GILGIT AND BALTISTAN HISTORY

GILGIT BATISTAN

The gilgit and baltistan are the beautiful areas of pakistan and was formerly known as the northern areas of pakistan. Gilgit Baltistan borders Afghanistan to the north, China to the northeast, the Pakistani administrated state of Azad, Jammu and Kashmir  to the south, and the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir to the southeast.Gilgit baltistan consist of seven districts namely Gilgit, Ghezir, Hunza Nagar, Diamar, Astore, Baltistan (Skardu) and Ghanche. 
HISTORY OF GILGIT& BALTISTAN

The gilgit and baltistan   have its unique history,cultural values due to the isolation associated with the karakoram mountains. Over the centuries, the region of Gilgit Baltistan came under the control of the Durrani Empire of Afghanistan and experienced four centuries of Muslim rule under the Mughals (till 1751) and the Afghan Durranees,who ruled gilgit and baltistan till 1820,between 1820 to 1860 the area was ruled by sikh administration.  Between 1935 and 1947 the territory of Gilgit&Baltistan was given to the British on lease in order to enable them to keep watch on the developments in  Afghanistan.After the creation of pakistan the gilgit and baltistan became the third nothern area and province of jammu and kashmir.On 1st November 1947, the local population of Gilgit Baltistan of Gilgit-Baltistan fought the Dogra Raj and joined Pakistan and declared an independent Republic in Gilgit.  
In 2009, the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order 2009  was passed by the Pakistani cabinet and later signed by the President. It granted self-rule to the people of the former Northern Areas, now renamed "Gilgit-Baltistan," by creating, among other things, an elected  assembly.

Travel and tourism

Nature has given Gilgit Baltistan with perfect beauty, high peaks, snowy mountains, fresh water lakes, lush green fairy meadows, this area is also blessed with unlimited and heavy deposits of precious and semi-precious stones, precious and semi-precious metals,  industrial stones like Ruby, Gold, Topaz, Aquamarine, Tourmaline, Epidote, Paragasite, Zircon, Actinolite, Lead, Moonstone, Himalayan Quartz, Emerald, Marble, Granite, Feldspar, Mica, Calcite, Feldspar, Antimony, Graphite, Alum, Coal, Copper, Barite, China Clay etc. It is estimated that almost 94% of the precious & semi-precious stones located in Pakistan are found in Gilgit Baltistan.
Gilgit and baltistan is the convergent point of the three mightiest mountain ranges in the world, namely, the Himalaya, Karakoram and Hindu Kush.Gilgit Baltistan currency is  in Pakistan  Rupee but foreign currencies are also accepted by hotels and other  gift shops.