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Jammu and Kashmir Topography
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of the Republic of India. The state is bordered by the scenic Himalayan Mountain Ranges. The state shares its boundaries with the People's Republic of China to the north and east, the Indian states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the south, and Pakistan to the west and northwest.

About Jammu and Kashmir Topography



The state of Jammu and Kashmir is made up of three areas - the Kashmir valley, Jammu, and Ladakh. The Kashmir valley is known for its picturesque topographical features. The whole state of Jammu and Kashmir houses various valleys like the following:

  • Tawi Valley
  • Kashmir Valley
  • Poonch Valley
  • Chenab Valley
  • Lidder Valley
  • Sindh Valley
The width of the major Kashmir Valley is 62 miles or 100 kilometers and the area covers 5,992.4 sq miles or 15,520.3 km2. The famous Pir Panjal Mountain Range borders the valley to the south and the west and the Himalayan Mountain Range splits the valley from Ladakh. The Pir Panjal Mountain Range segregates the valley from the Great North Indian Plains.

The principal Himalayan Mountain Range lies beside the northeastern border of the valley.

The mean altitude of this picturesque and densely inhabited valley is 6,070 feet or 1,850 meters over sea surface. However, the mean altitude of the bordering Pir Panjal Mountain Range is 16,000 feet or 5,000 meters.

Due to its varied topographical features, the biogeographical features of Jammu and Kashmir are varied as well. The subtropical pine forests of the Himalayan Mountain Range and Northwestern Thorn Scrub Forests are regular features of the areas with low altitudes. The deciduous forests of the Western Himalayas are found throughout the Kashmir Valley. In other areas and mountains, the subalpine conifer forests of Western Himalayas and alpine bushes and pastures of Northwestern Himalayas are found in abundance. The northeastern portion of the state is encompassed by the alpine steppe forests of the Karakoram West Tibetan Terrain. Areas with the maximum altitude have just ice and rock and nothing else.

Rivers and glaciers



There are many glaciers in the state. The Siachen glacier is the most extensive glacier in the Himalayan Mountain Range. The only important river of the Himalayas which traverses the Kashmir Valley is the Jhelum River. Other important rivers running across the state include the Tawi, Indus, Chenab, and Ravi.

Important topographical features of Jammu and Kashmir



The Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir is situated between 73.26" and 80.30" East longitude and 32.17" and 36.58" North latitude. Over 90% of the area of the state is hilly. The state houses the lush and productive Jammu and Punch plateaus, the deeply glaciated Pir Panjal Mountain Range with an elevation of 12,500 feet, the coniferous lower slopes of the Himalayan Mountain Range with elevations ranging between 2,000 and 7,000 feet, the Himalayan Mountain Ranges with elevation of more than 20,000 feet, the Kashmir Valley with an elevation of 5,300 feet, the bare, infertile terrain of Ladakh, the upper basin of Indus River with an elevation of 11,000 feet, and the isolated Karokaram Mountain Range from southwest to northeast.

The major rivers in the area are the Jhelum, Indus, Tawi, and Chenab. At the same time, the Wular, Anchar, Nigeen, and Dal lakes are the principal lakes in the state. The weather differs from alpine to subtropical from the northeast to the southwestern parts of the state.

The Pir Panjal Mountain Range to the south and west and towering snow-covered crests of the Himalayas to the east surround Jammu and Kashmir. The Jhelum River traverses Srinagar and smoothly runs across the meandering routes of the basin. Geologists have corroborated the fact in the wake of the famous myth that Kashmir was a huge lake long time ago and the name of the lake was the Karewa. This lake was created by the obstruction of the Jhelum River. Nonetheless, the stream created a profound canyon across the Pir Panjal Mountain Range close to Uri and made its new itinerary. As a result, the Karewa Lake waters slowly seeped away, abandoning the spectacular Kashmir Valley. If you visit the valley, you will see corals and other types of aquatic fossils in the area.

Contribution of Jammu and Kashmir Topography to its tourism industry



Jammu and Kashmir can be depicted as a paradise on earth. The topography of the state comes with a broad range of weather conditions and plant life, which turns the state into a nature lover's heaven. The snow leopard is one of the most indigenous species of animals found in this area. The Kashmir stag or Hangul is a type of red deer and is one more example of indigenous species in the world. The state features a proportionate bionetwork, which demonstrates serene coexistence of human beings and various creatures. Almost 33% of the hill creatures of the world are found in these mountains.

Natural divisions of Jammu and Kashmir



The territory of Jammu and Kashmir can be split into four natural divisions and they are as follows:

  • The Shivalik Mountain Range
  • The hilly and semi-hilly plateaus famously named as the Kandi Belt
  • The Kashmir Valley, which houses the Indus River and consists of Kargil and Leh
  • The Pir Panjal Mountain Range
The weather conditions of Jammu and Kashmir are diverse because of its topographical features. It still cherishes the four principal seasons, i.e. winter, summer, autumn, and spring.

On an Indian political map, J&K appears like a tiara. To the east and north are China and Russia. The Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab are located to the south and southwest. Pakistan lies to the west of the state. The proximity to the frontiers of other nations has made its situation most significant from a security standpoint.

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