# Ladakh – Districts List, Cities, Population & Literacy (Census 2011)

> Source: https://wherepedia.org/india/ladakh/

Union territory · India 

# Ladakh

Ladakh is a union territory of India with its capital at Kargil and Leh. At the 2011 Census it was home to **274,289 people** — 0.0% of India and 35th of 36 states and union territories — in 2 districts, 4 towns and 239 villages. 23% lived in towns, and literacy was 74.3% (above the national 73.0%).

- 274,289people (2011)
- 2districts (2011)
- 4towns
- 74.3%literacy

Ladakh became a union territory in 2019; its 2011 figures are those of Leh and Kargil districts, then part of Jammu and Kashmir.

## Who lives in Ladakh?

Ladakh had **274,289 people** at the 2011 Census — 0.0% of India's population and 35th of 36 states and union territories by population. There were 750 women for every 1,000 men (below the India figure of 943; 35th of 36 states and union territories). Among children under 7 the ratio was 966 girls per 1,000 boys (the India figure is 918). An average household had 6.8 people, against 4.9 across India.

## How literate is Ladakh?

74.3% of people aged 7 and over could read and write in 2011 (above India's 73.0%), 24th of 36 states and union territories. Men were at 84.8% and women at 59.8% — a gap of 25.0 points (it is 16.2 points across India). Among its districts, literacy is highest in [Leh](https://wherepedia.org/india/ladakh/leh/) (77.2%) and lowest in [Kargil](https://wherepedia.org/india/ladakh/kargil/) (71.3%).

Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog).

## What do people in Ladakh do for a living?

46.3% of people worked in 2011 (women: 28.8%). Of all workers, 10% farmed their own land, 1% were farm labourers, 1% worked in household industry and 56% in other work such as services, trade and factories; 32% were marginal workers with less than six months' work. Farming employs 11% of workers here, against 38% across India. The most farm-dependent of its districts is [Leh](https://wherepedia.org/india/ladakh/leh/) (16% of workers in farming) and the least is [Kargil](https://wherepedia.org/india/ladakh/kargil/) (5% of workers in farming).

**********

**■** Cultivators 10 (10%) · **■** Farm labourers 1 (1%) · **■** Household industry 1 (1%) · **■** Other work 56 (56%) · **■** Marginal 32 (32%)

Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog).

## Cities and towns of Ladakh

22.6% of people lived in towns and cities (below India's 31.1%), 30th of 36 states and union territories. The Census counted 4 towns: 2 statutory towns with a municipality and 2 census towns — places urban in character but still governed as villages. The largest is [Leh Ladakh](https://wherepedia.org/india/ladakh/leh/leh/leh-ladakh/) with 30,870 people, home to 50% of the urban population.

Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog).

## Villages of Ladakh

Ladakh had 239 census villages, 236 of them inhabited. The average inhabited village had 899 people; 2 villages had 5,000 people or more. The largest: [Rambirpur](https://wherepedia.org/india/ladakh/kargil/kargil/rambirpur/) (8,397), [Chemrey](https://wherepedia.org/india/ladakh/leh/leh/chemrey/) (6,222), [Saleskot](https://wherepedia.org/india/ladakh/kargil/sanku/saleskot/) (3,605), [Partap Pore](https://wherepedia.org/india/ladakh/leh/nubra/partap-pore/) (3,561) and [Choskar](https://wherepedia.org/india/ladakh/kargil/kargil/choskar/) (3,430).

Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog).

## Where is Ladakh, and what is it like?

The capital is [Kargil](https://wherepedia.org/india/ladakh/kargil/kargil/kargil/). It covers 59,196 km², so in 2011 there were about 5 people per km². It borders [Himachal Pradesh](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/) and [Jammu and Kashmir](https://wherepedia.org/india/jammu-and-kashmir/). Official languages: English and Hindi.

Source: [Wikidata (CC0) — capital, area, languages, neighbours; retrieved 2026-10-29](https://www.wikidata.org/).

### Weather and best time to visit

At Kargil, the hottest month is Jul (average 11 °C), the coldest Jan (-15 °C), and the wettest Mar (42 mm of rain).

- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec

Source: [NASA POWER climatology, retrieved 2026-10-29](https://power.larc.nasa.gov/).

## Population of Ladakh compared with India

■ Ladakh · ■ India

Literacy (age 7+) ****74.3%**

**73.0%

Sex ratio (F per 1,000 M) ****750**

**943

Child sex ratio (0–6) ****966**

**918

Working population ****46.3%**

**39.8%

Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog).

## Districts of Ladakh

District People Sub-districts Towns Literacy 

[Kargil](https://wherepedia.org/india/ladakh/kargil/) 140,802 3 1 71.3% 

[Leh](https://wherepedia.org/india/ladakh/leh/) 133,487 3 3 77.2% 

Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog).

Boundaries and names as at the 2011 Census; districts created since then are not shown separately.

## Largest cities and towns in Ladakh

- Leh Ladakh · 30,870
- Kargil · 16,338
- Chuglamsar · 10,754
- Spituk · 4,047

## Quick answers

- What is the capital of Ladakh?Kargil and Leh
- What is the area of Ladakh?59,196 km²
- Which states border Ladakh?Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir
- What language is spoken in Ladakh?English and Hindi (official)
- What is the literacy rate of Ladakh?74.3% (Census 2011)
- What is the sex ratio of Ladakh?750 women per 1,000 men (Census 2011)
- How many districts are in Ladakh?2 (Census 2011)
- What is the population of Ladakh?274,289 (Census 2011)
- Which is the most populous district of Ladakh?Kargil
- Which is the largest city in Ladakh?Leh Ladakh