Kashmir occupies a special place in India, because of its geographic location, its scenicsplendor, and its great contributions to the arts and culture of India. In the history of ourRepublic is written another chapter on the unique issue of Kashmir. Its strategic position addsone more dimension to the overall security of this sub-continent.

•Jammu is located between longitude 32.73°N of Greenwich meridian and latitude 74.87 ⁰ of equator.

• It is surrounded by Shivalik range to the north, east and southeast while the Trikuta Range surrounds it in the north-west.

• It has an average elevation of 327 m (1,073 ft).

•According to survey of 2011 the total population in Jammu is about 9,51,373.

•The name Jammu is derived from its ruler who founded it. Raja Jambulochan founded this city and named it Jambupora which later changed to Jammu.

•Jammu has historically been the capital of Jammu Province and the winter capital of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir princely state (1846–1952).

• After 480 CE, the area was dominated by the Hephthalites and ruled from Kapisa and Kabul.

•A 43 km long railway line connecting Jammu with Sialkot was laid in 1897 but it was abandoned after the Partition of India as the railway link to Sialkot was broken.

•The new Jammu Tawi station was opened in 1975. In 2000, much of the old railway station was demolished to make way for an art centre.[4] After partition of India, Jammu continued to be the winter capital of state.

•Jammu, like the rest of north-western India, features a humid subtropical climate ,with extreme summer highs reaching 46 °C (115 °F), and temperatures in the winter months occasionally falling below freezing.

• June is the hottest month with average highs of 40.6 °C (105.1 °F), while January is the coldest month with average lows reaching 7 °C (45 °F).

• Average yearly precipitation is about 42 inches (1,100 mm) with the bulk of the rainfall in the months from June to September, although the winters can also be rather wet. In winter dense smog causes much inconvenience and temperature even drops to 2 °C (36 °F).

• In summer, particularly in May and June, extremely intense sunlight or hot winds can raise the mercury to 46 °C (115 °F).

•Jammu is home to people belonging to various sections of society. Hindu Brahmin priests enable Indian and foreign pilgrims to worship at the various temples in Jammu.

•The Amarnath Cave and Vaishnodevi are two popular temples here.

•Some of the major tribes are given below:i. Dogras- belong to the Aryan tribe who came to India in ancient times.ii. Gujjars - Muslim Gujjars form a major section of Jammu inhabitants.iii. Chibali - Chibalis are a small race in Jammu. They are usually followers of Islam.iv. Sudhan - Another Muslim section of Jammu, the Sudhans, speak both Kashmiri and

Dogri languages.

• Some of the major festivals celebrated in Jammu are:i. Lohriii. Baisakhiiii. Shivratri

Vegetation is influenced by climate, rainfall soil and altitude. Since these factors varyas the altitude rises from the outer plains of Jammu Province to the loftiestmountain ranges of the Inner Himalayas, it is but natural that the vegetation shouldvary from the Inner Himalayas to the middle mountains and the outer plains ofJammu region.

FOREST :-•Forests are one of the most important resources of Jammu and Kashmir. Spread over 2,236 sq. kms. of the demarcated area forests accounts for 20% of the total geographical area of the state on this side of the Line of Control.•Over 19,236 sq. kms. is under coniferous softwood (Pine) and 946 sq. kms. under non-coniferous softwood.•The valley of Kashmir has deciduous vegetation. The Chinar, Poplar, Deodar, Fir, Pine, Kail, Partal, Mulbery, Walnut and other fruit trees grow throughout the valley. Baramulla and Anantnag districts have respectively 71% and 60% of their areas under forests.

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Industries Dependent on Forests :-

1. Match Industry. Poplar wood available in the valley of Kashmir is mainly used by this industry. A large Government Match Factory has been established at Baramula since long. Its annual production is 60,000 gross boxes of matches.

2. The wood of poplar and willow trees is used for making cricket bats and mulberry wood is used for making hockey sticks.

3. Sentonin Factory in Baramula manufactures sentonin from artimisia. This drug is useds used as a helminthecide which is exported to foreign countries also.

4. Rifle Half-Wrought Factory in Baramula manufactures walnut wood rifle-butts.

5. Research on different kinds of forest herbs is carried in the Regional Research Laboratories, one at Jammu and the other at Burzala, Srinagar. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research uses raw material from these forests for making medicines.

6. Walnut trees grow in abundance in Kashmir. Walnut wood is suitable for wood carving and Kashmiri artisans are expert wood carvers.

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Soil :-

•In the regions of Jammu the soils are loamy and there is little clay content in them.

•Poor in lime but with a high content of magnesia, the soil is treated with chemical fertilizers and enriched with green manure and legume before cultivation.

• There is sufficient organic matter and nitrogen content in the alluvium of the Jammu valley as a result of plant residue, crops stubble, natural vegetation and animal excretion.

•No wonder, in Jammu, soil is virtually worshipped as a miracle of divinity as it is a source of wealth of the land.

Geological Structure :-

The Geology of the territories of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh have been studied in some detail by R. Lydekkar. He has divided the territory into three different structural Zones:

1. The Panjal :- The Panjal forms the Outer plain, the Outer Hills and the Middle Mountains.

2. The Zanskar :- The Zankar includes the whole of the eastern region from Spiti and Lahol (32.170N. Latitude) to the lofty Karakoram mountains in the north.

3. The Tertiary Groups :- The Tertiary Groups include the valley of Kashmir and other river Valleys.

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The mountains surrounding the different valleys of the State of Jammu and Kashmir havevaried mineral wealth. The first survey of minerals wealth in the State was made by arenowned geologist. Mr. Middlemiss in 1924 in collaboration with the Government of Jammuand Kashmir, but an intensive mineral survey was taken up in the year 1956 when systematicinvestigation began, as a consequence of which mineral exploitation in the State wasorganized and developed.

1. Lignite. It is an inferior quality of coal which is found in the valley of Kashmir at Nichahama, Baramulla, Handwara, Chowkibal, Ferozepur nullah, Nagbal, Tangmarg, Raithan, Badgam tehsil, Laligang and Lolab valley.

2. Limestone. All the three regions of the State i.e. Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh have deposits of different ages and grades of Limestone. The Limestone of Kashmir is of high quality and is used in the manufacture of cement at Wuyan and Khrew.

3. Copper ores are found at Aishmuqam, Shubbar area (Anantnag), Lashtil hill spurs (Baramulla), Handwara, Sumbal, Kangan and Lolab valley in the province of Kashmir.

4. Iron-ore deposits occur in Sharda (Karnah tehsil), Khrewa, Haral (Handwara), Uri tehsil, Garez (Sopore tehsil) and Lolab valley in Kashmir.

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5. Gypsum. It is used for making plaster of Paris and chalk sticks. The Kashmir province has gypsum deposits at Lachhipora, Baramulla, Anantnag, Liddipora and Kathia Nullah (Uri).

6. Ochre. It is used in paints and varnishes etc. There are extensive deposits of ochre in Nur Khawn, Ratasar and Jhaggi in the Uri tehsil. About 4 lakh tons of ochre have been found in the State so far.

7. Zinc and Nickel are found at Buniyar (Baramulla).

8. Fuller's Earth is used in the manufacture of country soap and for filling paper. It is found in Rampur near Baramulla

9. Slate Stone is found in abundance in the valley of Kashmir.

10. Graphite is used in the manufacture of lead pencils and is found in Bararipora, Uri, Karnah, Malogam, Piran in the province of Kashmir

11. Sulphur is found in Pagga valley in Ladakh. In spring water, it is found at Anantnag and Khrewa. The estimated deposits of sulphur in the State are 2,00,000 tons.

12. Marble. Large deposits of marble have been found at Drugmalla, Zirahama, Oura and Trehgam in Kupwara district of Kashmir. This is light brown to dirty grey in colour. This is being used commonly in buildings these days.

•University of Jammu•Acharya Shri Chander College of Medical Sciences & Hospital•Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, R.S.Pura•Government College of Engineering & Technology, Jammu•Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu•Govt. Gandhi Memorial Science College, Jammu•Govt. MAM PG College, Jammu•I.C.E.S. College of Engineering & Technology•Mahant Bachittar Singh College of Engineering & Technology (MBSCET) Baliana, Jammu•Maharaja Harisingh Agri Collegiate School•Model Institute of Engineering and Technology (M.I.E.T), Kot Bhalwal, Jammu•Sainik School, Nagrota

•Army Public School Kaluchak•Border Security Force (BSF) Senior Secondary School Jammu (Paloura)•Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu•Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University Katra, Kakrial•Sri Pratap Memorial Rajput College of Commerce, B.B.A, B.C.A.•National Institute Of Technology And science•Presentation Convent High School, Jammu•Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 1 Gandhi Nagar•Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 2 Jammu Cantt•Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, CSIR•Central University of Jammu

Of late year Hydro-Electric Works have made considerable headway in the State of Jammu andKashmir. This electric power is used in running factories irrigating fields and for lighting townsand villages as well as for other common household requirements. Two grid stations havebeen commissioned. Three gas turbines have been set-up to overcome power shortage in thevalley during the winter.

1. Mohra Hydro-Electric Power Stations. It was in the year 1907, during the reign of Maharaja Pratap Singh, that the British designed a 25-cycle per second plant of 4000 Kilowatts at Mohra about 22.5 kms.

2. The Sind Valley Hydro-Electric Project. This project, established in 1955, is near Ganderbal on the bank of the Nullah Sind towards its east and generates 13000 Kilowatts of electric power.

3. The Pahalgam Hydro-Electric Project. The river Liddar is an important tributary of the Jhelum. It has been harnessed for water power at Pahalgam. A dam 8 meters high creates a water fall, generating 200 kilowatts of electricity.

4. Lower Jhelum Hydel Project (Sheri). This project for generating electricity has only one stage which generates 105 megawatts of electric power.