Jammu district is an administrative district in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It lies in the southern part of the union territory, in the Jammu division, and contains the city of Jammu, which serves as the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Union Territory | Jammu and Kashmir |
| Division | Jammu |
| Headquarters | Jammu |
| Region | Southern Jammu and Kashmir |
Jammu district occupies a transitional zone between the outer plains of the Punjab region and the lower Shivalik (Siwalik) foothills of the Himalayas. The terrain ranges from level alluvial plains in the south to undulating hills in the north. The Tawi river, a tributary of the Chenab, flows through the district and through the city of Jammu, dividing it into northern and southern parts.
The district shares borders with Samba district to the east, Udhampur and Reasi districts to the north, and Rajouri district to the west. Its southern boundary forms part of the international border with Pakistan.
The district is administered by a Deputy Commissioner and is divided into tehsils, sub-divisions and community development blocks. The city of Jammu, which is the district headquarters, hosts the offices of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir during the winter under the practice formerly known as the Darbar Move, alongside Srinagar in summer.
In 2007, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir reorganised several districts. As part of this exercise, Samba was carved out as a separate district from the erstwhile larger Jammu district, reducing the latter's area and population.
Dogri is the principal language of the district, alongside Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and Kashmiri. The population is predominantly Hindu, with significant Muslim, Sikh and Christian minorities. The Dogra community has historically been associated with the region.
The economy of Jammu district combines agriculture, trade, services and small-scale industry. Wheat, paddy, maize and pulses are the main crops in the plains and lower foothills. Jammu city is a regional commercial hub with markets, educational institutions, hospitals, government offices and transport links serving much of the Jammu region.
Jammu district is connected to the rest of India by the Jammu Tawi railway station, the Jammu Airport (Satwari), and National Highway 44 (the former NH 1A), which links Jammu with Srinagar and onward to Ladakh, as well as southwards to Punjab and the Indian heartland. The district is also a principal staging point for pilgrims travelling to the Vaishno Devi shrine in neighbouring Reasi district.
Jammu city, the district headquarters, is known as the "City of Temples" for its concentration of Hindu shrines, including the Raghunath Temple complex. Other notable sites in or near the district include the Bahu Fort and the adjoining Bagh-e-Bahu, the Mubarak Mandi palace complex, and the Amar Mahal Museum. The district is closely associated with the Dogra dynasty, which ruled the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir from 1846 to 1947.