abroad . In the low lying areas crops grown include barley, millet, corn/maize and wheat while Fruit production include mangoes, apples, walnuts and cherries. In the higher regions corn is mostly grown.Other agricultural products include Mushrooms, medicinal herbs and honey. Forestry is  an important activity with resin, deodar, kail, chir, fir, maple, and ash timber being most prominent. Livestock include cattle raising and dairy products. Minerals include Graphite, low grade coal, chalk, bauxite, zircon. Cottage industry products include wooden objects, textile, dhurrie carpets, namdas, shawls, pashmina, pherans, papier-mache, basketry, rugs, wood carving, silk and woolen clothing, patto, silverware.

Indian Kashmir had a GDP of about US.$ 14.5 billion in 2013-14. It’s fruit production accounts for 57% of apples and 97% walnuts produced in India. Its handicrafts industry contributed US.$283.2 million in 2012-2013.Other sectors with huge scope for expansion include Horticulture , floriculture, handlooms, mineral based industry, gems , Jewelry , sericulture, IT and  pharmaceuticals.It’s also a global tourism destination visited in 2013 by almost  11.0 million tourists.

Conclusion

Both Indian and Pakistan Kashmir have an uncertain future as independent entities.The unfolding situation in the Middle East with the Islamic State bent on dismantling the borders drawn by Colonial powers, the possibility of an assertive Hindu population seeking to restore the frontiers of a ancient Hindu homeland, looms large over the horizon.

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