Photo From Gilgat Baltistan Facebook Page
Gilgit-Baltistan territory was established on July 1, 1970. Its Capital is Gilgit and largest city is Skardu. Its total area is 72,971 square kilometres (28,174 square miles). Balti, Shina, Burushaski, Wakhi, Khowari, Kohistani, Kashmiri, Urdu, English Punjabi & Pashto are the languages, spoken here.
Gilgit-Baltistan Territory, also known as the Northern Areas, is located in the Northern most region of Pakistan. It borders with Azad Kashmir to the South, the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the West, the Wa-khan Corridor of Afghanistan to the North, Xinjiang, China, to the East and North-East and Jammu & Kashmir to the South-East.
Gilgit-Baltistan is administrative divided into two divisions; Gilgit and Skardu. It consists of ten Districts; four Districts of Baltistan include Skardu, Shigar, Kharmang and Ghanche, and six Districts of Gilgit include Gilgit, Ghizer, Diamer, Astore, Hunza and Nagar.
Three of the world’s longest glaciers outside the Polar Regions, are found in Gilgit-Baltistan; namely the Biafo Glacier, the Baltoro Glacier and the Batura Glacier. There are several high-altitude lakes found in Gilgit-Baltistan Region. They are as follows:
- Sheosar Lake in the Deosai Plains, Skardu.
- Naltar Lake, in the Naltar Valley, Gilgit.
- Satpara Lake in Skardu, Baltistan.
- Katzura Lake in Skardu, Baltistan.
- Zharba Lake in Shigar, Baltistan.
- Phoroq Lake in Skardu, Baltistan.
- Lake Kharfak in Gangche, Baltistan.
- Byarsa Lake in Gultari, Astore.
- Borith Lake in Gojal, upper Hunza, Gilgit.
- Rama Lake near Astore.
- Rush Lake near Nagar, Gilgit.
- Kromber Lake, at Kromber Pass Ishkoman Valley, Ghizer.
- Barodaroksh Lake in Bar Valley, Nagar.
- Ghorashi Lake in Ghandus Valley, Kharmang.
There are also located Deosai Plains, which are the second highest plateau in the world, at an altitude of 4,115 metres (14,500 feet), comes after Tibet. The plateau exists in the East of Astore Valley, in the South of Skardu and in the West of Ladakh. The area was declared as a National Park in 1993. The Deosai Plains cover an area of almost 5,000 square kilometres (1,900 square miles). From September to May, Deosai Plains remain snow-bound and cut off from rest of the Astore Valley and Baltistan. The village of Deosai is near Chilum Chokki and it is connected to the Kargil District of Ladakh as well, through an all-weather road.
Climate:
There towns of Gilgit and Chilas are very hot in the summer, during the day but cold at nights. While the temperature remains cold in the Valleys like Astore, Khaplu, Yasin, Hunza, and Nagar, even in the summers.
Highest Peaks:
Some of world highest peaks are also located here in the Gilgit-Baltistan Region, such as;
- K-2 (28,250 Feet)
- Nanga Parbat, The Killer Mountain (26,660 Feet)
- Gasherbrum I (26,360 Feet)
- Broad Peak 7 (26,550 Feet)
- Muztagh Tower (23,800 Feet)
- Gasherbrum II (26,120 Feet)
- Hidden Peak (26,470 Feet)
- Kunyang Pumari Chhish (25,761 Feet)
- Masherbrum (25,659 Feet)
- Saltoro Kangri (25,400 Feet)
- Chogolisa (25,148 Feet)
Miscellaneous Information
Provincial Animal: Yak
Provincial Bird: Falcon
Provincial Tree: Quercus Ilex
Provincial Flower: Aquilegia Pubiflora
Festivals:
- Shandur Polo Festival
- Babusar Polo Festival
- Jashn-e-Baharan/Harvest Time Festival (Navroz)
Famous Dances:
- Old Man Dance: More than one participant, join the dance, wearing an old-styled outfit.
- Cow Boy Dance (Payaloo): In the dance, a person dances, wearing an old-styled outfit, a long pair of leather shoes and a stick in hand.
- Sword Dance: In this unique dance the participants show taking one sword in right and shield in left. One to six pairs of participants can take part in the dance.
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