Turtuk
Turtuk | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates: 34°50′49″N 76°49′37″E / 34.847°N 76.827°E | |
| Country | India |
| Union Territory | Ladakh |
| District | Leh |
| Tehsil | Nubra |
| Government | |
| • Type | Panchayati raj |
| • Body | Gram panchayat |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 3,371 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Ladakhi, Hindi, Balti |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 194401 |
| Census code | 913 |
Turtuk is a village and the headquarters of an eponymous community development block in the Indian union territory of Ladakh. It is a small village sandwiched between the Karakorum Range and the Himalayas, and one of the northernmost villages of India, close to the Line of Control between India and Pakistan. Turtuk is situated in the Nubra tehsil of the Leh district, on the banks of the Shyok River. Geographically, the village is in the Baltistan region, which has been under Pakistani administration, except for five villages of the Turtuk block which are part of India. These villages form the only region in India populated by Balti people. Turtuk is known for its fruit, especially apricots.
Turtuk was administered by Pakistan & was under Pakistani control until the war of 1971, when the Indian Army regained control again. It is also one of the gateways to the Siachen Glacier.