| Kashmir valley | |
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| Vale of Kashmir | |
 Satellite imagery of the Kashmir Valley, showcasing the snow-capped peaks of thePir Panjal Range (left in image; southwest in compass) and theGreat Himalayas (right in image; northeast in compass) flanking it on either side | |
 A 1938 geological map of the Kashmir Valley | |
| Length | 83 miles (134 km) Northwest-Southeast |
| Width | 20 miles (32 km) |
| Area | 15,520.3 km2 (5,992.4 sq mi) |
| Geography | |
| Location | South Asia |
| Country | Administered byIndia in the disputedKashmir region[1] |
| State | Union territory ofJammu and Kashmir |
| River | Jhelum |
TheKashmir Valley, also known as theVale of Kashmir, is anintermontane valley in the northern part of Indian-administeredJammu and Kashmir.[1] The valley is surrounded by the ranges of theHimalayas, bounded on the southwest by thePir Panjal Range and on the northeast by theGreater Himalayan Range. It is approximately 135 km (84 mi) long and 32 km (20 mi) wide, and drained by theJhelum River.[2] It falls entirely within theKashmir Division of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Kashmir Valley lies between latitude33° and35°N, and longitude73° and76°E.[3] The valley is 100 km (62 mi) wide and covers 15,520.3 km2 (5,992.4 sq mi) in area.[4] It is bounded by sub-ranges of theWestern Himalayas: theGreat Himalayas bound it in the northeast and separate it from theTibetan Plateau,[5] whereas thePir Panjal Range in theLesser Himalayas bounds it on the west and the south, and separates it from thePunjab Plain.[6] The valley has an average elevation of 1,850 metres (6,070 ft) above sea-level,[4] but the surrounding Pir Panjal range has an average elevation of 10,000 feet (3,000 m).[7] TheJhelum River is the major river which acts a drainage for whole Kashmir Valley, before exiting the Kashmir Valley through Uri gorge the Jhelum River falls intoWular Lake[8] second largest freshwater lake in Asia. Before entering Wular Lake Srinagar city and Sonawari lies on its banks and after leaving Wular Lake Sopore and Baramulla towns lies on its banks. It originates atVerinag; and then fed by a large number of glacier fed rivers and streamsLidder,Sind and Doodh Ganga rivers are its major tributaries. Unlike other areas ofKashmir region, the Kashmir Valley is densely populated owing to the availability of a large expanse of fertile flat land.
The Kashmir Valley has a moderate climate, which is largely defined by its geographic location, with the toweringKarakoram Range in the north,Pir Panjal Range in the south and west, andZanskar Range in the east.[9] It can be generally described as cool in the spring and autumn, mild in the summer and cold in the winter. As a large valley with significant differences in geo-location among various districts, the weather is often cooler in the hilly areas compared to the flat lower parts.
Summer is usually mild and fairly dry, but relative humidity is generally high and the nights are cool. Precipitation occurs throughout the year and no month is particularly dry. The hottest month is July (mean minimum temperature 16 °C, mean maximum temperature 32 °C) and the coldest are December–January (mean minimum temperature −15 °C, mean maximum temperature 0 °C).
The Kashmir Valley enjoys a moderate climate but weather conditions are unpredictable. The record high temperature is 37.8 °C[10] and the record low is −18 °C. On 5 and 6 January 2012, after years of relatively little snow, a wave of heavy snow and low temperatures (winter storm) shocked the valley covering it in a thick layer of snow and ice.
The Valley has seen an increase in relative humidity and annual precipitation in the last few years. This is most likely because of the commercial afforestation projects which also include expanding parks and green cover.
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The valley of Kashmir was formed by folding and faulting as the Himalayan mountain chain was thrust between the Indian subcontinent and the rest of Asia. The valley runs northwest to southeast along the strike of the mountain chain and is drained by the river Jhelum which cuts through the Pir Pinjal at the Baramullah gap. This structural basin is 135 km in length with a maximum width of 40 km and ranges in altitude from 5,200 to 6,000 ft above sea level. Its floor stands 1,600 m above sea level in the Jhelum flood plain. It covers an area of about 4,865 km square. The valley is accessible from the Punjab plain through two famous passes; the Pir Panjal pass (3,494 m) and Banihal pass (2,832 m).
Kashmir Valley travel guide from Wikivoyage| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
34°02′00″N74°40′00″E / 34.0333°N 74.6667°E /34.0333; 74.6667
