List of districts of Ladakh

The Indian union territory of Ladakh consists of two districts, with the intention to create 5 new districts announced on 26th August 2024. ^[1] Each district elects an autonomous district council. Until 31 October 2019, the districts of Kargil and Leh were part of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir.

List

District	Headquarters	Area (km2)	Population (2011 Census)	Established	Predecessor	Autonomous District Council	Comments	URL
Kargil	Kargil	14,086	140,802	1979	Leh	Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil	Shia Muslim majority	http://kargil.nic.in/
Leh	Leh	45,110*	133,487	1979	Ladakh	Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh	Buddhist majority	http://leh.nic.in/
Changthang	Changtang			proposed in 2024 [2]	Leh
Drass	Dras			proposed in 2024 [2]	Kargil
Nubra	Nubra			proposed in 2024 [2]	Leh
Sham	Sham Valley			proposed in 2024 [2]	Leh		Nicknamed "Apricot valley", lies between Kargil and Leh towns. Covers Likir, Alchi, Nimo, Lamayouro, etc.
Zanskar	Zanskar			proposed in 2024 [2]	Kargil
Total		59,146*	274,289

^* Indicates area under the actual control of India.

New districts

Demands have been raised for the creation of new districts in Ladakh. There had been 9 proposals to make districts. local BJP unit has hinted the creation of two new districts: Nubra and Zanskar. ^[3] The Ladakh Buddhist Association Zanskar (LBAZ) has also been demanding the creation of Zanskar district. ^[4]

• Zanskar: People of Zanskar have been demanding for more than past seven decades for a new district from the existing Kargil district. ^{[5] [6]} In 2020, the town's population was 20,000. ^[6] It lies 250 km south of Kargil town.

• Drass: People of have been demanding for more than past seven decades for a new district from the existing Kargil district.[4][5] In 2020, the town's population was 30,000.[5] It lies 60 km south of Kargil town.drass is inhabited second coldest place in the world.

• Nubra: Demands have been raised and the BJP has hinted at the creation of Nubra as new district. ^[5]

• Sham Valley: Demands have been raised and the BJP has hinted at the creation of Sham Valley as new district.

• Changthang: The people of Durbuk and Nyoma subdivisions of Leh district also demanded district status for the region (Changthang is a historical and cultural region of Ladakh. It is the southern part of Leh district comprising Durbuk and Nyoma subdivisions)

Other demands for new districts

• Sankoo: In February 2020, organised by various youth, religious and several political parties, nearly 3,000 people protested for the creation of a new 14,000 square kilometres (5,400 sq mi) Muslim-majority district of Sankoo out of Kargil because it remains cut-off from Kargil and the rest of India during snowfall of winters. ^[5] It had 40,000 or more than 25% population of Kargil district in 2011. ^[5] It lies 42 km southwest of Kargil town.

• Turtuk: Recommendations of mp of Ladakh to upgrade the tehsil of Turtuk. It comprises Turtuk and other towns and siachen glacier.

• Khaltsi: The people of Khaltsi, a subdivision of Leh district, have also demanded district status for their region (the western region of Leh district).

• Aryan valley of Ladakh: The people of Aryan valley of Ladakh are demanding either to grant them a subdivision or a district because to protect their culture which is different as compared to other part of the Ladakh. ^[7]

See also

• List of districts in India
• Geography of Ladakh
• Tourism in Ladakh

References

1. "MHA announces five new districts in Ladakh". The Times of India. 2024-08-26. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 2024-08-26.
2. ET Times (2024-08-26), "Ladakh gets five new districts", Economics Times
3. 3,000 Demonstrate for Separate District in Sub-Zero Temperatures at Kargil, The Wire, 6 February 2020.
4. Ladakh-based Buddhist association demands district status for Zanskar, India Today, 4 September 2019.
5. 3,000 Demonstrate for Separate District in Sub-Zero Temperatures at Kargil, The Wire, 06/FEB/2020.
6. Ladakh-based Buddhist association demands district status for Zanskar, India Today, September 4, 2019.
7. "MP Ladakh raises important issues in the Parliament | the Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh | India".