The population consists of many diverse linguistic, ethnic and religious groups due in part to the many isolated valleys separated by some of the world's highest mountains. Urdu is the lingua franca of the region, understood by most male inhabitants. The Shina language (with several dialects) is the language of 40% of the population, spoken mainly in Gilgit, throughout Diamer, and some parts of Ghizer. The Balti language, a sub-dialect of Ladakhi and part of Tibetan language group is spoken by the entire population of Baltistan. Minor languages spoken in the area include Wakhi spoken in upper Hunza, and some villages in Ghizer, while Khowar is the major language of Ghizer. Burushaski is an isolated language spoken in Hunza, Nagar, Yasin (where Khowar is also spoken), some parts of Gilgit and some villages of Punyal. Another interesting language is Domaaki, spoken by the musician clans of the region. A small minority also speaks Pashto.
At the last census (1998), the population of the Northern Areas was 870,347. Approximately 14% of the population was urban.
The Northern Area of Pakistan lie at the extreme north of the country where it borders and Xinjiang Province of China. Chitral lies to its west and Kalam, Kohistan and Kaghan Valleys to the south. The newly independent Republic of Tajikistan is only a handshake away. To its east lie the occupied territories of Ladakh and Kahsmir. Administratively the area is divided into five districts of Gilgit, Skardu, Diamer, Ghizer and Ghanche.
Nature has been very generous to the region in its endowments of towering peaks, gigantic glaciers and majestic rivers, not to mention the splendor of its valleys, the meadows and the high altitude plateau. Mount Godwin Austin (K-2) at 8625 meters, the second highest peak in the world is perched in the extreme north while Nanga Parbat (8126 meters high) stands sentinel over the southern gateway. In between are Mounts Broadpeak, Mashabrum, Rakaposi, Haramosh and nearly thirty other peaks over 6,000 meters. Not on this Earth can this record be surpassed! The area also forms the concordia of many of the highest mountain ranges of the world for it is here that the Western Himalayas meet the Karakoram and the Hindukush Ranges watched just across by the Pamirs and the Kun Lun. It is said this is where the continents collided! To match its mountains this precisely is the region where frontiers of the British Indian, the Czarist Russian and the Imperial Chainese Empires met in 19th century immortalized by Knight in “Where three Empires Meet”.
Glaciers of Northern Areas are also of enormous proportions with the 72 kilometers Siachin glacier, the longest in the world outside the poles followed closely by Biafo, Baltoro, Batura and Hispar. To complement Nature’s largesse is the man-made Karakoram Highway, an engineering marvel bearing testimory to Pakistan’s eternal friendship with the People’s Republic of China.
The area is spread over 72496 sq kilometers populated by about one million (0.574 million 1981 census) indicating population density of 10 persons per sq kilometer. These people who own an average of 0.124 hectare of agricultural land live in 650 very widely scattered villages.
There are eight major ethnic groups namely Baltees, Shains, Yashkuns, Moghals, Kashmiries, Pathans, Ladakhis and Turks speaking the dialects of Balti, Brushaski, Khawer, Wakhi, Turki, Tibeti, Pushto, Urdu and Persian. The four major Muslim sects are the Shias, sunni,Ismailis and Nurbakhshies who for centuries lived in tolerance and harmony though over the past two decades there have been frequent cases of sectarian
At the last census (1998), the population of the Northern Areas was 870,347. Approximately 14% of the population was urban.
The Northern Area of Pakistan lie at the extreme north of the country where it borders and Xinjiang Province of China. Chitral lies to its west and Kalam, Kohistan and Kaghan Valleys to the south. The newly independent Republic of Tajikistan is only a handshake away. To its east lie the occupied territories of Ladakh and Kahsmir. Administratively the area is divided into five districts of Gilgit, Skardu, Diamer, Ghizer and Ghanche.
Nature has been very generous to the region in its endowments of towering peaks, gigantic glaciers and majestic rivers, not to mention the splendor of its valleys, the meadows and the high altitude plateau. Mount Godwin Austin (K-2) at 8625 meters, the second highest peak in the world is perched in the extreme north while Nanga Parbat (8126 meters high) stands sentinel over the southern gateway. In between are Mounts Broadpeak, Mashabrum, Rakaposi, Haramosh and nearly thirty other peaks over 6,000 meters. Not on this Earth can this record be surpassed! The area also forms the concordia of many of the highest mountain ranges of the world for it is here that the Western Himalayas meet the Karakoram and the Hindukush Ranges watched just across by the Pamirs and the Kun Lun. It is said this is where the continents collided! To match its mountains this precisely is the region where frontiers of the British Indian, the Czarist Russian and the Imperial Chainese Empires met in 19th century immortalized by Knight in “Where three Empires Meet”.
Glaciers of Northern Areas are also of enormous proportions with the 72 kilometers Siachin glacier, the longest in the world outside the poles followed closely by Biafo, Baltoro, Batura and Hispar. To complement Nature’s largesse is the man-made Karakoram Highway, an engineering marvel bearing testimory to Pakistan’s eternal friendship with the People’s Republic of China.
The area is spread over 72496 sq kilometers populated by about one million (0.574 million 1981 census) indicating population density of 10 persons per sq kilometer. These people who own an average of 0.124 hectare of agricultural land live in 650 very widely scattered villages.
There are eight major ethnic groups namely Baltees, Shains, Yashkuns, Moghals, Kashmiries, Pathans, Ladakhis and Turks speaking the dialects of Balti, Brushaski, Khawer, Wakhi, Turki, Tibeti, Pushto, Urdu and Persian. The four major Muslim sects are the Shias, sunni,Ismailis and Nurbakhshies who for centuries lived in tolerance and harmony though over the past two decades there have been frequent cases of sectarian
