Ladakh is a territory administered by India as a union territory, which is a part of the larger Kashmir region and has

been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan and China since 1947. Ladakh is bordered by the Tibet

Autonomous Region to the east, the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh to the south, the Indian-administered Union

Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan to the west, and the southwest of Xinjiang

across the Karakoram Pass to the far north. in the corner. It extends from the Siachen Glacier in the Karakoram Range in

the north to the main Great Himalayas in the south. The eastern end, consisting of the uninhabited Aksai Chin plains,

is claimed by the Indian government as part of Ladakh, and has been under Chinese control since 1962.

Ladakh gained importance in the past from its strategic location at the crossroads of important trade routes, but as

Chinese authorities closed the borders between the Tibet Autonomous Region and Ladakh in the 1960s, international trade dwindled.

Since 1974, the Government of India has successfully promoted tourism in Ladakh. Since Ladakh is strategically important, the Indian Army

maintains a strong presence in the region. The largest city in Ladakh is Leh, followed by Kargil, each with its headquarters as a district.