Kathua is a city and municipal council of the Jammu division of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region.<ref name=tertiary-kashmir> The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute is supported by the tertiary sources (a) through (d), reflecting due weight in the coverage. Although "controlled" and "held" are also applied neutrally to the names of the disputants or to the regions administered by them, as evidenced in sources (f) through (h) below, "held" is also considered politicized usage, as is the term "occupied," (see (i) below). (a) (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcontinent ... has been the subject of dispute between India and Pakistan since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. The northern and western portions are administered by Pakistan and comprise three areas: Azad Kashmir, Gilgit, and Baltistan, the last two being part of a territory called the Northern Areas. Administered by India are the southern and southeastern portions, which constitute the state of Jammu and Kashmir but are slated to be split into two union territories."; (b) (subscription required) Quote: "Aksai Chin, Chinese (Pinyin) Aksayqin, portion of the Kashmir region, at the northernmost extent of the Indian subcontinent in south-central Asia. It constitutes nearly all the territory of the Chinese-administered sector of Kashmir that is claimed by India to be part of the Ladakh area of Jammu and Kashmir state."; (c) C. E Bosworth, University of Manchester Quote: "KASHMIR, kash'mer, the northernmost region of the Indian subcontinent, administered partlv by India, partly by Pakistan, and partly by China. The region has been the subject of a bitter dispute between India and Pakistan since they became independent in 1947"; (d) Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir: Territory in northwestern India, subject to a dispute betw een India and Pakistan. It has borders with Pakistan and China." (e) Quote: "We move from a disputed international border to a dotted line on the map that represents a military border not recognized in international law. The line of control separates the Indian and Pakistani administered areas of the former Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir."; (f) (subscription required) Quote: "... China became active in the eastern area of Kashmir in the 1950s and has controlled the northeastern part of Ladakh (the easternmost portion of the region) since 1962."; (g) Quote: "J&K: Jammu and Kashmir. The former princely state that is the subject of the Kashmir dispute. Besides IJK (Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir. The larger and more populous part of the former princely state. It has a population of slightly over 10 million, and comprises three regions: Kashmir Valley, Jammu, and Ladakh.) and AJK ('Azad" (Free) Jammu and Kashmir. The more populous part of Pakistani-controlled J&K, with a population of approximately 2.5 million. AJK has six districts: Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Bagh, Kodi, Rawalakot, and Poonch. Its capital is the town of Muzaffarabad. AJK has its own institutions, but its political life is heavily controlled by Pakistani authorities, especially the military), it includes the sparsely populated "Northern Areas" of Gilgit and Baltistan, remote mountainous regions which are directly administered, unlike AJK, by the Pakistani central authorities, and some high-altitude uninhabitable tracts under Chinese control." (h) Quote: "Kashmir’s identity remains hotly disputed with a UN-supervised “Line of Control” still separating Pakistani-held Azad (“Free”) Kashmir from Indian-held Kashmir."; (i) Quote:"Some politicised terms also are used to describe parts of J&K. These terms include the words 'occupied' and 'held'." The city is the headquarters of Kathua district and is divided into 27 wards which constitute the Kathua Municipal Council. It is situated along NH-44 The city has a bustling industrial area and an army cantonment adjoining it. Being a transit hub for industrial activity in the state, the city has a large industrial base with textile park, Biotechnology and Pharma industrial and research park, Cement industry and many medium scale MSMEs.

Geography

Kathua is located at 32.37°N, 75.52°W. It has an average elevation of 393 m. The city is surrounded by three rivers. Ravi is 7 km down Kathua while Ujjh is about 11 km ahead on Jammu Highway. Kathua itself is situated along the banks of a khad which has been heavily polluted and encroached over there years and this has become a drain of sewage, dividing it into two boroughs: Parliwand, meaning the other side; and Orliwand, meaning this side. Itself being a Plain the area is surrounded in the North by snow-capped Sivalik hills. The large Ranjit Sagar Lake is 25 kms away and has a cooling effect on its climate. Kathua lies 88 kilometres south of Jammu.

Demographics

Population

Literacy

Language

Use of Urdu is predominant in official government documents along with English, but Dogri is the mother tongue and the vernacular language of the populace along with Hindi.

Religion

Hinduism is the largest religion in Kathua, followed by over 91% of the people. Sikhism is the second-largest religion with 4.75% adherents. Christianity and Islam form 1.09% and 2.68% of the population respectively.

Climate

Kathua has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Koppen Cwa). Kathua generally experiences extreme rainfall during the monsoon being on the windward side of Sivalik. Because of its proximity to rivers, the climate is moderate to very hot in summers and mild to very cold in winters. Summers are hot and the temperature may reach 37 degrees, while in winters, the temperature can dip to below 0 degrees at nights. Heavy downpour is experienced during the monsoon season in July and August. The annual rainfall is around 1700 mm, mainly in monsoons and winters. Heavy hailstorms may be experienced in February and March, but are very rare; Kathua does not experience snowfall. Fog and sometimes Smog occur regularly during the winters, especially in January and February. Compared with Jammu, temperatures in Kathua remain fairly lower by 3-4 degrees. December and January can be very cold especially nights, while February to April and October- November remain pleasant and dry. August is generally humid and sometimes very uncomfortable. Winters are also wet due to frequent rains due to western disturbances. Late night thunderstorms are common while May is notorious for heavy dust storms.

Tourist attractions

There is a canal flowing throughout Kathua. Besides gardens and canals, the town boasts historical landmarks like Jasrota Fort, Jasmergarh Fort, and Bhadu Fort.

Transport

Kathua is 80 km away from Jammu city and 120 km from Katra. Interstate and Intrastate road transport is easily accessible due to the close proximity to NH44. Jammu Airport is the nearest major airport with regular flights. The town is connected by Indian railways to all major cities of India. Intra-district transport is also easily available for travelling within the town and surrounding areas.

Gallery