Kupwara district is an administrative district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region.The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute is supported by the tertiary sources (a) through (d), reflecting due weight in the coverage. Although "controlled" and "held" are also applied neutrally to the names of the disputants or to the regions administered by them, as evidenced in sources (f) through (h) below, "held" is also considered politicised usage, as is the term "occupied," (see (i) below). (a) (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcontinent ... has been the subject of dispute between India and Pakistan since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. The northern and western portions are administered by Pakistan and comprise three areas: Azad Kashmir, Gilgit, and Baltistan, the last two being part of a territory called the Northern Areas. Administered by India are the southern and southeastern portions, which constitute the state of Jammu and Kashmir but are slated to be split into two union territories."; (b) (subscription required) Quote: "Aksai Chin, Chinese (Pinyin) Aksayqin, portion of the Kashmir region, at the northernmost extent of the Indian subcontinent in south-central Asia. It constitutes nearly all the territory of the Chinese-administered sector of Kashmir that is claimed by India to be part of the Ladakh area of Jammu and Kashmir state."; (c) C. E Bosworth, University of Manchester Quote: "KASHMIR, kash'mer, the northernmost region of the Indian subcontinent, administered partlv by India, partly by Pakistan, and partly by China. The region has been the subject of a bitter dispute between India and Pakistan since they became independent in 1947"; (d) Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir: Territory in northwestern India, subject to a dispute betw een India and Pakistan. It has borders with Pakistan and China." (e) Quote: "We move from a disputed international border to a dotted line on the map that represents a military border not recognized in international law. The line of control separates the Indian and Pakistani administered areas of the former Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir."; (f) (subscription required) Quote: "... China became active in the eastern area of Kashmir in the 1950s and has controlled the northeastern part of Ladakh (the easternmost portion of the region) since 1962."; (g) Quote: "J&K: Jammu and Kashmir. The former princely state that is the subject of the Kashmir dispute. Besides IJK (Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir. The larger and more populous part of the former princely state. It has a population of slightly over 10 million, and comprises three regions: Kashmir Valley, Jammu, and Ladakh.) and AJK ('Azad" (Free) Jammu and Kashmir. The more populous part of Pakistani-controlled J&K, with a population of approximately 2.5 million. AJK has six districts: Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Bagh, Kodi, Rawalakot, and Poonch. Its capital is the town of Muzaffarabad. AJK has its own institutions, but its political life is heavily controlled by Pakistani authorities, especially the military), it includes the sparsely populated "Northern Areas" of Gilgit and Baltistan, remote mountainous regions which are directly administered, unlike AJK, by the Pakistani central authorities, and some high-altitude uninhabitable tracts under Chinese control." (h) Quote: "Kashmir’s identity remains hotly disputed with a UN-supervised “Line of Control” still separating Pakistani-held Azad (“Free”) Kashmir from Indian-held Kashmir."; (i) Quote:"Some politicised terms also are used to describe parts of J&K. These terms include the words 'occupied' and 'held'." It is one of the 10 districts located in the Kashmir Valley Division of Indian administered Kashmir. The Pohru River (originating in Lolab Valley and flowing from east to west) and Mawar river are two main rivers in the district. Both of them meet Jhelum river in Baramulla district. dated 2008-03-13, accessed 30 August 2008

History The district was carved out of the erstwhile Baramulla district in 1979 with Kupwara Town as the district headquarters.

Demographics Population

According to the 2011 census Kupwara district has a population of 870,354. This gives it a ranking of 470th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 34.62%. Ethnic groups Kashmiri and Gujjar are two major groups in Kupwara district. As per 1999 estimates, Gujjar made up 32.18% of the district's total population, with a population of 1,50,000.

Language

At the time of the 2011 census, 71.11% of the population spoke Kashmiri, 14.12% Pahari, 9.21% Gujari and 2.70% Hindi as their first language. Urdu is widely-spoken as a second language. Kashmiri is spoken throughout the district, while Pahari-Pothwari is the predominant language in Karnah tehsil along the Line of Control.

Religion

Literacy rate and Sex ratio Kupwara has a sex ratio of 843 females for every 1000 males (this varies with religion), and a literacy rate of 75.60% Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 0.12% and 8.08% of the population respectively.

Kupwara district: religion, gender ratio, and % urban of population, according to the 2011 Census. Hindu Muslim Christian Sikh Buddhist Jain Other Not stated Total Total 37,128 823,286 1,700 5,600 66 39 13 2,522 870,354 4.27% 94.59% 0.20% 0.64% 0.01% 0.00% 0.00% 0.29% 100.00% Male 36,057 430,521 1,215 4,821 51 28 9 1,488 474,190 Female 1,071 392,765 485 779 15 11 4 1,034 396,164 Gender ratio (% female) 2.9% 47.7% 28.5% 13.9% 22.7% 28.2% 30.8% 41.0% 45.5% Sex ratio (no. of females per 1,000 males) 30 912 399 162 – – – 695 835 Urban 9,460 93,355 369 1,123 20 6 8 388 104,729 Rural 27,668 729,931 1,331 4,477 46 33 5 2,134 765,625 % Urban 25.5% 11.3% 21.7% 20.1% 30.3% 15.4% 61.5% 15.4% 12.0%

Geography Kupwara district has a total area of . The district is bordered by Bandipora district in the east, Baramulla district to the south and Pakistan-administrated Azad Jammu and Kashmir(AJK) to the north and west. The district is mostly rural/agricultural.

Adjacent districts Bandipora district, Indian administered Kashmir – east Neelum district, Pakistan administered Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) – northeast and northwest Muzaffarabad district and Hattian Bala district, Pakistan administered Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) – west Baramulla district, Indian administered Kashmir – south

Economy Most of the people depend on agriculture and horticulture. There is a good production and business of walnuts in Kupwara.

The Department of Horticulture have developed a high density walnut nursery in Kupwara. Transportation

Air The nearest airport is Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport in Srinagar located 87 kilometres from district headquarters Kupwara. There are plans to construct an airport in Panzgam.

Rail Kupwara district is not yet connected to railways. There are plans to extend the Jammu–Baramulla line up to Kupwara in the near future. The nearest railway station is Baramulla railway station located 45 kilometres from Kupwara.

Road Kupwara is well-connected with roads and highways. The NH 701 passes through Kupwara district alongside other intra-district roads. Notables

Anwar Shah Kashmiri, Renowned Islamic scholar from Kashmir, known for his expertise in hadith, fiqh, and theology. A key figure at Darul Uloom Deoband. Aadil Manzoor Peer, Stock athlete who has represented India internationally with his right-hand playing style. Assad Ullah Shah Quit Kashmir Movement leader and former MLA of Kupwara constituency Abdul Gani Lone, Kashmiri separatist leader, founder of People’s Conference, assassinated in 2002 for his moderate views. Ali Mohammad Shahbaz, Kashmiri poet, satirist, humanist, and philanthropist, whose work focused on the Kashmir conflict. Ashraf Sehrai, Separatist leader and chairman of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, elected after Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s resignation. Engineer Rashid, Kashmiri politician, founder of Awami Ittehad Party, and an advocate for Kashmir’s autonomy and self-determination. Maqbool Bhat, Kashmiri separatist leader, founder of NLF (JKLF), and was hanged in 1984 for his activism. Sajad Gani Lone, Kashmiri politician, leader of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference, and former minister in the region’s government. Shah Faesal, Former IAS topper and founder of Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement Mir Mohammad Fayaz, Formar Rajhya Sabha MP of India, and current MLA of Kupwara constituency

See also Jammu and Kashmir Kupwara Lolab Valley Karnah Drugmulla Tangdhar Sogam Lolab Sports in Jammu and Kashmir Diver Anderbugh Bangus Valley

References

External links

Lolab Valley