Chitral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chitral
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Clockwise from top:
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| Nickname(s):
Qāshqār
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 Chitral
Location in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Chitral
Location in Pakistan
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| Country |  Pakistan |
| Province |  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| District | Lower Chitral |
| Established | 1885 |
| Founded by | British government |
| Named for | Field |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Corporation |
| • Body | District Government |
| Area | |
| • Total | 14,850 km2 (5,730 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,494 m (4,902 ft) |
| Population
(2017)
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| • Total | 49,780 |
| • Density | 3.3522/km2 (8.682/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Chitralis |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Urdu |
| • Regional | Chitrali |
| Time zone | UTC+5:00 (Pakistan Standard Time) |
| Zip Code |
17200
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| Area code(s) | 0943 |
| Vehicle registration | CL |
Chitral is a city in the northern part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It sits right by the Chitral River. This city is the main town of the Lower Chitral District. It used to be the capital of the larger Chitral District and even earlier, a special area called the Chitral princely state. Chitral became part of Pakistan between 1969 and 1972. In 2017, about 49,780 people lived here.
Contents
History of Chitral
We don't know for sure who the very first people to settle in Chitral were. But we do know some interesting things about its past.
Early Rulers of Chitral
Around 300 AD, a Buddhist ruler named Kanishka from the Kushan Empire took control of Chitral. Later, in the 4th century AD, Chinese forces moved into the valley.
The Raees family started ruling Chitral in 1320. Their rule ended sometime in the 15th century. After that, from 1571 onwards, Chitral became the capital of a special area called the Chitral princely state. This state was ruled by the Katur Dynasty.
The Kator Dynasty
The Kator Dynasty ruled Chitral for a very long time, from 1571 until 1969. In 1895, the British and Sikh soldiers faced a long attack in Chitral. This attack lasted for six weeks. After the attack ended, the British put a young ruler named Shuja ul-Mulk in charge. He was called the Mehtar (which means "ruler") and he ruled Chitral for 41 years.
Joining Pakistan
In 1947, when British India was divided, many small states like Chitral had to choose if they wanted to be independent or join either India or Pakistan. At first, Chitral decided to stay independent.
However, the Mehtar of Chitral was a friend of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who was a very important leader in Pakistan. Because of this friendship, Chitral later decided to join Pakistan. This made Chitral one of the princely states of Pakistan. Between 1969 and 1972, Chitral fully became a part of Pakistan and was made into an administrative district.
Chitral's Role in the First Kashmir War
Chitral played an important part in the first Kashmir War in 1947-1948. Soon after joining Pakistan, the Mehtar of Chitral, Muzaffar ul-Mulk, sent his local forces to help.
The soldiers from Chitral, known as the Chitral Scouts, helped other Pakistani forces. Another group, the Chitral Bodyguard force, went to a place called Skardu. They held a very long siege there, which means they surrounded the enemy for a long time. Eventually, Skardu was captured. During this time, the Chitral Scouts also helped take control of the Kargil pass.
Geography of Chitral
The city of Chitral is located at an average height of about 1,500 meters (around 4,921 feet) above sea level. This high location gives it a unique landscape.
Climate in Chitral
Chitral has a dry Mediterranean climate. This means it gets very little rain during its hot summers. Most of the rain happens in spring, usually from thunderstorms.
In winter, the temperature can drop quite low, sometimes reaching -10 °C (14 °F) at night. Snowfall in the town can be heavy, with up to 60 cm (about 2 feet) of snow being common. In higher areas, the snow can pile up to 20 meters (about 65 feet) high!
| Climate data for Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 16.9 (62.4) |
21.0 (69.8) |
28.0 (82.4) |
34.3 (93.7) |
38.3 (100.9) |
42.5 (108.5) |
44.4 (111.9) |
42.2 (108.0) |
39.8 (103.6) |
34.4 (93.9) |
27.0 (80.6) |
20.7 (69.3) |
44.4 (111.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 8.8 (47.8) |
9.9 (49.8) |
15.1 (59.2) |
22.5 (72.5) |
28.2 (82.8) |
34.4 (93.9) |
35.9 (96.6) |
34.4 (93.9) |
31.1 (88.0) |
25.1 (77.2) |
18.7 (65.7) |
11.6 (52.9) |
23.0 (73.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.1 (39.4) |
5.3 (41.5) |
9.6 (49.3) |
15.5 (59.9) |
20.3 (68.5) |
26.1 (79.0) |
28.0 (82.4) |
26.5 (79.7) |
22.1 (71.8) |
16.2 (61.2) |
10.8 (51.4) |
5.9 (42.6) |
15.9 (60.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −0.6 (30.9) |
0.6 (33.1) |
4.2 (39.6) |
8.5 (47.3) |
12.5 (54.5) |
17.8 (64.0) |
20.2 (68.4) |
18.7 (65.7) |
13.1 (55.6) |
7.2 (45.0) |
2.9 (37.2) |
0.2 (32.4) |
8.8 (47.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −11.0 (12.2) |
−11.0 (12.2) |
−3.7 (25.3) |
0.0 (32.0) |
4.4 (39.9) |
8.9 (48.0) |
11.1 (52.0) |
10.6 (51.1) |
5.6 (42.1) |
1.1 (34.0) |
−3.0 (26.6) |
−12.2 (10.0) |
−12.2 (10.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 38.4 (1.51) |
63.8 (2.51) |
97.3 (3.83) |
71.7 (2.82) |
43.9 (1.73) |
5.1 (0.20) |
4.9 (0.19) |
8.0 (0.31) |
7.3 (0.29) |
15.6 (0.61) |
20.4 (0.80) |
38.5 (1.52) |
414.9 (16.32) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 134.0 | 133.7 | 150.4 | 188.6 | 247.0 | 286.3 | 285.4 | 258.6 | 231.0 | 214.0 | 182.5 | 130.7 | 2,442.2 |
| Source: NOAA (1971-1990) | |||||||||||||
People and Languages
The official language spoken in Chitral is Urdu. However, the main language for most people is Khowar. About 98% of the population spoke Khowar in 1981. A smaller group of people also speak Kalasha.
In 2017, the total population of Chitral was 49,780 people.
Past Population and Religions
Here's a look at the different religions in Chitral town in 1901:
| Religion | Population (1901) | Percentage (1901) |
|---|---|---|
Islam  |
3,452 | 42.47% |
Hinduism  |
2,709 | 33.33% |
Sikhism  |
1,826 | 22.47% |
| Total | 8,128 | 100% |
Education
Chitral is home to the University of Chitral, which is an important place for higher education in the area.
Famous People from Chitral
- Falak Naz Chitrali – A member of the Senate of Pakistan.
- Wazir Zada – A member of the Provincial Assembly for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
- Abdul Akbar Chitrali – A member of the National Assembly of Pakistan.
See also
In Spanish: Chitral para niños
