The State of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, (Urdu: آزاد جممو اور کشمیر پاکستان) also called Azad Kashmir is part of the greater disputed region of Kashmir. It is under Pakistani administration, but is claimed by the government and the Republic of India as part of its state of Jammu and Kashmir, that is disputed by Islamabad. Together with Gilgit Baltistan it makes up Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Gilgit Baltistan is to the north, the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir is to the east. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is west of it, and the Pakistani province of Punjab is south of it.
The capital city of Azad Kashmir is Muzaffarabad. Azad Jammu and Kashmir has an area of 5,134 mi² (13,297 km²). The inhabitants of this region are Kashmiri citizens of ethnic Punjabi origin {Mirpur} and ethnic Kashmiri Muslims. About 4 million people live there.
Districts of Azad Kashmir
Azad Kashmir is a self-governing state (colony) under Pakistani control but is not constitutionally part of Pakistan.[1][2] It has its own elected president, prime minister, legislature, high court, and official flag. However, the highest body in the state is the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council which comprises six members from the government of Azad Kashmir (including the President and the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir) and five members from the government of Pakistan, including the President of Pakistan who is the chairman/chief executive of the council.[1][2]. Azad Kashmir is administratively divided into three divisions which, in turn, are divided into ten districts.
| Division |
District |
Area (km²) |
Population (1998) |
Headquarters |
| Mirpur |
Bhimber |
1,516 |
301,633 |
Bhimber |
| |
Kotli |
1,862 |
563,094 |
Kotli |
| |
Mirpur |
1,010 |
333,482 |
Mirpur |
| Muzaffarabad |
Muzaffarabad[3] |
2,496 |
638,973 |
Muzaffarabad |
| |
Hattian |
? |
? |
Hattian Bala |
| |
Neelum[4] |
3,621 |
106,778 |
Athmuqam |
| Rawalakot |
Poonch |
855 |
411,035 |
Rawalakot[3] |
| |
Havaily |
600est |
150,000est |
Farwad Kohta[3] |
| |
Bagh |
768 |
243,415 |
Bagh |
| |
Sudhnoti |
569 |
334,091 |
Pallandari |
| Total |
10 districts |
13,297 |
2,972,501 |
Muzaffarabad |
[change] References
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