Jammu and Kashmir is the most northerly state in India. It is often denoted by the acronym J&K or just Kashmir. It is located mostly in the Himalayan mountains, and shares borders with the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south. Jammu and Kashmir has an international border with China in the north and east, and the Line of Control separates it from the Pakistani-administered territories of Azad Kashmir (so called ‘Free Kashmir’) and Gilgit-Baltistan in the west and northwest respectively. The state has special autonomy under Article 370 of the Constitution of India.

   A part of the erstwhile Princely State of Kashmir and Jammu, the region is the subject of a long term territorial conflict among China, India and Pakistan with a few wars (in 1947-1949, 1965, 1971 with Pakistan and in 1962 with China) and a lot of local fights since 1947 till now. The western districts of the former princely state known as Azad Kashmir and the northern territories known as Gilgit-Baltistan have been under Pakistani control since 1947. The Aksai Chin region in the east, bordering Tibet, has been under Chinese control since 1962.

   One more boundary armed conflict between India and Pakistan occurred in 1999 and was named the Kargil war. Official Indian representatives prefer not to use the word "war" in the course of the conflict, and the Pakistani side generally denies its participation in it. The conflict ended formally with the victory of the Indians, as they managed to repulse almost all the territories captured by the militants in the first days of the fighting. Victory was won at the cost of extremely high tension troops, creating a multiple numerical superiority, with the use of aviation and heavy weapons — despite the fact that the militants were equipped with only light and small arms (Pakistani artillery, although it made itself felt, was still used rather narrowly). The conflict left behind a lot of unresolved issues, which led to another confrontation in 2001-2002.

   Jammu and Kashmir consist of three regions: Jammu, the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh. Srinagar is the summer capital of the state, and Jammu is the winter capital. Jammu and Kashmir is the only state in India with a Muslim-majority population. Over the past more than 40 years, the number of hinduists in the Kashmir Valley has decreased from 400 thousand to zero. Terrorism and violence generated by different parties in the Kashmir Valley can also be observed to this day, not excluding daytime, even on the streets with military checkpoints every 200-400 meters in the central part of Srinagar.

   The nature in Kashmir valley is famous for its beautiful mountainous landscape, and Jammu's numerous shrines attract tens of thousands of Hindu pilgrims every year. Ladakh, also known as "Little Tibet", is renowned for its remote mountain beauty and Buddhist culture. Ladakh, that is mainly Buddist, is much safer than the Kashmir valley in terms of terrorism.

   Srinagar is a city of lakes — Dal, Nagin, and Anchar, gardens — Cheshmasahi, Nishat, and Shalimar. There is a big Hazratbal Mosque. Srinagar rents houseboats on the lakes to tourists. Jammu, built on the river Tawi, abounds in religious places of every faith.

   Among the historical sites of the state can be listed Akhnur Fort on the banks of Chenab, and the palace at Ramnagar. In Leh you can see the ruins of fort, the nine-storey palace of Sengge Namgyal.

   You can visit Gulmarg (meadow of flowers) for winter-skiing, and pony trails to Khilanmarg and Tangmarg, Sonamarg (golden meadow), Vernag, and Achabal with trout and mahaseer fishing; beauty spots of Pahalgam, Aru, Yusmarg, and the Lidder Valley; mineral springs of Kokernag; the alpine lake Alpather which remains frozen till June, Mariasbal, Gandarbal, Wular, Tarsar and Gangabal Lakes, and the holy Sheshnag Lake; and Thajiwas, Kolhol, and Khajiar Glaciers. Excursion spots are the hill resort of Patnitop overlooking the Chenab Basin, and the resorts of Sanasar, Batote, and Kud; the hill station of Batoti; Salal, Mansar and Surinsar lakes; and the waterfall complex of Baba Dhansar draining into the Ban Ganga. Kargil on river Suru, is a rare green patch of land in the desertscape. Dah and Hanu are two of a group of five villages where live a people of pure Aryan descent. Dras is the coldest place in Asia.