Kashmir Valley
The Kashmir Valley, also known as the Vale of Kashmir, is an intermontane valley in northern Jammu and Kashmir, a region in Indian-administered Kashmir.[1] The valley is surrounded by ranges of the Himalayas, bounded on the southwest by the Pir Panjal Range and on the northeast by the Greater Himalayan range. It is approximately 135 km (84 mi) long and 32 km (20 mi) wide, and drained by the Jhelum River.[2] It forms the bulk of the Kashmir Division of Jammu and Kashmir.
For other uses, see Kashmir (disambiguation).Kashmir valley
83 miles (134 km) Northwest-Southeast
20 miles (32 km)
15,520.3 km2 (5,992.4 sq mi)
Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir
Geography[edit]
The Kashmir Valley lies between latitude 33° and 35°N, and longitude 73° and 76°E.[3] The valley is 100 km (62 mi) wide and covers 15,520.3 km2 (5,992.4 sq mi) in area.[4] It is bounded by sub-ranges of the Western Himalayas: the Great Himalayas bound it in the northeast and separate it from the Tibetan Plateau,[5] whereas the Pir Panjal Range in the Lesser Himalayas bounds it on the west and the south, and separates it from the Punjab Plain.[6] The valley has an average elevation of 1,850 metres (6,070 ft) above sea-level,[4] but the surrounding Pir Panjal range has an average elevation of 10,000 feet (3,000 m).[7] The Jhelum River is the main river of the Valley. It originates at Verinag; its most important tributaries are the Lidder and Sind rivers. Unlike other areas of Kashmir region, the Kashmir Valley is densely populated owing to the availability of a large expanse of fertile flat land.
