Kathua district

Kathua district
District of Jammu and Kashmir administered by India
Mountainous areas in the east of Kathua
Kathua district is in the Jammu division (shown with neon blue boundary) of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir (shaded in tan in the disputed Kashmir region
Interactive map of Kathua district
Coordinates (Kathua): 32°35′N 75°30′E / 32.583°N 75.500°E / 32.583; 75.500
Administering countryIndia
Union territoryJammu and Kashmir
DivisionJammu Division
Parliamentary ConstituencyUdhampur-Doda-Kathua Constituency
District HeadquarterKathua
TehsilsBani, Basholi, Billawar, Hiranagar, Kathua, Nagri, Marheen, Mahanpur, Lohai Malhar, Ramkote, Dinga Amb.
Government
 • District Development Council ChairpersonMann Singh (BJP)
 • District CollectorRakesh Minhas (IAS)
Area
 • Total
2,502 km2 (966 sq mi)
 • Urban
43.16 km2 (16.66 sq mi)
 • Rural
2,458.84 km2 (949.36 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total
616,435
 • Density246.4/km2 (638.1/sq mi)
 • Urban
89,713
 • Rural
526,722
Demographics
 • Literacy73.09%
 • Sex ratio890
Time zoneUTC+05:30 (IST)
Vehicle registrationJK-08
Major highwaysNH 44(Pathankot-Jammu), Bhaderwah-Basoli Highway, Border Road(Kathua-Bishnah).
Average annual precipitation921cm ( Annual-Billawar) mm
Websitehttps://kathua.nic.in/

Kathua district is an administrative district in the Jammu division of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region. It is surrounded by Jammu to the northwest, the Doda and Udhampur districts to the north, the state of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Punjab to the south, and Pakistan's working boundary to the west. Its terrain is diverse, consisting of rich agricultural areas along the Punjab/Kashmir border, plains sweeping eastward to the foothills of the Himalaya, and the mountainous Pahari region in the east.

Kathua district is divided into 8 blocks: Bani, Barnoti, Basholi, Billawar, Najot, Duggan, Ghagwal, Hiranagar, Kathua and Lohai Malhar. It has approximately 512 villages.

The traditional language of Kathua is Dogri with some Pahari influence. Pahari languages are prevalent in the mountainous area of the east. The principal media of education are English, Hindi, and Urdu.