Gilgit
Gilgit
| |
|---|---|
City administered by Pakistan | |
Interactive map of Gilgit | |
| Coordinates: 35°55′15″N 74°18′30″E / 35.92083°N 74.30833°E | |
| Administering country | Pakistan |
| Adm. Unit | Gilgit–Baltistan |
| District | Gilgit District |
| Government | |
| • Type | Divisional Administration |
| • Commissioner | Najeeb Alam (PAS) |
| • Deputy Inspector General (DIG) | Hassan Raza Khan (PSP) |
| Elevation | 1,500 m (4,900 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 261,440 |
| Demographics | |
| • Language(s) | Urdu, Shina |
| Time zone | UTC+5:00 (PST) |
| Postal code | 1571 – 1xx |
| Area code | +92 |
Gilgit (/ˈɡɪlɡɪt/; Shina: گلیٗت; Urdu: گلگت IPA: [ˈɡɪlɡɪt]) is a city in Pakistani-administered Gilgit–Baltistan in the disputed Kashmir region. It is the capital of the Gilgit-Baltistan region. The city is located in a broad valley near the confluence of the Gilgit and the Hunza rivers. It is a major tourist destination in Pakistan, serving as a hub for trekking and mountaineering expeditions in the Karakoram mountain range.
Gilgit was once a major centre for Buddhism; it was an important stop on the ancient Silk Road, and today serves as a major junction along the Karakoram Highway with road connections to China as well as the Pakistani cities of Skardu, Chitral, Peshawar, and Islamabad. Currently, it serves as a frontier station for the local tribal areas. The city's economic activity is mainly focused on agriculture, with wheat, maize, and barley as the main produced crops.