Astore District

Astore District (Urdu: ضلع استور) is a district of Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan in the disputed Kashmir region.^[1] It is one of the 14 districts of the Pakistani-administered territory of Gilgit−Baltistan.^[3] Its administrative headquarters are located at Eidgah in the Astore Valley.

Astore District ضلع استور
District of Gilgit−Baltistan administered by Pakistan.[1]
Nanga Parbat seen from the Rama Valley near Astore District in August 2016
Interactive map of Astore district
A map showing Pakistani-administered Gilgit-Baltistan (shaded in sage green) in the disputed Kashmir region[1]
Coordinates (Eidgah, Astore): 35°20′49″N 74°51′22″E
Administering country	Pakistan
Territory	Gilgit-Baltistan
Division	Diamer
Headquarters	Eidgah
Government
• Type	District Administration
• Deputy Commissioner	Muhammad Zulqanain Khan
• Superintendent of Police	N/A
• District Health Officer	N/A
Area [2]
• Total	5,411 km2 (2,089 sq mi)
Population  (2022)
• Total	102,738[2]
Number of tehsils	2

Astore District is bounded by Gilgit District to the north, Roundu District to the northeast, Skardu District to the east, Kharmang District to the southeast, Diamer District to the west, the Neelum District of Azad Jammu and Kashmir to the southwest, and the Bandipore District of Indian-administered disputed Kashmir region to the south.

Geography

Main article: Astore Valley

Astore District within Gilgit−Baltistan

The Astore Valley has an area of 5,092 km² and lies at an altitude of 2,600 metres (8,500 ft). The valley has approximately 250 square kilometres (97 sq mi) of glacier cover.^[4] The nearest glacier after entering the valley is the Harcho Glacier,^[5] and the most accessible is the Siachen Glacier.^[6] Overall less than 6% of the district is covered by forests, with 43% of land consisting of alpine and winter pastures.^[7]

Accessibility

A view of the terrain on the way to Astore

Astore is connected to Gilgit, which is well connected by air with Islamabad and by road with Peshawar, Swat, Islamabad-Rawalpindi, Chitral, and Skardu. There are two ways of access to Eidgah. The first is from Skardu via the Deosai Plateau 143 kilometres (89 mi),^[8] but that route cannot be used from November to June due to heavy snowfall. The second route, usable the year round, is from Gilgit via Jaglot 128 kilometres (80 mi).^[9]

History

district map of Gilgit−Baltistan

Astore was conquered by Ali Sher Khan Anchan, (ruled 1595–1633), the Maqpon ruler of Skardu. He gave it to Shah Sultan, his grandson. Shah Sultan became progenitor of the line of Astore rulers,^[10] who maintained their internal independence until 1842, when it annexed by Sikh Empire.^[11][12]