Neelam District

Neelam District (Also spelled Neelum District) (Urdu: ضلع نیلم ‎) is one of the ten districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan.^[1] Until recently it was part ofMuzaffarabad District. It is bound by the Gilgit (Northern Areas) to the North, with Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipore Districts of Indian-administered Kashmir in India to the South and Southeast, Muzaffarabad District to the Southwest and Mansehra District to the West. The district was badly affected by the 2005 Kashmir earthquake.^[2]

Contents

• 1 Subdivisions
• 2 Languages
• 3 Ethnic groups
• 4 Geography
• 5 See also
• 6 References
• 7 External links

Subdivisions

It comes under the Kashmir section which is part of the greater dispute between India and Pakistan. The district is administratively subdivided into two tehsils: Athmuqamand Sharda.

Languages

It is the northernmost district of Azad Kashmir. A variety of languages are spoken in the district. Hindko however, is the predominant language and is spoken mostly in the west and southwest towards the border with Muzzafarrabad and NWFP (now Khayber Pakhtoonkhwa). Shina and Kashmiri are the predominant languages spoken in the northeastern part of the district towards the border with Baramulla, Gurez, Bandipore, Astore District and Baltistan and also in the far north on the border with Diamer District. Pashto is also spoken in a few villages on the Line of Control with Kupwara. Other languages include Gojri and the Kundal Shahi Language which is an archaic form of Shina however, it is heavily influenced by Kashmiri and Hindko. The Kundal Shahi Language^[3] is spoken in a village called Kundal Shahi near Athmuqam. The language is under tremendous threat. If the current situation of language loss continues unabated, it is estimated that the language will disappear in the near future

Ethnic groups

Main article: Ethnic groups of Azad Kashmir

Geography

Map of Neelum district

Neelam District is the largest district of Azad Kashmir by area. It is a valley extending approximately 200 kilometers along the Neelum River. Notable locations in the district include: Nausery, Leswa, Barian, Jura, Kundal Shai, Jagran, Salkhala, Shahkot, Athmuqam, Keran, Sharda, Kel, Taobat, and Halmat.