Kargil District - Demographics

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Kargil district has a population of 143,388, roughly equal to the nation of Saint Lucia. This gives it a ranking of 603rd in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 10 inhabitants per square kilometre (26 /sq mi) . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 20.18%. Kargil has a sex ratio of 775 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 74.49%.

Of total population, 80% are Muslim 95,963, of which 73% follow Shia Islam. Most of the district's Muslims are found in the north (Kargil town, Drass, and the lower Suru valley). Of the remainder, 15% are followers of Tibetan Buddhism and Bön mostly found in Zanskar with small populations in the upper Suru valley (Rangdum) and around Shergol and Mulbekh. Another 4% of the population follow Hinduism and Sikhism.

Much of Kargil population is inhabited by the Burig and Balti people of Tibetan origin (converting from Buddhism to Islam in the 16th Century) and have intermingled with the Dard, Mon and other Aryan people. The mainly Muslim Dards inhabit the valley of Drass and speak Shina, a small number of Buddhist Dard, known as Brokpa, inhabit the Dha-Hanu region near the Lamayuru monastery. Some Arghons and Shina are also settled in Kargil Town.