Kupwara district

Kupwara district is an administrative district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region.^[1] It is one of the 10 districts located in the Kashmir Valley Division of Indian administered Kashmir. The Pohru River (originating in Lolab Valley and flowing from east to west) and Mawar river are two main rivers in the district. Both of them meet Jhelum river in Baramulla district.^[9]

Kupwara district Kopwor
District of Jammu and Kashmir administered by India[1]
Bangus Valley in Kupwara
Interactive map of Kupwara district
Kupwara district is in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region[1] It is in the Kashmir division (bordered in neon blue).
Coordinates (Kupwara): 34°37′N 74°13′E
Administering country	India
Union Territory	Jammu and Kashmir
Division	Kashmir Division
Established	1979
Headquarters	Kupwara
Government
• Lok Sabha Constituency	Baramulla
• MP[2]	Engineer Rashid
• Vidhan Sabha Constituencies	6 : Karnah, Trehgam, Kupwara, Lolab, Handwara and Langate
Area [3]
• Total	2,379 km2 (919 sq mi)
• Urban	47.3 km2 (18.3 sq mi)
• Rural	2,331.7 km2 (900.3 sq mi)
Population  (2011)[4][5]
• Total	870,354
• Density	370/km2 (950/sq mi)
• Urban	104,729
• Rural	765,625
Demographics
• Literacy[6]	64.51%
• Sex ratio[6]	835 ♀/ 1000 ♂
Languages [7][8]
• Official	Kashmiri, Urdu, Hindi, Dogri, English
Time zone	UTC+05:30 (IST)
Vehicle registration	JK-09
Major highways	NH 701
Website	kupwara.nic.in

History

The district was carved out of the erstwhile Baramulla district in 1979 with Kupwara Town as the district headquarters.^[10]

Kupwara district, located in the northern part of Jammu and Kashmir, India, has a rich and complex history shaped by its strategic location and diverse cultural influences.

• Bomba Tribe: The Bomba, also spelled Bambas or Bhambas, are a Rajput tribe found in both Pakistani-administered Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. They claim descent from Arab tribes but are more likely descendants of the indigenous Khas people who inhabited the Karnah region. The Bomba clan ruled Karnah until the Sikh conquest of Kashmir in the early 19th century. Sultan Muzaffar Khan Bomba established the capital city of Muzaffarabad of the present-day Azad Kashmir. The last Bomba ruler, Sultan Sher Ahmed Khan Bomba, was defeated by Dogra dynasty ruler Maharaja Ranbir Singh at Panzgam, Kupwara (Keran-Karnah), in the early 19th century.

Geography

Kupwara district has a total area of 2,379 square kilometres (919 sq mi). The district is bordered by Bandipora district in the east, Baramulla district to the south and Pakistan administered Jammu and Kashmir to the north and west. The district is mostly rural/agricultural.

Adjacent districts

• Bandipora district, Indian administered Kashmir – east
• Neelum district, Pakistan administered Jammu and Kashmir – northeast
• Neelum district, Pakistan administered Jammu and Kashmir – northwest
• Muzaffarabad district and Hattian Bala district, Pakistan administered Jammu and Kashmir – west
• Baramulla district, Indian administered Kashmir – south

Economy

Most of the people depend on agriculture and horticulture. There is a good production and business of walnuts in Kupwara.^[11]

The Department of horticulture have developed a high density walnut nursery in Kupwara.^[12]

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1901	110,979	—
1911	124,744	+1.18%
1921	137,936	+1.01%
1931	153,758	+1.09%
1941	170,079	+1.01%
1951	187,076	+0.96%
1961	204,073	+0.87%
1971	257,824	+2.37%
1981	328,743	+2.46%
1991	465,948	+3.55%
2001	650,393	+3.39%
2011	870,354	+2.96%
source:[13]

According to the 2011 census Kupwara district has a population of 870,354.^[4] This gives it a ranking of 470th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 368 inhabitants per square kilometre (950/sq mi). Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 34.62%. Kupwara has a sex ratio of 843 females for every 1000 males (this varies with religion), and a literacy rate of 75.60% Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 0.12% and 8.08% of the population respectively.^{[citation needed]}

Religion in Kupwara district (2011)[14][5]
Religion			Percent
Islam			94.59%
Hinduism			4.27%
Sikhism			0.64%
Other or not stated			0.50%

Languages of Kupwara district (2011)^[4]

1. Kashmiri (71.1%)
2. Pahari (14.1%)
3. Gojri (9.21%)
4. Urdu (2.70%)
5. Others (2.86%)

Sex Ratio in Kupwara District in 2011 Census. (no. females per 1,000 males)
Religion (and population)			Sex Ratio
Muslim (pop 823,286)			912
Hindu (pop 37,128)			30
Sikh (pop 5,600)			162
Other (pop 1,818)			395
Not stated (pop 2,522)			695
Total (pop 870,354)			835

Kupwara district: religion, gender ratio, and % urban of population, according to the 2011 Census.[5]
	Hindu	Muslim	Christian	Sikh	Buddhist	Jain	Other	Not stated	Total
Total	37,128	823,286	1,700	5,600	66	39	13	2,522	870,354
	4.27%	94.59%	0.20%	0.64%	0.01%	0.00%	0.00%	0.29%	100.00%
Male	36,057	430,521	1,215	4,821	51	28	9	1,488	474,190
Female	1,071	392,765	485	779	15	11	4	1,034	396,164
Gender ratio (% female)	2.9%	47.7%	28.5%	13.9%	22.7%	28.2%	30.8%	41.0%	45.5%
Sex ratio (no. of females per 1,000 males)	30	912	399	162	–	–	–	695	835
Urban	9,460	93,355	369	1,123	20	6	8	388	104,729
Rural	27,668	729,931	1,331	4,477	46	33	5	2,134	765,625
% Urban	25.5%	11.3%	21.7%	20.1%	30.3%	15.4%	61.5%	15.4%	12.0%

At the time of the 2011 census, 71.11% of the population spoke Kashmiri, 14.12% Pahari, 9.21% Gujari and 2.70% Hindi as their first language. Urdu is widely-spoken as a second language.^[4]

Notable people

• Anwar Shah Kashmiri, Renowned Islamic scholar from Kashmir, known for his expertise in hadith, fiqh, and theology. A key figure at Darul Uloom Deoband.
• Aadil Manzoor Peer, Stock athlete who has represented India internationally with his right-hand playing style.
• Abdul Gani Lone, Kashmiri separatist leader, founder of People’s Conference, assassinated in 2002 for his moderate views.
• Ali Mohammad Shahbaz, Kashmiri poet, satirist, humanist, and philanthropist, whose work focused on the Kashmir conflict.
• Ashraf Sehrai, Separatist leader and chairman of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, elected after Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s resignation.
• Engineer Rashid, Kashmiri politician, founder of Awami Itihad Party, and an advocate for Kashmir’s autonomy and self-determination.
• Maqbool Bhat , Kashmiri separatist leader, founder of NLF(JKLF), and was hanged in 1984 for his activism.
• Sajad Gani Lone, Kashmiri politician, leader of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference, and former minister in the region’s government.
• Shah Faesal, Former IAS topper and founder of Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement.
• Mir Mohammad Fayaz, Formar Rajhya Sabha MP of India, and current MLA of kupwara constituency, Mir Mohammad Fayaz started and made a great infrastructure developments and made the progress by making the Kupwara district on India's well known district.

Transportation

Air

The nearest airport is Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport in Srinagar located 87 kilometres from district headquarters Kupwara. There are plans to construct an airport in Panzgam.^[15]

Rail

Kupwara district is not yet connected to railways. There are plans to extend the Jammu–Baramulla line up to Kupwara in the near future.^[16] The nearest railway station is Baramulla railway station located 45 kilometres from Kupwara.

Road

Kupwara is well-connected with roads and highways. The NH 701 passes through Kupwara district alongside other intra-district roads.

See also

• Jammu and Kashmir
• Kupwara
• Lolab Valley
• Karnah
• Drugmulla
• Tangdhar
• Sogam Lolab
• Sports in Jammu and Kashmir
• Diver Anderbugh
• Bangus Valley