Anantnag district

This article is about the district. For its eponymous headquarters, see Anantnag.

Anantnag district
District of Jammu and Kashmir administered by India
Interactive map of Anantnag district
Anantnag 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: 33°44′40″N75°11′30″E / 33.74444°N 75.19167°E / 33.74444; 75.19167
Administering country	India
Union Territory	Jammu and Kashmir
Division	Kashmir
Headquarters	Anantnag
Tehsils [2]	Anantnag Anantnag East Mattan Bijbehara Shangas Kokernag Larnoo Dooru ShahbadBalla Qazigund Pahalgam Saller Srigufwara
Government
•  Lok Sabha Constituency	Anantnag - Rajouri
•  MP	Hasnain Masoodi, JKNC [3]
•  Vidhan Sabha constituencies	6 constituences
•  District Magistrate	Piyush Singla (IAS)
Area
• Total	3,574 km2 (1,380 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	1,078,692
• Density	300/km2 (780/sq mi)
Demographics
•  Literacy	62.69%
•  Sex ratio	927 ♀/ 1000 ♂ [4]
Languages [5] [6]
• Official	Kashmiri, Urdu, Hindi, Dogri, English
Time zone	UTC+05:30 (IST)
Vehicle registration	JK-03 [7]
Major highways	NH 44, NH 244, NH 501
Average annual precipitation [8]	747 mm
Website	anantnag.nic.in

Anantnag district is an administrative district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region. ^[1] It is one of ten districts which make up the Kashmir Valley. The district headquarters is Anantnag city. As of 2011, it was the third most populous district of Jammu and Kashmir (out of 22), after Jammu and Srinagar. ^[9]

Administration

At the time of the 2011 census, Anantnag district comprised: Anantnag, Bijbehara, Dooru, Kokernag, Pahalgam, and Shangus tehsils. ^[2] The district consisted of seven blocks: Breng, Shangus, Achabal, Dachnipora, Qazigund, Khoveripora and Shahabad. ^[10]

Geography

Anantnag district has a total area of 3,574 square kilometres (1,380 sq mi). The district is bordered by Kargil district and Kishtwar district in the east, Doda district and Ramban district to the south and Ganderbal district to the north and Kulgam, Srinagar, Pulwama and Shopian districts to the west.

Climate

Anantnag features a moderate climate (Köppen climate classification. Anantnag's climate is largely defined by its geographic location, with the towering Karakoram to its east and the Pirpanjal range to the south. It can be generally described as cool in the spring and autumn, mild in the summer, and cold in the winter. As a large city with significant differences in Geolocation among various districts, the weather is often cooler in the hilly areas of the east as compared to the flat northern part of Anantnag.

Summer is usually mild and with a little rain, but relative humidity is generally high and the nights are cool. The precipitation occurs throughout the year but no one month is particularly dry. The hottest month is July (mean minimum temperature 6 °C, mean maximum temperature 32 °C) and the coldest are December–January (mean minimum temperature -15 °C, mean maximum temperature 0 °C).

Weather conditions are unpredictable. The record high temperature is 33 °C and the record low is -18 °C. On 5–6 January 2012, after years of relatively little snow, a wave of heavy snow and low temperatures shocked the city covering it in a thick layer of snow and ice, forcing them to officially declare a state of emergency and calling the following two days (6 and 7 January) off for the whole valley.

Anantnag has seen an increase in relative humidity and annual precipitation in the last few years. This is most likely because of the commercial afforestation projects which also includes expanding parks and green cover. The suburb parts of Anantnag are lusher than the central part. Anantnag District possesses all the typical characteristics of the climate of Kashmir Valley as a whole. "In his introduction to the Rajtarangini Kulan or Kalhána, Pandit says about the climate of Valley: 'It is a country where the sun shines mildly, being the place created by Kashayapa as if for his glory. High school-houses, the saffron, iced water and grapes, which are rare even in heaven, are common here. Kailasa is the best place in the three worlds, Himalaya the best part of Kailásá, and Kashmir the best place in Himalaya.'" ^{[11] [12]}

"Sir Walter Lawrence writes in his book The Valley of Kashmir that in latitude Kashmir corresponds with Peshawar, Baghdad and Damascus in Asia: with Fez in Morocco: and South Carolina in America, but it presents none of the characteristics of those countries. People have linked the climate of Kashmir to that of Switzerland until the end of May, and of Southern France in July and August. But it is impossible to speak of Kashmir as possessing any one climate or group of characteristics. Every hundred feet of elevation brings some new phase of climate and of vegetation." ^{[12] [11]}

Climate data for Anantnag (1971–1986)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	7.0 (44.6)	8.2 (46.8)	14.1 (57.4)	20.5 (68.9)	24.5 (76.1)	29.6 (85.3)	30.1 (86.2)	29.6 (85.3)	27.4 (81.3)	22.4 (72.3)	15.1 (59.2)	8.2 (46.8)	19.7 (67.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−2.0 (28.4)	−0.7 (30.7)	3.4 (38.1)	7.9 (46.2)	10.8 (51.4)	14.9 (58.8)	18.1 (64.6)	17.5 (63.5)	12.1 (53.8)	5.8 (42.4)	0.9 (33.6)	−1.5 (29.3)	7.3 (45.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	48 (1.9)	68 (2.7)	121 (4.8)	85 (3.3)	68 (2.7)	39 (1.5)	62 (2.4)	76 (3.0)	28 (1.1)	33 (1.3)	28 (1.1)	54 (2.1)	710 (27.9)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	6.6	7.3	10.2	8.8	8.1	5.7	7.9	6.8	3.5	2.8	2.8	5.1	75.6
Source: HKO [13]

Politics

Anantnag district has 6 assembly constituencies: Anantnag, Dooru, Kokernag, Shangus, Bijbehara and Pahalgam. ^[14] Anantnag district has one Lok Sabha constituency. The present MP of Anantnag-Rajouri is Hasnain Masoodi ^[15] of the JKNC. The DDC chairperson of the district is Yousuf Gorsi of JKNC which is part of the PAGD.

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1901	155,387	—
1911	174,661	+12.4%
1921	193,132	+10.6%
1931	215,286	+11.5%
1941	238,136	+10.6%
1951	261,935	+10.0%
1961	285,734	+9.1%
1971	374,175	+31.0%
1981	490,057	+31.0%
1991	638,634	+30.3%
2001	843,892	+32.1%
2011	1,008,039	+19.5%
† 1951 and 1991 populations are estimated Source: [16]

Religion in Anantnag district (2011) [17]
Religion			Percent
Islam			97.99%
Hinduism			1.22%
Other or not stated			0.79%

Languages of Anantnag district (2011) ^[18]

   Kashmiri (85.10%)

   Gojri (11.46%)

   Pahari (1.21%)

  Others (2.23%)

See also: List of cities in Jammu and Kashmir by population

According to the 2011 census Anantnag district had a population of 1,078,692, ^[9] roughly equal to the nation of Cyprus ^[19] or the US state of Rhode Island. ^[20] This gives it a ranking of 425th in India (out of a total of 640). ^[9] The district has a population density of 375 inhabitants per square kilometre (970/sq mi). ^[9] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 37.48%. ^[9] Anantnag had a sex ratio of 927 females for every 1,000 males ^[9] (this varies with religion) and a literacy rate of 64.32% ^[9] in 2011.

Anantnag city with population of 108,505 was the largest city in the district. Anantnag Urban Agglomeration had a population of 158,785.

Sex Ratio in Anantnag District in 2011 Census. [17] (no. females per 1,000 males)
Religion (and population)			Sex Ratio
Muslim (pop 1,057,005)			948
Hindu (pop 13,180)			97
Sikh (pop 6,140)			678
Other (pop 2,367)			660
Total (pop 1,078,692)			927

Anantnag district: religion, gender ratio, and % urban of population, according to the 2011 Census. [17]
	Hindu	Muslim	Christian	Sikh	Buddhist	Jain	Other	Not stated	Total
Total	13,180	1,057,005	1,449	6,140	55	7	7	849	1,078,692
	1.22%	97.99%	0.13%	0.57%	0.01%	0.00%	0.00%	0.08%	100.00%
Male	12,010	542,671	845	3,660	35	4	3	539	559,767
Female	1,170	514,334	604	2,480	20	3	4	310	518,925
Gender ratio (% female)	8.9%	48.7%	41.7%	40.4%	36.4%	42.9%	57.1%	36.5%	48.1%
Sex ratio (no. of females per 1,000 males)	97	948	715	678	–	–	–	575	927
Urban	8,399	272,573	504	1,149	34	4	1	223	282,887
Rural	4,781	784,432	945	4,991	21	3	6	626	795,805
% Urban	63.7%	25.8%	34.8%	18.7%	61.8%	57.1%	14.3%	26.3%	26.2%

The predominant language of the district is Kashmiri which is spoken by 85.10% of the population. The second largest language is Gujari which is 11.46%, while Pahari is third with 1.21% of the population. ^[18]

Transportation

Air

The nearest airport is Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport in Srinagar located 60 kilometres from district headquarters Anantnag. There is a nearby airbase in Awantipora which is used by the Indian Air Force.

Rail

Anantnag district is very well-connected with railways. The Jammu–Baramulla line passes through the district. There are numerous railway stations throughout the district.

Road

The district is well-connected with roads and highways. The NH 44, NH 244 and NH 501 passes through Anantnag district alongside other intra-district roads.

Villages

• Khiram

See also

• Pahalgam
• Verinag
• Kokernag
• Sinthan
• Qazigund
• Kashmir Railway
• Martand Sun Temple
• Anantnag railway station

Gallery

Lavender Park Pahalgam Anantnag Kashmir

Lavender Park Pahalgam Anantnag Kashmir

Overa-Aru Wildlife Sanctuary (protected area in Jammu and Kashmir)

Lavender Park Pahalgam Anantnag Kashmir

Lavender Park Pahalgam Anantnag Kashmir

References

1. The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute is supported by the tertiary sources (a) through (d), reflecting due weight in the coverage. Although "controlled" and "held" are also applied neutrally to the names of the disputants or to the regions administered by them, as evidenced in sources (f) through (h) below, "held" is also considered politicized usage, as is the term "occupied," (see (i) below).
   (a) Kashmir, region Indian subcontinent, Encyclopaedia Britannica, retrieved 15 August 2019 (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcontinent ... has been the subject of dispute between India and Pakistan since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. The northern and western portions are administered by Pakistan and comprise three areas: Azad Kashmir, Gilgit, and Baltistan, the last two being part of a territory called the Northern Areas. Administered by India are the southern and southeastern portions, which constitute the state of Jammu and Kashmir but are slated to be split into two union territories.";
   (b) Pletcher, Kenneth, Aksai Chin, Plateau Region, Asia, Encyclopaedia Britannica, retrieved 16 August 2019 (subscription required) Quote: "Aksai Chin, Chinese (Pinyin) Aksayqin, portion of the Kashmir region, at the northernmost extent of the Indian subcontinent in south-central Asia. It constitutes nearly all the territory of the Chinese-administered sector of Kashmir that is claimed by India to be part of the Ladakh area of Jammu and Kashmir state.";
   (c) "Kashmir", Encyclopedia Americana, Scholastic Library Publishing, 2006, p. 328, ISBN   978-0-7172-0139-6 C. E Bosworth, University of Manchester Quote: "KASHMIR, kash'mer, the northernmost region of the Indian subcontinent, administered partlv by India, partly by Pakistan, and partly by China. The region has been the subject of a bitter dispute between India and Pakistan since they became independent in 1947";
   (d) Osmańczyk, Edmund Jan (2003), Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: G to M, Taylor & Francis, pp. 1191–, ISBN   978-0-415-93922-5 Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir: Territory in northwestern India, subject to a dispute betw een India and Pakistan. It has borders with Pakistan and China."
   (e) Talbot, Ian (2016), A History of Modern South Asia: Politics, States, Diasporas, Yale University Press, pp. 28–29, ISBN   978-0-300-19694-8 Quote: "We move from a disputed international border to a dotted line on the map that represents a military border not recognized in international law. The line of control separates the Indian and Pakistani administered areas of the former Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir.";
   (f) Kashmir, region Indian subcontinent, Encyclopaedia Britannica, retrieved 15 August 2019 (subscription required) Quote: "... China became active in the eastern area of Kashmir in the 1950s and has controlled the northeastern part of Ladakh (the easternmost portion of the region) since 1962.";
   (g) Bose, Sumantra (2009), Kashmir: Roots of Conflict, Paths to Peace, Harvard University Press, pp. 294, 291, 293, ISBN   978-0-674-02855-5 Quote: "J&K: Jammu and Kashmir. The former princely state that is the subject of the Kashmir dispute. Besides IJK (Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir. The larger and more populous part of the former princely state. It has a population of slightly over 10 million, and comprises three regions: Kashmir Valley, Jammu, and Ladakh.) and AJK ('Azad" (Free) Jammu and Kashmir. The more populous part of Pakistani-controlled J&K, with a population of approximately 2.5 million. AJK has six districts: Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Bagh, Kodi, Rawalakot, and Poonch. Its capital is the town of Muzaffarabad. AJK has its own institutions, but its political life is heavily controlled by Pakistani authorities, especially the military), it includes the sparsely populated "Northern Areas" of Gilgit and Baltistan, remote mountainous regions which are directly administered, unlike AJK, by the Pakistani central authorities, and some high-altitude uninhabitable tracts under Chinese control."
   (h) Fisher, Michael H. (2018), An Environmental History of India: From Earliest Times to the Twenty-First Century, Cambridge University Press, p. 166, ISBN   978-1-107-11162-2 Quote: "Kashmir’s identity remains hotly disputed with a UN-supervised “Line of Control” still separating Pakistani-held Azad (“Free”) Kashmir from Indian-held Kashmir.";
   (i) Snedden, Christopher (2015), Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris, Oxford University Press, p. 10, ISBN   978-1-84904-621-3 Quote:"Some politicised terms also are used to describe parts of J&K. These terms include the words 'occupied' and 'held'."
2. "Tehsils in Anantnag district, Jammu and Kashmir - Census 2011". Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
3. "Lok Sabha Members". Lok Sabha. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
4. "Anantnag District Population, Caste, Religion Data (Jammu and Kashmir) - Census 2011".
5. "The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
6. "Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020". Rising Kashmir. 23 September 2020. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
7. "JK-03 Anantnag Vehicle Registration Details". drivespark.com.
8. "Climate - Anantnag".
9. "District Census 2011". Census2011.co.in. 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
10. Statement showing the number of blocks in respect of 22 Districts of Jammu and Kashmir State including newly Created Districts, as on 31-03-2008 (PDF). jkrd.nic.in (Report). 13 March 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 September 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
11. Lawrence, Walter Roper (1895). The Valley of Kashmir. p. 13. ISBN   978-8120616301.
12. "Anantnag district General information". India on a Page. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
13. "Climatological Information for Srinigar, India". Hong Kong Observatory. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
14. "ERO's and AERO's". Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu and Kashmir. Archived from the original on 22 October 2008. Retrieved 28 August 2008.
15. "Lok Sabha Members". Lok Sabha. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
16. "A-2 Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901". Censusindia.gov.in. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
17. C-1 Population By Religious Community – Jammu & Kashmir (Report). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
18. C-16 Population By Mother Tongue – Jammu & Kashmir (Report). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
19. US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Archived from the original on 13 June 2007. Retrieved 1 October 2011. Cyprus 1,120,489 July 2011 est.
20. "2010 Resident Population Data". U. S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2011. Rhode Island 1,052,567

External links

• Official website