North IndiaUnion TerritoryLA

Ladakh

Capital: Leh

#2

Area Rank

โ€”

Pop. Rank

62%

Literacy

2

Districts

๐Ÿ“‹Basic Information

CapitalLeh
Largest CityLeh
Formation31 October 2019
Population2.74 lakh (2011)
Area59,146 sq km
LanguagesLadakhi, Hindi, Urdu
Literacy Rate62%
Districts2
Major RiversIndus, Shyok, Zanskar

๐Ÿ†Key GK Facts

  • 1.Largest UT by area; least populated UT
  • 2.Highest altitude UT โ€” average elevation >3,500 m
  • 3.Pangong Tso โ€” the lake shown in "3 Idiots" (film); extends into China
  • 4.Siachen Glacier โ€” world's highest battlefield; 2nd largest non-polar glacier
  • 5.Galwan Valley conflict (June 2020) โ€” India-China border clash
  • 6.Khardung La (5,359 m) โ€” one of the world's highest motorable roads
  • 7.No Legislative Assembly โ€” administered directly by Central Government via LG

โญFamous For

Cold desertPangong LakeSiachen GlacierKhardung La PassBuddhist monasteriesGalwan Valley

๐ŸฏWildlife & National Parks

  • ๐ŸŒฟHemis National Park (Snow Leopard โ€” largest NP in India)
  • ๐ŸŒฟChangthang Cold Desert Wildlife Sanctuary

Tips

  • โ†’Hemis NP is India's largest national park and home to the highest density of snow leopards
  • โ†’Galwan Valley: 2020 clash resulted in deaths on both sides โ€” first fatal encounter since 1975
  • โ†’Ladakh has no legislature โ€” only UT without Legislative Assembly (J&K has one)

๐Ÿง  Quick Quiz

What is the capital of Ladakh?

When was Ladakh officially formed?