List of districts of Jammu and Kashmir

The Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir consists of two divisions: Jammu Division and Kashmir Division, and is further divided into 20 districts:

History

Princely state of Kashmir

Prior to 1947, Kashmir was a princely state under the paramountcy of the British Indian Empire. The central part of the princely state was administratively divided into the provinces Jammu and Kashmir. In addition there were frontier districts and semi-autonomous jagirs (principalities). They were subdivided as follows:

  • Kashmir province: Districts of Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramulla and Muzaffarabad. (Muzzafarabad later became part of Azad Kashmir.)
  • Internal jagirs: Poonch (half of it later became part of Azad Kashmir), Chenani and Bhaderwah
  • Jammu province: Districts of Jammu, Udhampur and Mirpur (later became part of Azad Kashmir)
  • Frontier districts:
  • Ladakh district with three sub-districts: Leh, Kargil and Skardu (Skardu later became part of Gilgit-Baltistan.)
  • Gilgit district with two sub-districts: Gilgit and Astore. (Both later became part of Gilgit-Baltistan.)
  • Frontier ilaqas comprising Punial, Ishkoman, Yasin, Kuh Ghizar, Hunza, Nagar and Chilas. (All of these regions later became part of Gilgit-Baltistan.)

The Gilgit district and the frontier ilaqas were administered by the British administration as the Gilgit Agency, which were returned to the princely state prior to the Partition of India.

Partition

Following the independence of India and Pakistan, in October 1947, there was a Poonch rebellion as Muslims were disarmed by the orders of raja of Kashmir.So they rebelled out in the western districts of the princely state coupled with a tribal invasion, both of which were supported by the newly independent Dominion of Pakistan. The princely ruler acceded to India in return for armed assistance. India and Pakistan fought the First Kashmir War that lasted through 1948, at the end of which large parts of the three western districts of Mirpur, Poonch and Muzaffarabad, the whole of the Gilgit Agency and the Skardu sub-district of Ladakh came under Pakistani control. The remainder of the princely state has been organised as a state of India under the name Jammu Kashmir.

Inside India

District map of Jammu and Kashmir in 2015, also showing territories of the former Jammu and Kashmir controlled by other countries:
A. Gilgit
B. Ladakh (northern and eastern portions)
C. Gilgit Wazarat
D. Chilas
E. Tribal territory
F. Muzaffarabad
G. Punch (western portion)
H. Mirpur

The territory under the Indian control include:

  • Jammu Division: districts of Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur, Reasi; the jagirs of Chenani and Bhaderwah; 11 per cent of the Mirpur district and 40 per cent of the Poonch jagir.
  • Kashmir Division: Kashmir South (Anantnag) and Kashmir North (Baramulla); 13 per cent of the Muzaffarabad district.
  • Ladakh Division: Kargil and Leh districts. (Became the union territory of Ladakh on 31 October 2019.)

The districts were reorganised by 1968, breaking up some of the larger districts. In 2006, eight new districts were created: Kishtwar, Ramban, Reasi, Samba, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Kulgam and Shopian.

In August 2019, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act was passed by both houses of the Indian Parliament. The provisions contained in the bill reorganised the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories; Jammu and Kashmir (union territory) and Ladakh with effect from 31 October 2019.

Districts

Jammu Division

Jammu Division

Name Headquarters Before 2007[8] After 2007 Population
2001 Census
Population
2011 Census
Area
(km2)
Area
(km2)
Area
(sq miles)
Kathua district Kathua 2,651 2,502 966 550,084 615,711
Jammu district Jammu 3,097 2,342 1,343,756 1,526,406
Samba district Samba new district 904 245,016 318,611
Udhampur district Udhampur 4,550 2,367 475,068 555,357
Reasi district Reasi new district 1,719 268,441 314,714
Rajouri district Rajouri 2,630 2,630 483,284 619,266
Poonch district Poonch 1,674 1,674 646 372,613 476,820
Doda district Doda 11,691 8,912 320,256 409,576
Ramban district Ramban new district 1,329 513 180,830 283,313
Kishtwar district Kishtwar new district 1,644 635 190,843 231,037
7,737 2,987
Total for division Jammu 26,293 26,293 10,152 4,430,191 5,350,811

Kashmir Division

Name Headquarters Before 2007 After 2007 Population
2001 Census
Population
2011 Census
Area
(km2)
Area
(km2)
Area
(sq miles)
Anantnag district Anantnag 3,984 3,574 1,380 778,408 1,070,144
Kulgam district Kulgam new district 410 158 394,026 422,786
Pulwama district Pulwama 1,398 1,086 419 441,275 570,060
Shopian district Shopian new district 312 120 211,332 265,960
Budgam district Budgam 1,371 1,361 525 607,181 735,753
Srinagar district Srinagar 2,228 1,979 764 1,027,670 1,269,751
Ganderbal district Ganderbal new district 259 100 217,907 297,003
Bandipora district Bandipora new district 345 133 304,886 385,099
Baramulla district Baramulla 4,588 4,243 1,638 843,892 1,015,503
Kupwara district Kupwara 2,379 2,379 919 650,393 875,564
Total for division Srinagar 15,948 15,948 6,158 5,476,970 6,907,623