Business & Educational Tourism

Geographical and Cultural Background

• Location: Union Territory of India (since October 31, 2019), carved out of the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir.
• Districts: Leh and Kargil.
• Altitude: Average altitude above 9,800 feet (3,000 meters); one of the highest inhabited regions in the world.
• Climate: Cold desert with extreme temperatures (–30°C in winters to 25°C in summers).
• Population: Sparse; approx. 274,000 (2021 est.), with major communities being Ladakhi Buddhists, Shia Muslims, and Balti people.
• Languages: Ladakhi, Urdu, Hindi, Balti, and English.