kids encyclopedia robot

Gilgit-Baltistan facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Gilgit-Baltistan

گلگت - بلتستان
Administrative Unit
Gilgit-Baltistān
Biafo Glacier, Gilgit, Pakistan.
Biafo Glacier, Gilgit, Pakistan.
Flag of Gilgit-Baltistan
Flag
 Official seal of Gilgit-Baltistan
Seal
Location of Gilgit-Baltistan, disputed (red) and (white), with Siachen Glacier (1949-1984)
Location of Gilgit-Baltistan, disputed (red) and (white), with Siachen Glacier (1949-1984)
Location of Gilgit-Baltistan
Country Pakistan
Established 1 July 1970
Capital Gilgit
Largest city Gilgit
Government
 • Type Self-governing territory of Pakistan
 • Body Legislative Assembly
Area
 • Total 72,971 / 64,817 km2 (0.43466991684284 sq mi)
Population
 (2008; est.)
 • Total 1,800,000
 • Density 0/km2 (0/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+5 (PKT)
ISO 3166 code PK-NA
Main Language(s)
Assembly seats 33
Districts 10
Website gilgitbaltistan.gov.pk

Gilgit Baltistan, (formerly known as the Northern Areas), (Urdu: گلگت بلتستان) is the northern-most autonomous territory of Pakistan. In terms of land area it is bigger than Sierra Leone but smaller than Panama. It was part of the former Princely state of Kashmir and Jammu in 1800s and later leased to British eventually liberated after a planned liberation movement led by Gilgit Scouts. It borders Azad Jammu and Kashmir in the south Indian-administered Kashmir in southeast where KPK province of Pakistan to the west, and internationally borders Afghanistan to the north, although Tajikistan is separated by fourteen kilometres via Wakhan Corridor, the People's Republic of China to the northeast. Gilgit Baltistan, which became a single administrative unit in 1970, was formed from the amalgamation of the Gilgit Agency, the Baltistan District of the Ladakh Wazarat, and the states of Hunza and Nagar. Gilgit Baltistan remains part of the Kashmir dispute. The Government of Pakistan since Independence regards the entire area of Jammu and Kashmir as "territory in dispute" to be resolved by a plebiscite to be held throughout the former state in order to determine the area's final accession to either India or merger with Pakistan. Gilgit Baltistan is governed by a Governor and a Chief minister, the latter elected by a legislative assembly. Gilgit Baltistan covers 64,817 km² (28,174 mi²).

History

Gilgit Baltistan historically belonged to the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. Soon after the partition of India in 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir signed the Instrument of Accession, thereby acceding to the Indian Union. Hence, whole Kashmir is legitimately an inherent part of India. This territory has been under Pakistan’s unlawful control ever since the Pakistan Army orchestrated the tribal invasion of the territory in October 1947.

Baltistan

The regions of Baltistan, and Ladakh (including Kargil) and Chitral are also considered to be a part of Balawaristan by nationalist parties of Gilgit. The peoples' do not consider areas of Gilgit and Baltistan to be legally or constitutionally part of Pakistan or India. Nor do they regard neighboring regions of Ladakh wazarat to be legitimately part of India or Pakistan. They demand freedom not just for regions within Pakistan, but also Indian held areas. They also assert that as per UNCIP resolutions, (Pakistan and India) must withdraw their occupational armed forces and handover the control of the disputed region to the people of Gilgit Baltistan, under the supervision of the United Nations, until a final settlement of the whole Jammu and Kashmir issue is reached, as per a United Nations sponsored plebiscite that would be held in both Pakistan and Indian-administered Kashmir."

Semi-autonomous status and present-day Gilgit-Baltistan

On 29 August 2009, the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order 2009, was passed by the Pakistani cabinet and later signed by the country's President. The order granted self-rule to the people of the former Northern Areas, now renamed Gilgit-Baltistan, by creating, among other things, an elected legislative assembly. There has been criticism and opposition to this move in Pakistan, India, and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Gilgit Baltistan United Movement—while rejecting the new package—demanded that an independent and autonomous legislative assembly for Gilgit-Baltistan should be formed with the installation of local authoritative government as per the UNCIP resolutions, where the people of Gilgit-Baltistan will elect their president and the prime minister.

In early September 2009, Pakistan signed an agreement with the People's Republic of China for a mega energy project in Gilgit-Baltistan which includes the construction of a 7,000-megawatt dam at Bunji in the Astore District. This also resulted in protest from India, although Indian concerns were immediately rejected by Pakistan, which claimed that the Government of India has no locus standi in the matter.

On 29 September 2009, the Pakistani Prime Minister, while addressing a huge gathering in Gilgit-Baltistan, announced a multi-billion rupee development package aimed at the socio-economic uplifting of people in the area. Development projects will include the areas of education, health, agriculture, tourism and the basic needs of life. The Prime Minister further went on to say:

"You are getting your identity today. It is your right and has been your demand, and today we are fulfilling it." Gilgit–Baltistan thus gained de facto province-like status without constitutionally becoming part of Pakistan. The official poistion of Pakistan has rejected Gilgit–Baltistani calls for integration with Pakistan on the grounds that it would prejudice its international obligations with regard to the Kashmir dispute.

In 1982 the Pakistani President General Zia ul Haq proclaimed that the people of the Northern Areas were Pakistanis and had nothing to do with the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

An attempt in 1993 by the High Court of Azad Kashmir to annex Gilgit–Baltistan was quashed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, after protests by the predominantly Shia population of Gilgit–Baltistan, who feared domination by the Sunni Kashmiris.

Demography

Main languages are Balti, Shina Burushaski, Wakhi and Khowar.

Government

The Government of Gilgit Baltistan also known as the State Government of the Northern Areas, is the highest governing authority of the territory and its 10 districts. It consists of an executive, led by the Governor of Gilgit Baltistan, a judiciary and a legislative branch.

Like other provinces in Pakistan, the head of state of Gilgit Baltistan is the governor. The governor is chosen by the President of Pakistan on the advice of the central government. The governor's post is largely ceremonial. It does not have much power. The Chief Minister is the head of government and is holds most of the executive powers.

The Gilgit Baltistan Legislative Assembly is a 33-seat unicameral legislative body. It was formed as part of the Gilgit–Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order, 2009. This order gave the region self-rule and an elected legislative assembly. Before this, the region had been directly ruled from Islamabad.

Districts of Gilgit Baltistan

Geography and climate

K2 8611
K2 as seen from Concordia
SatparaLakeSkardu1215
Satpara Lake, Skardu, in 2002

Gilgit–Baltistan borders the Wakhan corridor of Afghanistan to the northwest, China's Uygur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang to the northeast, the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir to the south and southeast, the Pakistani-controlled state of Azad Jammu and Kashmir to the south, and Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the west.

Gilgi-Baltistan is home to five of the "eight-thousanders" and to more than fifty peaks above 7000 meters. Gilgit and Skardu are the two main hubs for expeditions to those mountains. The region is home to some of the world's highest mountain ranges—the main ranges are the Karakoram Mountains and the western Himalayas. The Pamir mountains are to the north, and the Hindu Kush lies to the west. Amongst the highest mountains are K2 (Mount Godwin-Austen) and Nanga Parbat, the latter being one of the most feared mountains in the world.

The Deosai Plains are located above the tree line, and constitute the second-highest plateau in the world at 4,115 meters (14,500 feet) after the Chinese region of Tibet. The plateau lies east of Astore, south of Skardu and west of Ladakh. The area was declared as a national park in 1993. The Deosai Plains cover an area of almost 5,000 square kilometres. For over half the year (between September and May), Deosai is snow-bound and cut off from rest of Astore & Baltistan in winters. The village of Deosai lies close to Chilum chokki and is connected with the Kargil District of Ladakh in the Kashmir disputed region through an all-weather road.


Images for kids

  • Buddha at Kargah Gilgit

    Photograph of Kargah Buddha in Gilgit; "The ancient Stupa – rock carvings of Buddha, everywhere in the region, point to the firm hold of Buddhism for such a long time."

  • Tibetan empire greatest extent 780s-790s CE

    Map of Tibetan Empire citing the areas of Gilgit-Baltistan as part of its kingdom in 780–790 CE

  • Jammu and Kashmir in 1946 map of India by National Geographic

    The princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, (National Geographic, 1946). Shown are the Gilgit Agency, consisting of subsidiary states of Jammu and Kashmir, and the Gilgit wazarat, including the Gilgit Leased Area (shown in white). Baltistan was part of the large area of the Ladakh-Baltistan wazarat in the east.

  • Balti king ahmed shah (cropped)

    The last Maqpon Raja Ahmed Shah (died in prison in Lhasa c. 1845)

  • Jama Masjid Raja Bazar Gilgit

    Mountains covered in snow, as seen from the Raja Bazar Road Gilgit

  • Montage Gilgit-Baltistan

    Montage of Gilgit-Baltistan

  • Laila Peak

    View of Laila Peak, which is located near Hushe Valley (a town in Khaplu)

  • Nameless Tower

    The Trango Towers offer some of the largest cliffs and most challenging rock climbing in the world, and every year a number of expeditions from all corners of the globe visit Karakoram to climb the challenging granite.

  • Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited Plant in Gilgit

    Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited LPG Air Mix Plant in Gilgit

  • Unexpected Snow in Katpana Skardu

    Cold Desert, Skardu is the world's highest desert

  • Rush lake

    Rush Lake, Nagar, Pakistan

  • Sheoser lake deosai national park

    Sheosar Lake is in the western part of Deosai National Park

  • Babusar Road

    National Highway N-15 has abrupt direction changes which is a challenge for drivers who use this route to reach Gilgit

  • PIA ATR-42

    ATR 42–500 on Gilgit Airport. Picture taken on 10 July 2016

  • Sectarian divide of Gilgit-Baltistan

    A pie chart showing the Sectarian divide of Gilgit-Baltistan

  • Dance of Swati Guests with traditional music at baltit fort 2014

    Dance of Swati Guests with traditional music at Baltit Fort in 2014

  • Gulmit - GB - 04 - Nasr Rahman

    Wakhi musicians in Gulmit.

  • Chapchor Dish

    One of the poplular dish of this region is Chapchor. It is widely made in Nagar Valley and Hunza Valley

  • Shindoor ground

    Polo in progress with the shandur lake in background, Shandur, Gupis-Yasin District.

  • Lake Sudpara

    Satpara Lake, Skardu, in 2002

  • Beauty - Uppaer Kachura Lake Sakardu

    Upper Kachura Lake

  • Shangri-La, Skardu

    Shangrila Lake, Skardu

  • Mantoka Waterfall Skardu

    Manthokha Waterfall

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Gilgit-Baltistán para niños

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Gilgit-Baltistan Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.