Baltistan region

Baltistan has two districts namely Skardu and Ganche districts of Baltistan Division of the disputed Kashmir Region of Northern Pakistan; note Khaplu is by far the coldest and dampest place in within Pakistan temperatures reaching below -20 degrees Celsius.

SKARDU
Gultari
Kharmang
Rondu
Shigar
Skardu (the capital)
GANCHE
Khaplu
Mashabrum
Ghanche (Gangche) is the main part of Baltistan. Ghanche's population is about 0.5 million and purely Balti-speaking. 95 percent of the population belong to the sofi noorbakhshi sect. surmo, Khaplu, Ghwari,, Thaly, Brah, Chourbat, Saltro and Hushey are the main valleys of the district. SURMO Surmo is the one of the most important region of Baltistan.it have so many cultural heritage and civilization and Islamic values. Surmo consisted the velleys of Tarkary, Khar, gund, Langkhun, chughugrong and Tishary, commulatively it is included 800 houses and approximately 9000 population. At most large area of caltivated area and noncaltivated area covered the 25%of the district areas. There are so many cultural symbol like rigalmo khar, surmo shagharun khar minduq sar (flower garden) and so many other attribute find like make picture on hill are the very old civilization the baltistan region which is the effect of the old chiness civilization. surmo is also very old vellay of Baltistan, to prove this point i must support the walnut trees in the region found with 150 years ago. Geographically is very important region with respect to military and other network of transportationally. The biggest bridge named "surmo bridge" situated in surmo which linked siachen regin with the district headquarter khaplu and also linked churbut velley as well. The people of the this area are hardworking, honest in dealing. Unfortunately the most cultivated fields deprived due to river flood of shoyke river. The Young generation of the surmo struggling in education and deram of surmo as a modern vellege in future era. Therefore two NGOs named "AL-MUSTAFA WELFARE ORGANIZATION" and "AL-ZEHRA WELFARE FOUNDATION" are palying vital role in verius field of life like health care and emphasise on education as well as environment of the area. The above administrative divisions were created by the Government of Pakistan. Historically, Baltistan consisted of the present day Baltistan (District Skardu and Ghanche) and Kargil, which is now under the Indian control. Kargil is linked to Baltistan through Kharmang valley, and Gultari. Gultari also borders with district Astore, which had been part of the terrotary of the Balti ruling family rMakpons. In fact, the Raja of Astore is a rMakpon.


Writers and historians of different nations have given different names to Baltistan. Central Tibetans have called it Nang-mgon. The historical reference appearing in Ptolemy's - BYALTAE- dates back to the 2nd century BC. The Chinese have named it Palolo, Palilo and Palor. Arabian historians such as Al-Beruni render it Balorthe Arabic version of the Chinese name, which was later Persianised as Baloristan. As the area is geographically located on the Tibetan plateau and for centuries remained a part of the Tibetan Empire, the majority of population being ethnically and linguistically of Tibetan origin, Indian historians have thus named it Little Tibet. The people themselves refer to their homeland as Balti-yul (Land of Baltis) which suggests a link with Ptolemy's BYALTAE. Baltistan is the Persian rendering of Balti-yul.