Jammu and Kashmir

Capital

Srinagar; Jammu

Official Language

Kashmiri, Dogri, Hindi, Urdu, English

Area

42,241 km²

Districts

20

Largest City

Srinagar

Geography & Nature

The Kashmir Valley, Pir Panjal range, Jammu plains and Chenab and Jhelum basins include lakes, forests and mountain terrain.

• Reported area: 42,241 km². Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh Affairs Division, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India | Geographical area: 42,241 km² | Reference year: 2026.
• Forest and tree cover: 25,013.36 km²; India State of Forest Report 2023, Forest Survey of India, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India | Assessment year: 2023.

Districts & Cities

20 districts listed by the NIC directory on 2026-10-14.

• Major urban centres: Srinagar, Jammu, Anantnag, Baramulla.
• Largest city/town: Srinagar. Largest city/town using Census 2011 municipal or town boundaries; urban-agglomeration rankings can differ. Current city names are used.

Territory Administration

Jammu and Kashmir is administered through a Lieutenant Governor appointed by the President. It also has an elected Legislative Assembly and a government led by a Chief Minister.

• Srinagar and Jammu are the territory's seasonal administrative capitals.
• Principal official language(s): Kashmiri, Dogri, Urdu, Hindi, English. The government language reference provides the administrative language context.

Government Institutions

Government institutions in Jammu and Kashmir include executive departments, district administration, public agencies and local bodies. The official directory provides routes to their published websites.

• The Legislative Assembly provides the elected legislative institution.
• District administrations and municipal or village institutions provide local public services.

People & Demographics

The official MoEFCC profile reports approximately 1.23 crore people on a Census 2011 basis. This is a historical, rounded population figure rather than a current population estimate.

• Principal official language(s): Kashmiri, Dogri, Urdu, Hindi, English.
• The Jammu and Kashmir profile includes both urban communities and rural or island settlements; language and social patterns vary locally.
• Census tables provide the detailed rural/urban, literacy, age and mother-tongue breakdowns.

Economy & Industries

Horticulture, agriculture, tourism, handicrafts and services are important; apples, saffron and textiles support regional livelihoods.

• Economic centres include Srinagar, Jammu, Anantnag.
• Use the government's economic surveys and departmental publications for dated output, employment and investment figures.

Infrastructure

Highways, mountain tunnels, the rail network, airports at Jammu and Srinagar and hydropower facilities connect the territory.

• Transport, electricity, water and digital networks support public services and economic activity.
• Project status and operational details are published by the responsible government departments and operators.

Education & Healthcare

The universities of Kashmir and Jammu and IIT Jammu are major institutions; SKIMS, government medical colleges and AIIMS Jammu support healthcare.

• Schools, universities, government hospitals and primary care facilities serve different parts of the region.
• Check the relevant institution or department for current programmes, admissions and services.

Culture & History

Kashmiri crafts, gardens, Dogra heritage, Sufi and other religious traditions reflect the territory's diverse cultural landscape.

• Heritage sites, languages, crafts and community traditions vary across districts.
• The official tourism and culture portal provides place-specific information.

Schemes & Public Services

The Jammu and Kashmir government and citizen-service portal provide access to applications, certificates, departmental services and scheme information.

• Common service areas include revenue certificates, welfare applications, education, transport and local-government services; availability varies by portal.
• Open the official service listing for the current application process and requirements.