Azad Kashmir facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Azad Kashmir آزاد جموں و کشمیر
Autonomous State
Azād Jāmmu o Kāshmir
Flag Seal
Location of Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Country	Pakistan
Established	24 October 1947
Capital	Muzaffarabad
Largest city	Mirpur
Government
• Type	Autonomous territory of Pakistan
• Body	Legislative Assembly
Area
• Total	13,297 km2 (5,134 sq mi)
Population  (2008; est.)
• Total	4,567,982
• Density	343.535/km2 (889.75/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+5 (PKT)
ISO 3166 code	PK-JK
Main Language(s)	Urdu (National & Official) and Pahari language
Assembly seats	33
Districts	10
Website	azadkashmir.gov.pk

Azad Jammu and Kashmir, often called Azad Kashmir, is a special region in Pakistan. It is bigger than the country of Trinidad and Tobago but smaller than Brunei.

To its north is the Pakistani region of Gilgit Baltistan. To the east is a part of Kashmir that is managed by India, which is a region that Pakistan and India have a long-standing disagreement about. To the west is the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and to the south is the Pakistani province of Punjab.

The capital city of Azad Kashmir is Muzaffarabad. Azad Jammu and Kashmir covers an area of about 13,297 square kilometers. Around 4 million people live here, and most of them are of Kashmiri and Pahari background.

How Azad Kashmir is Governed

Azad Kashmir is a self-governing state that is part of Pakistan. This means it has its own elected leaders and symbols. It has its own president, prime minister, and a group of lawmakers called a legislature. It also has its own high court, a special symbol (emblem), and an official flag.

The most important group in charge of the state is the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council. This council includes six members from Azad Kashmir's government, like its President and Prime Minister. It also has five members from Pakistan's government, including the President of Pakistan, who leads the council.

Azad Kashmir is divided into three main areas called divisions. These divisions are then split into ten smaller areas called districts. The government of Azad Kashmir is located in Muzaffarabad, which is the capital city.

Divisions and Districts

Azad Kashmir is divided into three main parts called divisions. These divisions are then further divided into ten smaller areas known as districts.

Nature and Climate

The northern part of Azad Jammu and Kashmir is home to the lower areas of the Himalayas mountains. The highest point in the state is Hari Parbat peak, located in the Neelum Valley. Azad Kashmir is known for its beautiful, green, and mountainous valleys, making it one of the most scenic places in the region.

This area gets a lot of rain in both winter and summer. Places like Muzaffarabad and Pattan are among the wettest in Pakistan. Most of the region receives more than 1400 millimeters of rain on average each year. Near Muzaffarabad, the average rainfall is even higher, around 1800 millimeters. During the summer, heavy rains and melting snow can cause floods in rivers like the Jhelum and Leepa.

Azad Kashmir State Symbols

Title	Symbol	Image
State animal	Kashmir stag
State bird	Himalayan monal
State flower	Rhododendron ponticum
State tree	Platanus orientalis

Images for kids

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  Landscape of Azad Kashmir

• 

  Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification

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  Paddy field in Leepa valley

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  A 1946 map of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir; present-day Azad Kashmir constitutes areas of the three western-most districts

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  Kotla, Bagh District

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  Neelum Valley is a tourist destination in Azad Kashmir.

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  Munda Gali, Leepa Valley

• 

  Mirpur University of Science and Technology

See also

In Spanish: Azad Cachemira para niños